La Rocca of Cefalù

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:
Benjamin, Sandra. Sicily: Three thousand years of human history.
Abundant additional articles and excerpts will be posted on the course BlackBoard site

COURSE DESCRPTION AND OBJECTIVES:
Welcome to Mediterranean Culture!  The goal of this class is to explore the different cultures that have dominated the Mediterranean throughout history.  We will visit different archeological sites, explore contributions of different peoples, and attend lectures by visiting scholars and tour guides.

APPROACH:
The course will be conducted in English, yet we will be visiting Sicily. In class, through homework, and through field trips, you will be guided through a variety of communicative activities, which will expose you to a rich input of Mediterranean culture. Small group activities are commonplace and must be approached with a spirit of teamwork. Your daily preparation and participation are crucial to the success of our classroom experience. The class is learner-centered, therefore, much of your acquisition is dependent on your involvement with the readings and materials outside of the classroom so that you can contribute to dynamic class debate. You will also be an active participant and contributor to an open course blog. You will be asked to submit photos, videos, and written testimonials based on your experiences in Sicily. The course blog will serve as a repository of authentic resources for future students of Italian, so the more you can contribute of your own experiences and discoveries, the more helpful you are to future students of Italian language and culture. This course is an integral part of the networked learning process that serves Italian Studies at Vanderbilt University – please feel free to inquire more about this new and successful pedagogical approach to language and culture learning.

ATTENDANCE:
Attendance is required. Daily attendance is crucial for your success in this course. It is vital for learning to be in class in order to be exposed as much as possible to the course content. If you are absent, you will miss important information and discussion. Your class participation cannot be judged if you are not present, and your fellow students depend on you for group work and discussion.

GRADING GUIDELINES:
Your final grade will be determined as follows:
1.  Participation                                             15%
2.  Experience blog posts (5)                        15%
3.  Observational blog post                           15%
4.  One-on-one interview blog post               15%
5.  Video tour blog post                                  15%
6.  Final project                                              25%

A daily syllabus with specific readings is provided on the course BlackBoard site.