LER458Y:

LER 458Y: History of Work in America: A study of selected problems in the history of work in the United States, especially since 1877.

Overview

LER/HIST 458Y, “History of Work in America,” studies selected problems in the history of work in the United States. This course addresses economic, technological, social, cultural, and political aspects of employment and self-employment. Major topics of concern includes methods of producing goods and services, work time, working conditions, the composition of the workforce, the changing functions of managers, the role of the state in shaping labor markets and regulating employment relations, the formation and operation of unions and other representative bodies, and the relation of work to the family and other social institutions.

Course requirements include regular participation in the discussion forums, quizzes, three short essays (each short essay is your rough draft of a portion or section of your research-oriented expository essay), and one research-oriented expository essay. The essays serve as instruments for gaining a fuller understanding of the subject matter by directing the students to examine and discuss major substantive problems in the topic of their choice. In addition, students will undertake original research in primary sources, thereby learning something of historical research methods. Writing is treated as a process, and students are advised that the instructor will read and comment on as many additional drafts as they care to submit.

Course Objectives

To gain a familiarity that the history of work encompasses non-employment work (housework, volunteer work, indentured servitude, slavery, and so forth) as well as employment work. Since the course is offered by the School of Labor and Employment Relations, the focus of the course is from the perspective of wage/salary employees and labor unions.

To learn that social relationships structured around paid and unpaid labor involves a wide array of issues, including social control, power, freedom, citizenship, private property rights, classism, sexism, gender, racism, nationalism, and other issues.

To become adept at placing primary sources (documents, letters, art, sermons, speeches, and other materials that were created during the time that you are studying) in context of the bigger "historical" picture.

To employ the primary sources as evidence to support your historical interpretations and argument (a.k.a. thesis) and to see the ways that historians use primary sources in their writings. Primary sources (a.k.a. evidence) are the building blocks of historical narratives. 

To apply the academic writing style to the short essays and the expository essay because the discipline of History depends on precise writing, logic, and presentation of patterns--facts are important, but they are not enough.

To use historical thinking and interpretations to frame your reactions to the Lesson readings and primary sources when writing Commentaries and Responses in the Discussion forums.

To see the quizzes as tools to work through historical conundrums or convoluted complexities.

To enjoy history and to have fun thinking and writing historically.

Course Materials

No textbooks or other materials to purchase. There are optional titles that provide background to the lessons.

Using the Library

Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can

• access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
• borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
• get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
• much more. 

You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service.  The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.

Software

Technical Requirements

One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Buying Software section of the Course Materials page.

If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.

For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!

Course Schedule

Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).

Overview

• All time is based on Eastern Standard Time/Eastern Daylight Time.
• Post your own commentary to a Lesson question before 11:59 p.m. on the Wednesday of the Lesson week.
• Post your own Response to a classmate’s commentary before 11:59 p.m. on the Friday of the Lesson week.
• All discussion forums close at 12:00 p.m. on the Monday after the last day of classes of the semester, but remember, late submissions of commentaries and responses earn very few points.
• Each mini-quiz is available from the first day of its lesson to 12:00 p.m. of the Monday after the last day of classes of the semester.
• Each semester quiz covers two lessons. Each semester quiz opens at 8:00 a.m. on the Sunday of the second lesson that the semester quiz covers and closes at 12:00 p.m. on the Monday after the last day of classes of the semester.

Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.

Grades

DISCUSSIONS—Commentaries & Responses
The class is divided into two groups for purposes of distributing the assigned workload and responsibilities.

You are responsible for your own commentaries and replies. In other words, you are not doing group work. Depending on which group you are in, you will, on a rotation schedule, post one commentary (new post) for each of five lessons and one response (reply) for each of the other five lessons.

For instance: if you are in Group 1, you will post one commentary for each odd-numbered discussion forum and one response for each even-numbered discussion forum; if you are in Group 2, you will post one commentary for each even-numbered discussion forum and one response for each odd-numbered discussion forum.

Commentaries and responses are written exercises to flex your understanding of the Lesson lecture and primary sources and to stretch your historical imagination. More than one side exists to a historical event or pattern; perhaps multiple sides or perceptions exist to a historical event or pattern. A commentary is your written analytical assessment of the selected primary sources and/or media resources in context of the Lesson lecture. A Commentary addresses a question that is from a list of questions. A commentary is not about being the right or wrong answer to the selected question, but about your analysis of the primary sources in context of the Lesson lecture. A Response is your reply to a classmate’s Commentary on how well you think the classmate’s Commentary analyzes the primary sources in context of the Lesson lecture.

Depending on which group you are in, you will submit one commentary or one response for each discussion forum. A Commentary or a Response can be posted any time before its due date.

Details are in the Commentary/Discussion Guide in Modules.

One commentary = 100 points. Five commentaries during the semester = 500 points

One response = 50 points. Five responses during the semester = 250 points

Maximum points toward Discussions: 750 points

SHORT ESSAYS

Write and electronically submit three short essays, minimum two and one-fourth double-spaced pages in length. The three short essays are rough drafts of portions or sections of your expository essay. Short essays are exercises to become familiar with the Expository Essay, Common Writing Style Problems, and Endnotes guides. Use your short essays to form the foundation and framework of your expository essay. Instructions and rubrics for each short essay are included in the essay's Module.

One short essay = 300 points
Maximum points toward short essays: 900 points

SEMESTER EXPOSITORY ESSAY

Write and electronically submit one scholarly research-oriented expository essay. Instructions and rubrics for the expository essay are near the bottom of the Module page (see the lefthand column on this screen).
Maximum points toward your expository essay: 2,000 points

MINI-QUIZZES Each of the ten lessons has a mini-quiz consisting of four randomly selected questions. Each mini-quiz is worth 20 points. You can take a mini-quiz as many times as you wish. Your highest score for each mini-quiz is recorded. The mini-quiz prepares you for the semester quiz.

See Course Schedule for details.
Maximum points toward mini-quizzes: 200 points

SEMESTER QUIZZES
Five semester quizzes each comprising of ten randomly selected questions taken from the same pools of questions that are available for the mini-quizzes. Each semester quiz is worth 100 points, and each semester quiz covers two Lessons. Semester Quiz 1 covers Lessons 03 and 04; Semester Quiz 2 covers Lessons 05 and 06; Semester Quiz 3 covers Lessons 07 and 08; Semester Quiz 4 covers Lessons 09 and 10; and Semester Quiz 5 covers Lessons 11 and 12. You can only take each semester quiz once.

See Course Schedule for details.
Maximum points toward semester quizzes: 500 points

Due Dates and Late Assignments: See the course schedule and guides and/or consult with the instructor.

For this course, grades will be assigned on the following basis:

The World Campus program follows the same grading system as the Penn State resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:

Grades are assigned the following grade-point equivalents:

Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.

If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.

For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.

Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.

Academic Integrity

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.

How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, as well as a civil community.

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.

All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .

University Policies

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.

In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.

If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:

• Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
• Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
• At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
• At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.

Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.

In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.

1. Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor.  As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
2. Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
3. Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
4. Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
   1. Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
   2. Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
5. Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
6. Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
7. For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
   1. Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
   2. Penn State Principles

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.