Globally Diverse Literature Curriculum Design Project

Subject:	Education
Pages:	25
Words:	6621
Reading time:	25 min
Study level:	PhD

Preface

Diversity is the characteristic feature of the modern world, and this aspect needs to be addressed in undergraduate literature courses. The other important issue is the shift to the active use of information technologies in order to enhance students’ learning and develop their skills in active and discovery learning. Referring to these points, it is important to propose the effective global literature course to be implemented in Kennesaw State University. Survey of Globally Diverse Literature is an undergraduate global literature hybrid course that is designed for English Education Majors. The need for the course is identified by the university’s authorities, and it is explained with the necessity of linking the discussion of world diverse literature with the problems of society. As a result, the course aims to address the needs of the diverse students in the university and school environments.

The proposed course is organized as a hybrid 16-week course. The choice of a hybrid course is advantageous from the point of funding because the number of classroom sessions is limited, and students have the opportunity to access all the necessary resources online. In addition, the training of instructors for the course is also limited because it is proposed to refer to instructors who regularly use technology-based instructions in their classrooms. The other advantage of the course is the opportunity to focus more on the independent students’ learning and use the variety of easily accessible online resources. From this point, the proposed Survey of Globally Diverse Literature can be discussed as a cost- and time-efficient course that provides students with the additional knowledge in the sphere of globally diverse literature, links the literature and social issues, accentuates the question of diversity, and improves skills in using technologies for teaching English/Language Arts in grades 6-12.

Phase 1

The Need for the Course and the Purpose

Kennesaw State University is a public university in Kennesaw, Georgia, where students have the opportunity to participate in the undergraduate English Education program. After completing the program, students can become Bachelors of Science and practice as teachers of English/Language Arts in grades 6-12 (Kennesaw State University, 2014). In spite of the fact that students receive the extensive training and knowledge in world literature, in the English language and linguistics, and in the British and American literature, the problem is in the fact that the additional course in globally diverse literature is necessary to be added to the program. Those teachers who are prepared to teach in the extremely diverse classrooms of schools in Georgia need to receive the advanced instruction in the sphere of diverse world literature. Furthermore, much attention should be paid to covering the areas that are interesting and familiar for both students at the university and students at schools of Georgia.

The proposed course in globally diverse literature is aimed to make students aware of and responsive to the ethically and culturally diverse environments of schools and communities in Georgia. The purpose of the course is to educate students regarding the social and cultural role of diversity in the context of global literature and cultural heritage. Much attention should be paid to the African race and ethnicities of India, Brazil, Iraq, Cambodia, and Korea among others in order to adapt the course to the needs of the diverse Georgian community. The course is hybrid, and this fact contributes to its role for the students’ independent learning and research (Cochran, Campbell, Baker, & Leeds, 2014; Mitchell, 2014). The global literature course titled as Survey of Globally Diverse Literature is intended to address the identified needs and improve the students’ knowledge regarding the discussed issues.

Audience

Survey of Globally Diverse Literature as an undergraduate global literature course is designed for English Education Majors who are prepared to teach English/Language Arts in grades 6-12. The course is developed as the part of the English Education program that is oriented to providing students with the certificates of English/Language Arts teachers (Kennesaw State University, 2014). Upon completing the course, English Education Majors will be able to use their knowledge in the globally diverse literature and its role for the social development while educating students in school districts of Georgia.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

Survey of Globally Diverse Literature is an undergraduate course that concentrates on educating students regarding the use of different literary genres by globally diverse authors in order to attract the public’s attention to the social problems and influence the social and political situations (Mosca, Ball, Buzza, & Paul, 2010, p. 9; O’Sullivan-Gavin, & Shannon, 2014, p. 70). The reading list for the course includes literary pieces written by authors from various regions of the world. From this point, the goals of the course are to develop students’ expertise in linking the literary pieces with the social events and in focusing on the social contribution of the world literature. As a result of completing the course, students will demonstrate their expertise in teaching in racially, ethically, and culturally diverse environments and utilize the knowledge received during the course in order to encourage students learn different genres and works written by the authors from all over the world.

Objectives identified for the course determine specific skills and knowledge acquired and developed by students during the course:

Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the role of the authors’ diverse racial, ethnical, and cultural background for influencing their visions and interpretations.
Students will be able to identify specific features of genres in the globally diverse literary pieces.
Students will be able to analyze the role of globally diverse authors for advancing the society in relation to ethical and legal norms.
Students will be able to evaluate the role of global literature for forming the modern society.
Students will be able to link the diverse literary pieces with significant changes in the society.
Students will be able to compare and contrast the use of different genres by diverse authors to attract the public attention to social issues.
Students will be able to present the results of their literary research in the form of the comprehensive written paper.
Students will be able to develop their skills in presenting their ideas and thoughts orally and in the form of presentation.

Scope and Sequence of the Course

Survey of Globally Diverse Literature is planned and designed as a hybrid course that includes both online and face-to-face sessions. The combination of the online and face-to-face sessions is effective to stimulate students’ learning and develop their skills in independent and discovery learning and research (Ahn, Butler, Alam, & Webster, 2013, p. 161; Babb, Stewart, & Johnson, 2010, p. 734). The course covers the regular 16-week semester, where online regular sessions will be held with the help of the work with Blackboard two times a week and class meetings will be held once every other week as the additional face-to-face session for completing assignments, conducting exams and presentations. The use of Blackboard is cost-efficient for the course because the platform is appropriate to support the hybrid course (Cavanaugh & Dawson, 2010, p. 439; Diamond, 2008, p. 112; Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead, & Boschee, 2011, p. 54). Lectures explaining the differences of genres and discussing authors and assigned readings will be provided for students in the electronic form and as videos. Assignments will be completed and submitted with the help of the Blackboard resources. Class meetings will be held during two hours in order to assess the students’ progress in learning and assess oral presentations individually completed by students on different studied genres. Table 1 represents the scope and sequence of the course with the division according to the topics and online and face-to-face activities.

Table 1. Scope and Sequence of Survey of Globally Diverse Literature

Week	Activity	Objectives	Evaluation
1	Introduction to the Course: Diversity in the Global LiteratureAssigned Readings: Lynn Atkinson and Smolen and Ruth Oswald, Multicultural Literature and Response: Affirming Diverse Voices, Ch. 1, 3.	1, 2, 3, 4, 6	Discussion Posts Post-lecture quizzes
	Blackboard Activities: Videos, online discussion.
	Class Meeting: Introductory Lecture (Instructor’s Presentation).
2	Biography as the Source for InspirationAssigned Readings: Ibn Ishaq, The Biography of the Prophet (Medina).	1, 2, 3, 5, 6	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts
	Blackboard Activities: Lecture, videos, online discussion, Problems of Religion in the Diverse Society.
3	Autobiography and the Role of the Personal ExperienceAssigned Readings: Santha Rama Rau,“By Any Other Name” (India), Pin Yathay, Feeding the Fire of Enmity from Stay Alive, My Son (Cambodia).	1, 2, 5, 8	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts Short essay answers Oral Presentation
	Blackboard Activities: Lecture, videos, online discussion, Diversity in the Sphere of Education; Identity; Terror Regimes.
	Class Meeting Oral Presentation on Biography and Autobiography.
4	Non-Fiction: Focus on Political and Legal IssuesAssigned Readings: Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness (South Africa).	1, 2, 3, 5, 6	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts
	Blackboard Activities: Lecture, videos, online discussion, Problem of Reconciliation.
5	Fiction as the Way to Reproduce Cultural DifferencesAssigned Readings: Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (Nigeria), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun (Nigeria).	2, 3, 5, 8	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts Croup Discussion Protocols Oral Presentation
	Blackboard Activities: Lecture, videos, online discussion, Colonialism.
	Class Meeting Oral Presentation on Non-Fiction and Fiction.
6	Short Stories: Literary Images as the Social and Cultural MirrorsAssigned Readings: Rosario Castellanos, “The Luck of Teodoro Mendez Acubal” (Mexico), Rosalba Campra, “Dream Tiger” (Argentina).	1, 2, 3, 5, 6	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts
	Blackboard Activities: Lecture, videos, online discussion, Literary images.
7	Newspapers and Essays: What Authors Want to Say about Their Personalities?Assigned Readings: Amy Tan, “Mother Tongue” (China), Maxine Hong Kingston, “Tongue-Tied”.	1, 2, 3, 8	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts Comparative Tables Oral Presentation
	Blackboard Activities: Lecture, videos, online discussion, work with newspapers.
	Class Meeting Oral Presentation on Short Stories and Essays.
8	Globally Diverse Authors’ Approach to Using Different GenresAssigned Readings: Anders Pettersson and Gunilla Lindberg-Wada, Literary History: Towards a Global Perspective, Estrella Cibreiro and Francisca López, Global Issues in Contemporary Hispanic Women’s Writing: Shaping Gender, the Environment, and Politics.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts
	Blackboard Activities: Preparation for the exam.
9	Overview of the Studied Topics	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	Discussion Posts Mid-Term Exam
	Blackboard Activities: Preparation for the exam.
	Class Meeting Mid-Term Exam
10	Poetry and Visual Arts: More Glimpses on the Literature and ArtAssigned Readings: Nazik al-Mala’ikah, “Elegy for a Woman of No Importance” (Iraq), So Chongju, “Beside a Chrysanthemum” (Korea)	1, 2, 3, 5, 6	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts
	Blackboard Activities: Lecture, videos, online discussion, Visual arts.
11	Plays and Screenplays: Social and Political Debates in Theater and CinemaAssigned Readings: Nelson Falcão Rodrigues, Carioca tragedies (Brazil), Paulo Lins, City of God (Brazil).	2, 3, 4, 8	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts Work with Films Oral Presentation
	Blackboard Activities: Lecture, videos, online discussion, Political and Social Class Issues
	Class Meeting Oral Presentation on Poetry, Visual Arts, Screenplays, and Plays.
12	Sermons and Speeches: Role for Changes in Politics and SocietyAssigned Readings: Mahatma Gandhi, “Quit India” (India).	1, 2, 3, 5, 6	Weekly Journal Discussion Posts
	Blackboard Activities: Lecture, videos, online discussion, Discussion of Topics for Research Papers
13	Diversity as the Challenge and University Library ProjectAssigned Readings: Lynn Atkinson and Smolen and Ruth Oswald, Multicultural Literature and Response: Affirming Diverse Voices, Ch. 4, 6.	1, 2, 4, 8	Discussion Posts Problem Solutions Summary Completion Oral Presentation
	Blackboard Activities: Visit to and Summary of the University Library Project.
	Class Meeting Oral Presentation on Sermons and Speeches.
14	Modern Literature and CultureAssigned Readings: Anders Pettersson and Gunilla Lindberg-Wada, Literary History: Towards a Global Perspective.	1, 2, 3, 5, 7	Discussion Posts Weekly Journal Research Paper Outline
	Blackboard Activities: Submit Outline for the Research Paper.
15	Work at the Research PapersVideos on working at the final draft of the research paper.	1, 3, 4, 5, 7	Discussion Posts Research Paper
	Blackboard Activities: Discussions.
16	Course Closure	1, 3, 4, 5	Discussion Posts Final Exam
	Blackboard Activities: Online discussion and analysis of the successes.
	Class Meeting Final Exam

Assessment

The continuous evaluation of the students’ work appropriate for the course includes short essay questions, discussion questions, group work assignments, individual work assignments, and project protocols. These assessments are important to demonstrate the student’s progress during the course (Harrington, 2010, p. 5; Henriksen, Mishra, Greenhow, Cain, & Roseth, 2014, p. 47).

Still, the major assignments that will influence the grade for the course are the 10 Weekly Journal Entries; Summary of Visit to University Library; Oral Presentation made on one selected genre and author different from those writers discussed during the sessions; Research Paper on the selected author or topic; Mid-Term Exam; and Final Exam. The factor of School Attendance/Class Participation also influences the grading because School Attendance/Class Participation is measured individually with references to the results on the continuous evaluation.

Thus, students are expected to participate in class discussions actively and complete all the assignments like short essay questions or group assignments (Jordan, 2014, p. 9; Westover & Westover, 2014, p. 12). Table 2 demonstrates the grading distribution among the course assignments that influences the final grade for the course. Table 3 represents the scale that is used to assess the assignments.

Table 2. Grading Distribution among the Course Assignments

Grading Distribution	Percentage
10 Weekly Journal Entries	15%
Summary of Visit to University Library	10%
School Attendance/Class Participation	10%
Oral Presentation	15%
Research Paper	15%
Mid-Term Exam	15%
Final Exam	20%
Total	100%

Table 3. Scale to Assess Assignments

Grades
90-100%	A
80-89%	B
70-79%	C
60-69%	D
0-59%	F

Students’ research papers will be assessed with the help of using the following rubric as the example of adopting the proposed evaluation techniques in the course:

Objective	Excellent Performance	Good Performance	Higher than Average Performance	Average Performance	Below Average/Near Low Performance	Low Performance
Introduction and Thesis (20 points)	The introduction and thesis are thoughtful (20 points)	The introduction and thesis are good (18 points)	The introduction and thesis are appropriate (15 points)	The introduction and thesis are weak (10 points)	The introduction is poor and thesis is missing (5 points)	The introduction and thesis are missing (0 points)
Analysis and Topic Coverage (30 points)	Analysis of the topic and problem is comprehensive (30 points)	Analysis of the topic and problem is good (25 points)	Analysis of the topic and problem is appropriate (20 points)	Analysis of the topic and problem is weak (15 points)	Topic coverage is poor (10 points)	Analysis is missing (0 points)
Conclusion (20 points)	Conclusion is effective and restates thesis (20 points)	Conclusion is good and restates thesis (18 points)	Conclusion is not effective and restates thesis (15 points)	Conclusion does not restate thesis (10 points)	Conclusion is inappropriate (5 points)	Conclusion is missing (0 points)
Style and Organization (20 points)	Style and organization is effective (20 points)	Style and organization is good (18 points)	Style and organization is appropriate (15 points)	Style and organization is weak (10 points)	Style and organization is poor (5 points)	Style and organization is very poor (0 points)
MLA Format (10 points)	Followed strictly (10 points)	Good (8 points)	Appropriate (6 points)	Weak (4 points)	Extremely poor (2 points)	Not followed (0 points)
Earned Points
Total (100 points)

Phase 2

Survey of Globally Diverse Literature is a hybrid course, and course preparation and instruction materials proposed for the course need to cover the sessions held online as well as face-to-face sessions. To develop the effective hybrid course, educators need to pay much attention to choosing the proportion between the online and class sessions in order to address the course’s purpose and goals (Toth, Amrein-Beardsley, & Foulger, 2010, p. 618; Wach, Broughton, & Powers, 2011, p. 88). From this point, it is important to describe the materials used for Blackboard sessions and face-to-face sessions separately.

Blackboard Activities

Two online activities are planned for each week of the course. Students are provided with the plan for the week before the first online session is held, and they are assigned with the specific readings planned to be discussed during the second online session and the class meeting. Students are expected to write the Weekly Journal on the topics of the assigned readings. During the first online session, the instructor provides students with the video lecture, associated questions, and supporting videos (Glaeser, Renold, & Ahmed, 2012, p. 278; Tirrell & Quick, 2012, p. 581).

Students are also provided with the topic for the Weekly Journal. During the second online session, students are required to submit Weekly Sessions and participate in online discussions of diversity issues and on the role of the discussed genres for the social and cultural development. Table 4 presents the complete scope and sequence of Blackboard Activities. The plan includes the list of topics to discuss, readings to examine, and tasks to complete that are arranged according to the course’s goals. Such resources as videos can be selected by instructors, depending on their approach to discussing the topic, or recommended videos can be used.

Table 4. Plan for the Blackboard Activities

Week	1^stSession	2^ndSession
1	Videos on Diversity in the Global Literature. Review of the list of topics for oral presentations. Readings: Lynn Atkinson and Smolen and Ruth Oswald, Multicultural Literature and Response: Affirming Diverse Voices, Ch. 1, 3.	Online discussion on the issue of diversity in relation to the global literature and society.
2	Lecture on Biography and Literature in the Arab Countries. Videos on biographies as a genre and on the Muslim biographical literature. Readings: Ibn Ishaq, The Biography of the Prophet (Medina). Selection of the topic for oral presentations. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on the assigned reading and on Problems of Religion in the Diverse Society. Submit Weekly Journal. Preparation for oral presentations.
3	Lecture on Autobiography as a Genre. Videos on writers from India and Cambodia. Readings: Santha Rama Rau, “By Any Other Name” (India); Pin Yathay, Feeding the Fire of Enmity from Stay Alive, My Son (Cambodia). Selection of the topic for oral presentations. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on the assigned readings and on Diversity in the Sphere of Education; The Problem of Identity; and Terror Regimes. Research on questions for class discussions. Submit Weekly Journal. Preparation for oral presentations.
4	Lecture on Types of Non-Fiction. Videos on Political and Legal Issues in South Africa. Readings: Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness (South Africa). Selection of the topic for oral presentations. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on Problem of Reconciliation. Submit Weekly Journal. Preparation for oral presentations.
5	Lecture on Types of Fiction and Its Role to Reproduce Cultural Differences. Videos on Chinua Achebe’s literary heritage. Readings: Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (Nigeria); Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun (Nigeria). Selection of the topic for oral presentations. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on “How Africans Write about Africans”; Vision of Colonialism. Research on questions for class discussions. Submit Weekly Journal. Preparation for oral presentations.
6	Lecture on Short Stories as a Genre of Literature. Videos on the literary heritage of the Mexican authors. Readings: Rosario Castellanos, “The Luck of Teodoro Mendez Acubal” (Mexico); Rosalba Campra, “Dream Tiger” (Argentina). Selection of the topic for oral presentations. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on Literary Images as the Social and Cultural Mirrors. Submit Weekly Journal. Preparation for oral presentations.
7	Lecture on Newspapers Articles and Essays. Videos on the rise of popularity of journalism and publicist literature. Readings: Amy Tan, “Mother Tongue” (China); Maxine Hong Kingston, “Tongue-Tied”. Research on newspaper articles of interest (Topics: cultural diversity; impact of the literature on social issues). Selection of the topic for oral presentations. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on “What Authors Want to Say about Their Personalities in Essays?” Research on questions for class discussions. Submit Weekly Journal. Preparation for oral presentations.
8	Lecture on Globally Diverse Authors’ Approach to Using Different Genres. Readings: Anders Pettersson and Gunilla Lindberg-Wada, Literary History: Towards a Global Perspective; Estrella Cibreiro and Francisca López, Global Issues in Contemporary Hispanic Women’s Writing: Shaping Gender, the Environment, and Politics.	Online discussion on different aspects of diversity. Preparation for the Mid-term exam.
9	Lecture-Overview of the Previously Studied Topics. Video guide on preparing for the exam.	Online discussion on the Connection between issues reflected in literary works and social issues. Preparation for the Mid-term exam.
10	Lecture on Poetry and Visual Arts. Videos on poetry of Iraq and Korea; Poetry in the Middle East and Asian countries. Readings: Nazik al-Mala’ikah, “Elegy for a Woman of No Importance” (Iraq); So Chongju, “Beside a Chrysanthemum” (Korea). Selection of the topic for oral presentations. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on how poetry can influence the social development; the problems of figurative images. Selection and discussion of visual arts. Submit Weekly Journal. Preparation for oral presentations.
11	Lecture on Plays and Screenplays. Videos on adaptation of literary pieces in cinematography and use of screenplays. Readings: Nelson Falcão Rodrigues, Carioca tragedies (Brazil); Paulo Lins, City of God (Brazil). Selection of the topic for oral presentations. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on social and political Debates in reflected in theatrical and cinematographic works; Representation of the Social Reality in Cinema. Video: City of God (2002); Carandiru (2003); Blindness (2008). Research on questions for class discussions and on assigned films. Submit Weekly Journal. Preparation for oral presentations.
12	Lecture on Sermons and Speeches. Videos on the role of speeches and sermons to attract the public and change the public’s vision. Readings: Mahatma Gandhi, “Quit India” (India). Selection of the topic for oral presentations. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on the role of speeches performed by political and social leaders for changes in politics and society. Analysis of historic documents and events associated with prominent speeches of political and social leaders. Discussion of Topics for Research Papers. Submit Weekly Journal. Preparation for oral presentations.
13	Lecture on Diversity as the Challenge. Videos on the literary approaches of the globally diverse authors. Readings: Lynn Atkinson and Smolen and Ruth Oswald, Multicultural Literature and Response: Affirming Diverse Voices, Ch. 4, 6.	Visit to University Library to evaluate Diversity of Literature Collection. Submit Summary of the University Library Project.
14	Lecture on Modern Literature and Culture. Videos on effective writing of research papers. Readings: Anders Pettersson and Gunilla Lindberg-Wada, Literary History: Towards a Global Perspective. Review of tasks for Weekly Journal.	Online discussion on the accomplishments of the globally diverse authors. Submit Weekly Journal. Submit Outline for the Research Paper.
15	Videos on working at the final draft of the research paper. Work at the research paper according to the instructor’s comments.	Online discussion on the work at the paper. Submit the final draft of the Research Paper.
16	Discussion of the course outcomes. Analysis of the students’ work. Preparation for the Final Exam.	Online discussion on the effectiveness of the course. Comments on the papers. Preparation for the Final Exam.

Class Meetings/Lesson Plans

Plans for class meetings that are held once during two weeks are prepared to discuss topics of the course from the perspective that differs from the perspective followed during the online session. During regular class meetings, students are expected to discuss and review two genres that were studied during the previous and current weeks, and they are encouraged to demonstrate their individually prepared presentations on the studied topics and authors.

The main focus is on reviewing the basic points regarding the genres used by globally diverse authors and on the links of the studied works with the social development and specific events. Plans developed for class meetings include such components as the title, introductory part, objectives, and time frame for the lesson, materials and equipment, concepts to discuss, assigned readings, method of instruction, strategies, assignments, and assessment.

In order to address the requirement of supporting the plans with standards, the specific standards adopted for the English Education program and English Majors in Kennesaw State University are followed in the plans (Ball, Mosca, & Paul, 2013, p. 74; Burns, 2013, p. 14; Garbett, 2011, p. 2). Five lesson plans are proposed to review the content of class meetings and to focus on strategies recommended to be used by instructors.

Class Meeting Plan 1 Week 3	Title: Biography and Autobiography: The Role of the Personal Experience to Change the Vision
Time frame: 2 hours	Objectives: Students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate their understanding of the role of the authors’ diverse racial, ethnical, and cultural background for influencing their visions and interpretations. 2. Identify specific features of genres in the globally diverse literary pieces. 5. Link the diverse literary pieces with significant changes in the society. 8. Develop their skills in presenting their ideas and thoughts orally and in the form of presentation.	Materials and Equipment: Hard copies of readings and their parts; blank paper, projector, laptop, Power Point Presentation.	Assigned Readings: Ibn Ishaq, The Biography of the Prophet; Santha Rama Rau,“By Any Other Name”; Pin Yathay, Feeding the Fire of Enmity from Stay Alive, My Son.
	Concepts to Discuss: Diversity in the Sphere of Education; Identity; Terror Regimes.
Activities and Method of Instruction
Introductory Part and Demonstration	Instructor’s introductory word and Power Point Presentation on the literary heritage of Arab authors and authors from the Southeast Asia.
Discussion	Students are engaged to participate in the discussion based on the Discussion Questions that were previously posted online. Discussion Questions: Ibn Ishaq 1. What is the role of the described Mohammed’s biography for the Muslim and non-Muslim society? 2. Is the biography written by Ibn Ishaq a reliable source? 3. What is the meaning of the Prophet’s biography for religious groups? 4. What are the sources of controversies between religious groups? Santha Rama Rau 1. What is a role of changing a name for the person’s identity and dual personality? 2. What is the author’s message regarding the issue of diversity in the classroom environment? Pin Yathay 1. Why is Pin Yathay’s work significant to accentuate the historic truth regarding the Khmer Rouge? 2. Is the memoir more convincing than the historic document?
Assignment (Short Essay Questions)	Students are asked to prepare short 100-word essay answers on the following questions: 1. How could the biography influence the visions of Muslims and non-Muslims regarding the religious diversity? 2. How could Santha Rama Rau’s work influence the teachers’ visions of their ethnically diverse classroom environments? 3. What did Pin Yathay’s memoir play the provocative role in discussing the terror regimes in the society?
Individual Oral Presentation	Students demonstrate prepared Power Point Presentations on individually selected biographies and autobiographies and answer questions.
Assessment	Students are assessed on participation in the class discussion; on short essay answers; and on oral presentations.

Class Meeting Plan 2 Week 5	Title: Non-Fiction and Fiction: Cultural, Political, and Legal Issues
Time frame: 2 hours	Objectives: Students will be able to: 2. Identify specific features of genres in the globally diverse literary pieces. 3. Analyze the role of globally diverse authors for advancing the society in relation to ethical and legal norms. 5. Link the diverse literary pieces with significant changes in the society. 8. Develop their skills in presenting their ideas and thoughts orally and in the form of presentation.	Materials and Equipment: Hard copies of readings and their parts; Croup Discussion Protocols, projector, laptop, diagram.	Assigned Readings: Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness; Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun.
	Concepts to Discuss: Reconciliation, Colonialism, Inequality
Activities and Method of Instruction
Introductory Part and Demonstration with the help of Graphic Organizer	Instructor says the introductory word on the African authors and supports the description with the diagram of the changes in the literature of African countries.
Discussion	Students are engaged to participate in the discussion based on the Discussion Questions posted online. Discussion Questions: 1. How can representations of colonial and post-colonial Africa affect the social and political issues? 2. Why is the literary heritage of the African authors important? 3. What can African writers tell about the war that is different in comparison with the traditional approach? 4. What can you state about the literary mastery of African writers? 5. What is more influential: fiction or non-fiction (in terms of social impact)?
Group Work	Students are arranged into three small groups according to the interest in order to discuss cultural, political, and legal issues in the society with the focus on topics and ideas presented in the assigned readings. As a result of the group discussion, students are expected to provide the Croup Discussion Protocol describing the following points: First Group: 1. How could Desmond Tutu’s work influence the public vision of reconciliation? Second Group: 1. How did Chinua Achebe’s work change the global community’s vision of the life of African tribes? Third Group: 1. What is importance of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s work in the modern social context?
Individual Oral Presentation	Students demonstrate prepared Power Point Presentations on individually selected pieces of non-fiction and fiction; answer questions.
Assessment	Students are assessed on participation in the class discussion; on Croup Discussion Protocols; and on oral presentations.

Class Meeting Plan 3 Week 7	Title: Short Stories and Essays: Global Authors’ Diverse Messages
Time frame: 2 hours	Objectives:Students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate their understanding of the role of the authors’ diverse racial, ethnical, and cultural background for influencing their visions and interpretations. 2. Identify specific features of genres in the globally diverse literary pieces. 3. Analyze the role of globally diverse authors for advancing the society in relation to ethical and legal norms. 8. Develop their skills in presenting their ideas and thoughts orally and in the form of presentation.	Materials and Equipment: Hard copies of readings and their parts, blank paper; projector, laptop, Power Point Presentation.	Assigned Readings: Rosario Castellanos, “The Luck of Teodoro Mendez Acubal”; Rosalba Campra, “Dream Tiger”; Amy Tan, “Mother Tongue”; Maxine Hong Kingston, “Tongue-Tied”.
	Concepts to Discuss: Identity, Language, Discrimination, Racism.
Activities and Method of Instruction
Introductory Part and the Comparative Lecture	Instructor demonstrates the Power Point Presentation and compares the approaches to creating short stories by the authors from the Latin America. The second part of presentation is about the comparison of approaches to writing essays by two American female authors of the Chinese origin.
Assignment/Group Work (Comparative Analysis, Close Reading)	Students work in two groups to identify the points for comparing and contrasting in the assigned short stories and essays that were not mentioned during the comparative lecture. Students use the technique of close reading to analyze the texts. The first group works at creating the comparative table for the works by Rosario Castellanos and Rosalba Campra. The second group works at the comparison of essays by Amy Tan and Maxine Hong Kingston. Students refer to the knowledge received during the Blackboard sessions.
Discussion	Students are engaged to participate in the discussion based on the Discussion Questions posted online. Discussion Questions: 1. Image of Teodoro. What the author aimed to tell the public? 2. Female authors in the Latin America. What are the tendencies? 3. Difference between short stories and essays? 4. What genre is closer to the public? 5. Short stories and essays as personal visions of social trends and historic events. 6. What do you think about cutting tongues? 7. How can essays reflect the experience of the Chinese women in America?
Individual Oral Presentation	Students demonstrate prepared Power Point Presentations on individually selected short stories and essays.
Assessment	Students are assessed on participation in the class discussion; on comparative tables; and on oral presentations.

Class Meeting Plan 4 Week 11	Title: Visual Arts and Screenplays: Social and Political Debates in Films
Time frame: 2 hours	Objectives: Students will be able to: 2. Identify specific features of genres in the globally diverse literary pieces. 3. Analyze the role of globally diverse authors for advancing the society in relation to ethical and legal norms. 4. Evaluate the role of global literature for forming the modern society. 8. Develop their skills in presenting their ideas and thoughts orally and in the form of presentation.	Materials and Equipment: Blank paper; projector, laptop, DVD disks, film posters.	Assigned Films: City of God (2002); Carandiru (2003); Blindness (2008).
	Concepts to Discuss: Cruelty, Poverty, Inequality, Modern Slavery.
Activities and Method of Instruction
Introductory Part	Instructor informs students about the plan of the meeting and presents the history of the films planned to be discussed during the lesson, naming the directors and novels, on which the discussed films are based.
Discovery Learning Assignment Work with Posters	Before watching the fragments from the films under discussion, the students are provided with the following task: 1. See fragments from three different films based on novels. What are the films’ messages? Discuss the role of these scenes to represent the social, political, or cultural problems. 2. Note key phrases from the films that can support your vision. 3. See fragments one more time and pay attention to cues explaining the characters’ attitudes to the problems of cruelty, poverty, and inequality. 4. Look at the film posters and explain whether these posters are effective to represent the message. Can these posters make the public become interested in the film?
Discussion	Students are engaged to participate in the discussion based on the Discussion Questions posted online. Discussion Questions: 1. What was the public’s perception of the films? 2. What social problems did these films reveal and criticize? 3. Why were these films criticized? 4. What was the social reaction to the films? 5. Are films more influential than books? What are the social tendencies? What devices are used in films to attract the public’s attention to problems?
Individual Oral Presentation	Students demonstrate prepared Power Point Presentations on individually selected poetry, plays, visual arts, and screenplays; answer questions.
Assessment	Students are assessed on participation in the class discussion; on participation in discovery learning, work with posters; and on oral presentations.

Class Meeting Plan 5 Week 13	Title: Diversity and Human Rights Violation
Time frame: 2 hours	Objectives: Students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate their understanding of the role of the authors’ diverse racial, ethnical, and cultural background for influencing their visions and interpretations. 2. Identify specific features of genres in the globally diverse literary pieces. 4. Evaluate the role of global literature for forming the modern society. 8. Develop their skills in presenting their ideas and thoughts orally and in the form of presentation.	Materials and Equipment: Hard copies of readings and their parts, blank paper; projector, laptop, Power Point Presentation.	Assigned Readings: Lynn Atkinson and Smolen and Ruth Oswald, Multicultural Literature and Response: Affirming Diverse Voices, Ch. 4, 6.
	Concepts to Discuss: Human Rights, Diversity, Social Challenges
Activities and Method of Instruction
Introductory Part and the Problem-Centered Lecture	Instructor introduces the topic of human rights in relation to the diverse global literature and discusses the problem of human rights as the social problem. The main focus is on experience of people and authors in developing countries. Instructor uses Power Point Presentation to discuss solutions to the problem of human rights in context of the global diversity.
Assignment Problem Solving	Students work individually to propose solutions to the problem of human rights violation in developing societies. Students are asked to propose three effective solutions to the problem that involve global authors among other human resources. Students are expected to state clearly how globally diverse authors can contribute to solving the problem of human rights violation in different societies. Students are provided with the time to work with the assigned readings and propose their solutions in the written form.
Discussion	Students are engaged to participate in the discussion based on the Discussion Questions posted online. Discussion Questions: 1. Having the opportunity to examine the diversity of the literature collection in the library, state your attitude to the necessity of promoting diversity in literature? 2. Discuss the role of minorities in contributing to the literary heritage of large nations. 3. How can global authors influence the development of the societies while discussing the issues of diversity at conferences and meetings? 4. Discuss conferences, sessions, and gatherings that are held by authors from all over the world. What problems do they discuss? What are their attitudes to the problem of diversity?
Individual Oral Presentation	Students demonstrate prepared Power Point Presentations on individually selected sermons and speeches; answer questions. Students are encouraged to discuss all the oral presentations seen during the course and evaluate presentations while stating their advantages and disadvantages.
Assessment	Students are assessed on participation in the class discussion; on provided Problem Solutions; and on oral presentations.

In order to assess the students’ progress upon the completion of the course effectively, it is important to propose the examples of assessments that can be used in order to evaluate the students’ progress. Mid-Term Exam and Final Exam are planned to include multiple choice and short essay questions where 15 questions will require to choose only one answer from the proposed variants and five questions will require the full answer in a form of text. The choice of questions depends on the instructor. Weekly Journals will be assessed upon their completion and clarity of the provided ideas.

One of the individual assignments is based on providing a summary of a visit to the university library in order to evaluate the diversity of the proposed literature collection. Students are expected to contact librarians and plan the visit to the library. The next stage is the conversation with the librarian and discussion of the collection’s diversity. The completed summary will be assessed according to the following checklist:

Summary of Student’s Visit to the University Library

Purpose: to Evaluate Diversity of Literature Collection.

Diversity in library collection usually refers to the issue of cultural diversity, and representations of diverse population and authors in library collections explain the community’s approach to the problem.

Students are expected to write the summary according to following points:

Does the library represent authors from the African/Asian/Middle Eastern/Latin American/European countries?
What is the percentage of books written by non-American writers?
Does the library contain newspaper/magazine articles and essays written by non-American authors?
Does the library represent female authors?
Are there any problems with accessing poems, novels, and short stories written by Asian, African, and Latin American authors?

The individual oral presentation on one studied genre that is represented with references to the author who was not discussed during the sessions will be evaluated according to the following rubric:

Objective	Excellent Performance	Good Performance	Higher than Average Performance	Average Performance	Below Average/Near Low Performance	Low Performance
Organization (10 points)	Information is organized logically and in sequence (10 points)	Information is organized logically (8 points)	Information is organized logically, but improperly (6 points)	Information is organized improperly (4 points)	Information is organized inadequately (2 points)	Information is not organized (0 points)
Design (10 points)	Presentation is properly designed to support information (10 points)	Presentation is effectively designed to support information, but there are some errors (8 points)	Presentation is effectively designed to support information, but there are many errors (6 points)	Presentation is improperly designed to support information (4 points)	Presentation is poorly designed to support information (2 points)	Design of the presentation is not appropriate (0 points)
Content and Topic Coverage (30 points)	Demonstrates the depth of understanding the topic and uniqueness. The proper selection of the author (30 points)	Demonstrates the good understanding of the topic. The proper selection of the author (25 points)	Demonstrates the good understanding of the topic. The proper selection of the author (20 points)	Demonstrates the weak understanding of the topic. The proper selection of the author (15 points)	Topic is partially understood, author is selected inappropriately (10 points)	Topic is not understood, author is selected inappropriately (0 points)
Research and References (20 points)	Variety of effective sources is used (20 points)	Variety of appropriate sources is used (18 points)	Appropriate sources are used (15 points)	Few appropriate sources are used (10 points)	Used sources are inappropriate (5 points)	No sources are presented (0 points)
Oral Presentation (30 points)	Speaker is focused on the audience and uses presentation only to support the speech (30 points)	Speaker is focused on the audience and uses presentation as the source of information (25 points)	Speaker is not focused on the audience (20 points)	Speaker almost ignores the audience and extensively uses the presentation (15 points)	Speaker reads from the presentation (10 points)	Speaker cannot present the information (0 points)
Earned Points
Total (100 points)

The main focus is on the quality of the Power Point Presentation and on the student’s oral presentation of the literary research findings.

Conclusion

The designed undergraduate course in globally diverse literature is effective to stimulate the students’ active learning and critical thinking in order to adapt future teachers to working in the diverse school environments of Georgia. The hybrid course is effective to combine the technology-based component with the traditional class sessions in order to stimulate the students’ individual and group work at a variety of assignments.

In addition to learning the aspects of using different literary genres by globally diverse authors, students receive the opportunity to learn how literary works can be used as influential tool to affect the social development in terms of its cultural, moral, and religious progress. From this point, the instructional materials presented in the project are aimed to demonstrate how it is possible to use the provided content in order to address the set goals and objectives.

References

Ahn, J., Butler, B., Alam, A., & Webster, S. (2013). Learner participation and engagement in open online courses: Insights from the peer 2 peer university. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 9(2), 160-177.

Babb, S., Stewart, C., & Johnson, R. (2010). Constructing communication in blended learning environments: Students’ perceptions of good practice in hybrid courses. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 6(4), 735-746.

Ball, D., Mosca, J., & Paul, D. (2013). Evaluating the effectiveness of audio in hybrid courses. American Journal of Business Education, 6(1), 73-98.

Burns, B. (2013). Students’ perceptions of online courses in a graduate adolescence education program. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 9(1), 13-22.

Cavanaugh, C., & Dawson, K. (2010). Design of online professional development in science content and pedagogy: A pilot study in Florida. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 19(5), 438-446.

Cochran, J., Campbell, S., Baker, H., & Leeds, E. (2014).The role of student characteristics in predicting retention in online courses. Research in Higher Education, 55(1), 27-48.

Diamond, R. (2008). Designing and assessing courses and curricula: A practical guide. New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.

Garbett, C. (2011). Activity-Based Costing Models for Alternative Modes of Delivering Online Courses. European Journal of Open, Distance, and E-Learning, 1(1), 1-14.

Glaeser, C., Renold, C., & Ahmed, S. (2012). Video conferencing guidelines for faculty and students in graduate online courses. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 8(4), 277-287.

Glatthorn, A., Boschee, F., Whitehead, B., & Boschee, B. (2011). Curriculum leadership: Strategies for development and implementation. New York, NY: SAGE Publications.

Harrington, A. (2010). Hybrid developmental writing courses: Limitations and alternatives. Research and Teaching in Developmental Education, 26(2), 4-20.

Henriksen, D., Mishra, P., Greenhow, C., Cain, W., & Roseth, C. (2014). A tale of two courses: Innovation in the Hybrid/Online Doctoral Program at Michigan State University. TechTrends, 58(4), 45-53.

Jordan, K. (2014). Initial trends in enrolment and completion of massive open online courses. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 15(1), 8-18.

Kennesaw State University. (2014). English education. Web.

Mitchell, A. (2014). Online courses and online teaching strategies in higher education. Creative Education, 5(23), 2017-2019.

Mosca, J., Ball, D., Buzza, J., & Paul, D. (2010). A Comprehensive student-based analysis of hybrid courses: Student preferences and design criteria for success. Journal of Business & Economics Research, 8(5), 7-21.

O’Sullivan-Gavin, S., & Shannon, J. (2014). Making the leap: Using information technology to develop and enhance student learning in legal studies courses. Southern Journal of Business and Ethics, 6(1), 69-91.

Tirrell, T., & Quick, D. (2012). Chickering’s seven principles of good practice: Student attrition in community college online course. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 36(8), 580-590.

Toth, M., Amrein-Beardsley, A., & Foulger, T. (2010). Changing delivery methods, changing practices: Exploring instructional practices in face-to-face and hybrid courses. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 6(3), 617-629.

Wach, H., Broughton, L., & Powers, S. (2011). Blending in the Bronx: The dimensions of hybrid course development at Bronx Community College. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 15(1), 87-96.

Westover, J., & Westover, J. (2014). Teaching hybrid courses across disciplines: Effectively combining traditional learning and e-learning pedagogies. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 4(1), 12-24.