Information About the Course

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

    The overall purpose of the course is to aid the course participant in developing attitudes and skills for thinking and acting usefully about the futures; to increase her effective involvement in envisioning, and helping others envision, the needs and desires of future generations yet unborn; and then, encourage her, with the others, to help in actively inventing a society which balances the needs and desires of present generations with the needs and desires of future generations.

    Achievement of instructional objectives is measured by performance for each module throughout the course: primarily by student engagement of the ideas presented in each module (not based on "agreement" with ideas presented), as demonstrated by the accurate completion of all exercises and assignments for each module, and the submission, via email, of all written assignments by the due date/time.

By the end of this course, participant learners will be able to:

1. Identify different cultural images, and various types, of "time," applying that knowledge to considerations "about time."
   
2. Understand that we have a unique ethical obligation to consider the needs of future generations, and to balance the needs of present generations with the needs of future generations.
   
3. Demonstrate that "society" is a "human invention," and that you have some or all of the various kinds of "creativity" necessary to be a "social inventor" yourself.
   
4. Identify "technology" as a major source of social change; how technology has shaped society in the past and might shape it in the futures.
   
5. Develop your own conclusions about the "three components of the futures" as a foundation for thinking and acting usefully about the futures.
   
6. Define how it is possible to "foresee unforeseen events" as a central tool for anticipating the futures.
   
7. Identify valid and urgent concerns about "limits to growth" which may challenge humanity.
   
8. Compare and contrast the counterargument that we are far from global population or environmental limits; that we must "grow or die."
   
9. Identify positive images of futures where all human needs for goods and services are satisfied freely for humans, without much human labor, mental as well as manual, so that humans can peacefully play, pray, care for one another, and nurture Mother Earth.
   
10. Compare and contrast evidence that humans have transformed what was once a "natural" environment on Earth of which humans were only a small part, into a largely and increasingly " artificial" environment which it is now our obligation " to govern."
    
11. Identify and define keywords and concepts of futures studies.
    
12. Identify and list a wide range of futures perspectives.
    
13. Summarize in writing the main ideas of the designated reading assignments.
    
14. Submit assignments to the instructor in a timely manner via email.
    
15. Locate designated websites, and surf the web for other, related sites not already identified in this course.
    
16. Compare and contrast various futures-related web sites.
    
17. Acquire experience and practice with internet/email.
    
18. Pursue futures studies beyond the requirements of this course by doing further reading/researching from the Additional References sections, websites sections, ideas presented; and by taking other futures courses and becoming active in futures-oriented groups and communities.
    

PLEASE NOTE:

1. Syllabus -

As soon as you are formally enrolled in the class, send an email to the instructor asking for the class syllabus. Then read and save the syllabus VERY carefully, following the instructions exactly.

2. COURSE MATERIALS -

All the materials you will need for the course are online. You don't need to buy any text, and there are no handouts. You will turn in all your response to all assignments to me via email at this address only: ps171dat@hawaii.edu

3. GRADING -

There is no final exam or project. Rather, each module requires you to:

(1) write a short (approx. 300-600 word) paper,

(2) answer a set of questions,

(3) define a set of terms,

Each module contains extra credit options. You are encouraged to do them, too.

4. SHOW SELF-DISCIPLINE -

You are free to move through the course as quickly as you wish. For example, you could complete the whole course in one week theoretically. But few students have chosen to do that. Instead, the fact that you do not have to show up in a physical class at a specific time can be a problem for some students (especially if this is your first online course). Far too many students put off doing the work required for this class, and thus fall behind, eventually failing a class they should easily pass with flying colors. DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN TO YOU. You must exercise self-discipline and do your work regularly and promptly.

Each module has a specific due date for it. While you may turn it in before the due date, if you turn it in later, your grade will be reduced.

Many students have some initial problems logging on, finding the assignments, figuring out how to send material to me, and the like, and so start out behind. Others just wait too long to get started, and get overwhelmed by all the remaining assignments. DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN TO YOU!

5. HAVE FUN!

I don't want you to get discouraged from what I just wrote! Most people have a great time in this class. They enjoy the reading, do the assignments on time and well, like my comments back on what they do, and end up with a "A", very pleased with everything. DO let that happen to you!! Have fun. Learn lots. Take control of your future, starting now!

6. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT TURNING IN YOUR ASSIGNMENTS TO ME:

a. Please prepare all your assignments off-line, and submit them to me only after they are spell-checked and otherwise "perfect" from your point of view. Please do not send me things with lots of typos and other errors in them.

b. If your response is fairly short (as it normally will be), please send it to me as a simple "cut and paste" into your email message. PLEASE DO NOT send your assignment as an "attachment".

c. If your response is too long for that (or has special formatting that will be lost in a cut and paste), then, and only then, send it to me as an attachment. I can only (easily) read attachments in Microsoft Word, with the suffix .doc .docx or .txt. OK?

d. Teaching an online course like this is very labor intensive for the instructor, compared to ordinary face-to-face classes. Therefore, you want to do everything to make me "happy" while I am reading your assignments. That means sending them to me in easy-to-open and -read formats, and without typos and other errors in them. And that especially means sending them into me on time and NOT LATE.

I try to respond to each assignment as soon as I get it, so following those rules will make it easier for both of us!

I'm a nice mellow guy, but I know from experience that your not following those rules will make me cranky when I am reading your assignments, and you don't want that!

7. PROBLEM!

We are always trying to improve the quality of the course. If you have difficulty navigating, using, or understanding any part of the course, please email me with your concern. If you have a personal problem associated with the course, email me about it. Don't delay.

8. ABOUT CHATROOMS AND MOOS -

Normally, we will NOT use chatrooms, bulletin boards, MOOs, or other activities that require all members of the class to be online at the same time. HOWEVER some classes WILL require these synchronous activities. IF THE CLASS YOU ARE ENROLLED IN REQUIRES A SYNCHRONOUS ACTIVITY, I will send you a separate email about that.