Online Course Syllabus PY250 General Psychology

Transcription

1 Online Course Syllabus PY250 General Psychology Important Notes: This document provides an overview of expectations for this online course and is subject to change prior to the term start. Changes may also occur during the term due to faculty or SPS Distance Learning course updates. Some links may only be active once the term starts. For this course you must check the Regis Bookstore: for the most current online course material information. Course Description Course Outcomes Course Outline Required Course Materials Grading Criteria Assignments Course Description This course introduces the science of behavior through a systematic study of representative areas of psychology. Course Outcomes Upon completion of the course, what will be able to: Identify the main contemporary perspectives in psychology Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific methods used to collect data about behavior and mental processes Converse about the main theories within each of the following areas of psychology: ethics, methods, biological influences, cognition, emotion, motivation, maturation, personality, societal forces, therapies, and psychopathology Critiquing psychological theory and methods so that your existing metacognitive perspective grows insightfully.

2 Course Outline PY250 has five major components: 1. Weekly reading assignments. 2. Weekly critical thinking questions. 3. Weekly discussion questions. 4. A research paper due at the end of week six. 5. One examination, a final. These assignments are based on an eight-module course design, with one module completed each week. The course lasts eight weeks. There will naturally be some overlap in assignments from week to week. You will often be working on the next module, while your instructor is reviewing materials from the previous week. But do not fall behind! Eight weeks go by like the wind, and before you know it, you're done. Required Course Materials Required: Optional: Myers, David G. (2007). Psychology. (8th ed.). Worth Publishers. ISBN: Hult, Christine A., Huckin, Thomas N., The Brief New Century Handbook, (4th ed.), Allyn & Bacon/Longman Harnack, Kleppinger, Online! A Reference Guide to Using Internet Sources, 2003, ISBN:

3 Grading Criteria Here is a breakdown of the course points and corresponding grades: Weekly Critical Thinking Questions 40% Weekly Discussion Questions / Participation 10% Research Paper 30% Final Exam 20% Online Course Assignments: PY250 General Psychology Week: Course Dynamics Critical Thinking Assignments: In the Week by Week content for this course, you will find a link to the document called "Critical Thinking Questions." Each Monday, check the Forum where the Facilitator will ask you to answer some or all of these questions, using information from the weekly assigned chapters and Week by Week readings. You will reflect on material from the weekly assigned chapters. Students are to answer the questions in essay form, using Microsoft Word. Send your reflections to the Facilitator in an attachment. To insure proper credit, please be sure to label the file you attach with your name, the course number, section, and the week of the questions. (Example: jdoepy 250 xp40_1.doc would be the week 1 answers from John Doe who is in PY 250, section xp40 ). You will also post a weekly response in the Forum to the Discussion Questions posted by the Formulate and post a concise answer in each week's Forum, then reply to AT LEAST TWO OTHER STUDENTS' responses. The initial answer posting is due by Wednesday each week; replies to others are due by Saturday.

4 Week 1 1. Syllabus 2. Week by Week: Week One 3. Myers textbook: Prologue: The Story of Psychology Chapter 1 Thinking Critically With Psychological Science 1. Introductions: Post an introduction in the Introductions section of the Forum by Wednesday of Week One. Be sure to include the following: Your name, Where you live, Occupation, or professional affiliations and interests, Your address, State your feelings and expectations about taking this course. Your antivirus software information. 2. Weekly Critical Thinking Questions - assigned and designated in the Forum by the 3. Discussion Questions - See Week by Week. Post in the Week 1 Forum. Week 2 1. Week by Week: Week Two Chapter 2: The Biology of the Mind Chapter 7: Consciousness

5 2. Discussion Questions - See Week by Week. Post in the Week 2 Forum. Week 3 1. Week by Week: Week Three Chapter 5 Sensation Chapter 6 - Perception Chapter 12 Motivation and Work Chapter 13 Emotion Learning Activities: It is time for you to consider a topic for your research paper. Pick a behavior or concept in Psychology that you are personally interested in. a paragraph describing your topic to your facilitator for approval by the end of Week 3. Papers will be due during week six and should be at least six pages in length-double-spaced. This is a research paper, thus students are to use at least six references, three of them research studies from refereed scientific journals. The paper must be written in APA style. 2. Discussion Questions - See Week by Week. Post in the Week 3 Forum. Week 4

6 1. Week by Week: Week Four Chapter 8 - Learning Chapter 9 - Memory 2. Discussion Questions - See Week by Week. Post in the Week 4 Forum. Week 5 1. Week by Week: Week Five Chapter 10 - Thinking and Language Chapter 11 - Intelligence 2. Discussion Questions - See Week by Week. Post in the Week 5 Forum. Week 6

7 1. Week by Week: Week Six Chapter 15 Personality Chapter 3 Nature, Nurture and Human Diversity Chapter 4 Developing Through the Life Span Learning Activities: Research paper due midnight Saturday. 2. Discussion Questions - See Week by Week. Post in the Week 6 Forum. Week 7 1. Week by Week: Week Seven Chapter 16 Psychological Disorders Chapter 17 Therapy 2. Discussion Questions - See Week by Week. Post in the Week 7 Forum. Week 8

8 1. Week by Week: Week Eight Chapter 14 Stress and Health Chapter 18 Social Psychology Learning Activities: Final Exam due midnight Saturday. 2. Discussion Questions - See Week by Week. Post in the Week 8 Forum. Complete online evaluation located at the bottom of the content in the Week by Week. 2001, 2005, Regis University. All rights reserved. Please contact techsupport@regis.edu if you need technical assistance or to report any problems.