General Psychology 140-Internet Course Syllabus

Transcription

1 [Type text] [Type text] Page 1 of 7 General Psychology 140-Internet Course Syllabus Semester: Instructor: Phone: Use Course Messaging in Blackboard for all course correspondence. You may me at if Blackboard is down. Office: Office Hours: By appointment. Communication Turnaround time: Less than 24 hours in most cases, maybe a bit longer on the weekends. Required Textbook: Discovering Psychology, 6 th edition, authors Hockenbury and Hockenbury. Prerequisites: None. Course Description: 3 credits. 3 hours. (Lecture 3 hours.) Introduction to the scientific study of behavior and experience with emphasis on maturation and learning, motivation, emotion, sensation, perception, and thinking. Aspects of personality and individual differences. Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: 1. Explain the scientific basis and methodology of psychology. 2. Describe the organization and structure of the central nervous system. 3. Distinguish between the basic theories and principles of developmental psychology. 4. Identify the basic forms of learning. 5. Describe basic memory functions. 6. Identify and critique the major theories of personality. 7. Distinguish between the primary sources of motivation and their effects on behavior. 8. Identify psychological disorders and differentiate between normal and abnormal behavior. Recognize the cultural, biological and social factors that impact the distinction. 9. Recognize the major factors influencing individuals in social situations. 10. Evaluate current models of the treatment of psychological disorders.

2 [Type text] [Type text] Page 2 of Describe problem-solving strategies, decision-making strategies, characteristics of language, effects of bilingualism, and the development of intelligence tests. 12. Describe consciousness, sleep, dreams, mental activity during sleep, sleep disorders, hypnosis, meditation, psychoactive drugs. Course Information Quizzes: Quizzes will be given to cover textbook reading assignments for each chapter. These quizzes will be online and consist of 20 multiple-choice questions. The due dates for these quizzes can be found on your course schedule, and a study guide for these quizzes can be found under Course Documents. The questions will be drawn randomly for each student from a larger pool of questions. (So don t bother with trying to work together on them) These quizzes must be taken before Sunday at midnight each week of the semester, except where noted on the course schedule. They will be available starting on Thursday of each week. When they are open, you can find them under the Assignments button on your main menu. Quizzes will be timed, and the questions will be displayed one at a time. Chapter Assignments: Each chapter has a block of assignments worth 20 points total. They are also due by midnight on Sunday, and can be found under the Assignments button on your main menu. These assignments will generally consist of brief essay questions, discussion board questions and other miscellaneous tasks specific to certain chapters. Obviously, since everything is due by midnight on Sunday, you don t want to wait until Sunday to start! It is your responsibility to make sure you understand your assignments and open all links before Friday of each week. Your instructor may not be online during the weekend, so if you wait until the last minute to seek assistance, do so at your own risk. Not understanding an assignment or having a technical problem with a link will not excuse you from the due date. Research Paper assignment: You will write a summary and critique of psychological research requiring you to use professional psychology journal articles. This paper will be worth 60 points, and you cannot receive an A in this course unless you complete this assignment. Phase 1 Blog: Decide topic and two references Phase 2 Discussion: Post abstracts of the two articles from the reference, and then read and comment on two classmates' abstracts. Phase 3: Submit a paper. Exams:

3 [Type text] [Type text] Page 3 of 7 Two exams will be given online: Midterm exam and Final Exam. The exams will be available for several days, so make-ups outside of the scheduled exam period are not allowed. Midterm Exam: The Midterm exam is proctored, which means students will take the midterm exam on a proctoring site. Please refer to Testing center to see how to schedule a proctored exam. The midterm exam will consist of 60 multiple-choice questions and True-and False questions from the chapter 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. These questions will be worth 1 point each, for a total of 60 points. Final Exam: The final exam will consist of 60 multiple-choice questions and True-and False questions over the big ideas from all the chapters covered during the course (Chapters 1,2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 4, 13, 10, 11, 14). These questions will be worth 1 point each, for a total of 60 points. Chapters taught after midterm exam will have a bigger portion in the final exam (Chapters 4, 13, 10, 11, 14). Due Date Extensions: Life happens, and sometimes a student will become ill, or their child becomes ill, or there is a serious emergency or death in the family. Due date extensions will not be allowed without permission from the instructor, and the instructor is not obligated to give a due date extension. If an extension is granted, it is up to the instructor to decide whether or not full credit is given for a late assignment or quiz. The instructor has the right to ask for documentation of any emergency or life event that prevented you from completing the quiz or the assignment block by the due date. No extensions will be given for the final exam. Grades: Total Scores: Chapter Assignment Blocks: 240 points (12 chapter blocks, 20 points each) Chapter Quizzes: 240 points (12 chapter quizzes, 20 points each) Journal Assignment: 60 points (3 phases) Phase 1: topic and two references = 10 points Phase 2: abstracts= 20 points: 10 points for two abstracts, 10 points for comments on two other classmates' abstracts (2 comments, 5 points each) Phase 3: paper=30 points) Midterm Exam: 60 points Final Exam: 60 points Total for the course: 660 points Letter Grade Your grade for the course will be based on the usual scale: % of total points; 594 points points = A 80-89% of total points; 528 points -593 points = B

4 [Type text] [Type text] Page 4 of % of total points; 462 points points = C 60-69% of total points; 396 points -461 points = D 59% and below of total points; below 395 points = F Communication: Your instructor will respond to online messages through the Blackboard system within 24 hours on weekdays. If you are unable to login to Blackboard for some reason, you can contact your instructor through MCC or voic . You are expected to check the website every day during the week for potential updates, changes in schedule, or anything else that may come up! General Expectations: You MUST start the class by completing the Pre-assignments in unit 1within 3 days after the semester starts. These assignments are not worth any points, but they hopefully get technical issues out of the way before you have to do things that are worth points! These practice tasks also let me know who is in the class and who has decided to bail out. If your practice assignments are not received within 3 days after the semester starts, you will be dropped from the class. There are no exceptions to this policy. There is a Discussion folder labeled Problems. Please post questions that have to do with assignments, course scheduling, etc. Don t post anything that you want to discuss with me privately, use the message function if that is your need. I will look at this Problems forum frequently and post replies. Chances are, if you have a question about an assignment, or the schedule, or anything else, other members of the class have the same question. That way, I can answer questions for everyone without having to say the same thing over and over to individual students. Discussion forums are to be used for course content only. They are not to be used for complaint threads, dating threads, or other non-course related discussions. If you have a complaint about me, the course, or a particular grade, please contact me using the messages function. Anyone violating this policy will be warned once, and then dropped from the course if they violate the policy a second time. In addition, foul or offensive language is not allowed, and students will be dropped if they insist on engaging in this type of behavior. Please be respectful of the opinion of others during discussion threads. At times, we may discuss very controversial topics that you will have strong opinions about. If you disagree with another student s posting, do so in a way that respects his or her right to have an opinion that is different from yours. However, blatantly racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise offensive threads will be deleted and are also justification for being dropped from this course. Attendance will be monitored through your online activity. In addition to the Pre- Assignment deadline noted above, the Metropolitan Community Colleges attendance policy states that a student will be withdrawn from a course if they miss two consecutive

5 [Type text] [Type text] Page 5 of 7 weeks or one-third of the total semester. The easiest way for me to enforce this is to drop you from the course if I see that you have not turned in assignments or taken quizzes for two consecutive weeks without contacting me to discuss why you are absent. All students are expected to do their own work and take their quizzes and exams without assistance from others. Of course, since you aren t in the classroom, I expect that you will have your book and notes with you during quizzes. For assignments, it s fine to work with someone, as long as the document you turn in is obviously your own. In other words, if two students turn in written assignments that are identical (or close to identical) in wording, I will fail both students on that particular assignment. An online course is very different from a traditional, go to class 3 times a week format. You simply cannot procrastinate; hopefully the weekly due dates will discourage this type of behavior. There are no exceptions to due dates, except as noted in the Due Dates Extension section of this syllabus. You must have reliable Internet access! In addition, have a backup plan if your computer goes down, or the power goes out. Know where your local library or campus computer center is, and what their hours are. If you wait until the weekend to complete your assignments and your quiz, do so at your own risk!! Unless there is a system wide Blackboard outage, computer issues cannot be used as an excuse for missing a deadline. Your instructor may be unavailable on the weekends, and may not be able to help you with questions or problems if you wait until the weekend to send a message asking for assistance. The weekend due dates are provided to promote course flexibility, but this does not mean you don t have to work during the week! You are expected to spend at least hours per week on this course. Grade Turnaround Time: It is imperative in an online class that you are aware of your grade status in the class at all times. Here are the expected turnaround times for each assignment type. Discussion forums will be graded within a week after the due date. Homework grades will be posted within a week after the due date. Quiz grades are automatically posted within My Grades after the quiz is submitted. Exam grades are automatically posted within My Grades after the test is submitted. Academic Honesty: All forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited, including: 1. Plagiarism the intentional use of the ideas or words of another as one's own in a paper or other academic assignment. 2. Cheating during examinations, whether by copying from a fellow student or by using information in the form of unauthorized aids brought to the examination. 3. The submission of work for any assignment that has been prepared by another student. 4. Submission of a single paper to fulfill requirements in two courses without prior approval of the instructors of both courses. 5. Using a false name or signing the name of another individual without proper authorization in connection with any course work.

6 [Type text] [Type text] Page 6 of 7 Unilateral Instructor Action If objective evidence exists indicating that a student has practiced academic dishonesty, the instructor may assign a grade of "F" on the paper, examination, or assignment or assign a grade of "F" for the course. If the instructor feels that a more severe action is appropriate, the complaint may be referred to the division chair and the dean of instruction. The dean has the authority to recommend an action to the president, or the student may request a hearing. Student Grievances: According to MCC regulations and procedures, a student who has complaints about a course should first talk with the instructor or instructors involved. If the issue cannot be resolved, then the student should go to the appropriate division chairperson. If the student is still not satisfied, then he or she should discuss the situation with the dean of instructional services. If the problem persists at this level, then the dean of instructional services will appoint a faculty committee to resolve the issue. Student with Disabilities: Metropolitan Community College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act which prohibits discrimination in admission or access to its programs based on disability. If you need an accommodation due to a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please contact the DSS professional at your campus. Advance notice may be necessary for some accommodations to be provided in a timely manner. Accommodations must be supported by adequate documentation and are determined on an individualized basis. For more information, please visit MCC Disability Support Services website at 1. MCC-Blue River Disability Support Services (DSS) Coordinator, MCC-Business & Technology Disability Support Services (DSS) Coordinator, MCC-Longview Disability Support Services (DSS) Coordinator, MCC-Maple Woods Disability Support Services (DSS) Coordinator, MCC-Penn Valley Disability Support Services (DSS) Coordinator, *Note: It is the student s responsibility to seek these accommodations; the instructor is not obligated to provide accommodations until notified by the DSS office that a student has formally requested accommodations through the DSS office. Students have to notify instructor at the beginning of course, and to make sure the DSS office has the paperwork transferred to the instructor at the beginning of the course. This way, instructors will be allowed to have enough time to modify the tests and other materials in the course in advance. Blackboard Accessibility:

7 [Type text] [Type text] Page 7 of 7 Reserve the right to make changes: I reserve the right to make any changes necessary to this syllabus as the semester progresses. Good Luck and welcome to Psychology!