MEETING LOCATIONS: Ernest Calderón Learning Community, Room 110 or 111

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1 COLLEGE OF EDUCATION NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY The mission of the College of Education at Northern Arizona University is to prepare education professionals to create the schools of tomorrow. EPS 406 Resident Assistant Pre-Service Training Course Spring 2015 GENERAL INFORMATION EPS 406 begins the week of March 23, 2015 and will meet weekly for 2.5 hours through Finals Week for the Spring Semester. In addition, one weekend seminar is a required element of the course. The weekend seminar is scheduled for Saturday, April 11, 2015 from 9:00am - 12Noon at a TBD location. CLASS TIMES: Monday from 3:30pm 6:00pm or 6:00pm 8:30pm, Tuesday from 6:30pm 9:00pm or 7:00pm 9:30pm, Wednesday from 3:30pm 6pm, or Thursday from 3:00pm 5:30pm MEETING LOCATIONS: Ernest Calderón Learning Community, Room 110 or 111 COURSE INSTRUCTORS: firstname.lastname@nau.edu (format for ALL course instructors) OFFICE HOURS: Your instructors are willing to meet with advance appointment CREDIT HOURS: 2 elective credits COURSE COORDINATORS: Assistant Directors, Housing and Residence Life Office Phone: COURSE PREREQUISITES Selection as a Resident Assistant (RA) or Alternate or by permission of the course instructor Impact on service as a Resident Assistant: Final placement of an RA is contingent upon successful completion of the course (minimum grade of a C). A failing grade will result in either removing the candidate from the alternate pool or revoking a placement offer. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES This course is a pre-service course for students who will serve as RAs with NAU Housing and Residence Life. The course attempts to prepare student paraprofessionals to become effective leaders, especially within the residence hall environment. Specifically, students will be exposed to theories, qualities, skills and topics necessary to succeed as a RA. Therefore, the purpose of this course is for students to receive practical and purposeful knowledge, grounded in research and theory and amplified through the development of basic applied skills necessary to be an effective leader and helper within a residential community. STUDENT LEARNING EXPECTATIONS / OUTCOMES FOR THIS COURSE Students in the EPS 406 class will: 1. Understand the value and impact of the RA Role on the RA and the community. 2. Gain knowledge in peer helping skills to support resident development and success. 3. Strengthen communication skills necessary to be an effective leader. 4. Learn aspects of leadership to support individual and community development. EPS 406 Resident Assistant Pre-Service Training Course Page 1

2 5. Explore how student development theory and valuing diverse communities affect all aspects of the RA role. COURSE STRUCTURE AND APPROACH This is a seminar-style course in which active participation is expected for the benefit of all members of the class. The course will include mixtures of learning activities that have been chosen and designed to meet the course purpose. The activities include lectures, discussions, readings, role playing, small group interactions, student presentations and experiential opportunities. One weekend Seminar (April 11 th ) is required elements of this course. The seminar will be a Conference Day with educational sessions presented by campus leaders and staff. Students are expected to attend all class meetings and to actively participate in class discussions. Class sessions will be focused on discussion of the materials from the text, exchange of viewpoints between all class participants, in-class activities designed to aid in self-awareness and provide hands-on learning and development of skills. Reading the assigned materials in advance of class discussion is an expected activity to prepare for participation in class. TEXTBOOK AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS Text: Foubert, J. (2007) Lessons Learned: How to Avoid the Biggest Mistakes Made by College Resident Assistants, Taylor and Francis Group. **This text will be provided to you. Demolition of or failure to return your textbook will result in a charge of $50.00 to your student account.** Supplemental readings will be provided in class or online as assigned. COURSE EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Your final grade for the course will be based on the following: 30 Participation 10 Online Training Requirements 15 Quiz: Individual Development (BB Learn) 10 Typology Assessment 10 5 Stages of Group Development Activity 10 3-Minute Dialogue Video and Evaluation 20 Campus Resource Group Project 5 Pre/Post Assessment: Diversity 25 Conference Day Reflection Paper 40 Cultural Experience Research and Reflection Paper 40 Advanced Student Issues Group Project 215 Total Possible Points Final Grading Scale: total points A total points B total points C total points D Below total points F GRADED ASSIGNMENT DETAILS 1. Grading: All written assignments will be graded on the following criteria: EPS 406 Resident Assistant Pre-Service Training Course Page 2

3 Technical Format: The assignment is typed, on time, free of spelling and grammatical errors, is presented clearly, and is in the proper format with sources cited Content: The assignment answers the questions posed and prompts provided by the instructor(s) and properly delves into the issues involved (Rubric and/or Prompts provided) 2. Participation (up to 30 points): These points can be earned by engagement and participation in class. This includes being prepared for class by reading materials in advance of class sessions; offering thoughtful, informed, and helpful comments, suggestions and questions to class discussions; and actively participating in class activities as well as being an active listener. Additionally, responding to the group discussion questions for the online reading. Tardiness or unexcused absences, as well as distracting or inappropriate comments, may impact participation points. Lastly, participation points will also be given for completing all required online trainings. 3. Online Employment Trainings (up to 10 points): You must complete a number of online employment trainings prior to you beginning in the RA role. These trainings provide you with important information helpful to your role and are also required for successful student employment. You must complete the trainings by the assigned due date (see Weekly Course Outline for due dates). An will be sent to your NAU account with specific instructions for each online training that must be completed. The online trainings are: Preventing Workplace Harassment, Information Security Essentials (ITS), FERPA, Kognito, and MyStudentBody Essentials. Specific instructions for verifying successful completion of each online training will be included in each sent from ResidenceandGreekLife@nau.edu 4. Quiz: Individual Development (up to 15 points): There will be an electronic quiz posted on BB Learn that will cover course content from online posts/materials, in class discussions/lectures, and from required readings. 5. Typology Assessment (up to 10 points): Prior to class, please visit and complete the free The TypeFinder Research Edition assessment at You are encouraged to register so that you are able to access and review your results whenever you want in the future. After completing the assessment, review your findings and watch the short video. Note, you will be directed to review both descriptions and select the one that sounds most like you. Typology must be completed before class on the due date stages of Group Development Activity (up to 10 points): During class, you will be randomly assigned to one of Tuckman s levels of group development. You will be expected to identify an example that illustrates that level. You may pick a book, movie, or television show. You will be expected to post your example (either a video link or the book passage) on BB Learn (5 points for completing). Everyone should comment on at least 3 other students posts and identify which stage is being demonstrated and why you think that it is that level (up to 5 points). If 2-3 students have already replied to a post, please select a different post to comment on. 7. Three Minute Dialogue: Video and Evaluation (up to 10 points): In groups of 2 or 3, you will practice reflective listening skills learned in class through recording a 3 minute video of a dialogue and evaluating your performance. Each person must play the role of an RA in their dialogue and after putting the recordings on a labelled flash-drive (or YouTube, or Google Drive) you will watch your video and evaluate your own performance on the above skills. Please see handout for more details. EPS 406 Resident Assistant Pre-Service Training Course Page 3

4 8. Campus Resource Group Project (up to 20 points): You will be assigned with 3 fellow classmates to make a creative introduction/advertisement/commercial for a campus resource. You and your team members should physically go to your assigned resource site, talk to those who work there, gather helpful resources and information, and prepare a 3 minute creative introduction/advertisement/commercial that will be presented during class. Please see handout for more details. 9. Pre/Post Assessment: Diversity (up to 5 points): You will complete a brief assessment of your diversity awareness and/or knowledge before the Week 6 class, and a brief assessment of your diversity awareness and/or knowledge after the Week 6 class. The goal of the pre/post assessment is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Week 6 diversity material on student learning, so both the pre-assessment and the post-assessment must be completed to receive points. 10. Conference Day Reflection Paper (up to 25 points): As part of the Conference Day curriculum, you are responsible for writing a 3-4 page Reflective Paper using 1 inch margins, 12 point Times New Roman and double spacing. You are asked to take time to reflect on your experience during the 3 sessions you chose to attend and focus on what you learned, what was interesting to you, and how you can apply the information you learned in these sessions into your future role as an RA and/or as a leader on campus. Also, in your paper please provide a brief summary of the 3 sessions that you attended and provide a suggestion on something you wish you had seen in a session. Some questions that may help you to get started in your reflection include: What did you learn today? Did you give your best effort in participating and engaging in the conference day activities? (Please explain how you did so) Did these conference day activities help you learn more than other activities we ve done in class? Why? How does the information that you learned today supplement the information that you have learned in the RA class? How can you use this information to plan for your work in the RA position? 11. Cultural Experience Research and Reflection Paper (up to 40 points): Plan to engage in a culture/shared experience that is different or new to you by attending a program, meeting or service or by participating in purposeful and appropriate activities related to that culture/shared experience. Before attending and participating in this activity, you will conduct research on the culture/shared experience. Please see handout for more details. 12. Advanced Student Issues Group Project (up to 40 points): Within a pre-assigned group, you will prepare and provide a minute presentation on a topic related to advanced college student issues. The final presentation must include a presentation outline for the instructors and a one page (may be double-sided) handout for all class members. Group members and topics will be decided during the first class session. Please see handout for more details. 13. Make-Up Assignment: There will be no extra credit in this course. A Make-Up assignment will only be approved by course instructors for exceptional situations and will only be considered if you consult with the instructors regarding your specific situation as soon as possible. COURSE POLICIES 1. Attendance: The student admitted to membership in the university community has freely accepted the obligation of class attendance; therefore, regular attendance at all classes for which the student is registered is the responsibility of the student. It is recognized that absence from class is sometimes EPS 406 Resident Assistant Pre-Service Training Course Page 4

5 necessary. However, each student is accountable for all work missed due to any absence. Instructors are under no obligation to make special arrangements for students who have been absent. Should an absence from class be unavoidable, it is the responsibility of the student to report the reason for his/her absence to the instructor. The Office of Student Life and the Campus Health Center do not issue excuses for health or personal reasons. Only the instructor may "excuse" an absence except for Institutional Excuses for activities such as athletic events or other university sponsored activities which are approved by the Office of the Associate Provost-Undergraduate Studies, or the Office of Student Life. Arizona Board of Regents policy forbids discrimination because of a student s religious beliefs or practices or any absences resulting from them. In addition, a student cannot be discriminated against for seeking a religious accommodation pursuant to this policy. 2. Class Participation: Class participation is defined as attendance/promptness, engagement in class (proactively contributing in class), listening skills, positive behavior, and preparation. 3. Plagiarism and Cheating: Academic Integrity means that students and faculty jointly agree to adhere to a code of conduct appropriate to a mutually trusting relationship that must exist between student and teacher. Those values do not allow students to take credit for work that is not their own, to be deceitful about their work, or to take unfair advantage of other students. 4. Academic Integrity: This is a form of misconduct that is subject to disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct and includes the following: cheating, fabrication, fraud, facilitating academic dishonesty and plagiarism Retests/Makeup Assignments: Any retests or makeup tests are provided only at the discretion of the instructor and under circumstances that were beyond the control of the student. (See Graded Assignment Details, #13 above) 6. Late Assignments: All assignments are due on the designated due dates. You may submit assignments up to 10 calendar days past the due date, but you will lose 10% of the available points per 24 hour period (day) late. 7. Students with Disabilities: If you have a documented disability, you can arrange for accommodations by contacting Disability Resources (DR) at (voice) or (TTY), dr@nau.edu ( ) or (fax). Students needing academic accommodations are required to register with DR and provide required disability related documentation. Although you may request an accommodation at any time, in order for DR to best meet your individual needs, you are urged to register and submit necessary documentation ( 8 weeks prior to the time you wish to receive accommodations. DR is strongly committed to the needs of student with disabilities and the promotion of Universal Design. Concerns or questions related to the accessibility of programs and facilities at NAU may be brought to the attention of DR or the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity at EPS 406 Resident Assistant Pre-Service Training Course Page 5

6 WEEKLY COURSE OUTLINE Week One (week of March 23 rd ) Class Preparation: Any instructions sent out by course instructor(s) Read RA position description Due next week: Intended Cultural Experience Activity (posted via BB Learn) Week Two (week of March 30 th ) Class Preparation: Read online materials within appropriate folder: - Principles of Good Practice (NASPA) - ACUHO-I Standards and Ethical Principles: Education/Programming Items Due: Notify Instructors of intended Cultural Experience Activity via BB Learn (due before class begins) Due Next Week: - Individual Development Quiz (submitted on BB Learn) - ITS & FERPA Online Trainings (instructions ed to account) Week Three (week of April 6 th ) Class Preparation: Read online materials within appropriate folder: - Areas of Influence - Ethics - RA Agreement Items Due: - Individual Development Quiz (submitted on BB Learn) - ITS & FERPA Online Trainings (your completed verification ed to ResidenceandGreekLife@nau.edu) Due Next Week: - 5 Stages of Group Development Activity (submitted on BB Learn) - Typology Assessment - Preventing Workplace Harassment Online Training (instructions ed to ) Weekend Seminar (Saturday, April 11 th, 9:00am 12:00 pm) Conference Day Due Next Week: Conference Day Reflection Paper (submitted by 5pm on Friday, April 17 th for all class sections) Week Four (week of April 13 th ) Class Preparation: Read the following: - Lessons Learned: # 16, 33 - What is Dialogue? - Listening - Tuckman s Model: 5 Stages of Group Development Items Due: - 5 Stages of Group Development Activity (submitted on BB Learn) - Typology Assessment - Preventing Workplace Harassment Online Training (your completed verification ed to ResidenceandGreekLife@nau.edu) EPS 406 Resident Assistant Pre-Service Training Course Page 6

7 Due Next Week: - Campus Resource Group Project - Three Minute Dialogue: Video and Evaluation - Kognito Online Training (instructions ed to ) Week Five (week of April 20 th ) Class Preparation: Read the following: - Lessons Learned: #4, 33 Items Due: - Campus Resource Group Project - Three Minute Dialogue: Video and Evaluation - Kognito Online Training (your completed verification ed to ResidenceandGreekLife@nau.edu) Due Next Week: - Cultural Experience Research and Reflection Paper - Pre-assessment: Diversity - MyStudentBody Essentials Online Module (instructions ed to , due by last class week of May 4 th ) Week Six (week of April 27 th ) Class Preparation: Read the following: - Lessons Learned: #8, 9 Items Due: - Cultural Experience Research and Reflection Paper - Pre-assessment: Diversity (completed before class) Due Next Week: - Advanced Student Issues Group Project - Post-assessment: Diversity - MyStudentBody Essentials Online Module (your completed verification ed to ResidenceandGreekLife@nau.edu) Week Seven (week of May 4 th ) Class Preparation: Be prepared to present Advanced Student Issues Group Project Items Due: - Advanced Student Issues Group Project (presentation in class, handout/presentation materials submitted via ) - Post-assessment: Diversity (completed before class) - MyStudentBody Essentials Online Module (your completed verification ed to ResidenceandGreekLife@nau.edu) To provide welcoming vibrant communities that foster personal growth and enhance the student experience. NAU Housing and Residence Life Mission Statement EPS 406 Resident Assistant Pre-Service Training Course Page 7