Teaching Portfolio

TEACHING PORTFOLIO

Dr. Rachel V McKinnon Department of Philosophy, College of Charleston

2015

Department of Philosophy, College of Charleston 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29424

843 729 4848

[email protected]

www.rachelmckinnon.com

Dr. Rachel V McKinnon

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843 729 4848 • [email protected] • www.rachelmckinnon.com

McKinnon - Teaching Portfolio

P O R T F O L I O C O N T E N T S

+ Executive Summary

+ Teaching Philosophy

+ Classroom and Teaching Strategies

+ Teaching Assessment

+ Teaching Development

+ Future Teaching Goals

+ Appendices

Appendix A Sample Syllabus: Introduction to Philosophy

Appendix B Sample Syllabus: Knowledge and Reality

Appendix C Sample Syllabus: Epistemology

Appendix D Sample Assignment: Mindfulness Assignment

Appendix E Sample Assignment: Argument Repair Paper

Appendix F Sample Activity: Complete Turn Taking

Appendix G Course Evaluation Data

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9

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12

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25

37

48

49

51

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TABLE OF CONTENTS


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Prepared for - Your Project Name Here


TEACHING EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW

My teaching experience as of December 2015 has included sixteen courses at three institutions...

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...an upper level undergraduate/graduate seminar in epistemology and the philosophy of language, a third year course on epistemology, a third year course on the philosophy of language, a second year metaphysics and epistemology course, four sections of business ethics, honors business ethics, six sections of introduction to philosophy, and one section of introduction to ethics.

In the Spring 2016 semester, I will be teaching a third year course on epistemology and a first year business ethics course. I have teaching experience with both large and small classes, with a diverse range of students including

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international students. My average overall course evaluation mark is 4.3/5.

I have also completed the Certificate in University Teaching, offered by the University of Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence. In departments that highly value pedagogy, I have developed and implemented a workshop on effectively integrating clicker technology into teaching philosophy, and participated on a panel discussion, where I presented material on the use of clickers for student learning and engagement.

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y


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T E A C H I N G P H I L O S O P H Y

Student Growth.

My teaching goal in every course is to take students one step, whether large or small, from being a novice towards being an expert. I see my role as akin to being a personal trainer: someone with expertise who is there to assist students in furthering their ability to do things for themselves; someone to step in when students are making mistakes and to provide directed feedback; and someone who gives students some tools and then ample opportunity to exercise their new intellectual muscles. This means that I try to get students to go a step beyond learning about philosophy towards attempting to do philosophy.

Student Engagement.

Student engagement and participation are central to my teaching. Motivated and engaged students, interested and excited about the material, perform and learn better than disengaged students. I create an interactive learning environment with ample group work and class discussions. I regularly use peer-instruction and active learning techniques by, for example, having students teach each other in various group activities. I also try to make the topics relevant to students’ lives. In teaching concepts of rationality and decision-making, I often assign introductory students an assignment that challenges them to spend a day using a different decision-making strategy than what they typically do. They then report back their experiences in a short reflection paper. (Appendix D, p. 48).

Student Ability.

My principal learning goals for students are to develop their critical thinking and communication (both verbal and written) skills, and to develop their understanding of the requisite knowledge to engage with the philosophical topics covered in courses and everyday life. Philosophy extends beyond something done in university and college classrooms: the skills that students learn, and the issues discussed, permeate their lives. I aim for students to be able to apply their ability to recognize and analyze arguments to arguments they encounter in their daily lives. I connect philosophy to students’ lived experiences, making abstract discussions and distinctions more personal. All of this is in service of my primary goal of giving students the tools they need to apply what they learn, taking them towards being experts at doing philosophy.


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In recent years, I’ve moved away from using tools such as PowerPoint in constructing my lectures. I found that using slides interrupted the sense of flow I seek in lectures, and made it more difficult to engage with students in following where their trains of thought and interest led. Instead, I design lectures around the assigned reading(s) for that day, and a few key points that I want to cover. I leave the rest up to what’s troubling or interesting the students on the topic.

I construct my lectures using active learning techniques that focus on having students engage with the material during lectures rather than sitting passively listening to a lecture.

One particular method involves combining the use of audience response systems, such as iClickers, with a “think-pair-share” activity. I pose a multiple choice question, often in PowerPoint or by writing it on the board, and students anonymously vote with their iClickers. Prior to showing the results of the poll, students are asked to partner with a neighbour to discuss what they answered, with a particular focus on their reasons/argument. During this time I often

circulate to engage students one-on-one. This lets me give more individual attention to students. I often will go to students who don't seem very engaged in order to bring them into the discussion. This often results in the student becoming openly engaged with subsequent activities in the lecture. After a few minutes of peer-to-peer discussion, I ask the class to vote again, and then show them the before-and-after results. This leads into a class-wide discussion on the various arguments that students encountered discussing the question with their peers.

Since student engagement and participation are important in my teaching, I encourage student participation in a number of different ways. When students offer a response to a question, or participate in class-wide debates, I always acknowledge their contribution and summarize and clarify their point, if required. If a point is particularly good, I’ll say so and often go on to expand on the value of the point by drawing connections to the class material. I have noticed that doing this tends to draw quiet students into participating more frequently.

In introductory courses, particularly those that meet three times a week, I somties set aside a number of Friday classes for an activity called “Complete Turn Taking” (Appendix F, p. 51). This is grounded in my aim to get students to do philosophy. It provides students time and a framework for working through tough philosophical concepts together. It also gives students some space to voice their thoughts without being interrupted by other students.

continued...

T E A C H I N G S T R A T E G I E S

CLASSROOM AND TEACHING STRATEGIES

iClicker Technology


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My job is to be available for help when needed, and to monitor at arm’s length what’s being said. If students say something incorrect, about interpreting a particular view, for example, then I will monitor whether the group members correct the mistake for themselves. If they do, then I move on and continue monitoring the discussions. If they do not, then I can step in and briefly join the conversation to get it back on track. Alternatively, if I don’t think that a group is examining some of the deeper aspects of a topic, I might step in to ask a question aimed at prompting a deeper discussion.

I often try to balance student participation from the more active students, who often sit in the front, with students sitting in the back or off to the side. Sometimes I will pose a question and specifically ask for a response from someone at the back, or some other particular section of the room. I also sometimes circle the room as I lecture to engage students who are usually further away from me. I also try to close the distance between a student who is asking a question and me by taking a few steps in their direction. Instead of directly answering the question myself, I often ask the class to offer a response in order to spark a discussion. This also doubles as a way for me to gauge student understanding: if the class cannot offer a response, I know that when I give the answer, I will need to explain it in more detail.

In order to specifically address developing critical thinking skills, I often design my lecture plans around presenting competing arguments and viewpoints. I then ask the students to adjudicate and offer counter-arguments. I have the students engage each other's arguments in addition to the arguments covered in the readings and lecture material. I have sometimes shown a video of people engaging in an argument and then asked the class to comment on the strengths of the points raised and how they would support the various positions. In some courses, I use “argument repair” writing assignments where students must summarize an argument, offer a critique, and then suggest how the argument could be changed so as to avoid the criticism (Appendix E, p. 49).

In some think-pair-share activities, after I have posed the question and the students have had time to consider their position, I ask them to pair up with a neighbour and then argue for the opposite of what they think. Students find this challenging, but interesting and engaging. When I bring the class back to share what was said, sometimes I ask students what they think, but other times I will ask a student to report what their neighbour argued. This serves a number of goals. On the one hand, this allows me to call on students who don't tend to speak in class as they're more comfortable speaking if they’re reporting on someone else's arguments. On the other hand, it also serves the goal of encouraging students to pay close attention to what their fellow students think.

T E A C H I N G S T R A T E G I E S


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4.04

4.12

4.04

4.04

4.04

4.12

4.21

4.49

4.42

4.54

3.95

4.17

4.52

3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6

PHIL 350

PHIL 215

PHIL 110A

PHIL 215

PHIL 215*

PHIL 215

PHIL 100

Overall Average of Question Scores (upper bar) Department Course Average (lower bar)

PHIL 100 PHIL 215 PHIL 215* PHIL 215 PHIL 110A PHIL 215 PHIL 350 Spring

2010 Wınter 2011

Spring 2011

Spring 2012

Spring 2012

Winter 2013

Wınter 2013

McKinnon 4.52 4.17 3.95 4.59 4.42 4.49 4.21

Department 4.12 4.04 4.04 4.04 4.12 4.04

no data

T E A C H I N G A S S E S S M E N T

STUDENT ASSESSMENT COURSE EVALUATION DATA

The following table summarizes student evaluation data using the University of Waterloo Faculty of Arts questionnaire. Results of the University of Calgary Student Opinions of Teaching can be found in Appendix G, pp. 86-97. Results of the College of Charleston Course-Instructor Evaluations can be found in Appendix G, pp. 52-85.

The scores are the average raw score ( 1=Poor, 5=Excellent ), and the department averages are based on results from faculty and graduate instructor scores.

* Some experimental features in this section partly account for the lower scores.


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I encourage students to offer feedback on my teaching and course design in online or in-class mid-term evaluations, end-of-term online evaluations, and the comments section of the standardized course evaluation questionnaires. I take these comments seriously and regularly incorporate constructive comments into future courses. Since end of term evaluations don’t tend to directly benefit the students providing the comments, the mid-term evaluations are particularly useful in allowing me to adjust the course to address students’ immediate concerns. For example, I was concerned in one course that there were too many online discussion questions, so based on student responses I reduced the workload to a more workable level. I also include student input in crafting classroom policies.

Students have often commented that they would recommend my course to their friends and others. In fact, students often bring friends to my lectures who aren’t enrolled. On at least two occasions, students who have sat in on a lecture later enrolled in one of my subsequent courses. During the first lecture of a semester I ask students, among other things, why they’re taking that particular course. I have noticed that a few students in each course comment that they heard about how interesting my courses are, and so decided to enrol.

I suspect that one reason for this is that I actively work to maintain student interest and engagement with the material by making the connection between their life experiences and their studies. Students frequently comment on my ability to keep students interested and engaged, even in large 3-hour night classes...

One of the primary learning outcomes for my courses is enhancing students’ abilities to think critically. Some students have commented that one thing they will take with them from my courses is an improved ability to reflect critically on their own beliefs as well as the arguments of others. For example, one student wrote, “Very compelling as a ‘how to think’ course.” Another wrote, “Overall helped me think more critically about ethical issues I would have viewed more as one-sided.” For example, on a lecture on sweatshops and globalization, I offered some arguments and economic data for the value of sweatshops to provide a unique perspective on an issue most students thought was simple. Additional comments can be found in Appendix G.


STUDENT ASSESSMENT COMMENTS

The professor is able to make her lectures interesting enough to have me walk through snow and slush to get to class instead of just taking the online course. “ ” This class/course is well thought out. Lectures are interesting and the professor is captivating. “ Excellent presentation of course material and I like how the class is involved in the lectures (e.g., group discussions/activities). “

Photocopied example comments are available upon request.

” ”


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Part of completing Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence’s Certificate in University Teaching involves completing three teaching observations by CTE graduate developers. After each observation the developer produces an observation report. The final report doubles as a summary of the participant’s observations throughout the program and the third individual observation event.

Below are some excerpts from the final report on my teaching...


PEER EVALUATION UW CENTRE FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE

“Overall I felt that the activities that you planned were extremely well executed, including your questioning strategies. You made yourself available to your students while they were working which kept the lines of communication open so that students could ask you questions as they encountered problems. While the students were doing the activity you checked in on their progress and stated how much time they would have to finish up....Overall, you conducted this lecture and its activities as we would at CTE, well done!”

“I am pleased to see that your presentation skills have been consistently pointed out as a strong aspect to maintain in all of your teaching observations in the CUT program. There were many strong aspects in your presentation and delivery skills in this observation including confidence in yourself and the material, eye contact, vocal tone and intonation, and use of humour. In particular, you were actively using hand gestures and seemed very enthusiastic about the topic that you were presenting. I believe these skills are strong assets for you in your future teaching experiences!”

“[Y]ou did a great job in your lecture in engaging your students through the use of questions. You asked many questions which were all well designed and carefully handled....Overall, I believe you took great advantage of questioning strategies in your lecture, which made your presentation very interactive, interesting and even entertaining. Great job!”

Photocopied example comments are available upon request.


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T E A C H I N G D E V E L O P M E N T

MY ONGOING TEACHING DEVELOPMENT

A central part of my development as an instructor has been participating in and completing the University of Waterloo Centre for Teaching Excellence’s Certificate in University Teaching (CUT). This involves completing a number of workshops and reflective writing assignments on my teaching performance and strategies. It has also included a number of formal observations of my teaching with specific feedback (see previous section). It has also included a research project where I was able to further develop my interests in using technology such as iClickers in teaching philosophy, which included developing and implementing a workshop on effectively integrating clickers into teaching philosophy.

Thus one particular area of interest of mine is developing successful methods for integrating technology into the philosophy classroom. Many of my courses have been “blended” courses with both online and offline (traditional classroom) content. I have also utilized Twitter and iClickers. I plan to continue developing effective teaching methodologies for using technology to facilitate student learning and students’ experiences learning philosophy. This includes developing better clicker questions and a better way to integrate the use of Twitter so that more students participate.

I also regularly engage in conversations with colleagues to discuss teaching methods and strategies. These exchanges have been a useful means for developing new teaching strategies, marking and assessment methods, and improving students’ experiences. This exchange of ideas has been fruitful for both me and my colleagues. I have picked up interesting new activities for engaging large classes, while some colleagues have begun successfully using iClickers and other technology in their classrooms. I plan to implement a colleague’s group-work suggestion of group “journaling” into my next large course.


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T E A C H I N G G O A L S

MY ASSIGNMENT GOALS

One of my primary future goals as a teacher is to develop better assignments and assessment methods. I am also continually developing better in-class activities and improved implementation of activities that I currently use. I would also like to include more formal peer-review into assignments. I will also strive to improve the reading selections to increase students’ valuation of the readings as being high value and enjoyable. Introductory philosophy courses typically struggle with this since assigning traditional journal articles makes for difficult reading. By taking accessible philosophy articles from the New York Times, or business ethics content from the Chronicle of Higher Education, students find the readings more enjoyable and readable, which leads to better student engagement and student learning. These sorts of readings are the ones that seem to make the biggest impression on students.

MY TESTING DEVELOPMENTS

In recent years, I have begun working with a new multiple-choice test sheet called the “Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique”, or IF-AT. They’re “scratch and win” style test sheets that allow me to give part marks for multiple choice tests. If students answer correctly the first time, they receive eight points, two points for a correct answer on the second attempt, one point for the third, and no points for taking four attempts. This allows students to know, as they’re taking the test, which questions they get right, and which they get wrong. It also aids in student learning and retention, since they have to re-think through the question when they get it wrong to arrive at the correct answer. I’m still developing a set of best practices for using these in philosophy classes, and I’m planning to write a journal article, likely for Teaching Philosophy, on my use of these test forms.

IF-AT Scratch Test

COURSE MATERIAL DIVERSITY

Another area of interest of mine is the composition of my course readings. More recently, I have made a concerted effort to increase diversity of the readings in my courses to include both more women and people with various intersectional identities. As part of this, I am currently working on a project with a colleague at the University of Victoria on measuring the importance of syllabus diversity for student perceptions of philosophy as a discipline. So as I move forward, I will continue to work on making my syllabi more representative of the range of philosophers in the relevant literatures.


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TEACHING PORTFOLIO

Appendices Sample Syllabi, Assignments, and Evaluation Data

McKinnon 2010-2015

This course touches on the three areas of study in philosophy: METAPHYSICS What is the nature of reality? EPISTEMOLOGY What is knowledge? ETHICS How should we behave? Specifically, we'll cover the following topics: is having a child rational; what is knowledge; how we learn from others; epistemic injustice; how people remain ignorant in the face of overwhelming counter-evidence; race and racism. These aren't just timeless and contemporary debates, though: this course will show you how these topics can impact your daily lives.

2015 Fall Semester CRN 11322 EDUCATION CENTER 116 MW 2:00-3:15PM

DR. RACHEL MCKINNON ASSISTANT PROFESSOR DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

Course Syllabus The classroom, with all its limitations, remains a location of possibility. In that field of possibility we have the opportunity to labor for freedom, to demand of ourselves and our comrades, an openness of mind and heart that

allows us to face reality even as we collectively imagine ways to move beyond boundaries, to transgress. This is education as the practice of freedom.

-bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress

PHIL 101 (01) Introduction to Philosophy

PHIL 101: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY CRN 11322 (MW 2:00-3:15PM)

DR. RACHEL MCKINNON Office: Room 102, 16 Glebe Street | [email protected]

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Course Description Cover Page Inclusivity and Accessibility 2 Course Details 3

Learning Outcomes 3 Required Textbooks 3 Professor McKinnon’s Contact Information 3

Course Requirements: Final Grade Breakdown 4 Late Assignment Policy 5 Retention of Coursework Samples 5

Semester Overview 6 Important Dates 6 Course Topics 6 Reading List 7 Reading Schedule 8

Class Policies 9 College of Charleston Honor Code 12

STATEMENT ON INCLUSIVITY AND ACCOMMODATION

Your success in this class is important to me. If there are circumstances that may affect your performance in this

class, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can work together to develop strategies for adapting

lectures, activities, and assignments to meet both your needs and the requirements of the course. If you're not

sure whether this applies to you, please speak to me. This includes discussing whether some topics are difficult or potentially triggering, and how that might be accommodated.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Students with disabilities who may require accommodations should contact the Center for Disability Services

(disabilityservices.cofc.edu). SNAP (Students Needing Access Parity) Services provides assistance and guidance

to students with a documented disability to ensure equal access to all programs and services of the College.

More information about the SNAP program can be found in their brochure. Students can find the application

process at disabilityservices.cofc.edu/application. Students can choose to inform me directly of requested

accommodations. I'm happy to work with you to find the most effective accommodations for your needs.

* Alternate formats of this syllabus, for purposes of accessibility, are available on request.



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COURSE DETAILS PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy (01) AUGUST 25th thru DECEMBER 16th, 2015

PREREQUISITE(S) - NONE

GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES This course counts toward the General Education Humanities requirement. All humanities courses must address the following (general) learning outcomes:

1 Students analyze how ideas are represented, interpreted, or valued in various expressions of human culture, and

2 Students examine relevant primary source materials as understood by the discipline and interpret the material in writing assignments.

These will be assessed primarily using the Term Paper.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS • Miranda Fricker. 2007. Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing.

• Readings posted on OAKS. These readings are mandatory.

o Check OAKS regularly for course news and updates.

Students are strongly encouraged to visit during office hours for all course inquiries and for any help students need with the material. I'm also happy just to talk philosophy. Finding my office: it’s at the end of the porch at 16 Glebe Street. PLEASE KNOCK.

* Please read the complete policies on contacting Professor McKinnon (in person and through email) found in this syllabus to help ensure the best possible communication.

Dr. Rachel McKinnon Office: Room 102, 16 Glebe Street

Email: [email protected]

Office Hours: M-TH 11:00AM – 12:00PM

Or by appointment



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20%

35% 5%

10%

30%

Final Grade Breakdown

Midterm Test

Final Exam

Close Reading Assignment

Mindfulness Assignments

Argument Repair Paper

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

MIDTERM TEST This is an in-class, multiple-choice midterm test.

FINAL EXAM This is a cumulative multiple-choice exam, held during exam period: Monday December 14th from 12:00-3:00 p.m.

CLOSE READING ASSIGNMENT Using David Concepción’s “Reading Philosophy with Background Knowledge and Metacognition,” and specifically the Appendix, “How to Read Philosophy,” perform a close reading of L. A. Paul’s “What You Can’t Expect When You’re Expecting.” Instructions will be posted on OAKS and handed out in class.

20%

35%

5%



5

20%

35% 5%

10%

30%

Final Grade Breakdown

Midterm Test

Final Exam

Close Reading Assignment

Mindfulness Assignments

Argument Repair Paper

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

MINDFULNESS ASSIGNMENTS At two points during the term, students owe me a one page, single-spaced, typed paper on a topic that I will provide. Each paper is worth 5% of your final grade, for a total of 10% of your final grade. Instructions will be posted on OAKS and handed out in class.

ARGUMENT REPAIR PAPER Students owe me one approximately six (6) to eight (8) page, double-spaced paper where they consider an argument from an article or book chapter we read in class, discuss the central argument, tell me why they find it problematic, and suggest ways the argument could be improved. I will provide a short list of papers from which students may select their topic.

30%

Late assignments will have 20% deducted from the assignment grade each calendar day late, counting from the end of the due date's class meeting time. For example, if class meets from 2:00 - 3:15pm, assignments handed in after 3:15pm on the due date are considered late.

10%



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SEMESTER OVERVIEW

IMPORTANT DATES AT A GLANCE

COURSE TOPICS BY WEEK

Week 01 - Introduction and What is Philosophy? Week 02 - How to Read Philosophy; Rationality Week 03 - Rationality: Decisions and Transformative Experiences Week 04 - Epistemology: Defining Knowledge; Testimony Week 05 - Epistemology: Testimony and Epistemic Injustice Week 06 - Epistemology: Virtue Epistemology and Hermeneutical Injustice Week 07 - Epistemology: Silencing and Epistemic Violence Week 08 - Ethics: Implicit Bias and (Lack of) Diversity Week 09 - Ethics: Racism Week 10 - Epistemology/Ethics: Epistemic Injustice and Epistemology of Ignorance Week 11 - Epistemology/Ethics: Epistemic Injustice and Epistemology of Ignorance Week 12 - Ethics: Race and Privilege Week 13 - Ethics: Race and Privilege Week 14 - Ethics: TBD Week 15 - Ethics: Weakness of Will

Introduction Rationality Epistemology Ethics

Wednesday August 26th First day of class

Monday September 7th Close Reading Due

Monday September 14th Mindfulness Paper 1 Due

Monday October 5th Midterm Test

Monday October 19th Fall Break: No Class

Wednesday November 25th Thanksgiving Break: No Class

Monday November 30th Term Paper Due

Monday December 7th Mindfulness Paper 2 Due

Monday December 14th Final Exam



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LIST

RE

FER

EN

CE

RE

AD

ING

LIS

T

* Use this list to cross-reference with class calendar in this syllabus to know your reading requirements per class.

1 David Concepción (2004). "Reading Philosophy with Background Knowledge and Metacognition."

Teaching Philosophy 27(4), pp. 351-368. OAKS.

2 Pascal. Selection from Pensées. OAKS.

3 L. A. Paul (Forthcoming). “What You Can’t Expect When You’re Expecting.” Res Philosophica.

OAKS.

4 Jennifer Lackey (2006). “It Takes Two to Tango: Beyond Reductionism and Non-Reductionism in the

Epistemology of Testimony.” J. Lackey and E. Sosa (eds.), The Epistemology of Testimony, pp. 160-

189. OAKS.

5 Miranda Fricker (2007). Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing. Oxford: Oxford

University Press. BOOKSTORE.

6 Kristie Dotson (2011). “Tracking Epistemic Violence, Tracking Practices of Silencing.” Hypatia 26(2),

pp. 236-257.

7 Rhea Steinpreis, Katie Anders, and Dawn Ritzke (1999). "The Impact of Gender on the

Review of Curricula Vitae of Job Applicants and Tenure Candidates: A National Empirical

Study." Sex Roles 41(718), pp. 509-528.

8 Molly Paxton, Carrie Figdor, and Valerie Tiberius (2012). "Quantifying the Gender Gap: An

Empirical Study of the Underrepresentation of Women in Philosophy." Hypatia 27(4), pp.

949-957.

9 Eduardo Bonilla-Silva (2009). Selection from Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the

Persistence of Racial Inequality in America. OAKS.

10 José Medina (2011). “The Relevance of Credibility Excess in a Proportional View of Epistemic

Injustice: Differential Epistemic Authority and the Social Imaginary.” Social Epistemology 25(1), pp.

15-35. OAKS.

11 Linda Martín Alcoff (2007). “Epistemologies of Ignorance: Three Types.” S. Sullivan and N. Tuana

(eds.), Race and Epistemologies of Ignorance, pp. 39-57. OAKS.

12 Gaile Pohlhaus Jr. (2012). “Relational Knowing and Epistemic Injustice: Toward a Theory of Willful

Hermeneutical Injustice.” Hypatia 27(4), pp. 715-735. OAKS.

13 Charles Mills (2007). "White Ignorance." S. Sullivan and N. Tuana (eds.), Race and Epistemologies of

Ignorance, pp. 13-38. OAKS.

14 José Medina (2013). Chapter 2 from The Epistemology of Resistance: Gender and Racial

Oppression, Epistemic Injustice, and Resistant Imaginations. OAKS.

15 Peggy McIntosh (1989). "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack." OAKS.

16 John Scalzi (2012). "Straight White Male: The Lowest Difficulty Setting There Is."

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/05/15/straight-white-male-the-lowest-difficulty-setting-there-is/

Last accessed Dec 15, 2014. Note the two follow-up posts linked at the end of the article.

17 Rachel McKinnon and Mathieu Doucet (2015). "This Paper Took Too Long to Write: A Puzzle About Overcoming Weakness of Will." Philosophical Psychology 28(1), pp. 49-69.



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READING SCHEDULE It is expected that students will come to each lecture having done the assigned readings. Lectures will proceed on the assumption that students have done the readings. Completing the readings is essential to understanding the material. It is recommended that students read each reading at least twice for best results. Dates of the readings are subject to change with notice. Check OAKS regularly for course news and updates.

WE

EK

1

WE

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Mon, Oct 19 Fall Break: No Class

Wed, Aug 26 Introduction: No Reading Wed, Oct 21 9

WE

EK

2

Mon, Aug 31 1

WE

EK

10

Mon, Oct 26 9

Wed, Sep 02 2 Wed, Oct 28 10

WE

EK

3

Mon, Sep 07 3 CLOSE READING DUE

WE

EK

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Mon, Nov 02 11

Wed, Sep 09 3 Wed, Nov 04 12

WE

EK

4

Mon, Sep 14 No Reading MINDFULNESS 1 DUE

WE

EK

12

Mon, Nov 09 13

Wed, Sep 16 4 Wed, Nov 11 14

WE

EK

5

Mon, Sep 21 5, Ch 1

WE

EK

13

Mon, Nov 16 15

Wed, Sep 23 5, Ch 2 Wed, Nov 18 16

WE

EK6

Mon, Sep 28 5, Ch 3

WE

EK

14

Mon, Nov 23 TBD

Wed, Sep 30 5, Ch 7 Wed, Nov 25 Thanksgiving Break: No Class

WE

EK

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Mon, Oct 05 TEST #1

WE

EK

15

Mon, Nov 30 17 TERM PAPER DUE

Wed, Oct 07 6 Wed, Dec 02 17

WE

EK

8

Mon, Oct 12 7

WE

EK

16

Mon, Dec 07 MINDFULNESS 2 DUE

Wed, Oct 14 8



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CLASS POLICIES

STUDENT PREPAREDNESS It is mandatory that students complete the readings before coming to class. Class discussion assumes that

students have read the relevant materials. I strongly suggest that students complete the readings twice before

class. Ideally, students should re-read the readings after the relevant class, too. You might be surprised at how

much more you retain from the readings by following this suggestion. Take notes while completing the

readings. Look up words that you don't understand. Take your time: some of these readings (or potentially all

of them) may be difficult. That's expected. Create questions about the material. Bring the readings, notes, and

questions to class. Students not prepared may be asked to leave.

GRADING I will endeavour always to return work within 2 weeks of submission. Often it will be quicker, but sometimes it

might take a few days longer. I will always communicate to the class if it will take me longer.

I use rubrics in grading papers both to increase the speed at which I can grade, and to increase the consistency

and fairness of my grading. I always make the rubrics available to students at the time that I assign the

assignments. Students are strongly encouraged to keep the rubrics in mind while completing their

assignments.

I also practice anonymous grading. Studies have repeatedly shown that we have implicit biases: people of all

genders tend to give the same paper different grades depending on whether the paper has a "male" name or

a "female" name (e.g., John and Jane), giving the "female" name paper a lower grade. This effect also happens

due to implicit biases based on race and names (e.g., Shawn and Quayshawn). Consequently, students

absolutely must not include their names anywhere on their graded work. This includes the argument repair paper, the mindfulness papers, the group projects, and tests. Instead, only include your student number.

On understanding or appealing your grades, all such inquiries must be made in person in my office hours. If this

is not possible (and not merely inconvenient) for you, for a variety of reasons, contact me and we will make an

alternative arrangement. Except for extreme cases, I won't discuss grades via email. If you want to understand

your grade, first consult the rubric (if applicable) and any comments on your assignment, then come to office

hours, with your graded assignment, and we can discuss it. However to appeal a grade, you must first write

out, explicitly, why you think your assignment was unfairly graded. I won't consider changing a grade unless you do this.

EXTRA CREDIT All students are expected to meet the same standards for their grade. I do not allow any extra credit

assignments. However, there will be one opportunity for extra credit this semester. I will explain in class.



10

LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY Late assignments will have 10% deducted from the assignment grade each calendar day late, counting from the

end of the due date's class meeting time. For example, if class meets from 2:00 - 3:15pm, assignments handed in after 3:15pm on the due date are considered late.

CLASSROOM DECORUM We will often discuss very controversial topics in class, sometimes challenging some of your most deeply held

beliefs and values. Class is constructed to be a safer space to discuss such topics, but topics should always be

discussed respectfully. There will be no personal attacks or comments. Language should be inclusive, which

means, for example, not using masculine pronouns for the general case (e.g., "When someone is rational, he

should maximize his expected utility.") as it's both ungrammatical and not inclusive. See the American Philosophy

Association's guidelines: www.apaonlinecsw.org/apa-guidelines-for-non-sexist-use-of-language. It also means not using epithets that are offensive (e.g., "That's so gay," "That's a retarded argument," "That's crazy").

Also, do not use what are known as "silencing techniques." For an explanation on what these are, you can visit a

blog post I wrote about them: www.newappsblog.com/2013/09/calling-out-silencing-techniques-in-class.html.

This all applies to me as well. If you catch me breaking any of these rules, you have permission (respectfully) to immediately call me out on it, even publicly in class. I will do the same.

EMAIL POLICY Email is a relatively new privilege. Only a short time ago students would have to go to professors’ office hours or

telephone their office and leave messages. Please think carefully before you email a professor. Ask yourself the

following questions: Is this information on the syllabus? Is this information in the course calendar or webpage? Is

this something that I should ask or tell the instructor in person? Is this information I could receive from another

student? Can my email be answered in a few sentences? Is this email a good use of my professor's limited time

and attention?

I will respond to emails within two business days of receiving it. This means that I do not answer emails at night

or on the weekend. In fact, I rarely work nights or weekends. This also means that if you send me an email at 3am

on Wednesday, I may not answer until Friday. I don't carry a smart phone with access to email, so don't expect

quick email responses. And do not expect emails more than a few sentences. This means that you should think

about whether emailing me is the best recourse for finding the information that you need, if that's the purpose of

your email. If I have not responded within two business days, please send me a follow-up email. Sometimes emails get missed: professors tend to receive upwards of 50 email messages per day.

Be sure to place your course title in the subject of your email, followed by a brief description of why you're

contacting me (e.g., PHIL101: Request for additional resources). Include a polite salutation (e.g., Hello

Professor McKinnon), use complete sentences (emails are not text messages), and sign the email with your

full name, so I know who you are. Email is now part of your professional identity as a student and it must be

used professionally. This will help you throughout your university career and beyond, I assure you.



11

OFFICE HOURS Students are strongly encouraged to visit during office hours for all course inquiries and any help students need

with the material. I'm also happy just to talk philosophy. While my office is on the first floor, if students have

mobility issues, please contact me and we can make alternate arrangements that will make meeting easier. I'm

also happy to make alternate arrangements if it's extremely difficult for you to make it to my office hours. These may include, but are not limited to, setting up Skype or phone calls.

Outside of office hours, if my office door is open, you're more than welcome to knock and ask if I'm available to talk. If my door is closed, then I'm either away or too busy to speak to anyone.

ATTENDANCE AND MISSED CLASSES Attendance is mandatory. More than 10 unexcused absences will result in students being dropped from the

course. If you have missed class, it is your responsibility to learn what you missed from other students and not

by asking me through email. You're welcome to come chat during office hours, though. You do not need to

inform me that you will miss class, unless you have legitimate documentation excusing you from attendance.

USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN CLASS I strongly discourage the use of electronic devices in class, but they are permitted. However, all audio functions

must be turned off--this includes putting devices on "silent" rather than "vibrate." Students using devices during

class time that result in a distraction or disruption to other students may be asked to leave. Recording devices,

unless given explicit permission by the instructor, are not permitted.

A number of recent studies have suggested that students tend to learn better with handwritten notes than by

typing. Moreover, students (and people in general) tend to vastly overestimate the efficacy of, and their ability

to, multitask. Distractions such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Yik Yak or whatever your favourite

online distractions happen to be, draw important attention away from class discussions and information

retention. Please don't divide your attention. You have my undivided attention during class time, please give me yours in return.

If you choose to bring technology to class, use it responsibly. Use it to look up words you don't know, check facts

discussed in class, quickly search through an electronic reading, and so on. These are all good uses of technology in class.

RETENTION OF SAMPLE COURSEWORK You are advised that copies of your coursework may be retained for the purposes of benchmarking and

curriculum design. All retained student work will have identifying information removed. Should you not wish to

have your work retained for these purposes, please advise me of this in writing as soon as possible. You are

also advised that tenure track professors (including myself) are required to include graded student work samples in their tenure portfolios.



12

COLLEGE HONOR CODE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON HONOR CODE AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Lying, cheating, attempted cheating, and plagiarism are violations of our Honor Code that, when

identified, are investigated. Each incident will be examined to determine the degree of deception

involved.

Incidents where the instructor determines the student’s actions are related more to a

misunderstanding will handled by the instructor. A written intervention designed to help prevent the

student from repeating the error will be given to the student. The intervention, submitted by form and

signed both by the instructor and the student, will be forwarded to the Dean of Students and placed in the student’s file.

Cases of suspected academic dishonesty will be reported directly by the instructor and/or others

having knowledge of the incident to the Dean of Students. A student found responsible by the Honor

Board for academic dishonesty will receive a XF in the course, indicating failure of the course due to

academic dishonesty. This grade will appear on the student’s transcript for two years after which the

student may petition for the X to be expunged. The student may also be placed on disciplinary

probation, suspended (temporary removal) or expelled (permanent removal) from the College by the

Honor Board.

Students should be aware that unauthorized collaboration--working together without permission-- is a

form of cheating. Unless the instructor specifies that students can work together on an assignment,

quiz and/or test, no collaboration during the completion of the assignment is permitted. Other forms

of cheating include possessing or using an unauthorized study aid (which could include accessing

information via a cell phone or computer), copying from others’ exams, fabricating data, and giving unauthorized assistance.

Research conducted and/or papers written for other classes cannot be used in whole or in part for any assignment in this class without obtaining prior permission from the instructor.

Students can find the complete Honor Code and all related processes in the Student Handbook

online at studentaffairs.cofc.edu/honor-system/studenthandbook/index.php

This course is an in-depth survey on two central areas of study in philosophy: METAPHYSICS What is the nature of reality? EPISTEMOLOGY What is knowledge? We'll start by considering what we can know and what we can do with our knowledge in a social world. What should we believe when experts disagree? What epistemic standing does testimony have for us? Should we believe whatever we're told? We'll finish by considering what it is for an event to be lucky, and how this impacts considerations such as whether we're morally responsible for unlucky outcomes.

2015 Spring Semester CRN 23365 MAYBANK 206 MWF 11:00 - 11:50AM


Course Syllabus The classroom, with all its limitations, remains a location of possibility. In that field of possibility we have the opportunity to labor for freedom, to demand of ourselves and our comrades, an openness of mind and heart that

allows us to face reality even as we collectively imagine ways to move beyond boundaries, to transgress. This is education as the practice of freedom.


PHIL 208 Knowledge and Reality

PHIL 208: KNOWLEDGE AND REALITY CRN 23365 (MWF 11:00-11:50AM)


2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Course Description Cover Page Inclusivity and Accessibility 2 Course Details 3

Learning Outcomes 3 Required Textbooks 3 Professor McKinnon’s Contact Information 3

Course Requirements: Final Grade Breakdown 4 Late Assignment Policy 5 Retention of Coursework Samples 5

Semester Overview 6 Important Dates 6 Course Topics 6 Reading List 7 Reading Schedule 8


STATEMENT ON INCLUSIVITY AND ACCOMMODATION

Your success in this class is important to me. If there are circumstances that may affect your performance in

this class, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can work together to develop strategies for

adapting lectures, activities, and assignments to meet both your needs and the requirements of the course. If

you're not sure whether this applies to you, please speak to me. This includes discussing whether some topics are difficult or potentially triggering, and how that might be accommodated.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Students with disabilities who may require accommodations should contact the Center for Disability Services

(disabilityservices.cofc.edu). SNAP (Students Needing Access Parity) Services provides assistance and

guidance to students with a documented disability to ensure equal access to all programs and services of the

College. More information about the SNAP program can be found in their brochure. Students can find the

application process at disabilityservices.cofc.edu/application. Students can choose to inform me directly of

requested accommodations. I'm happy to work with you to find the most effective accommodations for your

needs.

* Alternate formats of this syllabus, for purposes of accessibility, are available on request.



3

COURSE DETAILS

PHIL 208: Knowledge and Reality JANUARY 12th thru MAY 6th, 2015

PRERQUISITE(S) - NONE

GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES This course counts toward the General Education Humanities requirement. All humanities courses must address the following (general) learning outcomes:

1 Students analyze how ideas are represented, interpreted, or valued in various expressions of human culture, and

2 Students examine relevant primary source materials as understood by the discipline and interpret the material in writing assignments.

These will be assessed primarily using the second Argument Repair Paper.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS. • Neil Levy. 2011. Hard Luck: How Luck Undermines Free Will and Moral

Responsibility. Oxford University Press.

• Miranda Fricker. 2007. Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing. Oxford University Press.

• Alvin Goldman and Dennis Whitcomb, eds.. 2011. Social Epistemology: Essential Readings. Oxford University Press.

• Readings posted on OAKS. Check OAKS regularly for course news and updates.

Students are strongly encouraged to visit during office hours for all course inquiries and any help students need with the material. I'm also happy just to talk philosophy. Finding my office: it’s at the end of the porch at 16 Glebe Street.



Office Hours: T/TH 9:30 – 11:30AM

Or by appointment



4

5%

25%

30%

15%

25%

Final Grade

Participation

In-class Tests

Final Exam

Argument Repair Paper #1

Argument Repair Paper #2

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

PARTICIPATION

Attendance and participation is mandatory. Each class, students must indicate their attendance on a personalized card, which I will provide. On the back, students are encouraged each class to add their thoughts and questions about the material. As their card is filled up, a new one will be added and combined into a booklet. Students require 35 attendances for full marks, not including test days.

IN-CLASS TESTS There will be two (2), cumulative in-class 25 question multiple-choice tests. The first is worth 10% and the second is worth 15% of students’ final grade. The tests will be closed book, but students are strongly encouraged to work together in studying.

FINAL EXAM During the final exam period, there will be a 50 question cumulative multiple-choice final exam on Wednesday April 29th from 12:00 – 3:00p.m. in our regular classroom.

5%

25%

30%



5

ARGUMENT REPAIR PAPER #1 Students owe me one approximately four (4) to six (6) page, double-spaced paper where they consider an argument from an article or book chapter we read in class, discuss the central argument, tell me why they find it problematic, and suggest ways the argument could be improved. I will provide a short list of papers from which students may select their topic.

ARGUMENT REPAIR PAPER #2 Students owe me one approximately six (6) to eight (8) page, double-spaced paper where they consider an argument from an article or book chapter we read in class, discuss the central argument, tell me why they find it problematic, and suggest ways the argument could be improved. I will provide a short list of papers from which students may select their topic.





15%

25%

Late assignments will have 10% deducted from the assignment grade each calendar day late, counting from the end of the due date's class meeting time. For example, if class meets from 10:00 - 11:00am, assignments handed in after 11:00am on the due date are considered late.



6

SEMESTER OVERVIEW



Week 01 - Introduction to Epistemology Week 02 - Epistemology Week 03 - Epistemology Week 04 - Epistemology Week 05 - Epistemology Week 06 - Epistemology Week 07 - Epistemology Week 08 - Spring Break: No Class Week 09 - Epistemic Injustice Week 10 - Epistemic Injustice Week 11 - Epistemic Injustice Week 12 - Luck Week 13 - Luck Week 14 - Luck Week 15 - Luck Week 16 - Review and Final Exam

Epistemology Metaphysics

Monday January 19th MLK Day: NO CLASS

Friday February 6th TEST 1

Monday March 9th Argument Repair Paper #1 Due

Friday March 27th TEST 2

Monday April 20th Argument Repair Paper #2 Due

Wednesday April 29th Final Exam



7

LIST

RE

FER

EN

CE

RE

AD

ING

LIS

T

* Use this list to cross-reference with class calendar in this syllabus to know your reading requirements per class.

1 Alvin Goldman and Dennis Whitcomb, eds.. 2011. Social Epistemology: Essential Readings. Oxford: Oxford University Press. BOOK STORE.

2 Miranda Fricker. 2007. Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing. Oxford: Oxford University Press. BOOK STORE.

3 Thomas Nagel. 1976. Moral Luck. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society. OAKS.

4 Jennifer Lackey. 2008. What Luck is Not. Australasian Journal of Philosophy. OAKS.

5 Duncan Pritchard. 2014. The Modal Account of Luck. Metaphilosophy. OAKS.

6 Rachel McKinnon. 2013. Getting Luck Properly Under Control. Metaphilosophy. OAKS.

7 Neil Levy. 2011. Hard Luck: How Luck Undermines Free Will and Moral Responsibility. Oxford: Oxford University Press. BOOK STORE.



8

READING SCHEDULE It is expected that students will come to each lecture having done the assigned readings. Lectures will proceed on the assumption that students have done the readings. Completing the readings is essential to understanding the material. It is recommended that students read each reading at least twice for best results. Dates of the readings are subject to change.

WE

EK

1 Mon, Jan 12 Introduction

WE

EK

9 Mon, Mar 09 2: Introduction and Chapter 1

ARGUMENT REPAIR PAPER #1 DUE

Wed, Jan 14 Intro to Epistemology (no reading) Wed, Mar 11 2: Chapter 2

Fri, Jan 16 1: Chapter 1 Fri, Mar 13 2: Chapter 2

WE

EK

2 Mon, Jan 19 NO CLASS: MLK DAY

WE

EK

10

Mon, Mar 16 2: Chapter 3

Wed, Jan 21 1: Chapter 2 Wed, Mar 18 TBD

Fri, Jan 23 1: Chapter 3 Fri, Mar 20 2: Chapter 4

WE

EK

3 Mon, Jan 26 1: Chapter 4

WE

EK

11

Mon, Mar 23 2: Chapter 4

Wed, Jan 28 1: Chapter 5 Wed, Mar 25 2: Chapter 7

Fri, Jan 30 1: Chapter 6 Fri, Mar 27 TEST 2

WE

EK

4 Mon, Feb 02 1: Chapter 7

WE

EK

12

Mon, Mar 30 3

Wed, Feb 04 Review (no reading) Wed, Apr 01 4

Fri, Feb 06 TEST 1 Fri, Apr 03 5

WE

EK


WE

EK

13

Mon, Apr 06 6

Wed, Feb 11 1: Chapter 9 Wed, Apr 08 7: Chapters 1 - 2

Fri, Feb 13 1: Chapter 10 Fri, Apr 10 7: Chapters 1 - 2

WE

EK


WE

EK

14

Mon, Apr 13 7: Chapter 3

Wed, Feb 18 1: Chapter 12 Fri, Apr 24 7: Chapter 3

Fri, Feb 20 1: Chapter 13 Fri, Apr 17 7: Chapter 4

WE

EK


WE

EK

15

Mon, Apr 20 7: Chapter 4 ARGUMENT REPAIR PAPER #2 DUE

Wed, Feb 25 1: Chapter 15 Wed, Apr 22 7: Chapter 5

Fri, Feb 27 TBD Fri, Apr 24 7: Chapter 6

WE

EK

8

Mon, Mar 02 NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK

WE

EK

16

Mon, Apr 27 Review (no reading)

Wed, Mar 04 NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK Wed, Apr 29 FINAL EXAM

Fri, Mar 06 NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK



9

CLASS POLICIES

STUDENT PREPAREDNESS It's mandatory that students complete the readings before coming to class. Class discussion assumes that

students have read the relevant materials. I strongly suggest that students complete the readings twice

before class. Ideally, students should re-read the readings after the relevant class, too. You might be

surprised at how much more you retain from the readings by following this suggestion. Take notes while

completing the readings. Look up words that you don't understand. Take your time: some of these readings

(or potentially all of them) may be difficult. That's expected. Create questions about the material. Bring the

readings, notes, and questions to class. Students not prepared may be asked to leave.

GRADING I will endeavour always to return work within 2 weeks of submission. Often it will be quicker, but sometimes it might take a few days longer. I will always communicate to the class if it will take me longer.

I use rubrics in grading papers both to increase the speed at which I can grade, and to increase the

consistency and fairness of my grading. I always make the rubrics available to students at the time that I

assign the assignments. Students are strongly encouraged to keep the rubrics in mind while completing their assignments.

I also practice anonymous grading. Studies have repeatedly shown that we have implicit biases: people of all

genders tend to give the same paper different grades depending on whether the paper has a "male" name or

a "female" name (e.g., John and Jane), giving the "female" name paper a lower grade. This effect also

happens due to implicit biases based on race and names (e.g., Shawn and Quayshawn). Consequently,

students absolutely must not include their names anywhere on their graded work. This includes the argument

repair paper, the mindfulness papers, the group projects, and tests. Instead, only include your student number.

On understanding or appealing your grades, all such inquiries must be made in person in my office hours. If

this is not possible (and not merely inconvenient) for you, for a variety of reasons, contact me and we will

make an alternative arrangement. Except for extreme cases, I won't discuss grades via email. If you want to

understand your grade, first consult the rubric (if applicable) and any comments on your assignment, then

come to office hours, with your graded assignment, and we can discuss it. However to appeal a grade, you

must first write out, explicitly, why you think your assignment was unfairly graded. I won't consider changing a grade unless you do this.

EXTRA CREDIT All students are expected to meet the same standards for their grade. I do not allow any extra credit assignments.



10

LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY Late assignments will have 10% deducted from the assignment grade each calendar day late, counting from the

end of the due date's class meeting time. For example, if class meets from 10:00 - 11:00am, assignments handed in after 11:00am on the due date are considered late.

CLASSROOM DECORUM We will often discuss very controversial topics in class, sometimes challenging some of your most deeply held

beliefs and values. Class is constructed to be a safer space to discuss such topics, but topics should always be

discussed respectfully. There will be no personal attacks or comments. Language should be inclusive, which

means, for example, not using masculine pronouns for the general case (e.g., "When someone is rational, he

should maximize his expected utility.") as it's both ungrammatical and not inclusive. See the American

Philosophy Association's guidelines: www.apaonlinecsw.org/apa-guidelines-for-non-sexist-use-of-language. It

also means not using epithets that are offensive (e.g., "That's so gay," "That's a retarded argument," "That's crazy").

Also, do not use what are known as "silencing techniques." For an explanation on what these are, you can visit a

blog post I wrote about them: www.newappsblog.com/2013/09/calling-out-silencing-techniques-in-class.html.

This all applies to me as well. If you catch me breaking any of these rules, you have permission (respectfully) to

immediately call me out on it, even publicly in class. I will do the same.

EMAIL POLICY Email is a relatively new privilege. Only a short time ago students would have to go to professors’ office hours

or telephone their office and leave messages. Please think carefully before you email a professor. Ask yourself

the following questions: Is this information on the syllabus? Is this information in the course calendar or

webpage? Is this something that I should ask or tell the instructor in person? Is this information I could receive

from another student? Can my email be answered in a few sentences? Is this email a good use of my professor's limited time and attention?

I will respond to emails within two business days of receiving it. This means that I do not answer emails at night

or on the weekend. In fact, I rarely work nights or weekends. This also means that if you send me an email at

3am on Wednesday, I may not answer until Friday. I don't carry a smart phone with access to email, so don't

expect quick email responses. And do not expect emails more than a few sentences. This means that you

should think about whether emailing me is the best recourse for finding the information that you need, if that's

the purpose of your email. If I have not responded within two business days, please send me a follow-up email. Sometimes emails get missed: professors tend to receive upwards of 50 email messages per day.

Be sure to place your course title in the subject of your email, followed by a brief description of why you're

contacting me (e.g., PHIL208: Request for additional resources). Include a polite salutation (e.g., Hello

Professor McKinnon), use complete sentences (emails are not text messages), and sign the email with your

full name, so I know who you are. Email is now part of your professional identity as a student and it must be used professionally. This will help you throughout your university career and beyond, I assure you.



11

OFFICE HOURS Students are strongly encouraged to visit during office hours for all course inquiries and any help students need

with the material. I'm also happy just to talk philosophy. While my office is on the first floor, if students have

mobility issues, please contact me and we can make alternate arrangements that will make meeting easier. I'm

also happy to make alternate arrangements if it's extremely difficult for you to make it to my office hours. These may include, but are not limited to, setting up Skype or phone calls.


ATTENDANCE AND MISSED CLASSES Attendance is mandatory. More than 10 unexcused absences will result in students being dropped from the

course. If you have missed class, it is your responsibility to learn what you missed from other students and not by

asking me through email. You're welcome to come chat during office hours, though. You do not need to inform

me that you will miss class, unless you have legitimate documentation excusing you from attendance.

USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN CLASS I strongly discourage the use of electronic devices in class, but they are permitted. However, all audio functions

must be turned off--this includes putting devices on "silent" rather than "vibrate." Students using devices

during class time that result in a distraction or disruption to other students may be asked to leave. Recording devices, unless given explicit permission by the instructor, are not permitted.

A number of recent studies have suggested that students tend to learn better with handwritten notes than by

typing. Moreover, students (and people in general) tend to vastly overestimate the efficacy of, and their ability

to, multitask. Distractions such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or whatever your favourite online

distractions happen to be, draw important attention away from class discussions and information retention.

Please don't divide your attention. You have my undivided attention during class time, please give me yours in return.

If you choose to bring technology to class, use it responsibly. Use it to look up words you don't know, check

facts discussed in class, quickly search through an electronic reading, and so on. These are all good uses of

technology in class.







12

COLLEGE HONOR CODE


Lying, cheating, attempted cheating, and plagiarism are violations of our Honor Code that, when

identified, are investigated. Each incident will be examined to determine the degree of deception involved.

Incidents where the instructor determines the student’s actions are related more to a

misunderstanding will handled by the instructor. A written intervention designed to help prevent the

student from repeating the error will be given to the student. The intervention, submitted by form

and signed both by the instructor and the student, will be forwarded to the Dean of Students and

placed in the student’s file.

Cases of suspected academic dishonesty will be reported directly by the instructor and/or others

having knowledge of the incident to the Dean of Students. A student found responsible by the Honor

Board for academic dishonesty will receive a XF in the course, indicating failure of the course due to

academic dishonesty. This grade will appear on the student’s transcript for two years after which the

student may petition for the X to be expunged. The student may also be placed on disciplinary

probation, suspended (temporary removal) or expelled (permanent removal) from the College by the Honor Board.

Students should be aware that unauthorized collaboration--working together without permission-- is a

form of cheating. Unless the instructor specifies that students can work together on an assignment,

quiz and/or test, no collaboration during the completion of the assignment is permitted. Other forms

of cheating include possessing or using an unauthorized study aid (which could include accessing

information via a cell phone or computer), copying from others’ exams, fabricating data, and giving unauthorized assistance.


Students can find the complete Honor Code and all related processes in the Student Handbook

online at studentaffairs.cofc.edu/honor-system/studenthandbook/index.php

This course is a survey of some of the classic and contemporary issues and debates in epistemology. We'll begin with classic understandings of the nature of knowledge, including Gettier cases and theories of justification. We’ll then focus on testimony—how we transmit knowledge to others—and how this can break down, which is a topic known as epistemic injustice.

2016 Spring Semester CRN 23450 MAYBANK 206 MW 2:00 - 3:15PM


Course Syllabus The classroom, with all its limitations, remains a location of possibility. In that field of possibility we have the

opportunity to labor for freedom, to demand of ourselves and our comrades, an openness of mind and heart that allows us to face reality even as we collectively imagine

ways to move beyond boundaries, to transgress. This is education as the practice of freedom.


PHIL 325 Theory of Knowledge

PHIL 325: THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE CRN 23450 (MW 2:00-3:15)


2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Course Description Cover Page Inclusivity and Accessibil ity 2 Course Details 3

Required Textbooks 3 Professor McKinnon’s Contact Information 3

Course Requirements: Final Grade Breakdown 4 Semester Overview 5

Important Dates 5 Course Topics 5 Reading List 6 Reading Schedule 7


STATEMENT ON INCLUSIVITY AND ACCOMMODATION Your success in this class is important to me. If there are circumstances that may affect your performance in this class, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can work together to develop strategies for adapting lectures, activities, and assignments to meet both your needs and the requirements of the course. If you're not sure whether this applies to you, please speak to me. This includes discussing whether some topics are difficult or potentially triggering, and how that might be accommodated.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Students with disabilities who may require accommodations should contact the Center for Disability Services (disabilityservices.cofc.edu). SNAP (Students Needing Access Parity) Services provides assistance and guidance to students with a documented disability to ensure equal access to all programs and services of the College. More information about the SNAP program can be found in their brochure. Students can find the application process at disabilityservices.cofc.edu/application. Students can chooses to inform me directly of requested accommodations. I'm happy to work with you to find the most effective accommodations for your needs.

* Alternate formats of this syl labus, for purposes of accessibil ity, are available on request.



3

COURSE DETAILS

PHIL 325: Theory of Knowledge JANUARY 7th thru APRIL 29th, 2016 PERQUISITE(S) – EITHER SIX SEMESTER HOURS IN PHILOSOPHY (OTHER THAN PHIL 120) OR PERMISSION OF THE INSTRUCTOR

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

• Jennifer Nagel (2014). Knowledge: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Miranda Fricker (2009). Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Other readings will be available on OAKS.

Students are strongly encouraged to visit during office hours for all course inquiries and any help students need with the material. I'm also happy just to talk philosophy.

* Please read the complete policies on contacting Professor McKinnon ( in person and through email) found in this syl labus to help ensure the best possible communication.



Office Hours: MW 10:00AM-12:00PM



4

20%

30%

10%

40%

Final Grade

Research Presentation

Final Exam

Detailed Term Paper Abstract

Term Paper

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

RESEARCH PRESENTATION Students will prepare and deliver a 10 minute presentation on their chosen research topic, allowing for an additional 5 minutes of Q+A (total of 15 minutes). Presentations will be graded on the accuracy and clarity of the presentation, command of the material, and how you handle the questions during question period. You may use visuals (e.g., PowerPoint if you wish); in fact, I encourage it.

FINAL EXAM This wil l be a cumulative short answer exam, scheduled during exam period: Monday April 25th, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.. The questions will be short answer, requiring no more than 4-5 sentences to answer. I'll give students a master list of questions from which I will take a subset. I will release the questions 2 weeks before the test date. The test wil l be closed book, but students are strongly encouraged to work together in studying.

DETAILED TERM PAPER ABSTRACT Students must prepare a detailed abstract—between 300 and 500 words—and a provisional bibliography for their research term paper. The abstracts will be graded and returned within a week so as to help guide students in constructing their term paper projects. Abstracts are due Wednesday November 5th, in class. We will set aside some time for students to discuss the term paper.

TERM PAPER Students owe me a paper between 3000 and 4000 words, including footnotes, but not including references. This is a research project, and students are expected to seek resources in addition to the course materials. Papers are due Wednesday April 20th, in class. Early submissions wil l be accepted.

20%

30%

10%

40%



5

SEMESTER OVERVIEW



Week 01 - Introduction Week 02 - What Is Knowledge?: Analysis of Knowledge Week 03 - What Is Knowledge?: Gettier Week 04 - What Is Knowledge?: Theories of Justification Week 05 - What Is Knowledge?: Theories of Justification Week 06 - What Is Knowledge?: Virtue Epistemology Week 07 - Testimony Week 08 - Epistemic Injustice Week 09 - Epistemic Injustice Week 10 - Spring Break: No Class Week 11 - Epistemic Injustice Week 12 - Epistemic Injustice Week 13 - Epistemic Injustice Week 14 - Presentations Week 15 - Presentations Week 16 - Presentations; Testimony

Introduction What Is Knowledge?

Testimony Epistemic In justice

Monday January 11th First Day of Class Monday January 18th MLK Jr Day: No Class Monday March 14th Detailed Abstract Due

Wednesday April 20th Term Paper Due Monday April 25th Final Exam



6

LIST

REF

EREN

CE

RE

AD

ING

LIS

T

* Use this l ist to cross reference with class calendar in this syl labus to know your reading requirements per class.

1 Nagel, Jennifer. Knowledge: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: OUP. BOOKSTORE

2 Turri, John. In Gettier’s Wake. OAKS

3 Turri, John. Manifest Failure: The Gettier Problem Solved. OAKS

4 Madison, BJC. Epistemic Internalism. OAKS

5 Goldman, Alvin. Internalism Exposed. OAKS

6 Greco, John. Knowledge and Success From Ability. OAKS

7 Sosa, Ernest. Selection from Knowing Full Well. OAKS

8 Bradford, Gwen. Knowledge, Achievement, and Manifestation. OAKS

9 Lackey, Jennifer. It Takes Two to Tango: Beyond Reductionism and Non-Reductionism in the Epistemology of Testimony. OAKS

10 Kenyon, Timothy. The Informational Richness of Testimonial Contexts. OAKS

11 Goldberg, Sandy. The Epistemology of Silence. OAKS

12 Miranda Fricker (2009). Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing. BOOKSTORE

13 Medina, José. Selection from The Epistemology of Resistance. OAKS

14 Dotson, Kristie. Tracking Epistemic Violence, Tracking Practices of Silencing. OAKS

15 Pohlhaus Jr., Gaile. Relational Knowing and Epistemic Injustice: Towards a Theory of Willful Hermeneutical Ignorance. OAKS

16 Medina, José. The Relevance of Credibility Excess in a Proportional View of Epistemic Injustice. OAKS

17 McKinnon, Rachel. How to be an Optimist About Aesthetic Testimony. OAKS



7

READING SCHEDULE It is expected that students wil l come to each lecture having done the assigned readings. Lectures wil l proceed on the assumption that students have done the readings. Completing the readings is essential to understanding the material. It is recommended that students read each reading at least twice for best results. Dates of the readings are subject to change.

WEE

K 1

WEE

K 9

Mon, Feb 29 12: Chapter 3

Wed, Mar 02 12: Chapter 4, 13

WEE

K 2

Mon, Jan 11 Introduction

WEE

K 1

0 Mon, Mar 07 Spring Break: No Class

Wed, Jan 13 1: pp. 1-45 Wed, Mar 09 Spring Break: No Class

WEE

K 3

Mon, Jan 18 MLK Jr Day: No Class W

EEK

11 Mon, Mar 14 12: Chapter 5

Detailed Abstract Due

Wed, Jan 20 1: pp. 46-59; 2 Wed, Mar 16 12: Chapter 6

WEE

K 4

Mon, Jan 25 3

WEE

K 1

2 Mon, Mar 21 12: Chapter 7

Wed, Jan 27 1: pp. 60-71; 4 Wed, Mar 23 12: Chapter 8

WEE

K 5

Mon, Feb 01 5

WEE

K 1

3 Mon, Mar 28 14

Wed, Feb 03 6, 7 Wed, Mar 30 15, 16

WEE

K6 Mon, Feb 08 8

WEE

K 1

4 Mon, Apr 04 Presentations

Wed, Feb 10 TBD Wed, Apr 06 Presentations

WEE

K 7

Mon, Feb 15 1: pp. 72-86; 9

WEE

K 1


Wed, Feb 17 10, 11 Wed, Apr 13 Presentations

WEE

K 8

Mon, Feb 22 12: Introduction and Chapter 1

WEE

K 1


Wed, Feb 24 12: Chapter 2 Wed, Apr 20 17 Term Papers Due



8

CLASS POLICIES

STUDENT PREPAREDNESS It 's mandatory that students complete the readings before coming to class. Class discussion assumes that students have read the relevant materials. I strongly suggest that students complete the readings twice before class. Ideally, students should re-read the readings after the relevant class, too. You might be surprised at how much more you retain from the readings by following this suggestion. Take notes while completing the readings. Look up words that you don't understand. Take your time: some of these readings (or potentially all of them) may be difficult. That's expected. Create questions about the material. Bring the readings, notes, and questions to class. Students not prepared may be asked to leave.

GRADING I will endeavour always to return work within 2 weeks of submission. Often it will be quicker, but sometimes it might take a few days longer. I will always communicate to the class if it will take me longer.

I practice anonymous grading. Studies have repeatedly shown that we have implicit biases: people of all genders tend to give the same paper different grades depending on whether the paper has a "male" name or a "female" name (e.g., John and Jane), giving the "female" name paper a lower grade. This effect also happens due to implicit biases based on race and names. Consequently, students absolutely must not include their names anywhere on their graded work. This includes the mindfulness papers, the group case study paper, and any non-multiple choice tests. Instead, only include your special class-assigned student number.

On understanding or appealing your grades, all such inquiries must be made in person in my office hours. If this is not possible (and not merely inconvenient) for you, for a variety of reasons, contact me and we will make an alternative arrangement. Except for extreme cases, I won't discuss grades via email. If you want to understand your grade, first consult the rubric (if applicable) and any comments on your assignment, then come to office hours, with your graded assignment, and we can discuss it. However to appeal a grade, you must first write out, explicitly, why you think your assignment was unfairly graded. I won't consider changing a grade unless you do this.

EXTRA CREDIT All students are expected to meet the same standards for their grade. I generally do not allow any extra credit assignments.



9

LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY Late assignments will have 10% deducted from the assignment grade each calendar day late, counting from the end of the due date's class meeting time. For example, if class meets from 2:00 - 3:15pm, assignments handed in after 3:15pm on the due date are considered late.

CLASSROOM DECORUM We will often discuss very controversial topics in class, sometimes challenging some of your most deeply held beliefs and values. Class is constructed to be a safer space to discuss such topics, but topics should always be discussed respectfully. There will be no personal attacks or comments. Language should be inclusive, which means, for example, not using masculine pronouns for the general case (e.g., "When someone is rational, he should maximize his expected utility.") as it's both ungrammatical and not inclusive. See the American Philosophy Association's guidelines: www.apaonlinecsw.org/apa-guidelines-for-non-sexist-use-of-language. It also means not using epithets that are offensive (e.g., "That's so gay," "That's a retarded argument," "That's crazy").

Also, do not use what are known as "silencing techniques." For an explanation on what these are, you can visit a blog post I wrote about them: www.newappsblog.com/2013/09/calling-out-silencing-techniques-in-class.html. This all applies to me as well. If you catch me breaking any of these rules, you have permission (respectfully) to immediately call me out on it, even publicly in class. I will do the same.

EMAIL POLICY Email is a relatively new privilege. Only a short time ago students would have to go to professors’ office hours or telephone their office and leave messages. Please think carefully before you email a professor. Ask yourself the following questions: Is this information on the syllabus? Is this information in the course calendar or webpage? Is this something that I should ask or tell the instructor in person? Is this information I could receive from another student? Can my email be answered in a few sentences? Is this email a good use of my professor's limited time and attention?

I will respond to emails within two business days of receiving it. This means that I do not answer emails at night or on the weekend. In fact, I rarely work nights or weekends. This also means that if you send me an email at 3am on Wednesday, I may not answer until Friday. I don't carry a smart phone with access to email, so don't expect quick email responses. And do not expect emails more than a few sentences. If I have not responded within two business days, please send me a follow-up email. Sometimes emails get missed.

Be sure to place your course tit le in the subject of your email, fol lowed by a brief description of why you're contacting me (e.g., PHIL325: Request for additional resources). Include a polite salutation (e.g., Hello Professor McKinnon), use complete sentences (emails are not text messages), and sign the email with your ful l name, so I know who you are. Email is now part of your professional identity as a student and it must be used professionally. This wil l help you throughout your university career and beyond, I assure you.



10

OFFICE HOURS Students are strongly encouraged to visit during office hours for all course inquiries and any help students need with the material. I'm also happy just to talk philosophy. While my office is on the first floor, if students have mobility issues, please contact me and we can make alternate arrangements that will make meeting easier. I'm also happy to make alternate arrangements if it's extremely difficult for you to make it to my office hours. These may include, but are not limited to, setting up Skype or phone calls.


ATTENDANCE AND MISSED CLASSES Attendance is mandatory. More than 10 unexcused absences will result in students being dropped from the course. If you have missed class, it is your responsibility to learn what you missed from other students and not by asking me through email. You're welcome to come chat during office hours, though. You do not need to inform me that you will miss class, unless you have legitimate documentation excusing you from attendance.

USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN CLASS I strongly discourage the use of electronic devices in class, but they are permitted. However, all audio functions must be turned off--this includes putting devices on "silent" rather than "vibrate." Students using devices during class time that result in a distraction or disruption to other students may be asked to leave. Recording devices, unless given explicit permission by the instructor, are not permitted.

A number of recent studies have suggested that students tend to learn better with handwritten notes than by typing. Moreover, students (and people in general) tend to vastly overestimate the efficacy of, and their ability to, multitask. Distractions such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or whatever your favourite online distractions happen to be, draw important attention away from class discussions and information retention. Please don't divide your attention. You have my undivided attention during class time, please give me yours in return.

If you choose to bring technology to class, use it responsibly. Use it to look up words you don't know, check facts discussed in class, quickly search through an electronic reading, and so on. These are all good uses of technology in class.

RETENTION OF SAMPLE COURSEWORK You are advised that copies of your coursework may be retained for the purposes of benchmarking and curriculum design. All retained student work will have identifying information removed. Should you not wish to have your work retained for these purposes, please advise me of this in writ ing as soon as possible. You are also advised that tenure track professors (including myself) are required to include graded student work samples in their tenure portfolios.



11

COLLEGE HONOR CODE


Lying, cheating, attempted cheating, and plagiarism are violations of our Honor Code that, when identified, are investigated. Each incident will be examined to determine the degree of deception involved.

Incidents where the instructor determines the student’s actions are related more to a misunderstanding will handled by the instructor. A written intervention designed to help prevent the student from repeating the error will be given to the student. The intervention, submitted by form and signed both by the instructor and the student, will be forwarded to the Dean of Students and placed in the student’s file.

Cases of suspected academic dishonesty will be reported directly by the instructor and/or others having knowledge of the incident to the Dean of Students. A student found responsible by the Honor Board for academic dishonesty will receive a XF in the course, indicating failure of the course due to academic dishonesty. This grade will appear on the student’s transcript for two years after which the student may petition for the X to be expunged. The student may also be placed on disciplinary probation, suspended (temporary removal) or expelled (permanent removal) from the College by the Honor Board.

Students should be aware that unauthorized collaboration--working together without permission-- is a form of cheating. Unless the instructor specifies that students can work together on an assignment, quiz and/or test, no collaboration during the completion of the assignment is permitted. Other forms of cheating include possessing or using an unauthorized study aid (which could include accessing information via a cell phone or computer), copying from others’ exams, fabricating data, and giving unauthorized assistance.


Students can f ind the complete Honor Code and all related processes in the Student Handbook online at studentaffairs.cofc.edu/honor-system/studenthandbook/index.php

WRITING ASSIGNMENT PHIL 101 (MW 2:00-3:15)

Dr. Rachel McKinnon | [email protected]

PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy | Dr. Rachel McKinnon Page 1 of 1

DESCRIPTION

Your challenge for this assignment is to spend one day making decisions using the decision strategy that

you don’t typically use. If you’re a maximzer, spend your day satisficing; if you’re a satsificer, spend your day

maximizing.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION

Your assignment must be typed and printed, single-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman font, 1” margins, and a

maximum of one page (you cannot go over one page). Be economical in your writing! Title your assignment,

“Philosophy 101: Mindfulness Assignment #1” but without the quotation marks.

First, determine what sort of decision-making procedure you tend to follow: are you a maximizer or a satisficer? Indicate this in your assignment.

Second, spend your day using the decision-making procedure you don’t normally follow. If you’re a satisficer, spend your day maximizing; if you’re a maximize, spend your day satisficing.

Third, in your assignment, after completing this challenge, report what you noticed about the experience.

Was it easy? Was it difficult? What about it was easy or difficult? Explain one clear example that’s indicative of your experiences that day.

Absolutely do not take this as an invitation to break any laws or engage in dangerous behavior.

Do not put your name anywhere on your assignment: only use your student number. Remember, putting

your name on any of your assignments will automatically result in losing 10% of your grade for the assignment.

Assignment Value of Final Course Grade

Late assignments will have 20% deducted from the final assignment grade each calendar day late. For a complete list of class policies, including grading practices, please refer to the course syllabus.

Expected Time Required for Completion of Assignment: 2+ Hours

MINDFULNESS ASSIGNMENT 1

5%

Due Date

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 14th, 2015

at the beginning of class.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT PHIL 101 MW 2:00-3:15pm



DESCRIPTION

In this assignment, you will engage with one of the papers or chapters listed below, identify the central

argument, offer what you think is the strongest criticism of that argument, and then suggest how the original argument could be altered so as to successfully avoid the objection.


The assignment must be typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12pt font, with 1” margins, and

handed in as a hard copy: do not submit via email. Remember to number the pages (in the bottom right).

The maximum length for this paper is 8 pages (2000 words). There is no minimum length; however, it is

difficult to do this assignment well in fewer than 1500 words (6 pages).

Choose one of the following articles or chapters on which to focus your paper:

• L.A. Paul, “What You Can’t Expect When You’re Expecting”

• Miranda Fricker, Chapter 2 from Epistemic Injustice

• Charles Mills, “White Ignorance”

This assignment has three parts, all of approximately equal length. Separate the three sections with clear

headings.

Assignment Value of Final Course Grade

Late assignments will have 20% deducted from the final assignment grade each calendar day late. For a complete list of class policies, including grading practices, please refer to the course syllabus.

Expected Time Required for Completion of Assignment: 6-10 Hours

ARGUMENT REPAIR PAPER

30%

Due Date

MONDAY NOVEMBER 30TH, 2015

at the beginning of class.

ARGUMENT REPAIR PAPER PHIL 101 MW 2:00-3:15pm


Section 1: Exposition. In your own words (that is, paraphrasing rather than using quotations), explain what

you take to be the article’s central argument. Do not include any commentary on the quality of the

argument at this stage: all you’re doing is explaining the author’s argument. What is the central view that

the author argues for, and what evidence and reasons do they give for why we should accept the

conclusion? Be sure to cite where you’re drawing the exposition from (i.e., page numbers for your

paraphrasing). And while you must present the argument as offered by the author, be sure to present it in its strongest form.

Section 2: Criticism. In your own words, explain what you take to be the strongest objection to the view

articulated in Section 1 of your paper. This may be something you have thought up yourself, or something

that someone else has said. If you’re drawing on what others have said, be absolutely sure to properly cite

your sources. You need not agree with the criticism you’re explaining in this section.

Section 3: Argument Repair. In this section, explain how you think the original argument discussed in

Section 1 could be altered so as to suitably handle the objection you raised in Section 2. Get creative, but

be careful to offer good arguments in this section. Is your proposal plausible? Or is it worse than the

original argument? Consider whether your proposal opens up the view to new difficult objections. Briefly

discuss these. Is your proposed solution a robust fix, or is it merely that the author shouldn’t have made the claim you objected to in section 2?

Do not put your name anywhere on your assignment: only use your student number.

Remember, putting your name on any of your assignments will automatically result in losing 10% of your grade for the assignment.

Your paper will be graded according to the CofC Humanities Requirement Grading Rubric:

http://academicaffairs.cofc.edu/documents/generaleducation_documents/Humanities_SLO1and2rubric.pdf

PHIL101 (MWF 11:00-11:50)


PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy | Dr. Rachel McKinnon Page 43

IN-CLASS ACTIVITY

DESCRIPTION

Almost every Friday, we will practice this activity in order to give students an opportunity to work

together though some of the tough philosophical issues we’re coving in class. It also gives students a

chance to learn from each other.

PREPARING FOR THE ACTIVITY

On days, indicated on the syllabus, where we’re engaging in this activity, students must bring two

printed copies, one to keep and one to hand in, of two or three questions they have about

that week’s topic and material covered in class.

What isn’t clear to you? What issues do you think were left unresolved? What positions did we not

consider that we could have?


Get in your pre-arranged groups. Select one person to go first.

1. The selected person reads one of their questions.

2. The person on their left then has one minute of uninterrupted time to give their thoughts.

Keep track of the time. This person signals when they are finished by explicitly saying, “OK, I’m

done.”

3. The next person on the left, going around the circle, now has one minute of uninterrupted time

to give their thoughts, similarly finishing by saying, “OK, I’m done.”

4. The next (third) person takes their turn.

5. After all three people have had their turn, the whole group has two minutes of open

discussion.

6. After this phase, the next person, on the original questioner’s left, asks their question, and the

process repeats.

7. Continue this, in rounds, until everyone’s questions have been asked and discussed. It’s possible

to get through 8 total questions in a 50 minute class.

You may certainly ask for my input at any stage of this activity. I’m happy to help clarify

points of discussion!

Expected Time Required for Completion of Assignment: 1 Hour

COMPLETE TURN-TAKING

Individual Reportfor PHIL 101-01: Introduction to Philosophy (Rachel McKinnon)

College of Charleston Course-Instructor Evaluations (Fall 2015)Project Audience 72Responses Received 58Response Ratio 80.6%

Creation Date Thu, Dec 17, 2015

PHIL 101-01: Introduction to Philosophy for (Rachel McKinnon)

College of Charleston Course-Instructor Evaluations (Fall 2015)

Raters Section

Responded 58

Invited 72

Response Ratio 80.6%

Summary

Question

Section Department Overall

Mean MedianStandardDeviation



Course materials were well-prepared and carefully explained.

4.3 5.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 0.9

Course objectives were clearlystated and pursued.

4.3 4.0 0.8 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9

Assignments, tests, and writtenwork in the course reflected thecontent and emphasis of thecourse.

4.3 4.0 0.9 4.3 4.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9

Required readings/texts werevaluable.

4.2 4.0 1.0 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.1 4.0 1.0

Methods used for evaluatingstudent work were fair andappropriate.

4.3 4.0 0.8 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 4.0 0.9

Feedback on gradedassignments was valuable.

4.1 4.0 0.9 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 1.0

I found this course intellectuallychallenging and stimulating.

4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 0.9

I have developed my skills andknowledge.

4.1 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 0.9

Students were encouraged toshare knowledge and ideas.

4.5 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9

This course increased my interestin the subject.

3.7 4.0 1.3 3.8 4.0 1.2 3.9 4.0 1.2

The instructor showedenthusiasm for teaching thesubject.

4.7 5.0 0.5 4.6 5.0 0.6 4.6 5.0 0.7

The instructor showed interest inthe learning and development ofthe students.

4.4 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.9 4.4 5.0 0.9

The instructor was adequatelyaccessible to students duringoffice hours or after class.

4.3 5.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9 4.4 5.0 0.9

Overall this instructor is aneffective teacher.

4.3 4.0 0.8 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9

Overall, this is a good course. 4.0 4.0 1.0 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 1.0

2/15

1. Course materials were well-prepared andcarefully explained.

2. Course objectives were clearly stated andpursued.

Organization

Comments on organization:

Comment

It was pretty simple on what would take place based off of the syllabus.

The lecture should be more structured rather than jumping from different subjects.

very organized

All readings on the syllabus related back to course objectives. Stuck to syllabus almost entirely

I was very interested in the different subjects we went over in Dr. McKinnon's class and how they all related to thingsthat people go through in everyday life.

syllabus for assignments could've been more detailed

Very well organized-- I loved the syllabus, its colors, and the way it was organized. I knew exactly what to expect inentering the course and are very pleased/ satisfied that the course was a reflection of the syllabus.

She did not keep up with her required readings and provided almost no notes.

Great lectures

All the material was immediately available on OAKS or in our textbook, and this syllabus pretty much covered everything.

Had some minor difficulties accessing readings on oaks (they were missing or links were broken) but no seriousproblems

Well organized into sections with corresponding assignments. Lectures were interesting and organized as much asthey could be since the in-class lectures were based mainly on participation.

Professor McKinnon was very organized when informing the class about course assignments and material.

3/15

1. Assignments, tests, and written work in thecourse reflected the content and emphasis of thecourse.

2. Required readings/texts were valuable.

Assignments

Comments on assignments:

Comment

Even if the material assigned was difficult to understand on my own, i understood once class was over.

Try to use more examples when explaining the assignment. The assignments sometimes seemed really broad.

Readings were super challenging

very manageable

We didn't need to read all of the readings

I appreciated how much of a review we did on each reading each day. It really helped me understand the material.

sometimes not time to discuss full articles or rush through which made understanding them difficult

The readings in the course facilitated student understanding. Without the readings as reinforcement, the materialwould go in one ear and out the other. The assignments were symbiotic with the topics at hand also allowing a greatersense of understanding.

Almost every single reading centered around the same topics.

The grading rubrics were not always clear, which meant that after writing a paper I felt as if I had performed well on, Iwas not graded well for aspects that were not clearly stated in the assignment description

Readings went with lecture

While I appreciated the texts we read for what they were, I felt this class was nothing more than a class on critiquingphilosophical papers, and focused too little on the actual logistics of the practice.

I enjoyed that the class was mostly discussion and not very heavily assignment based, besides the papers which werevery valuable to the course.

The readings were very eye-opening, and I loved that most were by female philosophers.

Assignments, although lengthy, were beneficial in class discussion.

The tests were largely based on the required readings and topics covered in class.

4/15

1. Methods used for evaluating student work werefair and appropriate.

2. Feedback on graded assignments was valuable.

Grading

Comments on grading:

Comment

I just wish there were more assignments. Not too many, but a better chance to reflect what I had obtained.

Grades very well.

understandable

I like the number system used; fair.

Haven't really seen any grades back besides the midterm.

I really liked the idea of only using student IDs to eliminate implicit biases when grading, making it as fair as possible.

didn't receive much feedback

I feel all professors should grade by student number. I felt safe, secure, and more confident when turning inassignments.

the feedback I received was not genuine and will not help me advance either my writing or my academic career

Fair grading

All papers were anonymously graded, ensuring total fairness. Feed back was terse but informative.

I like how we had to put our student number instead of our name.

It would be nice to have seen comments on papers.

I love that student ID numbers were used instead of names on our papers. I knew that I absolutely deserved the gradethat I received.

Love the method of turning in assignments with ID numbers instead of names

I really like how she requires student ID instead of name. It reassures the students that they are 100% being gradedfairly.

I LOVE the no-name grading used to prevent bias. Scratch-off tests are wonderful

Professor McKinnon used an anonymous grading system that allowed her remain unbiased when she gradedassignments, which I thought was smart.

5/15

1. I found this course intellectually challenging andstimulating.

2. I have developed my skills and knowledge.

3. Students were encouraged to share knowledgeand ideas.

4. This course increased my interest in the subject.

Learning

Comments on learning:

Comment

It's cool being able to communicate with Professor McKinnon instead of listening to a lecture the entire class.

Course was very challenging, writing the term paper seriously made me reconsider if I actually wanted to takephilosophy again next semester

gave different perspectives

McKinnon is the GOAT

This course challenged me to think deeper and more critically about decision making and the language I use.

K=JTB

Teacher was not open minded towards students at all.

I have learned some very interesting things in this class, however most of them were random facts not beingperposefully addressed, and vocabulary that was not known by some other philosophers in my life.

While the course topics were presented clearly and effectively the material itself was very repetitive. I was expecting anintro to philosophy course and instead I felt that the course was largely a lecture on professor Mckinnon's own take onphilosophy. I feel as if a lot of the material we learned could have been cut down into a smaller amount of articles so wecan cover more ground. A lot of the same ideas were repeated over and over again.

While I agree with everything else, all I really learned in this course was how to read a paper and critique it. Whether thatis a fault on my own end or not is subjective.

I learned a lot of new terms and ways of thinking beyond everyday thinking.

Although this was my most challenging class this semester, it has been my favorite. I learned things that will stick withme for the rest of my life.

Course did not increase my interest in subject but was still very valuable because I found out I am not as interested inthe subject as I thought I was

Loved the new knowledge I gained from the class lectures. It changed my outlook on the world and how profound somecan people can be, but also how cruel they can be.

Was very enlightening and was pleasure to come to class to learn.

I was hoping to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of philosophy and their origins, I was pretty disappointedwith the class, I should've dropped it

While the material itself was difficult, Professor McKinnon covered topics that challenged me to think about how the

6/15

topics relate to issues affecting myself and the world currently.

7/15

1. The instructor showed enthusiasm for teachingthe subject.

2. The instructor showed interest in the learningand development of the students.

3. The instructor was adequately accessible tostudents during office hours or after class.

Instructor

How many classes has the professor missed in this course?

QuestionSection Department Overall

Mean Mean Mean

How many classes has the professor missed in this course? 1.0 1.0 1.0

Mean 1.0 1.0 1.0

Comments on instructor:

Comment

She is a great professor. She has a passion for what she teaches and enjoys being challenged by our questions.

I love this teacher! She's awesome! The subject not so much, however, it was alright with her teaching it.

Real cool prof

She is an AWESOME professor. She is open-minded and very encouraging.

Can really tell she has a passion for philosophy

Enjoys what she does, extremely knowledgable.

She is a boss

Dr. McKinnon definitely had the most different teaching style out of all my professors this semester but I really enjoyed it!She found many different ways to get the class involved in conversations and showed us some pretty cool everydaytopics that related to what we were learning.

McKinnon definitely knew her stuff and taught in a way that made complex topics easy to grasp.

Rachel McKinnon is a very passionate, well articulate, and intriguing professor that explains ideas and conceptsthrough her own point of view as well as combines her course with word of others (the readings) creating a well-rounded, understood and enlightening course.

8/15

Incredibly intelligent professor who shows a high level of enthusiasm for the subject. She does however have asomewhat abrasive personality when it come to addressing people that she does not feel have a drive for philosophy.

Great person

Great instructor, has hard context then elaborates on it.

Pros: Instructor was passionate and effective in her teaching. She presented each article and definition clearly anddidn't move on until the class understood. She was definitely engaging and gave everyone a chance to speak.Cons: At times Mckinnon seemed bias and it seemed she was trying to convince us of a controversial point instead ofjust explaining it. That caused me occasionally to hesitate in sharing my ideas.

Great teacher and I really appreciated her attitude towards the course

Great person, great personality, knew the subject well

Easy to talk to and passionate about teaching philosophy!

Great professor she understands how students feel and their experience in class and creates a well rounded teachingexperience

It is evident that she is very knowledgable in her field of work.

Dr. McKinnon is the best professor I have ever had. She is very knowledgable, has a genuine interest in her students,and completely defies the norm.

Loved this class and instructor. It was actually fun to come to class.

Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I loved her energy and bluntness. She is very profound in her thinking and itshows in lecture.

Very enthusiastic. Taught tough concepts well and wanted us to succeed.

She's nice but I didn't find the material interesting

She is very knowledgable about what she teaches and covered very interesting topics.

9/15

Overall this instructor is an effective teacher.


Mean Mean Mean

Overall this instructor is an effective teacher. 4.3 4.3 4.3

Mean 4.3 4.3 4.3

Comments on teaching:

Comment

The test strategy is sort of different and I feel that that throws people off when it is time to take the test and results inlower test scores. I feel that a practice test would help before taking an actual test. Not for study purposes but to prepareourselves for the type of test that is going to be administered.

Could've explained stuff better

She really loves what she teaches, which make the course that much more interesting and even more helpful inlearning the subject.

enjoyed when class went into a group discussion

Goes into deep review with readings and terms. Really helped me learn the material.

Perfect. Need more professors like her.

Very passionate about the subject and really explains concepts well in class.

Well rounded from seriousness to light humor that creates a fun interesting way to discuss topics

I loved how she taught by asking questions.

Passionate and talks with the students to debate and give everyone a better understanding of the information.

Knowledgeable and to-the-point teaching. Concise, yet complex material that is taught in a way that can be understoodby students who are not experts in the subject as she is.

Was very knowledgeable about subject and did an amazing job of creating in class discussion with tough concepts.

10/15

Overall, this is a good course.


Mean Mean Mean

Overall, this is a good course. 4.0 4.1 4.2

Mean 4.0 4.1 4.2

Comments on course:

Comment

I wouldn't mind taking another philosophy course if I had the same professor.

too many readings- hard to understand.

This course is tough because the material can be hard to grasp, but it is very interesting. I like discussion basedclasses so it was nice to be involved in the lectures.

interesting

great stuff

Love that we didn't delve into Plato or Socrates.

not likely to add much value to my future

Course needs some work. The material needs to take a step forward in terms of its diversity of topics. The same ideasare repeated over and over again.

I feel like this course would be better labeled as a Philosophical Literature class rather than a general Philosophyclass.

Very Interactive and very interesting.

11/15

Please comment on aspects of the instructor’s teaching or of the course that have beenmost valuable to you.

Comment

Her willingness to explain everything.

I liked how it ties intp current events and dealt with social justice stuff

The discussions we had in class.

She encourages her students to involve themselves in discussion without having to push us to do so. She is a naturalteacher.

she liked when the room went up in discussion and was also quick on her feet with a correct response when someonebrought up a couterarguement

I like how she connected all of the terms we learned to problems we face in society

Review, over explanation for difficult terms. When we have class discussions over a specific topic. Videos to remembercertain terms are also very helpful.

Enthusiastic and Engaging

I liked the enthusiasm McKinnon expressed in her course. You could tell she really enjoyed the topics and wanted toget the gravity of these topics across to her students.

I love taking notes. It was easy to take notes; her lectures were easy- complex- but organized, so I could organize mythoughts and go back to reinforce the information.

Making students look closely on subjects of philosophy and how it relates to our lives.

smart and enthusiastic, learned some cool concepts

Great instructor, has hard context then elaborates on it.

Her group discussions.

Her class is almost entirely discussion based, I very much appreciate that, it offers the chance for everyone to get theirword in.

Professor McKinnon was always able to keep all of the strong topics we talked about in class very neutral. I love the factthat everything we turn in does not have our name on it because it shows that she does not favor certain students.Overall, she is one of the best professor's I have had.

Challenging conventional methods of thinking

She really digs into the readings and is helpful in explaining the concepts and answering questions.

There were many helpful examples used to support the material being taught.

I better understand now the importance of feminism and race equality, the interactive nature of the class really helpedme absorb things better.

I really enjoyed how passionate she was about the topics she was teaching and really strived to give her students thebest lectures and examples possible.

She was very enthusiastic about the course

Lecture-based class with writing on the board with major topics. Notes were fun in this class, almost like controlledchaos on paper that I had to put together and think about outside of class.

Ability to understand new concepts in a well taught manner.

Please comment on aspects of the instructor’s teaching or of the course that you feelmost need improvement.

Comment

Test strategy, and lecture should be more structured

Could explain concepts better

I don't really see a need for improvement.

lighter reading topics

12/15

It was a little complicated to follow the lectures.

n/a

I think that she should listen to what the students have to say more rather than explaining her view as the "right" one

Nothing really. She's on her game

I really can't think of anything to say here.

Maybe integrate study-guides.

expectations are extremely high on assignments for a 101 course

Sometimes her lectures were a tad biased.

The only think that was hard for me was not having a study guide for the tests.

Sometimes get off topic in class but usually it ends up being beneficial.

Little more interesting topics, rather learn about deep thinking such as religion and reasoning than racism

I think that the most important subjects should be more clearly specified, regarding where we might be in class.

More assignments would be appreciated as opportunities to raise grades

None that I can think of. Readings were long, but that's just a complaint due to laziness and other priorities.

13/15

Reason for taking this course:

Before enrolling in this course, how much interest did you have in taking it?


Mean Mean Mean

Before enrolling in this course, how much interest did you have in taking it? 2.1 2.2 2.2

Mean 2.1 2.2 2.2

How difficult did you find this course?


Mean Mean Mean

How difficult did you find this course? 2.4 2.5 2.6

Mean 2.4 2.5 2.6

The workload for this course was:


Mean Mean Mean

The workload for this course was: 2.9 2.8 2.9

Mean 2.9 2.8 2.9

14/15

How many classes (excused and unexcused) have you missed in this course?


Mean Mean Mean

How many classes (excused and unexcused) have you missed in this course? 1.2 1.2 1.1

Mean 1.2 1.2 1.1

Expected grade in this course:


Mean Mean Mean

Expected grade in this course: 1.9 1.9 1.7

Mean 1.9 1.9 1.7

Your overall GPA:


Mean Mean Mean

Your overall GPA: 1.9 2.6 2.5

Mean 1.9 2.6 2.5

15/15

Individual Reportfor HONS 180-01: Honors Business/Consumer Ethic (Rachel McKinnon)

College of Charleston Course-Instructor Evaluations (Fall 2015)Project Audience 26Responses Received 26Response Ratio 100%

Creation Date Thu, Dec 17, 2015

HONS 180-01: Honors Business/Consumer Ethic for (Rachel McKinnon)


Raters Section

Responded 26

Invited 26

Response Ratio 100%

Summary

Question






4.2 4.5 1.0 4.1 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 0.9


4.0 4.0 1.1 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.4 4.5 0.7 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.0 4.0 1.1 3.9 4.0 1.0 4.1 4.0 1.0


4.4 5.0 0.9 4.0 4.0 1.1 4.3 4.0 0.9


4.2 4.5 1.2 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.4 5.0 0.9 4.0 4.0 1.1 4.2 4.0 0.9


4.3 5.0 0.8 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 0.9


4.6 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9


3.8 4.0 1.0 3.5 4.0 1.3 3.9 4.0 1.2


4.8 5.0 0.4 4.6 5.0 0.6 4.6 5.0 0.7


4.4 5.0 0.8 4.5 5.0 0.7 4.4 5.0 0.9


4.4 4.5 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9 4.4 5.0 0.9


4.4 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9


2/14

1. Course materials were well-prepared andcarefully explained.

2. Course objectives were clearly stated andpursued.

Organization

Comments on organization:

Comment

Was always well prepared with material and discussions. I wish material was more clearly stated in class

The course was very organized and followed the syllabus.

All readings were assigned at the beginning of the semester. There was sometimes confusion about what section wewere supposed to be reading for what day because the schedule got messed up from the flood days. We covered a lotof material, not all of which I would say is completely related to business ethics.

Straight forward. Everything built on eachother

Sort of a boring class.

Very organized. Everything was on the syllabus, readings were in a clear order.

The schedule and assignments were clearly outlined in the syllabus and we adhered to that schedule throughout thesemester (except for the flood, which is completely understandable).

3/14

1. Assignments, tests, and written work in thecourse reflected the content and emphasis of thecourse.

2. Required readings/texts were valuable.

Assignments

Comments on assignments:

Comment

Very beneficial, much of the content was heavily loaded in the assignments.

Assignments where easy to access and readings were clear. Was sometimes hard to comprehend the reading andfully grasp concepts

Everything we read was very valuable to the lessons we learned.

All of the assignments reflected content well. Some of the readings were excessive.

Though some were a bit long, the readings all had value to the course and in daily class discussions.

The readings were relevant to class; however, sometimes they were really long and it was easy to lose interest.

4/14

1. Methods used for evaluating student work werefair and appropriate.

2. Feedback on graded assignments was valuable.

Grading

Comments on grading:

Comment

I appreciated how quickly and thoroughly grading was completed.

Feedback on most assignments

Grading was annoynomus and very fair for all the students. Always gave feedback on papers and assignments sayinghow we could improve

Grading is done anonymously, which before this class I didn't feel was an issue, but I now appreciate it very much.

Grading was fair and feedback was always given when needed.

Dr. McKinnon provides little to no feedback on essays. She also takes of points for misplaced commas andgrammatical errors when this is an ethics course; not english.

She provided good comments on our papers and gave us tips on how to improve. The anonymous grading system isnice because there is no bias.

The feedback was valuable but might be a bit too heavy for students who have never studied ethics or philosophybefore

There was a blind grading policy which was helpful in ensuring grade equality.

The anonymous grading policy is very fair. Feedback was constructive and appropriate, very helpful in determining whatto focus on more.

I got really valuable feedback on my Theory Paper that helped immensely when writing my Case Study paper.

5/14

1. I found this course intellectually challenging andstimulating.

2. I have developed my skills and knowledge.

3. Students were encouraged to share knowledgeand ideas.

4. This course increased my interest in the subject.

Learning

Comments on learning:

Comment

Teaching style was a bit harder for myself I am not an auditory learner. But overall a good teacher and covered thewhole course throughly

I found this class to be extremely interesting and always looked forward to coming to class.

I really enjoyed learning about the theories. Sometimes I felt like the material was boring or that we had beendiscussing one topic for a very long time. She encouraged all students to talk and share their own ideas.

I wasn't very keen on taking this course, and I found the subject material boring, although Professor McKinnon did agood job teaching it.

This course was challenging, just because the basis of the material was challenging. It was interesting to learn, and avaluable experience, but I don't think I will take another ethics course.

The class discussions were interesting and I definitely learned a lot in this course.

6/14

1. The instructor showed enthusiasm for teachingthe subject.

2. The instructor showed interest in the learningand development of the students.

3. The instructor was adequately accessible tostudents during office hours or after class.

Instructor

How many classes has the professor missed in this course?


Mean Mean Mean

How many classes has the professor missed in this course? 1.0 1.0 1.0

Mean 1.0 1.0 1.0

Comments on instructor:

Comment

Very enthusiastic and very dedicated to the improvement of students' knowledge.

Very good teacher. Always enthusiastic about discussions and what we are discussing in class. Teaching style washard for me to fully grasp all concepts.

Dr. McKinnon is very passionate about this course and should be the designated Hons 180 teacher.

She is an excellent teacher and her enthusiasm about the subject made me very interested in philosophy.

Subject matter on tests wasn't made clear by Dr. McKinnon. You feel very on your own in this class.

Professor McKinnon was clearly passionate on the subject of ethics, however she did not talk about business topics asmuch as I think she should have for a business ethics course.

Most amazing person!

She is very knowledgable about the course and is very passionate about the subject which made the class much moreengaging.

She was extremely interested in this subject, and she showed a lot of passion teaching us.

Prof McKinnon definitely knows what she is talking about when it comes to Philosophy. She can sometimes seemslightly intimidating, but overall she is a very good teacher.

7/14

Very enthusiastic.

Very enthusiastic about what she was teaching

A very tough grader, but Professor McKinnon is always passionate about what she's talking about. She's also funny.

She was a great instructor. Very likable and personable. She taught the class well, and explained things in a way that Icould understand them.

She is very passionate about philosophy and that showed in her lectures and discussions.

8/14

Overall this instructor is an effective teacher.


Mean Mean Mean

Overall this instructor is an effective teacher. 4.4 4.4 4.3

Mean 4.4 4.4 4.3

Comments on teaching:

Comment

I found many of the readings very difficult to understand and I would've appreciated more teaching in class rather thanjust discussion.

Very enthusiastic and engaged, it was easy to see that she is passionate, which made the course more interesting.

Mostly just spoke about topics made it harder to comprehend everything, but she had full knowledge of all topics

Her teaching is very sporadic but fairly easy to follow.

I really like her teaching style. I was never bored in a class.

Her lectures were interesting and engaging.

Highly engaging!

She was interesting to listen to and she made an effort to get the class to be engaged from the beginning, so by thispoint in the semester the class feels comfortable to openly share their opinions on the subject.

Good teaching. Gets through a lot of material very quickly.

Gets really into subject, lots of discussion.

Is willing to spend time on a subject so all the students clearly understand the material/concepts

Too many lectures, but I'm not surprised by that because of the type of course.

Refer to comment above.

I think she brought a good balance of lecture and discussion so that she made sure we understood the necessaryconcepts and also got to dig deeper through conversations.

9/14

Overall, this is a good course.


Mean Mean Mean

Overall, this is a good course. 4.1 3.9 4.2

Mean 4.1 3.9 4.2

Comments on course:

Comment

Really eye-opening.

Course was challenging and intriguing in many ways. Not at all what I thought it was going to be about

The course is definitely more ethics than business and consumer ethics, but that didn't make it any less interesting.Just different than expected.

Overall, this was a very good course and I recommend it to business students.

The label "business and consumer ethics" couldn't be more deceiving. This was a introductory philosophy classdisguised as a business course to get students to take it. The name should either be changed to Honors Philosophy orthe material that is actually covered in the course should actually include business topics. I felt when I was encouragedto sign up for this class.

The course is great for a basic philosophy/ethics course, but we only spent a few days on actual business topics. Iteither needs to be renamed or shift to focus more on business.

Most eye-opening course I've ever taken

Really great course, it changed what I thought I wanted to study in college and had made me look at a lot of thingsdifferently.

Course could try to focus less on topics of race. I didn't think that part needed to be as elaborated on.

I thought it was going to relate to business more.

Great course.

Very interesting and challenging. Cool first business course to take. I enjoyed it.

While the subject matter really isn't something I am passionate about, I enjoyed the course and I definitely got a lot outof it.

10/14

Please comment on aspects of the instructor’s teaching or of the course that have beenmost valuable to you.

Comment

She was very prepared for every class and always knew more relevant information to what we were studying.

The readings and the notes that I have taken in class have been the most valuable to me.

She taught me to be more comfortable with sharing my ideas and opinions despite possible backlash.

Discussion is definitely a useful tool, especially since it is the core part of most of our classes, and it has beenextremely valuable.

I like how we discussed topics that may have been controversial in other classes or in the past

Straightforward and doesn't lead anyone on. She is clear cut with goals and expectations.

Explained complicated topics very clearly and gives a fresh perspective on ethics

The most valuable parts of the course were learning about social justice issues that are relevant here and now. Thisincludes issues of racism, gender equality, and trans-issues.

I found the readings really interesting and her teaching style was very effective.

Professor McKinnon is extremely passionate about the subject she teaches. I have not only been able to learn thematerial, but feel that I could apply it to real-life situations.

The fox is great.

Her encouragement of class participation.

I love considering both sides of an argument and objecting to objections created in the reading.

She really cared about what we thought about each topic we covered and this helped us learn and grow.

Her enthusiasm was great.

She goes back sometimes and reviews the past lessons.

She emphasizes what we need to know.

She is enthusiastic and have plenty of examples for such challenging material. She was also easily accessible.

Learned how to take quick notes.

I really like the mixture between the lecture style and class discussion.

Like I said earlier, her balance of lecture and discussion was helpful in presenting the information in different ways tomake sure we understood the more difficult concepts.

Please comment on aspects of the instructor’s teaching or of the course that you feelmost need improvement.

Comment

As a class filled with business students, the material needs to be more related to business.

More and better review for the midterm and final, like maybe a dedicated review day and study guide.

Have more than just a discussion based class.

When the readings are assigned, maybe expect less from the students to know about them. They are long and theycome often so it is a lot of information to process.

Sometimes Dr. McKinnon can come off as intimidating and unapproachable. It's hard to want to speak up if you areafraid you'll be shot down.

One thing that could be improved is how much we apply what we learn in class to current events. In a few classes wesaw some of the issues we discussed in some current events but I think it would have been good to do more of that.

I think that there could be fewer readings due.

n/a

I think she could have more materials prepared for class, as some days she would rely on us to generate theconversation.

11/14

Maybe more activities, but they aren't really needed.

Honestly, there is nothing that needs to be changed about this course.

Communication about assignments.

Not really anything needs to change. Maybe knowing that a majority of us have never studied ethics or philosophybefore.

Too many lectures and sometimes non of us know what to say because the questions are so open ended.

Her teaching was very effective. I really don't think she needs to change anything in how she teaches the course.

I think that some of the readings were too long to keep us engaged.

12/14

Reason for taking this course:

Before enrolling in this course, how much interest did you have in taking it?


Mean Mean Mean

Before enrolling in this course, how much interest did you have in taking it? 2.1 2.7 2.2

Mean 2.1 2.7 2.2

How difficult did you find this course?


Mean Mean Mean

How difficult did you find this course? 2.2 2.5 2.6

Mean 2.2 2.5 2.6

The workload for this course was:


Mean Mean Mean

The workload for this course was: 2.3 2.4 2.9

Mean 2.3 2.4 2.9

13/14

How many classes (excused and unexcused) have you missed in this course?


Mean Mean Mean

How many classes (excused and unexcused) have you missed in this course? 1.3 1.1 1.1

Mean 1.3 1.1 1.1

Expected grade in this course:


Mean Mean Mean

Expected grade in this course: 1.7 1.4 1.7

Mean 1.7 1.4 1.7

Your overall GPA:


Mean Mean Mean

Your overall GPA: 1.2 1.6 2.5

Mean 1.2 1.6 2.5

14/14


College of Charleston Course-Instructor Evaluations (Spring 2015)

Raters Section

Responded 25

Invited 32


Summary

Question






3.8 4.0 1.0 4.1 4.0 0.9 4.3 4.0 0.9


3.8 4.0 1.0 4.1 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9


3.8 4.0 1.0 4.3 4.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.8


3.9 4.0 1.1 4.3 5.0 0.9 4.1 4.0 1.0


3.6 4.0 1.3 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.3 4.0 0.9


3.4 3.0 1.1 4.0 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 1.0


3.8 4.0 1.1 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 0.9


3.6 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 4.0 0.9


4.3 4.0 0.9 4.5 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9


3.2 3.0 1.2 3.9 4.0 1.2 3.9 4.0 1.2


4.4 4.0 0.6 4.6 5.0 0.6 4.6 5.0 0.7


4.0 4.0 1.1 4.4 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.8


4.2 4.0 0.7 4.4 5.0 0.7 4.4 5.0 0.9


3.9 4.0 1.2 4.2 4.0 1.0 4.3 5.0 0.9


2/7



Raters Section

Responded 21

Invited 26


Summary

Question






4.2 4.0 0.8 4.1 4.0 0.9 4.3 4.0 0.9


4.1 4.0 1.0 4.1 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.2 4.0 0.8 4.3 4.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.8


4.5 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9 4.1 4.0 1.0


4.0 4.0 1.0 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.3 4.0 0.9


3.5 3.0 1.2 4.0 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.1 5.0 1.2 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 0.9


4.2 5.0 1.2 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 4.0 0.9


4.4 5.0 1.2 4.5 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9


3.9 4.0 1.5 3.9 4.0 1.2 3.9 4.0 1.2


4.8 5.0 0.4 4.6 5.0 0.6 4.6 5.0 0.7


4.5 5.0 0.6 4.4 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.8


4.4 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.7 4.4 5.0 0.9


4.2 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 1.0 4.3 5.0 0.9


2/7

PHIL 208-01: Knowledge and Reality for (Rachel McKinnon)


Raters Section

Responded 23

Invited 30


Summary

Question






4.2 4.0 0.8 4.1 4.0 0.9 4.3 4.0 0.9


4.2 4.0 0.8 4.1 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.3 4.0 0.8 4.3 4.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.8


4.3 5.0 1.1 4.3 5.0 0.9 4.1 4.0 1.0


3.6 4.0 1.1 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.3 4.0 0.9


3.6 4.0 1.2 4.0 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.4 5.0 0.7 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 0.9


4.3 5.0 0.8 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 4.0 0.9


4.4 5.0 0.9 4.5 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.1 5.0 1.2 3.9 4.0 1.2 3.9 4.0 1.2


4.5 5.0 0.9 4.6 5.0 0.6 4.6 5.0 0.7


4.1 4.0 1.1 4.4 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.8


4.1 4.0 1.1 4.4 5.0 0.7 4.4 5.0 0.9


4.0 4.0 1.1 4.2 4.0 1.0 4.3 5.0 0.9


2/7



Raters Section

Responded 10

Invited 34


Summary

Question






4.0 4.0 1.1 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.1 5.0 1.3 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.1 4.0 1.1 4.4 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.0 4.0 1.1 4.3 5.0 0.9 4.1 4.0 1.0


3.8 5.0 1.7 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.3 4.0 0.9


4.0 5.0 1.5 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.1 4.5 1.2 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.0 4.5 1.4 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.4 5.0 1.0 4.4 5.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9


3.8 4.5 1.5 3.8 4.0 1.2 3.9 4.0 1.2


4.6 5.0 0.7 4.6 5.0 0.7 4.5 5.0 0.8


4.1 4.0 1.0 4.4 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.9


4.3 4.0 0.7 4.3 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.2 4.5 1.0 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 1.0


2/7

PHIL 335-01: Philosophy of Language for (Rachel McKinnon)


Raters Section

Responded 5

Invited 13


Summary

Question






4.2 4.0 0.4 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.4 4.0 0.5 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.6 5.0 0.5 4.4 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.6 5.0 0.5 4.3 5.0 0.9 4.1 4.0 1.0


4.5 4.5 0.6 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.3 4.0 0.9


4.5 4.5 0.6 4.1 4.0 1.0 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.6 5.0 0.5 4.3 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.8 5.0 0.4 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.2 4.0 1.0


4.8 5.0 0.4 4.4 5.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.0 4.0 0.7 3.8 4.0 1.2 3.9 4.0 1.2


4.8 5.0 0.4 4.6 5.0 0.7 4.5 5.0 0.8


4.8 5.0 0.4 4.4 5.0 0.8 4.4 5.0 0.9


4.8 5.0 0.4 4.3 5.0 0.8 4.3 5.0 0.9


4.6 5.0 0.5 4.2 4.0 0.9 4.3 5.0 1.0


2/7

DEPT:PHIL 215COURSE: SECT:001 12-May-14

% of Student Responses

ITEM# A B C D E MEAN RESP

1. The presentation of course material 874.5155 41 2 1 0

2. Ability to maintain student interest 864.6570 27 2 1 0

3. Course organization and planning 874.4353 39 7 0 1

4. Instructor attitude ... 874.6675 21 2 0 2

5. Objectivity and fairness ... 874.4963 28 7 0 2

6. Value of readings and assigned work 864.0638 40 16 1 5

7. Instructor availability out of class 864.4153 36 8 2 0

8. Overall evaluation of the instructor 874.7477 22 0 0 1

9. Overall evaluation of the course 864.4550 45 5 0 0

10. Workload demands upon the student 833.164 14 77 4 1

11. 0

12. 0

13. 0

14. 0

15. 0

16. 0

17. 0

18. 0

19. 0

20. 0

WINTER 2013

Prof: McKinnon,Rachel Mean of Q1 - Q9: 4.49Dept:ACO Tracking Number:

Valid Responses:Enrolled:

89128577001

PHIL

DEPT:PHIL 350COURSE: SECT:001 12-May-14













11. 0

12. 0

13. 0

14. 0

15. 0

16. 0

17. 0

18. 0

19. 0

20. 0

WINTER 2013



1525595001

PHIL

DEPT:PHIL 215COURSE: SECT:002 26-Sep-12













11. 793.9022 57 14 5 3

12. 783.7721 47 23 6 3

13. 793.9934 41 19 3 4

14. 13.000 0 100 0 0

15. 0

16. 0

17. 0

18. 0

19. 0

20. 0

SPRING 2011



96106213002

PHIL














11. 0

12. 0

13. 0

14. 0

15. 0

16. 0

17. 0

18. 0

19. 0

20. 0

WINTER 2011



88126525001

PHIL














11. 0

12. 0

13. 0

14. 0

15. 0

16. 0

17. 0

18. 0

19. 0

20. 0

SPRING 2010



1734197002

PHIL

Teaching Portfolio

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Transcript of Teaching Portfolio