Text: Your College Experience (4th Edition), by John N. Gardner and A. Jerome Jewler
Instructor: Rodney Bowers
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
Academic Support Center, Ext. 7110
rbowers@fit.edu
Purpose of the course: To help first-year students adjust to the university and acquire essential academic survival skills that will enhance their academic and social integration into college.
Format of the course: It is not a lecture course but a seminar in which everyone takes an active part. The instructor serves as a facilitator. You are responsible for your own learning. Please read and complete all assignments before coming to class. Since this class involves discussion and active participation, attendance is required and will be part of your grade.
Grading: Grades are based on the university grading policy, p. 24, University Catalog.
Attendance/Participation.............................................................................. 20%
I expect you to attend all class sessions and be prepared to actively participate in class discussions and activities.
Electronic Journal........................................................................................... 20%
Each week you are required to e-mail me a journal entry. Feel free to write your thoughts about the material we have discussed in class or any other issues you are dealing with.
Student Activity................................................................................................ 20%
To help you integrate into the campus community and become a contributing member, you are required to join one of the clubs and organizations that have registered with Office of Student Activities.
Activities/Exercises........................................................................................ 40%
As you read the chapters in Your College Experience, you are expected to complete the activities and exercises included in each chapter and on the accompanying CD.
| Week 1 |
Topic: |
New Beginnings: Have I Made The Right Choice? |
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Chapter 10 Courses and Careers |
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Career Services Information |
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Activities:
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Researching the Job Market, Personality Mosaic (p. 167)
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| Week 2 |
Topic: |
Chapter 1 College Makes the Difference: Strategies for Success |
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Speaker: |
Evans Library Tour |
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Activity:
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Evans Library Treasure Hunt
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| Week 3 |
Topic: |
Chapter 2 Time Management: Foundation of Academic Success |
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Speaker: |
Campus Safety |
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Activity:
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Create weekly study and semester assignment schedules
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| Week 4 |
Topic: |
Chapter 3 Active Learning: The Student-Teacher Connection |
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Discussion: |
“College Opportunities: How to Get the Most Out of a College Education” |
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Group: |
What Do College Teachers Expect of Students? (p. 43) |
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Activities:
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Differences Between High School and College (p. 48)
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| Week 5 |
Topic: |
Chapter 8 Making the Grade: Tests, Memory, and Presentation |
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Discussion: |
Academic Honesty, Plagiarism |
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Activities:
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Video “Text Anxiety”, Test Analysis
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| Week 6 |
Topics: |
Chapter 4 Learning Styles: Discovering How You Learn Best |
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Chapter 5 Critical Thinking and Writing: Developing Core Tools |
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Activities: |
Assessing Your Learning Style (p. 60), Tangram |
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| Week 7 |
Topic: |
Chapter 6 Classes: Listening, Note Taking, and Participating |
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Discussion: |
Getting involved in student activities |
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Activity: |
Cornell Note-taking Method |
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| Week 8 |
Topic: |
Chapter 7 Reading |
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Discussion: |
Reading and Concentration Strategies |
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Activities: |
F-activity, WRIT Test |
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| Week 9 |
Topic: |
Chapter 11 Relationships |
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Discussion: |
Webaholic, The Six Cs of Conflict Resolution |
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Activity: |
Styles of Handling Roommate Conflict |
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| Week 10 |
Topic: |
Freshman Survey |
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Activity: |
Focus group discussions |
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| Week 11 |
Topic: |
Chapter 14 Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Sexuality: Making Healthy Choices |
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Discussion: |
Binge Drinking, Date Rape |
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Group Activity: |
Alcohol 101 |
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| Week 12 |
Topic: |
Chapter 13 Stress Management |
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Discussion: |
Getting involved: Intramurals and the Clemente Center |
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Activity: |
A Relaxation Process (p. 209) |
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| Week 13 |
No class |
Happy Thanksgiving! |
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| Week 14 |
Topic: |
Chapter 12 Diversity |
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Movie: |
Skin Deep |
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Group Activity: |
Changing Demographics |
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| Week 15 |
Topic: |
Diversity |
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Discussion: |
Role Play: Changing Demographics |
