1. Get division approval to develop the socionomics course.
2. Develop the course as an internet course with multi-media options.
3. Get division approval to offer the course.
4. Get the approval of the academic VP to offer the course.
5. Advertise the course.
6. Obtain necessary enrollment figures to offer the course.
7. Teach the course.
8. Expand enrollment and work on transferability of course credits.
9. Hire additional instructors as enrollment expands.

PROGRESS REPORT

June 1, 1998

Social Science and Human Services Division of Lorain County Community College in Elyria, Ohio, votes unanimously to support development of the course.

June 9, 1998

Meeting with T.B., the college internet production coordinator, regarding course production. Development project determined to be viable. Future meeting schedule for course production determined.

June 15, 1998

Meeting with D.F., college A.V. coordinator, to determine possibility of multi-media enhancement. Future meetings scheduled.

June 18, 1998

Second meeting with T.B. Discussed course construction requirements.

July 2, 1998

Third meeting with T.B. Worked on construction of opening page, icons, and other course details. Discussed technical requirements for participants, syllabus, and class schedule. Students will be able to register for the course from any location in the world as long as they have access to the internet. During informal market research students expressed an interest in taking the course but had concerns regarding how to fit it into their schedule of courses. It would be helpful if Principles of Socionomics could be substituted in some student's curriculums in place of Principles of Economics. Socionomics includes, but is not limited to, economic analysis.

July 9, 1998

Met with T.B. to work on course syllabus. The first draft is below. Classes begin Jan. 18, 1999. Registration will be available on-line at Lorain County Community College

Principles of Socionomics (ECNM 197)
Spring Semester: 1998-1999
Lorain County Community College, Elyria, Ohio

1. Reading Material
   1. BIONOMICS by Michael Rothschild
   2. CHAOS, MANAGEMENT, AND ECONOMICS by David Parker and Ralph Stacey
   3. THE ETHICS OF LIBERTY by Murray Rothbard
2. Evaluation Procedure
   1. Total Points
      • 15 weekly true/false quizzes: 300 points
      • Mid-term and Final: 75 points each (150 points)
      • Term Paper: 50 points
   2. Grading Scale
      • 450-500 points = A
      • 400-449 points = B
      • 350-399 points = C
      • 300-349 points = D
      • 000-299 points = F
3. Other Information
   1. Office Hours: 12-1 pm/M-W-F (EST)
   2. Email address: TCSR@worldnet.att.net
4. Cost and Benefit
   1. Lorain County Resident: $229.05
   2. Out-of-County Resident: $276.30
   3. Out-of-State Resident: $562.05
   4. Benefit: The student will develop an understanding of the holistic approach to the study of society which will alter the students perception of the importance and interdependence of social development, social order, and social harmony. This new level of awareness will assist the student in an evaluation of specific public policies and generate enthusiasm for continued independent study of the many applications of socionomics to human events both past and present.

July 16, 1998

Met with T.B. to work on the Weekly Schedule for Principles of Socionomics and to put the information on the course software. Also met with D.F. to discuss having the college broadcast socionomics related video over the college cable TV station. She said it would be feasible to do so and suggested a weekly two hour program which we might call "Our Socionomic Society". It will not be required viewing for the course but will be available for both students and the general public to watch. We may also include an internet discussion option. The first video in our library is the British production "Hayek:Freedom's Philosopher" (to give you some idea of the general content). We also have a video called "The Entrepreneurs" and will be adding one on chaos theory, once located and purchased, and others. Any other suggestions are welcome.

July 23, 1998

Met with T.B. Worked on hyperlinks for reference articles. Discussed additions to syllabus. Prepared rough draft of E-Lecture One.

August 6, 1998

Met with T.B. Corrected hyperlinks on the Weekly Schedule. Added E-Lecture One to the course web site and went over the need for learning certain technical aspects of the internet delivery system. Discussed the schools admission policy in regard to internet courses that may be taken by out-of-county students. Basically students can transfer credits from LCCC to other institutions without going through the regular procedure to register as a student at LCCC. Also new students can take a limited number of credit hours before they must register as a student. Both policies will make it easier for some students to take Principles of Socionomics without going through the normal registration procedure for becoming a student at LCCC.

August 18, 1998

Met with T.B. Made corrections to some of the URL's and changed some details in the E-Lecture, opening page, and changed the category for finding the course. Also discussed pricing policy and upcoming seminar on managing an internet course.

August 20, 1998

After a general discussion of Principles of Socionomics, the SSHS division of Lorain County Community College voted unanimously to offer the course on an experimental basis. If approved next week by the academic vice president, the course will be offered this spring semester starting Jan. 19, 1998. It can be taught twice as an experimental course and then must go before the Curriculum Council to be approved as a regular course.

August 21, 1998

Attended seminar at the Center for Leadership in Education, sponsored by LCCC and presented by Tinnie Banks, on teaching internet courses and using the WebCT internet course software.

August 25, 1998

The academic vice president decided not to recommend Principles of Socionomics for offering as an experimental course pending further study. A group of faculty members will be asked to evaluate the course in terms of reading level and the need for prerequisites. Upon favorable recommendation the course proposal would then go to Curriculum Council for their approval. The normal procedure would be to offer the course first as an experimental course and then later to take it to Curriculum Council. This procedure is not being used according to the V.P. due to the unconventional interdisciplinary nature of the course. This delay could result in the course not being available until fall semester, 1999. An alternative, under consideration, is to offer the course from TCSR in addition to LCCC. This would allow the course to be taught as soon as any college would like to make it available as an internet addition to their current offerings.

August 27, 1999

The following letter was sent to the Division Chairperson at Lorain County Community College by Dr. Mark McKinley, Professor of Psychology and Chairperson of the Principles of Socoionomics review committee.

TO: Dr. E. Schriner, Chairperson

FROM: M. B. McKinley, Professor

DATE: 8.27.99

RE: Socionomics

I am in receipt of an e-mail from D. Ferguson per his interest in offering a course in Socionomics under the auspices of the College, and in particular, the Social Sciences/Human Services Division. He requested that two colleagues and I review his preference for textbooks representing three disciplines, that when combined, speak to the matters of Socionomics. I was asked to "review" the book The Moral Animal: Why We Are the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology.

After doing a good deal of updating myself on a field I admit I was lacking currency in, I secured the book from our Library and read a few sample chapters. I found the book to be readable and well thought out. The theoretical approach of Evolutionary Psychology is both an interesting and an important perspective on Man's never ending attempts to learn more about ourselves and provide answers to the question(s) of "why we are the way we are." Having read 11 reviews of others, at amazon.com, who have read the entire book I am lead to assume The Moral Animal a most appropriate choice for D. Ferguson's class on Socionomics.

Relatedly, I ran a SMOG Test on the work and the results indicate a grade reading level of eleventh-twelfth grade. While not "readable" for all students, I think it should work well for those student's who are likely to pursue a course in Socionomics. Such potential students are more than likely to be a non-traditional student with an "adventuresome intellect."

I have included an e-mail from T. Cioffi and his support for the book Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos by M. Mitchell Waldrop.