HIST 1109 - Revolutions that Changed the World

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2017

This course will look at some of the great 'turning points' of history that have shaped the world in which we live, for example the Renaissance and Reformation of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the 'Scientific Revolution' of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century, the 'Information Revolution' and 'Sexual Revolution' of the twentieth century, as well as great political revolutions such as the American, French, Russian and Chinese revolutions. Students will actively engage with the central question of why human history in the last 500 years has witnessed periods of profound transformation. Were they driven primarily by technological and economic developments, or were new ideas and philosophies the most important agents of rapid historical change? What role was played in these transformations by individuals and by governments? What exactly do we mean by the term 'revolution', and how legitimately can the word be applied to the events that we cover in this course. This course has three main objectives. Firstly, it will ask students to engage with some of most important debates about the factors that led to rapid historical change. Secondly, the course furnishes students with an overview of the 'big picture' of world history across the last 500 years. Students will acquire essential contextual knowledge which will enrich their understanding of almost any subsequent course they take in history or the humanities. Thirdly, the course will facilitate students' understanding of the world in which they live by exploring some of the key developments that have shaped our common history. The course allows for insights into our own rapidly changing era by exploring other revolutionary episodes in our past. Note: this course is very different from the SACE 'Revolutions' course!

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code HIST 1109
    Course Revolutions that Changed the World
    Coordinating Unit Historical and Classical Studies
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Course Description This course will look at some of the great 'turning points' of history that have shaped the world in which we live, for example the Renaissance and Reformation of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the 'Scientific Revolution' of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century, the 'Information Revolution' and 'Sexual Revolution' of the twentieth century, as well as great political revolutions such as the American, French, Russian and Chinese revolutions. Students will actively engage with the central question of why human history in the last 500 years has witnessed periods of profound transformation. Were they driven primarily by technological and economic developments, or were new ideas and philosophies the most important agents of rapid historical change? What role was played in these transformations by individuals and by governments? What exactly do we mean by the term 'revolution', and how legitimately can the word be applied to the events that we cover in this course. This course has three main objectives. Firstly, it will ask students to engage with some of most important debates about the factors that led to rapid historical change. Secondly, the course furnishes students with an overview of the 'big picture' of world history across the last 500 years. Students will acquire essential contextual knowledge which will enrich their understanding of almost any subsequent course they take in history or the humanities. Thirdly, the course will facilitate students' understanding of the world in which they live by exploring some of the key developments that have shaped our common history. The course allows for insights into our own rapidly changing era by exploring other revolutionary episodes in our past. Note: this course is very different from the SACE 'Revolutions' course!
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Vesna Drapac



    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate:
    1 A broad factual knowledge of the political, social, cultural and visual history of important periods of transition and transformation in world history.
    2 An ability to address questions about the causes and impact of these transformations.
    3 An ability to locate relevant secondary sources and use them appropriately in order to answer questions about the causes and impact of these periods of profound transformation.
    4 An understanding of the contested nature of historical interpretations with particular regard to the transitions we discuss in the course. Students will be able to identify the key questions at stake in these debates and understand the key positions taken by historians.
    5 A capacity to engage critically with these debates both individually and in small groups, and to formulate coherent positions of their own based on an appropriate use of evidence.
    6 An understanding of, and the ability correctly to use, the conventions and idiom of the discipline of history.
    7 An ability to work in small groups in order to address and solve historical problems pertaining to the causes and impact of the 'revolutions' that we study.
    8 An awareness of how the transformations we study have shaped the world we live in today.
    9 An ability to use relevant technologies to find and evaluate sources, communicate ideas with other students and with staff, and present findings.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    3, 4, 5
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    5, 7
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    6, 7, 9
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    7
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    A Course Reader containing the essential tutorial readings will be available for purchase via the Image and Copy Centre.
    Recommended Resources
    The Barr Smith Library has a rich collection of books on our subject. It is essential that you familiarise yourself with the resources guide for this course which is available online through the Barr Smith Library. The resources guide also provides critical information on accessing materials in hard copy and electronically through the Library.
    Online Learning
    This course has a website accessible through Canvas. The site will contain the Course Guide. The Course Guide provides further instructions on the assessment tasks, reading lists, essay questions and other relevant materials. 

    In addition the website will contain lecture recordings, lecture notes, handouts and worksheets. 

    Regular announcements and updates will be posted via Canvas.

    You will be expected to check your emails and the website regularly for updates and other information relating to the course.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Lectures

    Lectures  are scheduled to begin in Week 1 of semester.

    There will be two lectures each week, which will provide students with a basic core of factual knowledge about the 'revolutions' that we cover in the course. These sessions will also identify key analytical problems that will be discussed in tutorials and addressed in the course assessments. 

    Tutorials

    Tutorials begin in Week 2. Each student will attend one tutorial per week. In tutorials students will participate in activities designed to develop the skills essential to the discipline of history. Tutorials are also a forum in which the class can exchange ideas about the key themes of the course and hone their oral communication skills. The materials in the course reader and the lectures provide you with the necessary background to participate in tutorials and to contribute to discussion. Tutorials comprise an essential component of the course with the primary purpose of developing key graduate attributes as listed above. As a result tutorial attendance is a requirement of this course.

    See the Course Guide for further instructions on tutorial participation.

    Student support and research skills

    Like the 1st Semester Level 1 course, 'Empires in World History', this course is designed as an introduction to the study of history at university level. There will be a strong emphasis on developing research skills. We work closely with the relevant staff in the library to provide hands-on training in the use of library resources. Various small exercises in the large-group sessions and tutorials, and on Canvas, will also familiarise students with the basic skills they need to research and write their assessments.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The course is designed on the assumption that the typical student workload across the semester will be as follows:

    Lectures: 24 hours
    Tutorials: 10 hours
    Preparation for tutorials: 20 hours
    Researching and writing assessments: 102 hours

    Total: 156 hours
    Learning Activities Summary
    Because this is a modular course, the precise content and learning activities will vary from year to year. A Course Guide containing details of content and activities will be available at the beginning of semester.

    In general, 2-3 weeks will be spent examining each 'revolution' in the course. The following may be examined: English Revolution (c.1640s), Scientific Revolution (c.16th-17th centuries), French Revolution (c.1789-1815), Industrial Revolution (c.1750-1900), Communist Revolution (c.1840s-1989), Sexual Revolution (16th-20th centuries).
    Specific Course Requirements
    Tutorial attendance and participation is a requirement of this course.
    Only students who attend at least 80% of tutorials will qualify to pass the course unless documentation of a medical condition can be supplied.
    There will be opportunities to attend 'make up' tutorials (i.e. other tutorials scheduled in the week) if a class is missed.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    Students will work in small groups in tutorials and develop research skills through the investigation of primary sources.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    As this is a modular course the topics and forms of assessment may change from year to year.
    At this stage, the assessed tasks will be:
    (1) Turtorial participation = 10%
    (2) 1,000-word analysis of a journal article or book chapter = 25%
    (3) A 2,000-word research essay - 45%
    (3) A final test (consisting of multiple choice or short answer questions) - 20%
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Tutorial attendance and participation is a requirement of this course. Only students who attend at least 80% of tutorials will qualify to pass the course unless documentation of a medical condition can be supplied. There will be opportunities to attend 'make up' tutorials (i.e. classes scheduled later in the week) if a class is missed.

    All written work is to be submitted electronically via Canvas AND Turnitin (see below).
    Assessment Detail
    1. Tutorial participation (10%)
    Student participatoin in weekly tutorial exercises, the small group discovery experience and presentations will be taken into account in this assessment.

    2. A 1,000-word analysis of a journal article or book chapter (25%).
    You will be required to write a scholarly review of a book chapter or journal article. The list of texts to choose from will be posted on MyUni early in semester, together with PDFs of the articles themselves.

    3. A 2,000-word research essay (45%).
    Students will be required to write an essay on one of the revolutions covered by the course.

    4. Final Test (20%)
    The final test will consist of a range of questions drawn from the lecture material. The test has been provisionally scheduled to be held in the final week of the course. It is possible that this date might change.
    Submission

    All assignments are to be submitted electronically via Turnitin on Canvas.

    Students wishing to apply for an extension need to submit the relevant forms via the School Office.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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