University Curriculum Committee Course Proposal Form
for Courses Numbered 0001 – 4999
Note: Before completing this form, please carefully read the accompanying instructions.
Submission guidelines are posted to the UCC Web site: www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/fsonline/cu/curriculum.cfm
Course Prefix and Number:
Date:
Requested Action (Check only one type):
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New Course
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Revision of Active Course
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Revision & Unbanking of a Banked Course
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Renumbering of an Existing Course from
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to
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Method(s) of delivery (check all boxes that apply for both current/proposed and expected future delivery methods within the next three years):
Current or Expected
Proposed Delivery Future Delivery
Method(s): Method(s):
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On-campus (face to face)
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XX
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Distance Course (face to face off campus)
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Online (delivery of 50% or more of the instruction is offered online)
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Justification for new course, revision, unbanking, or renumbering:
Critical thinking is a skill needed by all students entering the university. Our assessments of student learning show that the lack of critical thinking is problematic for our students when interpreting evidence of past human behavior. The proposed course will teach those skills while exposing students to scientific and pseudoscientific interpretations of the past. It provides for a practical understanding of why the field of archaeology exists, what its driving issues are, and how scholars in the field pursue those issues. The faculty have reviewed this course proposal and approved it.
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Course description exactly as it should appear in the next catalog:
ANTH 1001. Aliens, Atlantis and Archaeology: Pseudoscience and Interpretations of the Past (3) (FC:SO) Critical examination of some of the more extraordinary claims concerning archaeological sites and artifacts.
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If this is a course revision, briefly describe the requested change:
Identify if the new/revised course will be a required and/or elective course in one of the degrees/minors/certificates offered by your unit.
Is this course required (yes/no)?
Is this course an elective (yes/no)?
If writing intensive (WI) credit is requested, the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Committee must approve WI credit prior to consideration by the UCC.
Has this course been approved for WI credit (yes/no/NA)?
If Yes, will all sections be WI (yes/no/NA)?
If service-learning (SL) credit is requested, the University Service-Learning Committee (USLC) must approve SL credit prior to consideration by the UCC.
Has this course been approved for SL credit (yes/no/NA)?
If Yes, will all sections be SL (yes/no/NA)?
If foundations curriculum (FC) credit is requested, the Foundations Curriculum and Instructional Effectiveness (FCIE) Committee must approve FC credit prior to consideration by the UCC.
If FC credit has been approved by the FCIE committee, then check the appropriate box (check at most one):
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English (EN)
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Science (SC)
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Humanities (HU)
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x
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Social Science (SO)
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Fine Arts (FA)
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Mathematics (MA)
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Health (HL)
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Exercise (EX)
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Course Credit:
Lecture Hours
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3
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Weekly
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or
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Per Term
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=
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Credit Hours
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3
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s.h.
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Lab
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Weekly
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or
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Per Term
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Credit Hours
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s.h.
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Studio
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Weekly
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or
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Per Term
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Credit Hours
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s.h.
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Practicum
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Weekly
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or
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Per Term
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Credit Hours
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s.h.
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Internship
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Weekly
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or
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Per Term
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Credit Hours
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s.h.
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Other (e.g., independent study):
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s.h.
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Total Credit Hours
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3
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s.h.
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Anticipated yearly student enrollment: 100
Affected Degrees or Academic Programs:
Degree(s)/Course(s)
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PDF Catalog Page
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Change in Degree Hours
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Anthropology
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324
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0
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Overlapping or Duplication with Affected Units or Programs:
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Not Applicable
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Applicable (Notification and/or Response from Units Attached)
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Approval by the Council for Teacher Education (required for courses affecting teacher education programs):
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Not Applicable
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Applicable (CTE has given their approval)
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Instructional Format(s):
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Lecture
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Technology-mediated
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Lab
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Seminar
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Studio
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Clinical
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Practicum
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Colloquium
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Internship
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Other (describe below):
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Student Teaching
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Statements of Support:
Please attach a memorandum, signed by the unit administrator, which addresses the budgetary and personnel impact of this proposal.
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Current personnel is adequate
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Additional personnel are needed (describe needs below):
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Current facilities are adequate
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Additional facilities are needed (describe needs below):
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x
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Initial library resources are adequate
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Initial resources are needed (give a brief explanation and estimate for cost of acquisition of required resources below):
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x
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Unit computer resources are adequate
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Additional unit computer resources are needed (give a brief explanation and an estimate for the cost of acquisition below):
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x
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ITCS Resources are not needed
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Following ITCS resources are needed (put a check beside each need):
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Mainframe computer system
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Statistical services
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Network connections
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Computer lab for students
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Describe any computer or networking requirements of this program that are not currently fully supported for existing programs (Includes use of classroom, laboratory, or other facilities that are not currently used in the capacity being requested).
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Approval from the Director of ITCS attached
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Syllabus – please insert course syllabus below. Do not submit course syllabus as a separate file. You must include (a) the catalog description of the course as identified in #6 above (required) followed by an extended course description (optional), (b) the citation of the textbook chosen for the course including ISBN, (c) the course objectives, (d) the course content outline, and (e) the course assignments and grading plan. Do not include instructor- or semester-specific information in the syllabus.
(a) ANTH 1001 Aliens, Atlantis & Archaeology: Pseudoscience and Interpretations of the Past : A critical examination of some of the more extraordinary claims concerning archaeological sites and artifacts.
Introduction
Where is Atlantis? What evidence is there for ancient astronauts? What does the Mayan calendar really have to say about 2012? In the course of investigating these and other fantastic claims the students will learn to apply critical thinking skills to what they read in the tabloids and see on television. What constitutes credible evidence and what is just wishful thinking? In short, you will learn to distinguish between the scientific, the misinformed, and the truly wacky interpretations of the past. By the end of this class you will learn that the Weekly World News is not the only media that is willfully ignorant.
(b) Course Texts:
Feder, Kenneth: Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries. Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology. 7th edition. McGraw-Hill 2011. ISBN 978-0-07-811697-1
Kida, Thomas: Don’t Believe Everything You Think. The 6 Basic Mistakes We Make in Thinking. Prometheus Books 2006. ISBN 978-1-59102-408-8
Additional readings will be posted on Blackboard
(c) Course Objectives:
Archaeologists around the world recognize the need for critical thinking skills in interpreting the archaeological record. In response to this need, the Anthropology faculty are emphasizing the acquisition of these skills to aid the student in achieving competence in this area. This course, by example, will guide the student through the basic steps in the archaeological interpretive process.
By the end of the course students will learn the Foundation Curriculum Goals for the Basic Social Sciences
Goal 1. Students will learn the subject matter of at least one discipline in the Basic Social Sciences.
Students will learn the archaeological interpretations of many sites around the world.
They will understand the adaptations made by humans to changing natural and cultural environments.
Goal 2. Students will learn the research methodology, principles and concepts required to understand and conduct undergraduate-level research in a Basic Social Science.
Students will learn the basic methodological and theoretical archaeological approaches to understanding the past. Basic critical thinking skills will be taught so the student can assess the evidence for claims made concerning past archaeological phenomena
Goal 3. Students will learn about the discipline’s contribution to general knowledge.
By applying critical thinking skills to assessing archaeological sites, students will learn to apply the same reasoning skills to problems in other areas.
(d) Course Content Outline:
WEEK ONE—Goal 2
The Mysterious Origins of Man :Introduction to the course: Science vs. Pseudoscience
Readings: Kida Intro, chapter1 & 2
Web: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/mom/mom-review.html
WEEK TWO—Goals 1 & 2
Readings: Feder chapter 1
Kida Chapter 3 & 4
Web: http://www.badarchaeology.net/bad/index.php
WEEK THREE—Goals 2 & 3
I Want to Believe : Why smart people believe crazy things
Readings: Feder chapter 2
Kida Chapter 5 & 6
Web: http://www.badarchaeology.net/good/index.php
WEEK FOUR—Goals 1, 2 & 3
Readings: Feder chapter 3
Kida chapter 7 & 8
Web: http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/hoaxes/ WEEK FIVE—Goals 1, 2 & 3 Dawson vs. Darwin: How intelligent was the designer? Reading: Feder chapter 4
Kida Chapters 9 & 10
Web: http://www.badarchaeology.net/fraudulent/dawson.php
WEEK SIX—Goals 1, 2 & 3 On the Origin of Hobbits and Cavemen
Readings: Cremo & Thompson chapter 10
Kida chapter 11
Web: http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/homo-floresiensis
WEEK SEVEN—Goals 1, 2 & 3
Readings: Williams chapter 5 & 6
Kida chapter 12
Web: http://www.religioustolerance.org/lds_migr.htm
WEEK EIGHT—Goals 1 & 3
Readings: Feder chapter 5
Kida chapter 12
Web: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/explore-pre-clovis-sites.html
WEEK NINE—Goals 1 & 3
The Myth of the Moundbuilders
Readings: Feder chapter 7
Web: http://ohio-archaeology.blogspot.com/2011/06/moundbuilder-myth.html
WEEK TEN—Goals 1 & 3
Who Discovered America? Not Columbus!
Readings: Feder chapter 6
Web: http://www.csicop.org/sb/show/zheng_he_in_the_americas_and_other_unlikely_tales_of_exploration_and_discov
WEEK ELEVEN—Goals 1 & 3
Atlantis: How do you lose a continent?
Exam 2
Readings: Feder chapter 8
Williams chapter 7
Web: http://archaeology.about.com/od/controversies/a/atlantis05.htm
WEEK TWELVE—Goals 1 & 3
Can we handle the “Truth”?: Egypt and the Bible
Readings: Feder chapter 10
Williams chapter 8
Web: http://www.csicop.org/si/show/searching_to_noah_vale/
WEEK THIRTEEN—Goals 1 & 3
Readings: Feder chapter 11
Williams chapter 12
Web: http://bshistorian.wordpress.com/2009/08/16/archaeological-dowsing/
WEEK FOURTEEN—Goals 1 & 3
We Come in Peace: The case for ancient astronauts
Readings: Feder chapter 9
Von Daniken chapter 1 & 2
Web: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/is-it-real/2701/Overview#tab-facts
WEEK FIFTEEN—Goals 1, 2 & 3
Readings: Feder chapter 12
Web: http://www.mendhak.com/85-stonehenge-theories-myths-construction-and-images.aspx
WEEK SIXTEEN—Goals 1, 2 & 3
2012: It’s the end of the world as we know it
Readings: Feder chapter 13
Kida epilogue
Web: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/2012-countdown-to-armageddon-4438#tab-Overview
FINAL EXAM
(e) Course Requirements:
PARTICIPATION (10% of final grade)
Based on class attendance and participation in discussions
WEEKLY QUIZZES (30% of final grade)
There will be short weekly quizzes over the material covered in your readings and in lecture.
EXAMINATIONS (@ 60% of final grade)
There will be three examinations over the material covered in class lectures, current events, videos, and your texts. Each exam will count for 20% of your final grade.
Your final grade will be calculated as follows: A: 90-100; B: 80-89; C: 70-79; D: 60-69; F: 0-59.
Faculty Senate Resolution #09-44, November 2009; editorially revised April 2011
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