Student Learning Contract

PLSC 022: Politics of the Developing World

Student Learning Contract

Spring Semester 2008

Amy Dodson

Penn State University

Learning Goals

In this course, I plan to focus on historical and current issues in the third world using a combination of modern informational sources (such as scholarly journals, video resources, and texts) in conjunction with personal experiences and primary source documents. The focus of this course will be countries, which experienced anti-dictatorial revolutions, with an emphasis on the Dominican Republic (a largely successful experiment) and the failures of democratic revolutionaries in Burma. With these counties as a medium, I can better explore and understand issues facing developing nations, such as human rights needs under autocratic leaderships, energy distribution issues, and the political leadership that can remedy these issues.

Class Participation

Having read the class syllabus, I understand and acknowledge that class participation comprises a total of 30 points of the final grade. During the semester, I will read both the assigned texts and daily news-services to competently contribute to in-class discussions. I will also complete any written assignments such as “Ten Minute” essay reaction papers.

Web Portfolio (20 points)

As per the syllabus, I will create and maintain a web portfolio of all assignments that are created for this course. The portfolio will include all major projects and any minor reaction papers that are created for this class, as well as personal reflections, and any materials to support better understanding of the materials in this course.

Assignments

The assignments that I have chosen to include in this contract are worth a total of 60 points, with 50 points of general credit value, and a total of 10 possible extra credit points. The tasks focus on the areas of the Dominican Republic and Burma, geographically separated yet with a similar history of colonial and dictatorial subjugation.

The Four Assignments:

Leader Profile (15 points): This 10-page paper will explore the current leader of the Burmese Aung San Suu Kyi, the imprisoned leader of the Burmese National League for Democracy Party. The paper will profile the political situation of Burma, comparing this leader to the Marabel sisters, leaders of the democratic resistance movement in the Dominican Republic. Due Date: March 10, 2007

Service Learning Journal (15 Points): This 10-page document will outline the time I spent in the Dominican Republic working with Orphanage Outreach. This journal will draw upon my personal experiences as seen through primary source journal excerpts, as well as personal anecdotal accounts of the influence of this experience on my life and international perspectives. The style of this account will be in the creative non-fiction genre. Due Date: March 25, 2008

Global Salon (20 points): The Global Salon will be centered around the issue of energy, specifically petroleum usage in developing countries, as well as in the world at large. The keynote speaker will ideally be an expert on matters of energy, possibly a local professor, or similar contact. Local and/or state politicians could also act as valuable resources for this topic. The Salon would consist of a short illumination of the issues, followed by a question and answer session from the audience. Tentative Due Date: April 3, 2008

Customized Assignment (10 points): This assignment will be a non-scholarly in-class presentation about my experiences working as a volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Included in this presentation will be anecdotal stories, images, and music from this country, as well as poetry excerpts about this experience. The presentation will include information about the Orphanage Outreach, and a preparation document about what to expect from an international volunteerism experience. Due Date: TBA (In accordance with class schedule)