| Instructor: |
Karla Thompson |
| Office Location: |
Room 207 (2nd floor of the main building, next to the library) |
| Office Hours |
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:00-11:30 and 1:30-5:00
Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30-5:00 p.m.
|
| Office Phone: |
234-9265 (voice mail) |
| E-mail Address: |
kthompso@cavern.nmsu.edu |
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Provide students with an opportunity to cultivate the skills, values, and attitudes necessary to become confident, capable students and contributing community members. Topics include: time management, memory techniques, relationships, health issues, money management, and college and community resources.
REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS
Carter, C., Bishop, J., and Kravits, S.L. (2003). Keys to Success in College, Career, and Life: How to achieve your goals. Prentice-Hall, 4th edition.
Materials:
- Spiral notebook or Three-ring binder with loose leaf paper
- Two-pocket folder for handouts
- Pen or pencil, highlighter(s)
GRADUATE OUTCOMES
The successful completion of this course will partially fulfill the following graduate outcomes:
- Effective communication through reading, writing, listening, and speaking
- Problem-solving skills
- Critical/creative thinking skills
- Awareness of diverse cultures
- Collaborative working skills
STUDENT OUTCOMES
As a result of actively participating in this class, students will be able to:
Academic & Career Planning Skills
- Apply their preferred learning style to process information
- Apply a variety of note-taking techniques to take quality notes from lectures and reading materials
- Understand how memory works and use different techniques for remembering information
- Prepare for tests and apply strategies for taking tests in a variety of formats
- Take advantage of university resources and understand academic policies and procedures
- Use a variety of self-assessments to evaluate career options & choose a major
- Gain an appreciation for diversity in the classroom and the workplace
Self-Management Skills
- Set academic and personal goals
- Manage time effectively by determining priorities and using calendar/planners, to-do lists
- Understand the importance of self-concept and the role it plays in academic and personal success
- Develop a personal financial philosophy and a budget to manage money effectively
- Use a systematic approach to problem-solving and making good decisions
- Improve communication in relationships and deal effectively with conflict
- Manage stress by understanding the impact of health & wellness
PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND GRADING
Grading Scale
| A |
90-100% |
| B |
80-89% |
| C |
70-79% |
| D |
60-69% |
| F |
59% and below |
Your final grade will be calculated as follows: Tests – 40%, Homework Assignments – 30%, Career Choice paper – 15%, Participation – 15%. Note: Absences will affect your final grade; see chart, below.
Explanation of Grading Scale & Coursework
Tests – 40% of total grade (4 tests worth 10% each, including the comprehensive final)
Material covered in the exams will come from a variety of sources – lecture notes, handouts, class discussions, and the textbook. Test questions will be a combination of objective and subjective formats. This is designed to evaluate your knowledge of facts and details (objective questions – true/false, multiple choice, etc.) and application of concepts (subjective questions – short answer, essay).
Note concerning make up tests: Students can only make up a test with instructor permission, and all make ups must be done before the next class period following the originally scheduled test. Because of when the final exam is scheduled and when grades are due to the university, there isn’t time to do make ups for the final.
Homework Assignments – 30% of total grade
The work I’ve assigned is intended to help you apply strategies and techniques learned in class. To receive full credit you must follow the directions, complete all parts of the homework as assigned and submit your work on time. See page 3 of the syllabus for a list of the assignments and due dates.
Career Choice Paper – 15% of total grade
A primary goal of this course is to help students clarify their career choice and major. To do this, you will research a specific career and write a 3 to 5 page paper describing that career in detail. A description of the paper will be provided.
Participation – 15% of total grade
Your participation will consist of answering discussion questions posted on the WebCT discussion board relating to the topic(s) and lectures covered in class. To get full credit you must (1) respond to me personally and (2) respond to at least one other person’s response from class on the discussion board. Refer to the semester schedule on page 4 for due dates.
Attendance
Active participation in this course is essential to both earning a strong grade and being able to apply what you learn to your college experience. Attendance, therefore, is critical and will affect your final grade as follows:
| No. of Absences |
0
|
1-4
|
5-6
|
7-8
|
9-10
|
11+
|
| Percentage Pts. |
+5%
|
0%
|
-5%
|
-10%
|
-20%
|
-30%
|
While there are no excused absences, I appreciate a phone call in advance (234-9265) should you have to miss a class.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you have or believe you have a disability and would benefit from classroom accommodation(s), please contact the Special Needs Services (SNS) Office located in Room 2U, second floor of the main building (Phone/Voice mail/TTY: 234-9321). If you have a condition that may affect your ability to exit safely from the premises in an emergency or that may cause an emergency during class, you are encouraged to discuss any concerns with the instructor.
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS & DUE DATES
To access and print the assignments listed below, go to the WebCT course page (go to http://www.cavern.nmsu.edu and select “WebCT” link, found under “Services”).
- Learning Styles – due in class on Thursday, January 22
Instructions – Turn in a printout of your results with your name at the top for EACH assessment listed below.
- Time Management – due in class on Thursday, February 5
- Semester goal sheet. Considering the information covered in class and in the text, set an academic goal that you can reach by the end of the semester. Make sure that you follow the guidelines discussed in class.
- Weekly planner. Create a weekly schedule that you can use to manage your time. Plan time for commitments (school, job, etc.) and activities that will help you take care of your priorities (study time, family time, etc.).
- February calendar. Fill out a monthly calendar with all of your school-related commitments for February 2004 (tests, assignments & due dates, etc.).
- Choosing a Major – due in class on Thursday, February 19
- Choices interest inventory. Do the interest inventory and print off your results, including the list of occupations that match your results. This is planned as an in-class activity on Feb. 17.
- Summary report of career options. List the results of the self-assessments you’ve done in class (Multiple Intelligences, Keirsey Temperament Sorter and Choices interest inventory) and careers related to each.
- Report – Investigate a major. Carefully research a major you’re considering by answering detailed questions.
- Progress Report – due in class on Thursday, March 4
- How are you doing at this point in the semester? Find out what your current grades are and tell me about the progress you’ve made towards the goal you set for yourself earlier in the semester.
- Career Research I – due in class on Thursday, March 18
- Report – Investigate a career. Carefully research a career by looking up information from a variety of sources and analyze what you find by answering specific questions. Attach the information you use to the report (computer printouts, copied pages from a book, etc.)
- Article on topic related to career choice (job) or industry. Using the Internet, trade journal, magazine or other approved material (that means I want to see it first!), find an article about a trend or controversy in your chosen career or career field. Submit a copy of the article you find with your notes and highlighting on it.
- Career Research II – due at individual appointment as scheduled (student conference)
- Informational Interview. The purpose of this assignment is to give you “real world” information about the career you are researching. Interview either a professional working in the job you are interested in or a full-time faculty member who teaches in the major you will need.
- Degree plan. Create a plan of what classes you’re going to take for the next two academic years.
SEMESTER CALENDAR – Subject to change as needed
Dates to Remember:
January 19 (M) Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (campus closed)
January 21 (W) Last day to drop and add courses
March 11 (TH) Last day to drop a course with a “W”, except those with designated dates
March 29-April 2 (M-F) Spring break, no classes (campus open)
April 7 (W) Registration begins for Summer and Fall 2004 classes
April 9 (F) Spring holiday, no classes (campus closed)
April 22 (TH) Last day to withdraw from the university (all classes) with a “W”
*Discussions submitted via WebCT are due by 11:59 p.m. MST on the date indicated.
|
Date
|
Topic
|
Due in class
|
Due in WebCT*
|
|
01/15
|
Course overview |
|
|
|
01/20
|
Ch. 1 – Making a successful transition |
|
|
|
01/22
|
Ch. 2 – Learning styles |
“Learning styles”
|
Discussion #1
|
|
01/27
|
Ch. 3 – Values, Setting goals |
|
|
|
01/29
|
Ch. 3 – Time management |
|
Discussion #2
|
|
02/03
|
Ch. 6 – Memory |
|
|
|
02/05
|
Ch. 8 – Taking tests, Dealing with test anxiety |
“Time Management”
|
Discussion #3
|
|
02/10
|
Test review |
|
|
|
02/12
|
Test #1 |
|
|
|
02/17
|
Ch. 2 – Choosing a major (interests & abilities) |
|
|
|
02/19
|
Ch. 2 – Choosing a major (academic options) |
“Choosing a major”
|
Discussion #4
|
|
02/24
|
Ch. 4 – Critical thinking (mind actions, reasoning) |
|
|
|
02/26
|
Ch. 4 – Critical thinking (problem solving & decisions) |
|
Discussion #5
|
|
03/02
|
Ch. 5 – Academic reading |
|
|
|
03/04
|
Ch. 7 – Finding & using information (research) |
“Progress report”
|
Discussion #6
|
|
03/09
|
No class – work on research for career paper |
|
|
|
03/11
|
No class – work on research for career paper |
|
|
|
03/16
|
Ch. 6 – Listening, Taking notes |
|
|
|
03/18
|
Ch. 1 – Motivation |
“Career research I”
|
Discussion #7
|
|
03/23
|
Test review |
|
|
|
03/25
|
Test #2 |
|
|
|
03/30
|
No class – Spring Break |
|
|
|
04/01
|
No class – Spring Break |
|
|
|
04/06
|
No class – student conferences |
“Career research II” **
|
|
|
04/08
|
No class – student conferences |
|
|
|
04/13
|
Ch. 9 – Relationships, diversity |
|
|
|
04/15
|
Ch. 9 – Communication skills |
|
Discussion #8
|
|
04/20
|
Ch. 10 – Health & Wellness |
|
|
|
04/22
|
Ch. 10 – Stress management |
Career Choice paper
|
Discussion #9
|
|
04/27
|
Ch. 11 – Managing money |
|
|
|
04/29
|
Test #3 |
|
|
|
05/04
|
Course evaluation |
|
|
|
05/06
|
Review for final exam |
|
Discussion #10
|
|
05/11
|
Comprehensive final exam, 8:30-10:30 a.m. (open notes) |
|
|
|
05/13
|
No class – finals week |
|
|
**Career research II is due at your individual appointment as scheduled.
Addendum to the course syllabus
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you have (or believe you have) a disability and would benefit from classroom accommodation(s), please contact the Special Needs Services (SNS) Office located in Room 2U of the Main Building (Phone/Voice mail/TTY: 234-9321). If you have a condition that may affect your ability to exit safely from the premises in an emergency or that may cause an emergency during class, you are encouraged to discuss any concerns with the instructor.
Student Responsibilities
- Register with the SNS office and obtain accommodation documents early in the semester;
- Deliver the completed accommodation and testing form(s) to the instructor(s) within the first two weeks of beginning of classes (or within one week of the date services are to commence);
- Retrieve the signed form(s) from faculty and return to SNS within five (5) days of receipt from faculty and at least one week before any scheduled exam; and,
- Contact the SNS Office if the services/accommodations requested are not being provided, not meeting your needs, or if additional accommodations are needed. Do not wait until you receive a failing grade. Retroactive accommodations cannot be considered.
Faculty Responsibilities
- Sign the ACCOMMODATION REQUEST FORM and TESTING ACCOMMODATION FORM (when presented), retain a copy, and return the original to the student within five (5) working days of receipt;
- Contact SNS immediately if there are any questions or disputes regarding accommodation(s), disruptive behavior, etc.; and,
- Refer the student to SNS for any additional accommodations
Accommodations: Kay Rankin-Williams, SNS Office, 234-9321 (Room 2U, Main Building)
Discrimination: EEO/ADA & Employee Relations, 646-3333 (Room 15 Hadley Hall, Las Cruces)
