STU 150: College Success Skills

CRN: 17062 Instructor: Ian Derk Office: 147 NAU-Yavapai Campus Office Hours: M 4-6 (Virtual), Tu. 3:15-5:15, W 10-12 Email: Ian.Derk@yc.edu Phone: (928) 775-4567 Course Content: 1. Time management and organization 2. Study skills 3. Academic and career planning 4. College environment navigation skills Learning Outcomes: 1. Use a time management and personal organization system. (1) 2. Identify academic resources and support services important for academic success. (4) 3. Apply specific study skills, including note taking and test taking strategies and memory enhancement techniques to course content. (2) 4. Develop and articulate short and long-term goals for career development and academic success. (3)

Textbooks and Readings REQUIRED TEXTS: Brown, Jess and Fenske, Mark. The Winners Brain: 8 Strategies Great Minds Use to Achieve Success. (DeCapo Press, 2010.) Downing, Skip. On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life (Study Skills Plus Edition). (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2011.) Readings linked on Blackboard Beyond the Basics

OC= On Course, WB = Winners Brain, All other readings available on Blackboard.

Two major themes in this course are choices and change. Changes, such as the transition from high school to college or adolescents to adulthood, can be challenging. Who we are isnt determined by the changes we face but the choices we make. This course wont determine who you are, but it can give you perspective on what you want to become. The course is a mix of practical skills and deep thinking about your life as a college student. Taking this class says you want to start your journey to college and adulthood. Success in this course will prepare you for taking that step, but failure might reveal youre not ready yet. The choice between success and failure is yours and yours alone. Blackboard, Online Units, and Technology You will find copies of class materials, information, and space for assignment submissions on Yavapai Colleges Blackboard page. You can login through your myYC page. If you are unfamiliar with Blackboard, there is a help guide here. You can contact the Help Desk for any technical issues you encounter at any time by calling (928) 776-2168 or helpdesk@yc.edu. This course will include some online units. These will be marked on your calendar. These online units will include quizzes to assess your attendance and/or as a reading quiz. Assume all online units are quizzes and graded. Failure to complete more than 80 percent of the questions will count as an absence. Take this assessment to help you understand your preparedness for the online units. If you have concerns about how to become a good online learner, you can refer to YCs Best Practices for Online Learners page. Yavapai College (and AAEC) provides all the necessary technology for this course in its computer labs. We recommend you use Mozilla Firefox for all Blackboard applications and keep your computer upto-date. Yavapai College can support the technology it owns, but it may not be able to support your computer or setup. If you lack sufficient technology, you may use the labs provided at the Prescott or Prescott Valley Yavapai College locations. Assignments Attendance: You must attend all course sessions, including online sessions. Absences for non-school functions must be documented and beyond your control. Any student missing more than six (6) sessions will receive a U grade. 2. Discussion Boards (5 @ 25 points each = 125 points) There will be five (5) discussion boards (on Blackboard) in which you will participate. In each discussion board, you will post an initial response as instructed, then respond to two (2) other students. Consider your answers to discussion board prompts to be mini-essays. Proper spelling, grammar, punctuation and proofreading/editing is expected. Essays which are not well-written will be returned for re-writing. 3. Journal Entries (5 @ 25 points each = 125 points) Five (5) in-depth private journal entries will be required throughout the semester. Detailed instructions will be given in Blackboard. Entries should reflect a significant amount of reflection, with the goal of self-understanding and application of important concepts. Again, proper spelling, grammar, punctuation and proofreading/editing is expected. Essays which are not well-written will be returned for re-writing.

4. Information Presentation (75 points) You will team up with two other students and give an 8-12 information presentation on one of the eight (8) Win Factors discussed in The Winners Brain. The presentation should review the most important points in the reading, and may be illustrated using Powerpoint slides (as long as you dont read from them), video clips, or other multimedia sources. (NOTE: Any media clips should be fairly short and to the point, and support the ideas you are presenting. Approximately equal participation by each group member should be evident. Group members will have the opportunity to evaluate each other, and this will be considered in the grade the project receives. 5. Class Activity (25 points) In teams randomly selected, you will prepare a 10-20 minute class activity to practice and reinforce one of the seven key skills emphasized in our On Course textbook: Reading Taking Notes Organizing Study Materials Rehearsing and Memorizing Study Materials Taking Tests Writing The topics are crucial, but sound a bit boring by their titles. Your job is to bring these skills to life, and design an interactive activity which will help your fellow students get it. You will become the expert on these topics, and help your classmates become proficient at these skills. NOTE: I am available to help you refine your ideas, but you need to come up with the basic plan, and you MUST see me significantly before your activity so you can make modifications, if needed. 6. Reading Quizzes (50 points) On any given class period (including online), a pop quiz over the assigned reading may be administered. You will be expected to be familiar with the key points of reading prior to attending class that week. 7. Midterm Examination (50 Points) The midterm exam will contain objective (true/false, multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, etc.) and short answer questions and will cover material in both the text/readings and class lecture/discussions for each half of the semester. 8. Online Final Examination (50 Points) The final examination will contain objective and short answer questions and will cover material from the second half of the semester. The final is not cumulative. You will take this final online. Test questions will vary. Grading

>449 A 400-449 B 350-399 C 300-349 D <300 F

Excellent Good Average Poor, but passing Failing

Course Policies Attendance: You are expected to attend all class sessions (including online). There may be a sign-in sheet at the start of some class periods. It is your responsibility to fill out the sheet and sign your own name. Falsifying or cheating on this sheet (say, by signing in for an absent person) counts as academic dishonesty and may result in your removal from the course with a failing grade. Late Work: Late work is not accepted. During the semester, you will get two freebies, meaning you can turn in two assignments late for half credit (does not apply to pop quizzes, information presentation, or class activity). Freebies must be completed within one week. Exam freebies may require special arrangements and questions may be altered from the original exam. Withdrawal: The last day to withdraw from this course is Sunday, March 10. Withdrawing from this course means you receive a W, which doesnt affect your GPA or give you credit for completing this course. Withdrawing from this course could impact your progress in this program, so please talk with me or someone at AAEC before withdrawing. Student Code of Conduct: Respect for the rights of others and for the College and its property are fundamental expectations for every student. The Student Code of Conduct on Yavapai Colleges website at http://www2.yc.edu/content/humanresources/employeetoolkit/codeofconductchoice.htm#code) outlines behavioral expectations, and explains the process for responding to allegations of student misconduct. You are also subject to the campus policies and procedures of AAEC while on their campus. Student Support Services: Yavapai College provides an excellent array of services designed to help you succeed in your college career. Please note the following important ones: Disability Resources: 776-2079 (Please also notify the instructor if you require special accommodations.) Library: Located in Building 19: Many resources are also available to you online. Learning Resources and Tutoring are available through the Learning Center upstairs in Building 1 or online. Academic Integrity, Plagiarism and Cheating:

Copying, paraphrasing or using any work that is not your own, without acknowledging the source is both a moral and legal violation. It is your responsibility as a student to read and understand Yavapai Colleges statement regarding Academic Integrity (https://www.yc.edu/v4content/registration/docs/policies/Academic_Integrity.pdf) This includes work of other students, professors, published authors and speakers. See the EXCELLENT dramatization of plagiarism produced by Yavapai College, Diagnosis: Plagiarism at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3_tin1ik6E. Minimum consequence for plagiarism in this course is failure of the assignment, and may well result in failure of the course, depending on the nature of the infraction. There is the possibility of even more severe sanctions, including expulsion from the College. This is a serious issue in the academic community, because it involves what is being termed as "intellectual property. NOTE: Failure to read or understand this syllabus, the Student Code of Conduct, or understand the various types of plagiarism and cheating DOES NOT constitute an excuse for the violating of Academic Integrity.

Tentative Schedule (Subject to Change)

Week
1

Date
14-Jan

Readings Before Class

Topic
Overview/High School vs. College

Assignments Due By In Class Next Class

Notes

16-Jan 2 21-Jan 23-Jan 3 28-Jan 31-Feb 4 4-Feb 6-Feb

Introductory Playlist (Online); OC 31-32 OC 21-26, 41-44 OC 63-66, 201-203; Berkum OC 237-238, 240244, 246-248 OC 141-143, 146150 OC 310-330; Lamont OC 69-85; Wright

Basic Tools/YC Portal MLK DAY: No Class Presentation Skills Study Skills Time Management (Online) Writing Skills Reading Skills NumeracyReading Tables, Charts, and Graphs Winner's Brain Introduction (Online) Class Activity Class Activity Journal 1 Class Activity DB #1 Post DB #1 Reply

Jan. 20 is last day to drop w/ 100% refund

Online Unit, No Class Meeting

11-Feb

OC 332; TV 411 Activity

Class Activity

DB #2 Post

13-Feb

WB Intro, Ch. 2

DB #2 Reply

Online Unit, No Class Meeting

OC= On Course, WB = Winners Brain, All other readings available on Blackboard.

18-Feb

Presidents Day: No Class Info Presentation Class Activity Journal 2 Info Presentation Mar. 10 is last day to withdraw Online Unit, No Class Meeting

20-Feb 7 25-Feb 27-Feb 8 4-Mar 6-Mar 9 10 11-Mar 13-Mar 18-Mar 20-Mar 11 25-Mar 27-Mar 12 1-Apr 3-Apr

WB Win Factor 8 OC 259-280 OC 297-300, Levine WB Win Factor 1

Brain Care Following Directions/Acing Exams Critical Thinking (Online) Self-Awareness Midterm Spring Break Spring Break

WB Win Factor 2 The Upside of Quitting WB Win Factor 3 OC 305-308 WB Win Factor 4 OC 333-335, 347349, 353-355

Motivation Choices (Online) Focus and Delayed Gratification Values Emotional Balance Emotional Intelligence (Online)

Info Presentation

DB #3 Post DB # 3 Reply Online Unit, No Class Meeting

Info Presentation Journal 3 Info Presentation Journal 4 Online Unit, No Class Meeting

13

8-Apr 10-Apr

WB Win Factor 5 OC 219-234 WB Win Factor 6 OC 358-367 WB Win Factor 7 WB Epilogue Edmunson

Memory Memorizing Study Materials Resilience Personal Finances (Online) Adaptability Pulling It All Together Cram Jam Final Exam (Online)

Info Presentation Class Activity Info Presentation DB #4 Post DB #4 Reply Info Presentation DB # 5 Post DB #5 Reply Journal 5 Online Unit, No Class Meeting Online Unit, No Class Meeting

14

15-Apr 17-Apr

15

22-Apr 24-Apr

16

29-Apr 1-May