Examine one real-world event or recent news story from the last 12 months that you believe demonstrates the topics covered in this course. Predict how this event ties to the new learning in the course.

Formulate an opinion and defend your position about how this real-world event or news story applies to the upcoming course content providing at least three examples of why you believe the event connects to the topics of this course. You will submit your answer by posting a response in the discussion forum.

Analyze what other students have submitted and engage in a discussion to appreciate the opinions of others and gain a broader perspective of the new learning in this course. Discussions help to refine your position and answer, as you begin to think critically about the course, topics and goals. You are expected to spend roughly three hours, creating your first post, reading posts others have written, and responding to others in the class.

Read the course syllabus and skim the topics covered in this course by reading the table of contents and all of the material before the first chapter and skimming the rest of the textbook. (Invest roughly two hours on this skimming and reading.)

a. Identify two or three items from your review that are the most interesting to you, list them and sketch out why in preparation for producing your assignment submission.

b. Identify two or three items that are the least interesting to you, list them and sketch out why in preparation for producing your assignment submission.

c. Reflect on the real world event you posted in the discussion forum (when it occurred, what it was, and why you believe it relates to what you will learn in this course).

Your submission should be roughly 1000 words in length. This should take roughly four hours for you to write, so monitor your performance to stay within this time limit.