Teaching Resources

Teaching Technologies:

Blackboard

Blackboard is an online class platform that can be used both inside and outside the classroom. Online courses, class discussions, readings, tests and assesments, grade calculations and class presentations can be posted on the site. Contact the John Burton Library Staff for assistance.

See here for:
IT Services Course Tools
Blackboard Course Help
Blackboard Tutorials
Posting e-reserves and readings to Blackboard
SafeAssign Plagiarism Tool- Setting up a SafeAssignment on Blackboard

S-CAR Community Network and Forum

As an alternative to Blackboard, some faculty will host a “group” on the in-house social e-network- the S-CAR Community Network.  Contact the John Burton Library Staff for assistance.

Other Teaching Resources:

Faculty and Student Research Resources

Mason Library provides research assistance, data services, workshops and tutorials for faculty and student research.  Faculty can request tailored workshops for their classes including overviews of the Mason library resources and introductions to research strategies.

Some faculty are starting to require their students to book appointments with S-CAR' Mason Library Liasion Librarian Mary Oberlies  (703-993-8267) to ensure that they are utilizing the library properly.  
Mary offers individualized research appointments for students (and faculty), often hosting office hours in the John Burton Library,  assists in sourcing difficult materials, and can place new book purchases requests for the Mason Library. 

Mason Center for Teaching for Excellence is an excellent resource for both new and experience teachers. In addition to extensive online resources, the center also offers workshops, individualized consultations and conferences.

For anti-plagiarism resources, see the bottom of the John Burton Library main page and the Adjunct Faculty Handbook.

Textbook and Desk Copies

Textbook orders- Faculty are required to submit textbook orders to the Bookstore a minimum of two months before the beginning of the course. Please notify the Bookstore if you are not ordering books. Recent State law has been passed, obligating Mason faculty to submit textbook orders in a timely fashion.

Desk copies- Once the Bookstore has placed their order, the John Burton Library can order desk copies for the graduate courses. Barbara Breckenridge, the Undergraduate Program Office Manager oversee the orders the texts for undergraduate courses. However, both campuses will now be drawing the information directly from the FacultyEnlight program. 

Please remember that it can take 3-4 weeks before desk copies arrive.  After they arrive, the John Burton Library staff will send an email inquiring if you wish to pick up the textbook or if you would like to leave it as a reserve copy in the Burton Library for your students.  At times, especially if there is insufficient course attendance, a desk copy order may not be fulfilled.

Textbook Resources

The Faculty Center Network- Promoted by the Bookstore, this online e-library offers thousands of potential textbooks for consideration.  Each book has a brief description and indicates if it has been used by other schools as a textbook. 

FacultyEnlight- Promoted by the Bookstore, you can order books directly from this site, explore other campus book selections and learn more about new e-book options. 
 

Book Publishers Websites- Various publishers in the field also provide information about their texts and at times, discounts. See for example Routledge Studies in War and Conflict, Routledge Studies in Peace and Conflict, Routlege searchable Peace Studies catalog, Sage Publications in Peace and Conflict, and Wiley / Jossey Bass Publishers on conflict resolution.

Course Reserves and E-reserves

While the John Burton Library and Resource Center may have materials be placed on reserve, the Mason Libraries usually manage the book, book chapter and video reserves.

Please abide by copyright laws: 1 article, 1 chapter, or %10 of the book. 

For course reserves- Books, articles and videos can be placed on reserve at a campus library of your choice.

For e-reserves- E-reserves are now accessible by students via the course's Blackboard system. This tutorial  is an excellent guide on how to have materials scanned and uploaded to Blackboard.
 
Please note- Mason Library is constantly expanding the e-books, online videos and e-journal resources. Your reading may be availble via their catalog.

Course packs

Faculty are invited to promote student photocopying of e-reserves from the Print Center. Copyright laws would apply if a faculty member wishes to create and have course packs printed. The copy center is located in School of Law library.

Syllabi

Syllabi are required to be available on the S-CAR website before the first week of class. Please forward a copy to the John Burton Library and Resource Center staff ([email protected]) for posting and for S-CAR archives. (Please advise us if you do not want it publicly available). 

The John Burton Library and Resource Center staff may be able to assist with photocopying of syllabi for classes if they are provided a week in advance of the start of classes.

Official Syllabus Plagiarism Language 

Each faculty member at S-CAR is requested to include the following standard text regarding George Mason University Honor Code as part of his or her course syllabi (please feel free to copy and paste):

  "All George Mason University students have agreed to abide by the letter and the spirit of the Honor  Code. You can find a copy of the Honor Code at academicintegrity.gmu.edu. All violations of the Honor Code will be reported to the Honor Committee for review. With specific regards to plagiarism, three fundamental and rather simple principles to follow at all times are that: (1) all work submitted be your own; (2) when using the work or ideas of others, including fellow students, give full credit through accurate citations; and (3) if you are uncertain about the ground rules on a particular assignment, ask for clarification. If you have questions about when the contributions of others to your work must be acknowledged and appropriate ways to cite those contributions, please talk with the professor.

    S-CAR requires that all written work submitted in partial fulfillment of course or degree requirements must be available in electronic form so that it can be compared with electronic databases, as well as submitted to commercial services to which the School subscribes. Faculty may at any time submit a student’s work without prior permission from the student. Individual instructors may require that written work be submitted in electronic as well as printed form. S-CAR’s policy on plagiarism is supplementary to the George Mason University Honor Code; it is not intended to replace or substitute for it.

    The Writing Center:

    The Writing Center is a free writing resource that offers individual, group, and online tutoring. ESL resources are also available. For general questions and comments please contact them at [email protected] or call: 703-993-4491."

Arlington Classroom Support - 703-993-8226 Founders Hall, Room B117
Office is open: (Classroom Support office is closed on Sundays during the summer term sessions.)
Monday thru Friday: 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
http://doit.gmu.edu/staffSection.asp?page=class_support
http://arlington.gmu.edu/AudioVisualEquipmentandSupport.htm

Computer and AV resources are available via the Arlington Campus Collaborative Learning Hub (CLUB). Access computers and borrow AV equipment for your class. Workshops and consultations are available.

Email Issues-  Call IT services at 703-993-8870 or visit the ITU Support web site for additional information. E-mail: [email protected]