Distance Learning Course Interaction Plan
Course Number and Title : ENG226: Introduction to Asian-American Literature
Instructor : Dr. Miles X. Liu
Telephone Number (if any): (413) 552-2356
Email Address : xliu@hcc.mass.edu
Office Hours (if any): N/A
Online Hours : 8:30pm-9:30pm Tuesday & Thursday (email within the course)
Communication Policy : In addition to the online hours specified above, I will check my email and the bulletin board on daily basis. I will respond to your inquiries within 24 hours in normal circumstances.
__X__ Asynchronous Course ____ Synchronous Course
Asynchronous: This kind of distance education is characterized by an emphasis on "learning on demand" or "as needed communication" between students and faculty from multiple locations at times convenient to participants.
Synchronous: This form of distance education entails the use of live, two-way communication among and/or between students and faculty in a scheduled or "fixed" point(s) of time(s), much like classroom-based instruction.
Course Description :
As sweeping political changes and burgeoning new technologies have resulted in communities being increasingly defined in global and regional terms, it has become imperative that the knowledge of other cultures, values, and traditions be part of the student's general education today in order for them to be better prepared for the world tomorrow. The wealth of Asian-American literary works produced in this country alone offers rich materials exemplifying how two distinct traditions diverge and converge in a multicultural context. Designed to introduce the class to Asian America through literature, the course will sample well-known works of fiction and drama by Asian Americans such as Amy Tan, Chang-Rae Lee, Lisa See, Frank Chin, David H. Hwang, and Velina H. Houston. But, equally important, the students in this course should reflect on their own cultures and values through the unique stories from these Asian American writers.
Required Books :
Houston, Velina Hasu. ed. The Politics of Life: Four Plays by Asian American Women . Philadelphia : Temple UP , 1993. (1-56639-001-X)
Lee, Chang-Rae. Native Speaker . New York : Berkley Publishing Group, 1996. (1-57322-531-2)
Hong, Maria. ed. Growing up Asian American . New York : Perennial, 2003. (0-380-72418-9)
Tan, Amy. The Bonesetter's Daughter . New York : Ballantine Books, 2001.
Recommended Text :
Fong, Timothy P, and Larry H. Shinagawa. Asian Americans: Experiences and Perspectives . Upper Saddle River , NJ : Prentice Hall, 2000. (0-13-742966-5)
Hoff, Benjamin. The Tao of Pooh . New York : Penguin Books, 1983. (0140067477)
Required Essays & Poems (Handouts online):
Clemetson, Lynette and Keith Naughton. "Patriotism vs. Ethnic Pride: An American Dilemma." Newsweek . September 24, 2001. 69
Colombo , Gary . "Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths." Re-reading America . 2nd ed. Boston : Beford, 1992. 1-6.
Frost, Robert. “Home Burial.”
Niemoeller, Nartin. "They first came for the Communists." Class handout. February 11, 2004.
"Paul's Suicide." College Writing Skills . John Langan. Boston : McGraw Hill, 2000. 263-64.
Wang, Ping. “Syntax.”
Yamada, Mitsyue. "To the Lady." An Introduction to Literature . 13th ed. Ed. Sylvan Barnet, et al. New York : Longman, 2004. 833.
Course Objectives :
This course is offered as an introduction to Asian-American literature, or perhaps more accurately, as yet another channel to study one's own perspective and culture through reading about others and their cultures. Besides sampling literary works from Asian-American tradition, the course will be engaged in exploring the “roots” of their world views, particularly with regard to the influence of Taoist philosophy. In reading fictions and plays mainly by Asian-American writers, students will examine their own values and traditions by “stepping outside our own skin” and thus develop additional cultural frames of reference.
Methods of Instruction : Online – Distance Learning
Students are required to engage in the following interaction(s) for successful completion of this course:
- to keep a journal at least twice a week, and hopefully as often as they read for this course; (Inspection every other week)
- to actively participate in discussions by logging on twice a week;
- to value opinions different from their own, and be respectful towards others';
- and to turn in the 3 required 4-5 page papers punctually on topics of the student's own choice.
This course may include, but not be restricted to, the following interactions :
1. in person meetings NO
2. telephone interactions NO
3. electronic interactions (email, internet...) YES
If yes, dates, times, places are to be specified…
From 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday & Thursday
Evaluation of Student's Progress :
• 45% papers (15% each)
• 20% journals
• 15% class reports (5% each)
• 20% course participation: complete reading assignments on time, take active part in discussions, be responsive in communication with the class, etc.