Core 102History and the Modern World
The Idea of Democracy
Roger Williams University
Section 01 LLC T, TH   09:30AM-10:50 AM GHH 205
Section 04 ELI  T, TH   12:30PM- 02:00 PM  GHH 106
Spring  Semester, 2016
Michael R. H. Swanson, Ph. D.
Office: GHH 215
Hours: M, W, F, 12:00-1:30
Or By Appointment
Phone:  ext 3230
E-mail:  mswanson@rwu.edu
For Thursday, January 21
I'll do the traditional first day things.  I'll introduce myself and the course, start to familiarize myself with your names (I apologize in advance if I pronounce them badly--it will take awhile before I get them right).  I have old ears, and the air circulation system in the building is mighty loud, so if you speak up, that will help.  I'm e-mailing the link to this week's work so you can get a head start reading the material on the HOME PAGE

You'll notice, from the top of this page, that I have two very special sections.  Section 5 is a LCC section--standing for living-learning community.  Section 2, which occurs an hour and a half later, is an ELI section--standing for English Language Institute. They are an hour and one half apart.  I hope to introduce the two sections to each other and perhaps arrange some study groups.   This will be good for both international students and students from the United States. .  It means we'll have the opportunity to learn more about more places, customs, and people than students in other sections will have. I'll be talking more about that later
Above are two views of the Disney song,  "It's a Small World After All".  At the left is the version from the 1964 World's Fair..  At the right a more recent version, from half way around the world, though still Walt Disney.  Note the stereotypes in 1964.  In 1964, most visitors to the fair probably wouldn't have thought about the problem of stereotyping people from different places.  Hopefully, we're becoming better at looking beyond the stereotypes and really trying to get to know each other, As Julie Andrews sang in the musical "The King and I" a half century and more ago.  (If anyone wants to sing along, I won't mind.
Besides getting to know each other, I hope to spend some time getting to help you know one of our important electronic tools: Bridges.  I'm hoping that those of you who have used it before will be tutors for those who have less familiarity with it.  You'll be using Bridges to turn in your written work.  I'm hoping to use the Drop Box feature on Bridges as a method for you to turn in your reactions to your readings, which are in P.D.F. File format.  If you don't have ADOBE Acrobat Reader. You can download either the MAC or Windows Version by clicking on the image below.
When you open Bridges, you'll find your section number at the top.  Click on it, and you'll find the opening page for your bridges Section.
When you open the page, you'll notice that there is a menu on the right hand side. Right under the button marked "Resources" is a button marked Drop Box.  I will expect you to mark up your adobe acrobat copies of the reading assignments and place them in the Drop Box before class begins. 
When you click on it, this is what you will see.  Click on "browse" which will open your file folders.  Select the file you want to upload and click add file.  Don't forget to click the upload files now button.  You will get a confirmation that I've received your file.
I will give  a demonstration in class, if all goes well.  I will also give you a demonstration on how to annotate files using the free adobe reader.