The Signature Assignment for our course involves taking a class “field trip”. You will visit one of the websites
listed below in the possible locations.

You have two choice for your field trip:

1. You can take a VIRTUAL field trip online
2. You can visit one of the museums listed below IN PERSON if you live nearby and choose to do so.

Treat the virtual field trip just like you would take a trip to the museum in person. Wander through the website
by clicking on the different tabs and reading the material, looking at photos and even viewing videos if they
have them. You should be able to simply “wander” through the website by clicking on the available links and
visiting the different pages. Then, you should record your reaction to the field trip with a series of written
responses to the topics and questions listed below. Working individually (and occasionally in groups), you will
need to focus on the ways in which you can develop critical perspectives that address these topics based upon
your own unique experiences of the online exhibit, using various concepts and ideas that you have learned
throughout the term related to diversity and cultural pluralism.

Essay must include:
o Identify and explain the central issues raised by the site/exhibit/museum.
o Formulate a distinct, individual point of view (personal reflection) that engages critically with
various perspectives offered by the site/exhibit/museum.
o Evaluate the evidence that the site/exhibit/museum offers for its point of view.
o Consider how the site/exhibit/museum uses cultural, political, and(or) historical contexts to
present its issues and purposes.
o Exhibit your knowledge of how the site/exhibit/museum presents and uses cultural worldview
frameworks, and also how you use your own knowledge of those frameworks to engage the
site/exhibit/museum.

Please note that each answer or topic does not have to address every one of these modes of
critical analysis. Employ them in ways that make sense for each topic, but keep in mind that overall,
your response should exhibit all of these characteristics.

TOPICS/QUESTIONS

Construct thoughtful, specific, and detailed responses to the following topics and questions,
integrating critical perspectives about cultural pluralism drawn from your work in this course.
Remember, your response to each of the topics/questions should be approximately two
paragraphs in length, where each paragraph is approximately 4-5 sentences in length. This may
vary. Some topics may be best addressed with more content. Also, in general, one of the most
important keys to success (and a good grade) is the inclusion of details and specific examples from
your site/museum/exhibit. Applying details – using specific examples in your responses – is one of
the key elements of obvious success in critical thinking demonstrations.
You may choose to incorporate other reference material in your responses. This might entail
referencing an informational or news-related website or digital source, a monograph or periodical
source, or other academic, scholarly and research-oriented materials. The use of supplemental
resources is not a requirement of the assignment, but may be an integral element for
demonstrating your critical thinking skills related to the elements of the assessment rubric.
Please note that following each topic/question below there are suggestions of rubric elements
to which you can align your response. These are only suggestions for how you might focus your
response to align with the criteria of the rubric. You should feel free to integrate the modes of critical
analysis outlined by the rubric in whatever ways make most sense to you. STUDY THE RUBRIC in
order to understand how to receive the highest possible score through your response.

TOPIC 1 – OVERVIEW. How would you describe what you saw at the museum? Give a
general description of the experience, providing examples from the site/exhibit/museum that you
feel best describe the nature of the experience you had during your visit.
Rubric Alignment Opportunities
Identify and explain the central issues raised by the site/exhibit/museum.
Formulate a distinct, individual point of view (personal reflection) that engages critically with
various perspectives offered by the site/exhibit/museum.
Evaluate the evidence the site/exhibit/museum offers for its point of view. As you explore and
interpret the ideas presented by the exhibition, examine specifically how the site/exhibit/museum
supports or illustrates its own perspectives.

TOPIC 2 – CULTURAL DIVERSITY. What did this place tell you about cultural diversity?
Consider all of the aspects of the exhibition and relate them to the context of the issues we have
discussed and studied in our course. In other words, how does the focus and purpose of the
site/exhibit “fit” within the various subjects and issues we’ve considered in our course?
Rubric Alignment Opportunities
Consider how the site/exhibit/museum uses cultural, political, and historical contexts to present
its issues and purposes. Think carefully about the site’s perspective on how such factors shape the
problems, issues, opportunities, and current activities presented through the site/museum/exhibit.
Exhibit knowledge of cultural worldview frameworks. Think carefully about how the
site/exhibit/museum explores this topic. How does the site connect to cultural perspectives? How
do you use your knowledge of cultural frameworks (acquired through our course) to engage the
site?

TOPIC 3 – NEW IDEAS. What did you learn that you did not know before visiting? Give
specific examples of historical events, contemporary situations, cultural practices, or community
issues that form new knowledge for you. Make sure to be detailed in your answer, and cite specific
“locations” from the site/exhibit/museum whenever possible.
Rubric Alignment Opportunities
Formulate a distinct, individual point of view (personal reflection) that engages critically with
various perspectives offered by the site/exhibit/museum.
Evaluate the evidence the site/exhibit/museum offers for its point of view. As you explore and
interpret the ideas presented by the exhibition, examine specifically how the site/exhibit/museum
supports or illustrates its own perspectives.
Consider how the site/exhibit/museum uses cultural, political, and historical contexts to present
its issues and purposes. Think carefully about the site’s perspective on how such factors shape the
problems, issues, opportunities, and current activities presented through the site/museum/exhibit.
Exhibit knowledge of cultural worldview frameworks. Think carefully about how the
site/exhibit/museum explores this topic. How does the site connect to cultural perspectives? How
do you use your knowledge of cultural frameworks (acquired through our course) to engage the
site?

TOPIC 4 – PERSPECTIVE. Did the visit change your feelings and perception in any way?
Focus your answer to this topic/question on the concept of Perspectives as we have defined that
term in our course, and whether or not you feel this excursion provides for an experience of true
Tolerance. Did your excursion on this virtual field trip serve as an opportunity to develop a truly
Tolerant perspective that you might apply in the future to different, diverse and/or pluralistic
cultures? Do you feel that you are engaging a truly Tolerant connection to other people of the world
through this experience, or do you remain more or less Ethnocentric or Relativistic in your
Perspective? Be both candid and detail-oriented in your response.
Rubric Alignment Opportunities
Formulate a distinct, individual point of view (personal reflection) that engages critically with
various perspectives offered by the site/exhibit/museum.
Evaluate the evidence the site/exhibit/museum offers for its point of view. As you explore and
interpret the ideas presented by the exhibition, examine specifically how the site/exhibit/museum
supports or illustrates its own perspectives.
Consider how the site/exhibit/museum uses cultural, political, and historical contexts to present
its issues and purposes. Think carefully about the site’s perspective on how such factors shape the
problems, issues, opportunities, and current activities presented through the site/museum/exhibit.

TOPIC 5 – EVALUATION. Would you recommend this place to other students? Explain
why. Reflect on the value of this site/exhibit/museum. If you were to introduce this site to a friend or
another student, what issues would you recommend that he or she should think about while viewing
the site/exhibit/museum? What parts of the site would you particularly recommend for careful
consideration? Provide detailed examples and reasoning to support your evaluation.
Rubric Alignment Opportunities
Identify and explain the central issues raises by the site/exhibit/museum.
Formulate a distinct, individual point of view (personal reflection) that engages critically with
various perspectives offered by the site/exhibit/museum.

RECAP

sponses.
addressed in approximately two (complete) paragraphs each:
TOPIC 1 – OVERVIEW. How would you describe what you saw at the museum?
TOPIC 2 – CULTURAL DIVERSITY. What did this place tell you about cultural diversity?
TOPIC 3 – NEW IDEAS. What did you learn that you did not know before visiting?
TOPIC 4 – PERSPECTIVE. Did the visit change your feelings and perception in any way?
TOPIC 5 – EVALUATION. Would you recommend this place to other students? Explain why.
-process your response in one of the required formats, following general APA style (6th ed.)