Information: Textbook & Online Materials Jerry H. Bentley, Herbert F. Ziegler & Heather E. Streets,  Traditions & Encounters: A Brief Global History . vol I: From the Beginnings to 1500, 1e, Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. ( ISBN   978-0-07-320702-5)         Only this print or e-book 1e brief edition of the text may be used in the course. Purchase at the SAC bookstore on campus in the Loftin Student center -- see SAC Maps; or order online through the same source, The San Antonio College Bookstore online, or other online bookstore. Available FALL 2009 as an e-book. CourseSmart eTextbooks are available from McGraw Hill for all volumes of Traditions & Encounters, and can be purchased at the following links: *Volume 1 (cost eTextbook $57.50 - (180 day subscription) http://mhhe.com/dbm/rdr.pl?p=1000001031535&a=4&c=56593&s=1 Publisher note: CourseSmart eTextbooks provide the same content as print textbooks. Our extensive student research has shown students want portability and options, CourseSmart gives that. Students can read CourseSmart eTextbooks from any computer and now can also access them on their iPhones or iPod Touches. In addition, research has shown that students find the ability to full-text search an ebook very attractive.

(Click on book for more information)

• The Student Center of the Online Learning Center (OLC) provides a range of tools to help you succeed in your world history course. Chapter-specific content such as Self-test (s-t) Multiple-choice Quizzes, Study Questions, Internet Activities, Interactive Maps, and more can be accessed by choosing from the chapter drop-down menu. Course-wide content such as the Glossary and Timeline can be accessed as well as the Primary Source Investigator online (PSI), and interactive maps.
   
• Each chapter in the Student Center provides a twenty-five to thirty question, multiple-choice self-test that can be submitted for grading.  Material contained in the self tests is a valuable supplement to the text and useful for preparation for the unit quizzes and exams. NOTE: DO NOT email your quiz score to the instructor on the form provided at the end of the test. Keep your own grade record for each self-test.  

Thematic Units: The course is divided into three units.

• Unit I is Early Complex Societies ~ Making Traditions
• Unit II is The Formation of Classical Societies & the Postclassical Era   ~ Empires and Encounters
• Unit III is Cross-Cultural Interaction ~ Expanding Boundaries

Each unit has a companion set of PowerPoint slides with images, unit outline and key words and terms. Students will be able to view (and/or download) all unit PowerPoint slides

Class Sessions & SAC Writing Center:

• The basic course format is lecture/discussion/group work, supplemented by Web materials, discussion topics/written analysis, textbook readings, and in-class Classroom Performance System (CPS) use. 
• Time will be given during each session for discussion and students are encouraged to contribute ideas, comments and questions.
• There is one Topic Discussion/Activity and companion report per unit. HIST 2321 is a Writing Intensive (WI) course. See Department Course Syllabus.
  • All TPs involve completing a study guide, participating in a class discussion of the topic, and a 800 - 1000 word report or designated writing assignment. 
  • Each TP discussion assignment will be available on the open course calendar and in BbV.
  • PLEASE NOTE: the computer you are working on must have Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® installed in order to download PDF documents made available to you on the course website from the professor or a SAC Library database.
  • If your computer does not have this program, download and install it for FREE here. 
• The class will visit the SAC Writing Center for orientation early in the semester. Students will be required to collaborate with the writing center (online or on-campus) to verify their written work reflects the critical thinking skills they seek to demonstrate in each Topic Discussion report/essay.

BbV Access via PALS:

• Several aspects of on-campus sections of HIST 2321 will be conducted in Blackboard Vista (BbV).
• BbV is an Internet based course delivery tools software system. In order to access your BbV HIST/IDST course support materials go to
• PALS - set up your account for SAC pipeline access to "My Courses" - go to the "my courses" tab and follow instructions - You will ONLY be able to access course support materials via PALS. 

• Students are expected to complete all reading assignments prior to class meeting (see calendar) and come prepared to discuss the lesson material, respond to new ideas presented, and use a variety of assigned materials to enhance your reading of the text. 
• Pay particular attention to each of the three part Introductions and Timelines, each chapter opening Vignette, Images, Maps, chapter summary, and Chronology.
• Student Responsibility  

• Unit Quizzes: There will be two or three ten to fifteen minute quizzes per unit, see calendar, — based primarily on the the Student Center online multiple choice chapter self tests  — a total of eight (8) for the course. Grades from the six (6) highest will be retained.
  • No make-ups will be given for the quizzes, therefore each student is allowed to drop their two (2) lowest quiz grades.
  • The format is multiple choice, questions will be selected from each chapter self test.
• Unit Exams: There will be three (3) one hour unit exams (50% matching, 50% essay) and a final exam (MC and essay). The final exam is comprehensive with questions taken from the eight unit quizzes. 
• Scantrons: All students must supply their own pencils and scantrons for exams.  One (1) will be required for the final exam. A package of scantrons may be purchased at any area college bookstore (form # 882-ES or similar) .
• Schedule: Quizzes and exams are given on the dates marked in the assignment schedule.
  • All students are expected to take tests in class at that time.
  • If you have an excused absence for a unit test you must arrange with the professor to take a make-up exam.
  • There are no make-ups possible on the unit quizzes.

• Final Exam policy: A student who must be absent from a final examination should petition that instructor for permission to reschedule the examination. 
• A student absent without permission from a final examination is graded "F." 
• Postponed examinations result in a grade of "I." The final examination must be taken within 120 calendar days from the end of the semester, or the grade automatically becomes an "F." 

See Grading Policy for more information.