German
207-0-20: Current Events in German Media :

Instructor: John E. Paluch
Office address: 2-545 Kresge Hall Evanston Campus
Phone: 847-491-8081
E-mail: paluch@northwestern.edu
Office Hours:

Expected Enrollment: 15

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Using the broad range of media now available on the internet along with traditional print sources, this course will provide an opportunity to learn about current issues in Europe as examined through German language media. Print articles, radio broadcasts, TV news shows, and other internet sources allow for immediate access to news sources and we will use these sources during class discussions and activities to investigate issues in sports, politics, education, economics and culture.

Goals
• Acquire familiarity with resources available on web pages of major media organizations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
• Become knowledgeable about current issues in culture and politics and be familiar with local, national and international context for news items.
• Establish patterns of working with media on the web that will provide a foundation for continued engagement with the language and culture of German speaking countries.
• Acquire listening comprehension skills that allow for understanding of regular radio and TV news programs.
• Develop skills for narrating, comparing, analyzing and synthesizing information taken from texts, and audio and video broadcasts.
• Increase accurately in writing using vocabulary and grammatical structures appropriate for students at intermediate level.
• Incorporate accurate use of passive constructions, relative pronouns and verbs with prepositions in writing and oral communication.

TEACHING METHOD: Students will read and listen to texts and audio and video pod casts as homework. During class, this material will be examined in greater detail with a focus on discussion activities that will lead to a better understanding of the issues and topics. Discussions will encourage comparisons between German, European and U.S. perspectives on topics.

EVALUATION METHOD: Attendance & participation 10%
Journal responses 4x7% 28%
Short papers 4x6% 24%
Grammar quizzes 4x4% 16%
Final project 22%
Total 100%

READING: Websites and photocopied materials provided by the instructor.

[Course Descriptions for Spring 2009] [Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences] [GERMAN German]