Johnson State College External Degree Program. SOC-4010-JY01 Family Violence, 3 credits Syllabus Spring 2015

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1 Johnson State College External Degree Program SOC-4010-JY01 Family Violence, 3 credits Syllabus Spring 2015 Instructor: Phone: Office Hours: Joan M. Sakalas, Ph.D. P.O. Box 755 North Bennington, VT Joan.Sakalas@jsc.edu, jsakalas@yahoo.com ** Leave a message with your phone number and I will call you back within 48 hours. Please do not call after 7 p.m. Although I do not have formal office hours, please feel free to or call me. Communication is critical. As this is an on-line course, e--mail is an effective way to reach me with questions and ideas. Generally, I check my several times a day. Dates: Jan 19 to May 10 (no class Apr 6 to 12) Location: Online using Moodle ( ADA Statement: Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact JSC s Learning Specialist in Academic Services, as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations, if needed, are implemented in a timely fashion. Please call or Richard.Simmons@jsc.edu. Academic Honesty: (from JSC Catalog) Students are expected to conform to the highest standards of academic honesty in all of their academic work at Johnson State College. Academic dishonesty in any form is prohibited and unacceptable. Acts of dishonesty for which a student may be disciplined include, but are not limited to, receiving or providing unauthorized assistance on an examination and plagiarizing the work of others in writing assignments. The American Heritage Dictionary defines plagiarism in the following way: To steal or use (the ideas or writings of another) as one s own. Students are responsible for knowing what specific acts constitute plagiarism; if students are uncertain as to whether a particular act constitutes plagiarism, they should consult with their instructors before turning in assigned work. Texts: Texts are available through the JSC bookstore. Call or go to Required Texts: Hattery, Angela and Earl Smith. The Social Dynamics of Family Violence. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, ISBN:

2 Bancroft, Lundy. Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group, Additional readings will be distributed on-line. Course Description The course is an introductory study of the medical, legal, social and psychological dynamics of family violence in the United States. The twofold goal of the course is to expose the student to the many faces and causes of family and intimate violence and to explore the health, legal, and social issues and responses to that violence. Student Learning Objectives Students who successfully complete the Family Violence course will be able to: 1. Define physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect; 2. Explain the psychological dynamics of abuse involving spouses/partners, children, special populations, and the elderly; 3. Locate resources for victims and current data about family and child abuse; 4. Describe the characteristic behaviors of victims; 5. Describe the characteristic behaviors of abusers; 6. Describe some of the unique characteristics of child abuse; 7. Explain some of the effects of children who grow up in violent homes; 8. Discuss some of society s present responses to family and other intimate violence in terms of laws, agencies, and support systems; 9. Describe some of the factors that contribute to intimate and child abuse; Course Components The instructor will employ a variety of methods including: online class discussion, mini-lecture, text and journal reading, opinion papers, research project, quizzes and exams. Course Requirements Quizzes: There will be 2 multiple choice or short answer quizzes. (5%) Mid-term Exam: There will be a mid-term and no final exam. (15%) Short Papers: There will be three 2 to 3 page analysis papers due Due dates will be outlined on the class schedule. (30%) ** NOTE: All papers should be written according to APA style. Guidance for this style can be found on the internet. ALL papers and homework assignments must be submitted online. Final Project: Each student will design their own final interview project. The project will center on student designed questions to be asked in their own community. The final paper will utilize the information gathered in these interviews. It will be no less than 5 pages. (25%) Participation/On-line Discussion: The exchange of ideas will be a critical component of the course. Discussion will take place as a Forum. You will be graded on the level and

3 quality of your participation. Every 3 days of discussion is graded and worth about 1% of your grade. (25%) Evaluation Quiz 5% of grade Short papers: 30% of grade Mid-term Exam 15% of grade Class participation: 25% of grade Final project: 25% of grade Total 100% A = A- = B+ = B = B- = C+ = points C = points C- = points D = points F = points Grading - I do not use the Moodle grading program and will submit your current average to you via every Sunday beginning with the second week. Here are guidelines I will use in my grading criteria. Demonstrate an understanding of ideas and concepts. Complete work in a thoughtful, clear, well-organized way and ON TIME. Every day that a paper, quiz or exam is late, your grade is dropped one full grade. The nature of Discussion is participation. Plan to participate within the timeline defined for each discussion. I will not give credit for discussion entries submitted outside the defined time period. Your first response to each discussion session on-line must be a substantive response to the questions I have posed. After that you should read several student responses and react to what they have written. Each response must be substantive meaning that it should be more than, I agree. Explain your reaction or view. Actively participate in online discussions and be prepared to apply appropriate theories, concepts. Please be respectful of thoughts and contributions of other students. Contribute to the well-being and progress of the course. Finally, every entry you make in each discussion will be evaluated and counted. 4 + entries = A+ ( ) 2 entries = B- (80) 0 entries = F (0) 3 entries = A (95) 1 entry = D (65)

4 Course Policies Requirements: The gut of this course is the online discussions. Therefore postings online are critical to your grade. This means that you must participate in order to pass the course. All students are required to participate in on-line discussions the number of times outlined by the instructor in a given time period sometimes between Monday and Wed. or Thurs. Sat. and sometimes between Mon.-Sat. AS DISCUSSION TAKES PLACE WITHIN A PROSCRIBED TIME FRAME. IT CANNOT BE MADE UP. I expect SUBSTANCE in all entries! Saying, I agree does not constitute substance. It s fine to agree, but explain why you agree and provide support for your position. Learning how to defend a position is a major learning. All questions that ask for clarification of an assignment should be sent to my personal and not included in the Discussion. If they are entered into the Forum discussion, I will not count personal questions toward your grade. Expectations: Please be ready to discuss what works and what doesn t work for you as a learner. During the first week we will also get to know one another and make certain that you know how to use the Moodle program. As I mentioned above, I expect thoughtful and respectful discourse in the board. Although there isn t a specific length, think of your postings as conversations. Try to imagine what others need to know to follow your train of thought and logic. However, long posts may be rambling and more words don t equal a better grade. I expect clear, organized and thoughtful communication. Proofread your work before submitting it to the discussion board to minimize spelling and grammatical errors. You will need to demonstrate critical thinking skills. When you post, incorporate appropriate material from the reading and other learning activities. Include substantive ideas and opinions related to the post. Referencing another post or quote may strengthen your position. Remember, our online discussions take the place of in-class discussion. Answer questions that classmates raise. And listen to what they say. I suggest reading several postings before asking questions or responding will strengthen your response. Remember affect isn t available in the written post, so humor, sarcasm and attitude are often misinterpreted. We don t have the advantage of body language online. Be careful how you state your position. 2. Papers: As we know, while computers and the internet are a great resource, they can and do sometimes fail. Papers should be submitted via Moodle or sent as an attachment to my by midnight on the day they are due. Keep a copy of every assignment you submit as well as all confirmations and responses from me. Assignments must be turned in on the day that they are due in order to be eligible for full credit unless special arrangements have been made in advance with this instructor. For every day an assignment is late, the student s grade will be lowered one full grade.

5 3. Personal issues and the course content: Many of us have been affected personally by family violence. As we communicate with each other it is essential that we maintain an environment of respect and sensitivity at all times. Some of the course content may be distressing to you. Please make certain that you have support outside of class so that you can take care of yourself. If you feel that the content may be overwhelming, you should reconsider whether this is the course for you at this time. No one will be asked to make personal disclosures in the course. If you CHOOSE to use a personal example to illustrate a point, make certain that you are truly comfortable sharing it with your classmates. Please contact me if you have any questions about these issues. SYLLABUS Spring Semester 2015: Class Schedule (Note: the schedule is subject to change if adjustments are needed.) NOTE: You should be ready to discuss the topics listed each week. This means that you need to complete reading in advance of the on-line discussion. Jan : Discussion (All discussions end on the last day by 10 p.m.) Introduction to each other and the course. READING : (Hattery) Chapters 1 and Chapter 2 WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT: Write a 1 to 2 page description of why you think people in close relationships may abuse each other. YOU MUST WRITE THIS PAPER AND SAVE IT. You will revise the paper later in the semester. DUE: Jan 24 (Sat.) by midnight submit at the Paper assignment section. Jan : Discussion Social Dynamics of Family Violence: Setting the Stage. READING : (Hattery) Chapters 3 and Skim Chapter 4 READ: Timeline posted on-line READ: (Hattery) Chapters 3, Skim chapter 4. Feb. 2-7: Discussion Historical Perspectives on Family Violence 1. Discussion of Timeline (5 entries) Theories for Studying Family Violence Brief look at Methodologies for studying abuse READ: Chapter 5 & 12 Elder Abuse & Prevention and Avoidance Feb. 9-14: Discussion Abuse Across the Life Course: Elder Abuse

6 READ: Chapter 6 Child Abuse Feb : Discussion Prevention and Avoidance Discussion of Sexual Predators list on the Internet Child Abuse pp READ: Chapter 7 Outcomes of Child Abuse Feb : Discussion Child abuse pp Outcomes of Child Abuse WATCH: 3 programs that are created for children on TV or film. WRITE: CHILDREN S PROGRAMMING PAPER: Write a Paper that analyzes the content of the children s programs. How much violence did you witness? Did they try to teach children anything? What is your assessment of their value for children? 3 pages minimum. Due: Sat., March 14 by midnight. March 2-7: Discussion QUIZ #1 Due: March 21 by midnight READ: (Bancroft) Chapters 1-2. March 9-14: Discussion Unique Characteristics of Batterers. PAPER DUE: March 14 by midnight READ: (Bancroft) Chapters 3-4 March 16-21: Discussion The Abusive Mentality Types of Abusive Men DUE: Quiz #1 March 21 by midnight READ: (Bancroft) Chapter 10, March 23-28: Discussion Abusive Men as Parents How should we deal with abusers? Bancroft s Recommendations for Treatment of Batterers and Victims WRITE: Five questions regarding some aspect of abuse that you will ask of 5 people (no more than 1 may be family members). Submit the questions on-line along with a list of interview subjects. FINAL PROJECT DUE: April 25 DUE: MID-SEMESTER EXAM April 4 by midnight

7 March 30- April 4: Discussion Each student review your colleagues questions and critique them. What works and what could be improved. DUE: MID- SEMESTER EXAM April 4 by midnight INTERVIEW SUBJECTS line up 5 people who will allow you to ask the 5 questions you have developed for your interview. Use the Break to do the interviews if at all possible. READ: (Hattery) Chapter 8 and 9 READ: Additional reading about Military on-line BREAK: April 6-11 April 13-18: Discussion Cultural Factors and Intimate Partner Violence Intimate Violence in the Military READ: (Hattery, Chapter 11 and think about problems in Rural Areas and Disabled people. April 20-25: Discussion Special problems of victims living in: (a) Rural areas, (b) People who are disabled, (c) Violence in Same-Sex Couple Families READ: Chapter 14 (Hattery) DUE: April 25 (Saturday) - FINAL PROJECT (5 pages minimum) Write your final project paper. Remember that this is an analysis paper. Using the answers you gathered in the interviews write a paper discussing issues and questions these answers raised for you regarding domestic violence, violence against children or sexual assault. Do not provide a transcript of your interviews. Instead, draw on statements made by your interviewees to state what you learned. Use the texts or any supplemental reading I ve given you to support conclusions you draw in the paper. April 27-May 2: Discussion Where do we go from here? Proposals for change. WRITE ( 2 pages minimum Due: May 4 Rewrite the first paper you wrote describing why you think people in close relationships may abuse each other. Note especially any changes in point of view you may have as a result of the course or any ideas that were supported. May 4-6: Discussion (4 entries required) Focus on what you learned from your Interview Project. Also discuss the major points you made in the rewrite of your first paper with the class. DUE: May 4 (Monday) by midnight Rewrite of first paper