Author: Claire Cahen

Course Evaluation

Hi Class ~

This is a post to encourage you to fill out a course evaluation for this class. These are anonymous but I always read the feedback students give very carefully and use it to improve my teaching/ the course in future semesters. Thank you in advance!

Instructions for completing  course evals:

Students can complete evaluations now in 3 simple steps:
  1. Visit www.hunter.cuny.edu/te OR www.hunter.cuny.edu/mobilete (for smartphones)
  2. Sign in with their Hunter netID and password.
  3. Complete the evaluation(s).
  • Responses are completely anonymous, and instructors can only see results after grades are released.
  • Teacher evaluations serve a number of important functions such as: improving classes by providing instructors an assessment of their teaching; and, serving as supporting documentation in a faculty’s reappointment, tenure and promotion.
  • Teacher evaluations also help the student make decisions about what courses and instructors are right for them.  Teacher evaluation results are readily accessible to you at www.hunter.cuny.edu/myprof.

Regarding Your Final Assignment

Hi all,

I have assigned you groups and articles for your final assignment: Student Groups.

On April 10, I have reserved a computer lab for us to practice using the required technology together. We will be in the lab for our entire class session that evening. Here’s the relevant information for you to jot down:

Lab 405 (55 Windows student computers & 1 instructor computer)
Room:  TH405
Course: PSYCH 170 Section 05
Time: 8:25-9:40PM
Date: Wednesday April 10

Finally, here’s a reminder of what the assignment consists of:

 Assignment: Annotate Popular Media         
(Annotated Comments + visuals) In this assignment you will use the Hypothesis plugin in WordPress (the platform that hosts our course site) to annotate one of eight opinion editorials from popular media.[1] You will coordinate your annotations with your classmates who are working on the same article. However, please note that though group collaboration is necessary for this assignment, each student will receive an individual grade based on their annotations. Annotations should critically engage with direct citations from the articles: do you agree or disagree with the original author’s statement? Why or why not? How do the concepts we have learned in class thus far support or negate what the author is saying? Please note your annotations should apply at least one course concept to analyze the article. You can also use annotations to fact-check statements made in the article, i.e. introduce and link out to other research that supports or negates what the author is saying. You should also use annotations to provide definitions of any terms you had to look up to understand/ historical background of events the articles reference. Please do not be intimidated the technological aspect of this assignment. We will practice together in class before you do this on your own.

Here is an online resource to help you with annotation: https://web.hypothes.is/student-resource-guide/

Here is an example of a collaboratively annotated New York Times article: https://via.hypothes.is/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/magazine/06Riff-t.html

Make sure you do each of the following:

  1. State and explain why you agree or disagree with the author’s argument. (Bonus points if you also respond to your classmates in these annotations.)
  2. Apply at least one course concept to analyze the author’s arguments.
  3. Fact-check what the author is saying by linking out to peer-reviewed research on the topic.
  4. Relate the author’s argument(s) to historical and/ or current events.

Due: May 16 @ midnight.

[1] These are the eight articles:

Please let me know if you have questions!

~ Claire

Please take this poll…

The snow day put us behind. We have to drop one class from the syllabus. Please vote for the class you’d prefer to see dropped from the syllabus. Polls close on WEDNESDAY MARCH 13 @ 11:59 PM.

Which Class Would you Drop from the Syllabus?

  • 1 Session (of 2) on Foucault & Embodiment (68%, 19 Votes)
  • 1 session (of 2) on Queer Theory (25%, 7 Votes)
  • Our Only Session on Shifting Notions of Masculinity (7%, 2 Votes)

Total Voters: 28

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Introductory Post: Welcome Everyone!

Hi everyone,

The beginning of a new semester usually requires many new rounds of introductions.

Hope you’re not tired of the routine yet, because we will be introducing ourselves here, in  part so that you can practice using the Academic Commons and posting to the course site. Please write a brief introductory post in which you give us your first name, your intended major, and your grade level (i.e. Freshman, Sophomore etc.). Please select Post #1 as the category for your post. I’ll start, so that you have an example of what this post should look like:

My name is Claire and I’ll be your instructor for Psych 170 this semester. I’m a PhD Student in the Environmental Psychology program at the Graduate Center and am stoked to be teaching this course. Human sexuality is inevitably provocative, and I enjoy facilitating conversations (and friendly, but spirited debates) on the many contemporary social issues that sexuality is related to. As your instructor, please know that I’m here to support you in whatever way I can- do not hesitate to reach out if you need anything.