George Mason University
College of Health and Human Services
Department of Global and Community Health
Course Number:
GCH 320
Course Title:
Community Health and Literature
Credits:
3.0
Faculty:
Wendy Doremus, MS, RN, NP-BC
Office Hours:
Please communicate by email ([email protected]) or the course message board OR
send an email request for a phone call appointment
Course Location:
Course delivered via Blackboard course management system
Course Time:
Asynchronous weekly online course
Course Description:
This online course explores key historical worldwide public health events and
humankind’s responses to them, through in-depth study of selected literary works. The
course includes investigation of scientific, social, cultural, geographical, and political
factors that affect health and policy development on local, community and global
levels.
Course Prerequisites:
There are not any specific prerequisites for this class though students should have solid
reading and writing skills.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1.
Demonstrate essential reading and writing skill levels commensurate with preparation for professional
application.
2.
Describe certain significant, historic pandemic events and their relationship to current public health
theory and practice.
3.
Apply knowledge regarding the relevance of: public health data collection and research; surveillance and
epidemiology; health care systems and politics; environmental effects on health; disease prevention,
transmission, investigation and control; leadership in health care fields; social, behavioral and ethical
influences on health; social inequalities, quality of life and justice in relation to health; and global health
perspectives.
4.
Evaluate social, psychological, political, historical and cultural determinants of illness and their connection
with public health responses.
This course is an approved elective for undergraduate students in Global and Community Health, Nursing and
other majors.
Some of the subject matter in the literature is graphic in nature (bodily functions, illness symptoms and
manifestations of diseases). Students should be prepared, from time to time, to confront these details of actual
conditions.
Required Books:

Barry, John M. The Great Influenza (nonfiction) - 2005 paperback edition

Brooks, Geraldine. Year of Wonders (fiction) - 2002 paperback edition

Kidder, Tracy. Mountains Beyond Mountains (nonfiction) - 2004 paperback edition

Johnson, Steven The Ghost Map (nonfiction) - 2006 paperback edition
Supplemental Reading (optional):

Alvarez, Julia. Saving the World (fiction)

Cooper and Ainsberg. Breakthrough (nonfiction)

Fadiman, Anne. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down (nonfiction)

Freedman, Benedict and Nancy. Mrs. Mike: The Story Of Katherine Mary Flannigan (fiction)

Halloway, Kris. Monique and the Mango Rains (nonfiction)

Markandaya, Kamala. Nectar in a Sieve (fiction)

Picoult, Jodi. My Sister’s Keeper (fiction)

Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone (nonfiction)

Rubio, Gwyn Hyman. Icy Sparks (fiction)

Salisbury, Gay and Salisbury, Laney. The Cruelest Miles (nonfiction)

Santana, Raul Mayo (ed). A Sojourn in Tropical Medicine (nonfiction)

Skloot, Rebecca The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (nonfiction)

Tsukiayama, Gail. The Samurai’s Garden (fiction)
Teaching Strategies:
The instructor posts weekly Concept pages and an announcement each Tuesday morning via Blackboard that
provide key information. The instructor also facilitates six asynchronous biweekly Blackboard Discussion Forums
(DiFo). Students submit six biweekly Reading Reflection (ReRe) entries and a final essay for which the instructor
provides individualized feedback. The instructor also offers the option of an early submission date of a draft final
essay so that students have the opportunity to make revisions and corrections before the final due date. Students
who do not take advantage of this option must submit a draft opening paragraph for the final essay.
Course Expectations:
Students should check their Blackboard Announcement accounts on a daily basis during the semester. The
instructor will use Blackboard to post announcements, changes and additional information of interest, to
distribute details regarding assignments and to provide students with any external links that will assist in
successful completion of this course.
Course Assignments:
Daily Independent Reading
See Required Books. Students are expected to maintain the recommended pace to complete the readings.
Syllabus Review Quiz
In the first week of the course, students shall take a short quiz based on information provided in this syllabus. The
quiz is worth 5% of the total grade.
Reading Reflection Journal Entries
Students are required to submit six Reading Reflection (ReRe) journal entries on a biweekly basis, according to the
dates on the Syllabus. In these written entries, students shall offer first person personal opinions, reactions
and/or insights based on their response to the assigned books, using proper written structure. Students shall cite
textual evidence from the books to support their developing critical analyses. While there is not a minimum or
maximum word requirement, sufficient depth of thought and effort should be demonstrated. These entries are
not viewed by other classmates. Each journal entry is worth 5% of the total grade for a total of up to 30% towards
the final grade determination. Points for each Reading Reflection Journal Entry (up to 5 points per entry) will be
based on:
• Citation of textual evidence (1 point)
• Quality of writing (2 points)
• Insightful or original comments, observations, thoughts or questions in sufficient depth (2 points)
Bi-weekly Discussion Forums
Students are required to submit six Discussion Forum (DiFo) entries plus one introductory (ungraded) DiFo on a
biweekly basis, according to the dates on the Course Schedule. Students shall log into the Discussion Board tab
where there will be a list of guiding questions related to the assigned reading. Students will respond to these
questions by posting at least two well-written responses, one as an original response to the posted question(s)
and another as a reply to classmates’ postings. An initial response must occur by 11:59 pm on Thursday of the
designated week and shall include inferences and specific page citations drawn from the assigned reading. A
second posting, responding to classmates’ comments shall be completed by 11:59 pm on Monday of the next
week. Twenty four hours must separate the initial and follow up postings. Students shall respond to threads by
hitting “Reply” rather than creating multiple new threads. All responses should be written in grammatically
correct form with conventional spelling, in full sentences and using proper English. In all written correspondence,
students may offer provocative questions and yet, are expected to be thoughtful, constructive and respectful of
others’ ideas. Each weekly Discussion Forum is worth up to 5% of the total grade. The quality and depth of the
responses, not necessarily the length, will determine the point value. Therefore, 30% of a student’s grade is based
on meaningful participation in online discussion forums. Points (up to 5 per posting) will be based on:
• Examples drawn from assigned reading (1 point)
• Grammatical quality of writing (2 points)
• Insightful, original observations, thoughts, replies, comments, questions or responses to posted
topics/questions and classmates’ postings, in sufficient depth (2 points).
Rules for the Discussion Forums are as follows:
• Complete the assigned reading before entering the Discussion Forum
• Follow the suggested questions relating to the reading as a topic guide
• Thoroughly read the comments of other participants before entering your remarks
• Be respectful and polite towards others’ ideas and choose words carefully
• Write in grammatically correct form and with correct spelling
Final Essay
Students are required to submit one well-developed analytical essay/position paper (NOT a research paper),
worth 35% of the grade in this course. This essay shall be a focused, original topic, written in the third person,
defending a position that is an expansion upon the assigned readings and Weekly Concepts. Students are
expected to cite specific textual evidence from the assigned readings. The essay will be evaluated via a rubric
based on scope of content and ideas, quality of grammatical and organizational writing, inclusion of cited text,
and evidence of critical and original thinking. All work will be double-spaced, 12-point, Times New Roman font
and completed in Microsoft Word. Maximum word count shall be 2500.
Students have the option of submitting the essay prior to the final due date (see Course Schedule for due date).
This allows the student to receive feedback from the professor with the opportunity to do minor revisions before
resubmitting for a grade.
Late Assignments
There is a 20% reduction in score each day that an assignment is late. If there are extenuating circumstances (for
example, a death in the immediate family, serious illness or injury), it is the student’s responsibility to inform the
professor prior to the due date, if at all possible. If not prearranged with the professor, late assignment make up
opportunities are at the discretion of the professor. Missed Discussion Forums cannot be made up as these are
the equivalent to a classroom discussion. If you are not ‘present’, you are not able to contribute.
Evaluation:
All student work is graded by rubrics which students may review in advance. Student grades are based on the
following distribution of effort:
Syllabus Review Quiz
5%
Reading Reflection (ReRe) Entries (5% x 6 bi-weekly entries)
30%
Discussion Forum (DiFo) Entries (5% x 6 bi-weekly postings)
30%
Final Essay Introductory Paragraph
Final Essay
5%
30%
TOTAL
100%
Grading Scale:
97% and above
A+
94% to 96%
A
90% to 93%
A-
87% to 89%
B+
84% to 86%
B
80% to 83%
B-
77% to 79%
C+
74% to 76%
C
70% to 73%
C-
60% to 69%
D
Below 60%
F
Plagiarism = Potential F on assignment or course
Course Requirements:
To access this course, students need the following: Computer, modem, phone line and Internet connection. All
links for this course are available in the course’s Blackboard site. Students may access the Blackboard site via
MyMason.
The George Mason University Instructional Resource Center (IRC) is available to assist students with the
Blackboard site if there are problems accessing this course on Blackboard. Please contact the GMU Support
resources listed below if you have any questions or problems regarding Blackboard.
• If you cannot log into Blackboard, contact the ITU Support Center at (703) 993-8870.
• For issues or questions regarding technology or the Blackboard system, please email [email protected].
• For Walk-in Assistance, stop by the Collaborative Learning Hub in the Johnson Center.
• For Blackboard help, please visit http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.htm for some videos on
common tasks.
If students are not able to access Blackboard by an assignment due date (except for the Discussion Forums), work
may be submitted to the professor through the George Mason University email system.
Academic Honesty:
George Mason University operates under an honor system as explained in the University Catalog
(http://catalog.gmu.edu/content.php?catoid=15&navoid=1039#Honor). Please familiarize yourself with the
honor code, especially the statement on plagiarism. If you have questions about how or when to cite the
contributions of published articles, internet resources, people, and other sources to your work, please contact the
professor for assistance.
Disability Accommodation:
If you are a student with a disability and are in need of academic accommodations, please contact the Disability
Resource Center (DRC) at 703-993-2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged through the DRC
http://ods.gmu.edu.
GMU Email Accounts:
Students must activate their GMU email accounts to receive important University information, including messages
related to this class.
Useful Campus Resources:
WRITING CENTER
A114 Robinson Hall; (703) 993-1200 http://writingcenter.gmu.edu
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
“Ask a Librarian” http://library.gmu.edu/mudge/IM/IMRef.html
COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES (CAPS)
(703) 993-2380; http://caps.gmu.edu
University Policies:
The University Catalog (http://catalog.gmu.edu) is the central resource for university policies affecting student,
faculty, and staff conduct in university affairs.
GCH 320 Community Health and Literature
COURSE SCHEDULE
Spring 2012*
WEEK
TOPIC/CONCEPT
READING ASSIGNMENT
WRTING ASSIGNMENT
1
Getting Started,
Essential Questions
Year of Wonders
(pp. 1-94)
Syllabus Review Quiz
Discussion Forum
(DiFo) Intro
Mon. 1/30
2
Disease Transmission
Year of Wonders
(pp. 95-187)
Reading Reflection
(ReRe) #1
Mon. 2/6
3
Social and Behavioral
Influences on Health
Year of Wonders
(pp. 188-308)
DiFo #1
Thurs. 2/9
&
Mon. 2/13
4
Epidemiology and
Surveillance
The Ghost Map
(pp. 1- 109)
ReRe #2
Mon. 2/20
5
Environmental Effects
on Health
The Ghost Map
(pp. 110-188)
DiFo #2
Thurs. 2/23
&
Mon. 2/27
6
Public Health
Interventions
The Ghost Map
(pp. 189-256)
ReRe #3
Mon. 3/5
7
Pandemics Then
and Now
S
P
R
The Great Influenza
Prologue through chapter 8
(pp. 1-115)
I
N
G
B
R
The Great Influenza
Chapters 9 through 19
(pp. 116-227)
The Great Influenza
Chapters 20 through 28
(pp. 228–332)
The Great Influenza
Chapters 29 through end
(pp. 333-462)
Mountains Beyond Mountains
Chapters 1 through 10
(pp. 1-103)
Mountains Beyond Mountains
Chapters 11 through 21
(pp. 104-210)
Mountains Beyond Mountains
Chapters 22 through Afterward
(pp. 211-301)
K
Wed. 3/7
&
Fri. 3/9
3/12 -16
ReRe #4
Mon. 3/19
DiFo #4
Thurs. 3/22
&
Mon. 3/26
ReRe #5
Mon. 4/2
DiFo #5
Thurs. 4/5
&
Mon. 4/9
ReRe #6
Mon. 4/16
Full Essay Submit for Review
DiFo #3
E
DUE (11:59 pm)
A
8
Health Care Systems
and Politics
9
Leadership in Health
10
Public Health Data and
Research
11
Cultural Determinants
of Health
12
Health and
Quality of Life
13
Disparities, Inequalities,
Social Justice
14
Global issues in Health
and Disease
Review
DiFo #6
15
Global Health Vision
Continue on your own
Final Essay
Draft Opening Paragraph
OR
Mon. 4/23
Thurs. 4/26
&
Mon. 4/30
Mon. 5/7