CALS 400/458:

Chicano and Latino Studies Research Issues and Information Literacy

Fall 2001

Nicholas Hall; Tuesday 4-6:40 with an optional lab on Thursdays @ 4:00 pm in RCH 1
Instructors: Dr. R.E."Ray" Castro and Ms. Suzel Bozada-Deas
with the support of Ms. Paula Hammett from the Schulz Technology Center/Library
Office: NH 212, 664-3039
Office Hours: M 12-1:00, T 1:30-2:30, W 9-10

Course Description:

This course serves as an introduction to the CALS major, it will involve students in a dialog about the most salient curriculum and research issues facing CALS teachers and scholars. These issues will include an overview of the history of Latinas/os in the US, a discussion of research and policy concerns related to familes and children and a sampling/analyisi of Chican@ literature. In addition, the course will develop a focus around building reseaech sensibilities and skills that include information literacy (e.g. learning to evaluate information found on the Internet) and the stages connected to the research process. The overall prupose of this course is to introduce students to the issues and concerns that comprise the CALS major, at least as we know it today, and to develop clear expectations about planning, conducting and writing CALS-related research.

Course Learning Objectives:

This course will assist students to learn:

  1. to identify and analyze the curriculum and research issues facing the current CALS student,
  2. to understand and apply the expectations related to information literarcy, and
  3. to plan, conduct and write about research projects that will be expected of all CALS majors.

Student Evaluation Criteria:

  1. Attendance and Participation: 15%
  2. Individual Student Assignments or ISA (4 ISAs @ 10% each): 40%
  3. Collaborative Student Tasks or CST (2 CST @ 10% each): 20%
  4. Final Project: 25%

Optional Lab:

This course requires much time on-line with the Internet; for this reason, a lab time has been set aside for two hours on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. in RCH 1. Since most students have access to the Internet at home, the lab time provides additional on-line time and should be considered as an optional opportunity to complete assignments.