REL 101: World Religions - Course Syllabus, Logistics, and Pedagogical Outline

Course Introduction and Teaching Philosophy

• Perspective-Taking in Religious Studies:
  • Understanding and discussing a religious tradition requires stepping fully into its material and analyzing concepts from the insider's perspective.
  • Achieving this level of objective perspective-taking is difficult and requires continuous self-awareness.
• Instructor Self-Awareness and Bias Mitigation:
  • The instructor identifies as a Hindu, making Hinduism the most personally challenging tradition to teach objectively.
  • A thousand-fold ($1000\times$) degree of caution is exercised when teaching Hinduism to ensure personal background does not skew instruction.
  • Every instructor and student possesses personal stereotypes, biases, and social identities.
  • Acknowledging inherent personal biases allows one to set them aside, enabling authentic representation of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism from their respective viewpoints.
• Course Conceptualization:
  • The course is designed as a collective educational journey.
  • The primary objective is developing new ways of looking at familiar concepts rather than adopting new religious identities.
  • Learning about other traditions (e.g., a Christian learning about Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism; or a Muslim learning about Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or Buddhism) should be an enjoyable experience free of fear.
  • Philosophical Stance: The concept of artificial social boundaries creating "others" is rejected; all human beings are fellow travelers advancing together.

Instructional Team and Student Support

• Teaching Assistant (TA) Details:
  • Name: Neela.
  • Academic Year: Junior.
  • Major: Accounting.
  • Course Background: Took this exact course in a prior semester and earned an grade of A.
  • Role: Dedicated to helping students succeed by answering course questions, addressing concerns, and guiding study habits.
• Instructor Support & Office Hours:
  • The instructor has taught this course for many years and maintains dedicated office hours.
  • Students are encouraged to reach out without hesitation via email or office hours whenever experiencing difficulty with reading logic or test preparation.

Course Materials and Structure

• Required Textbooks (Syllabus Page 3):
  • The World's Religions by Huston Smith.
  • Religions of India by Mittal and Thursby.
  • Procurement Process: Both books are available at the James Madison University (JMU) Bookstore. Page 3 of the syllabus provides a direct click-and-order web link created by the JMU Bookstore for streamlined ordering and in-person bookstore pickup.
• Required Video Material:
  • Short videos are assigned for each religious tradition.
  • Duration: Ranging from 20 minutes to a maximum of 30 minutes.
  • Schedule Adjustment: Because students watch these required videos independently on their own time, 1 or 2 regular class periods are canceled (as indicated on the final page of the course schedule).
• Canvas Organization (Clause 1):
  • Digital course materials are organized systematically into 6 distinct Canvas folders:
    1. Judaism
    2. Christianity
    3. Islam
    4. Hinduism
    5. Buddhism
    6. Gandhi (focusing on interreligious discourse, dialogue, peace, and non-violence).
  • Initial Reading Support: Reading selections from both required textbooks for the first tradition (Judaism) are uploaded directly in the Canvas folder to assist students who have not yet received their books by the second class period.

Pedagogical Approach and Religious Traditions Sequence

• Standard vs. Instructor Sequence:
  • Traditional courses typically teach world religions chronologically from oldest to youngest, beginning with Hinduism.
  • This course reverses that order: starting with familiar Western traditions before progressing to unfamiliar Eastern traditions.
• Curricular Order and Period Allocation:
  • Western Traditions (Familiar):
    • Judaism: 4 class periods.
    • Christianity: 4 class periods.
    • Islam: 4 class periods.
  • Eastern Traditions (Unfamiliar):
    • Hinduism: 4 class periods.
    • Buddhism: 4 class periods.
• Concept of Mother Traditions:
  • Judaism serves as the Mother Tradition for Western religions.
  • Hinduism serves as the Mother Tradition for Eastern religions.
  • All subsequent traditions within Western and Eastern spheres derive from or differentiate themselves from these two foundational Mother Traditions.

Pedagogical Principles and Text-Lecture Relationship

• Complementary Design:
  • Class lectures do not repeat or summarize textbook content.
  • Textbooks do not duplicate material delivered in class lectures.
  • Lectures and textbooks supplement and complement one another.
• Student Duties and Independent Study (Clause 2):
  • Performing well on assessments requires both independent completion of all assigned readings and consistent attendance at class lectures.
  • Lectures provide the critical frameworks, context, and deeper insights required to interpret the readings.
  • Academic readings are inherently challenging; struggling to follow an author's logic is a normal part of the learning process requiring extra effort, not a reflection of student intelligence.

Classroom Engagement and Communication Guidelines

• Classroom Participation (Clause 4):
  • Active student participation and questioning are strongly encouraged during lectures.
  • Core Axiom: There is no such thing as a wrong question.
• Communication Protocols:
  • Verbal questions are preferred over text chat during online lectures, as chat messages may go unobserved and delay responses.
  • Students are welcome to interrupt the lecture at any point to ask questions.
  • Listening Protocol: Students are requested to listen carefully and patiently before asking clarifying questions.
• Instructor Transparency Policy:
  • The instructor does not pretend to know answers when uninformed.
  • If unable to answer a question, the instructor will state so directly, research the topic within 1 to 2 class periods, and email the answer along with the original question to the entire class.
• Name Pronunciation Standard:
  • Names represent student identity and must never be mispronounced. Students are expected to correct the instructor if a name is pronounced incorrectly.
• Attendance Tracking:
  • Attendance and student participation are actively tracked by TA Neela.
  • Students are encouraged to turn on their cameras during online sessions to demonstrate engagement.

Assessment Structure, Testing Policies, and Grade Breakdown

• Test Overview:
  • Total Tests: 5 required tests, each covering one major religious tradition (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism).
  • Gandhi Unit: Has no corresponding test.
  • Weighting: Each test is worth $20\%$ of the total grade.
  • Grade Calculation: $5 \text{ tests} \times 20\% = 100\%$ of the final course grade. No other grading components exist.
  • Mandatory Completion: Students must take all 5 tests to pass the course, regardless of total accumulated points prior to the final test.
• Test Format and Question Pool:
  • Each test consists of 40 randomly selected questions generated from a larger pool of 100 questions.
  • Question types include multiple choice, true/false, and multiple choice fill-in-the-blank.
  • Question difficulty ranges from straightforward to thought-provoking, with zero tricky or misleading questions.
  • Tests evaluate reading comprehension—with special emphasis on The World's Religions by Huston Smith (as noted on page 5 of the syllabus)—interpreted through the lens of class lectures.
• Non-Cumulative Structure:
  • Tests are non-cumulative; once a tradition is tested, its specific material is not retested on subsequent exams.
  • Note: Theoretical concepts from earlier traditions (e.g., Judaism's relation to Christianity/Islam, or Hinduism's relation to Buddhism) must be retained to understand later traditions.
• Exam Logistics and Environment:
  • Platform: Administered online via Canvas.
  • Schedule: Taken during official class periods (pages 11 and 12 of the syllabus).
  • No Lecture on Test Days: No class meeting or lecture occurs on designated test days; students simply log in to Canvas and complete the exam.
  • Conditions: Strictly closed-book and closed-notes. Exactly 1 attempt is permitted per test.
  • Location: Any private location with a reliable internet connection.
• Timing Constraints:
  • Total Time Allowed: 60 minutes.
  • Class Window: 09:35 to 10:50.
  • Canvas Timer: A countdown timer displays at the top of the screen during the quiz.
  • Latest Recommended Start: Students must start by 09:50 at the absolute latest to receive their full 60 minutes before the window closes at 10:50.
  • Best Practice: Log in and begin precisely at 09:35 to absorb potential system delays (e.g., Canvas waiting room/lobby holds).
• Makeup and Rescheduling Rules:
  • There are no makeups and no rescheduling for missed tests due to personal commitments, work schedules, or non-official events.
  • Permitted Exceptions: Rescheduling is granted exclusively for documented religious obligations or official university-sanctioned events.

Academic Expectations and Student Support

• Grade Determination (Clause 6):
  • Final grades are calculated purely mathematically based on points earned across the 5 tests.
  • The instructor exercises zero discretion to adjust, curve, or modify final grades.
• Absolute Equity Standard:
  • The instructor operates under strict standards of equity: any exception or accommodation made for one student must be extended to all 120 students in the class.
• Extra Credit Policy:
  • There is no extra credit offered in this course under any circumstances to preserve complete fairness across all 120 enrolled students.
• Student Responsibilities:
  • Quiz scores display immediately upon submission; students are personally responsible for tracking their cumulative grades on Canvas throughout the semester.

Dialogue and Audience Interaction

• Question Regarding Bookstore Ordering:
  • Prompt: Has anyone used the JMU Bookstore link to order textbooks, and what was the experience?
  • Response: A student confirmed the process was straightforward—navigating to the website, clicking order, and retrieving the books in person at the bookstore.
• Question Regarding Communication Method:
  • Prompt: Should questions during class be asked via text chat or spoken aloud?
  • Response: Spoken questions are preferred, as chat messages may be overlooked during lectures, leading to delayed answers.
• Question Regarding Interrupting Lectures:
  • Prompt: Is it acceptable to interrupt the instructor to ask a question?
  • Response: Yes, students are encouraged to speak up and interrupt whenever a question arises.
• Question Regarding Test Pool Access (Jane):
  • Prompt: Will students have access to the full pool of 100 questions prior to taking the test?
  • Response: No, students will not have access to the question bank.
• Question Regarding Grade Breakdown:
  • Prompt: Does the entire course grade come exclusively from the five tests?
  • Response: Yes, the course grade is derived entirely from the five tests, each weighted at $$20\%$.
• Question Regarding Test Timers:
  • Prompt: Is there a active timer displayed when logged into a Canvas test?
  • Response: TA Neela and the instructor confirmed that a timer displays at the top of the screen showing the remaining minutes.
• Question Regarding Technical Platform Issues:
  • Prompt: What technical issues occurred on Canvas on the first day of class?
  • Response: Canvas placed students into a "waiting room" or "lobby" prior to class entry, impacting both the 08:00 class (130 students) and the 09:35 class (120 students).
• Question Regarding Test Rescheduling:
  • Prompt: Can tests be rescheduled for religious obligations or school events?
  • Response: Rescheduling is permitted for documented religious obligations and official university events.
• Question Regarding Attendance (Mark):
  • Prompt: How will student attendance be tracked?
  • Response: TA Neela tracks student attendance.
• Question Regarding Student Engagement:
  • Prompt: How can students demonstrate active involvement during online meetings?
  • Response: TA Neela noted that turning on web cameras is an effective way to show active class engagement.