CENTRE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING - SCOTTISH CULTURAL STUDIES

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course is available in session 2011/12 in first half-session as KL 1046.

Overview

Scotland's Natural Environment deals with the arrival and development of Scotland's flora in the Holocene epoch. The course will consider: (1) the factors which determine plant spread and distribution, (2) sources of evidence of past climatic change, (3) the time scale of vegetation change, sources of evidence and methods of study, (4) the patterns of post-glacial vegetation change in Britain and a comparison with past inter-glacial vegetation, (5) the post-glacial vegetation history of Scotland, variation and possible reasons, (6) the impact of man, from prehistoric times to recent past, (7) the development of the present flora - how much of our vegetation is natural?

Structure

Fortnightly evening tutorials in addition to private study with learning support materials.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour examination (40%), 2 essays equally wighted (60%).

Resit: 1 two-hour examination (40%) essay marks carried forward.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

None.

Overview

This highly practical course is aimed at anyone with an interest in local history and who wants to develop this interest further. Making use of the wealth of resources available, those attending the course will explore sources of local history and examine how these can be used to build up a picture of an area in the past. Combining teaching and practical exercises the course will cover sources such as family history, census records, the role of local newspapers, records of births, marriages and deaths, oral history, maps, archives, archaeological records, local history societies, secondary published sources etc. The course will also examine ways in which the Internet can be used to enhance and facilitate the study of local history. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Outline: Introduction; Family History; Local History; Maps; Newspapers; Archives; Oral History; Archaeology; Community History

Structure

6 one-and-a-half-hour video conference lecture/tutorial sessions. Exercises in the course workbook. Field work and directed learning.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment: one essay (1,500 words) plus maps/illustrations,
one end of course assessment (40%).

Resit: One paper equivalent to the end of course assessment.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

Access to a PC and broadband connection essential.

Overview

The course will introduce the sources available for Family History research in Scotland.

Special emphasis will be placed on the use of names as guides to information. Each student will be expected to undertake a research project on a particular Scottish name and also to draw up a family tree of interest to himself or herself.

Course Outline:

Structure

The course is completely web based with the units coming "live" on the course WebCt site at a rate dictated by the tutor. This ensures that everyone is roughly at the same stage. 12 Units are made live as the tutor dictates, and the course is moderated by the tutor (who guides discussion), and staff from CLL, who monitor student presence on the course web site.
Students are expected to log on and participate at least 3 hours each week. Thereafter, they carry out personal and guided research for the various projects.

Assessment

1st Attempt: One essay 1,200-1,500 words on a particular surname (30%). A family tree including research notes/appendices (30%). End of course essay 1,200-1,500 words (40%).

Resit: End of course essay 1,200-1,500 words (on a different topic).

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course is available in session 2011/12 in the first half-session as KL 203S.

Overview

The course explores the following: historical origins of Scots, general features of Scots as a language, Characteristics of North East Scots words and pronunciation, language and culture of the North East, city and country speech and North East Scots as literary language.

Structure

Fortnightly evening tutorials in addition to private study with learning support materials.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour examination (40%), 2 essays equally weighted (60%).

Resit: 1 two-hour examintion (40%), 2 essays equally weighted (60%).

Formative Assessment

Feedback will be provided

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course is available in session 2011/12 in the second half-session as KL 2591.

Overview

The course is taught in 7 themes:
The Development of the Modern Crofting Structure (Paper by Dr James Hunter)
The Clearances and their Historians
The Clearances
The Evidence of the Land
The Highland Land War
The Literature of the Clearances
Crofting in the Twentieth Century

Each theme has a series of discussion topics based on the course reading.

Structure

6 one-and-a-half-hour video conference lecture/tutorial sessions
Exercises in the course workbook

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment: Three essays (1,400 words), equally weighted.

The opportunity to rewrite and resubmit failing essays.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

KL 1040 How to Study Local History: a foundation skills course.

Notes

Evidence of appropriate study may be used as an alternative to satisfactory completion of KL 1040 - contact the Centre for Lifelong Learning if you wish to discuss this.

Overview

The course involves active participation in 6 tutorial sessions with fellow class members and the course tutor. During these sessions, topics are introduced and considered, sources discussed, limitations to the topic are considered and potential problems discussed and resolved.

Outwith the class sessions, students are encouraged to use the course WebCT site to discuss issues. The course tutor is in regular contact with individuals to discuss progress.

Structure

Formal teaching: 6 one-and-a-half-hour video conference lecture/tutorial sessions.
Directed learning.

Informal teaching: Discussion and feedback with the course tutor by telephone, face to face and by e mail.

Assessment

1st Attempt: An 8,000-10,000 word Dissertation.

Resubmission of dissertation following review and rewrite.

Formative Assessment

Tutorials involve an element of group discussion and constant feedback by class and tutor. Thereafter the tutor gives personal feedback on the plan submitted and gives regular individual feedback by telephone and e-mail.

Feedback

As the course is delivered flexibly, and many students are not present in person, most formative feedback is done by e mail exchanges with the course tutor.

Feedback on summative assessments (in this case the Dissertation Plan) is provided on Assignment Feedback Forms. One copy of these is retained in the Centre, the other is returned to the student with a copy of the work submitted. These forms give feedback (on a scale of 1 - 5) for Focus on topic, Content, Argument, Structure, Use of learning resources, Referencing & quotations, Language skills, presentation and use of visuals as well as having a section where students are told how they might have improved. The schedule for feedback is such that students have summative feedback before they need to submit their next piece of work.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

KL 1033 or KL 1533 or equivalent Higher Education experience.

Notes

This course is available in session 2011/12 in the first or second half-sessions as KL 303H / KL 353H.

Overview

This dissertation course provides an opportunity for students to develop ideas and themes, and to develop skills and techniques in local history by pursuing independent, supervised research studies of their local areas.

Structure

Individual supervision over two half-sessions.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Dissertation (100%).

Resit: Dissertation (100%).

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

40 credit points from the Scottish Cultural Studies or Scottish Archaeology programmes of courses.

Notes

This course is available in session 2010/11 in the second half-session as KL 353B.

Overview

Study of types of scripts, their evolution and relationships and the technical background of writing and materials. Practical exercises in transcription of documents will be undertaken, but knowledge of Latin will not be required.

Structure

1 two-hour seminar/workshop per week for six weeks.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour practical transcription test (100%).

Resit: 1 two-hour practical transcription test (100%).

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

100 credit points in Scottish Cultural Studies or Scottish Archaeology, of which 60 of these credit points must be at level 2 or above.

Notes

This course is available in 2010/11.

Overview

An intensive study of a limited Scottish theme, topic, period or problem based on primary sources and other relevant material to allow students to pursue a programme of reading and analysis of a specific subject area with the support, guidance and direction of an academic well-versed in the subject. It may be used to develop themes encountered in previous study, but will also allow wide reading around a subject, which may provide the focus for the dissertation. Precise subjects available will be determined annually by Centre for Lifelong Learning, in consultation with available staff and identified student interest.

Structure

Each student will be assigned a supervisor, who will make available regular consultation times.

Assessment

1st Attempt: In-course assessment (100%).

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

100 credit points in Scottish Cultural Studies or Scottish Archaeology, of which 60 of these credit points must be at level 2 or above.

Notes

This course is available in 2011/12 in the first half or second half-sessions as KL 4031 or KL 4531.

Overview

An intensive study of a Scottish Theme, topic, period or problem based on primary sources and other relevant material. Students will produce a dissertation of 10,000 words on a topic to be agreed by the supervisor and the Programme Co-ordinator.

Structure

Each student will be assigned a supervisor, who will make available regular consultation times.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Dissertation (100%).

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Mr D Paterson

Pre-requisites

100 credit points in Scottish Cultural Studies or Scottish Archaeology, of which 60 of these credits points must be at level 2 or above.

Notes

This course is available in 2010/11.

Overview

An intensive study of a limited Scottish theme, topic, period or problem based on primary sources and other relevant material to allow students to pursue a programme of reading and analysis of a specific subject area with the support, guidance and direction of an academic well-versed in the subject. It may be used to develop themes encountered in previous study, but will also allow wide reading around a subject, which may provide the focus for the dissertation. Precise subjects available will be determined annually by the Centre for Lifelong Learning, in consultation with available staff and identified student interest. The topic chosen for KL 4530 Special Subject II can normally be related to that studied for KL 4030.

Structure

Each student will be assigned a supervisor, who will make available regular consultation times.

Assessment

1st Attempt: In-course assessment (100%).