PSY 201 General Psychology Online Fall 2015 4 credits Faculty: Melissa Cunningham, Ph.D. Website: http://moodle.wou.edu Email: cunningm@wou.edu Office Hrs: Todd 338: M 11:30 3:30pm Phone: 503-751-4204 Online Moodle Chat: W 9:30-10:30am Course Description: A study of the science of human behavior and experience including the history and themes of psychology, research designs and methodology, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning, memory, development, and language. How this course is taught: This class employs active learning, in which students solve problems, answer questions, formulate questions of their own, discuss, explain, debate, or brainstorm through the online learning forum. Course Goals & Objectives After completing PSY 201 the successful student will: 1. Have a basic understanding of the scientific foundations of psychology and the methods used to generate knowledge within the discipline. 2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts, principles, and themes within several subareas of psychology such as history of the discipline, research designs and methodology, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning and memory, lifespan development, language and thought. 3. Apply concepts in psychology to better understand human behavior within personal, occupational, and/or social settings. 4. Demonstrate knowledge of the subjective nature of human experience in a diverse world. Delivery Mode: Online Course Class resources and activities such as the syllabus, assignments, discussion questions, exams, etc. will be posted on Moodle (WOU online). You can access this by logging in at: http://moodle.wou.edu This website can also be accessed by logging in to your WOU portal. How this course will Proceed: The course is organized into weekly sections. Each week on the calendar coincides with chapter(s) from your text to read and study. In addition, you will continue to learn about the topics in your text through online activities. Each week the online activities differ but may include viewing videos, reading articles or notes, responding to online discussion questions, completing assignments, quizzes, or exams. Each week there will be a due date of Sunday night at 11:59pm for all of that week s activities & assignments (see calendar & due dates at end of syllabus). You should plan to set aside a number of hours each week to read your text, watch videos, and complete assignments. It is unlikely you will be able to do a whole week s worth of work in one day, so please pace yourself accordingly. Required Text: This text is NOT online, and must be purchased (or rented). Alternatively, it is also available in the WOU library on 2-hour reserve. Weiten, W. (2013). Psychology: Themes and variations (9 th Ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. (ISBN-10: 1-111-35474-X)
Recommended Equipment & Software: While extensive computer experience is not necessary to succeed in this class, you should be familiar with posting messages on discussion boards, uploading and transferring documents electronically, and navigating chat rooms. If you are not comfortable with this level of experience, contact the Technology Resource Center at WOU (in Hamersly Library) or www.wou.edu/trc, call Moodle support at (503) 838-9300. You will need Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the documents on the website. Flash may be required to view some video content (thus, some videos may not available to be viewed on an ipad or iphone or other computer that does not support Flash). If you access these documents from a computer that does not have these programs, you will not be able to view the material. All computers in WOU computer labs have the required programs to view the contents of this site. Additionally, you can download free Microsoft viewers and Adobe viewers that will allow you to view the material. For more information, please contact the instructor. Grading: Unit 1 assignments 37 Unit 1 Exam 45 Unit 2 Assignments 31 Unit 2 Exam 45 Unit 3 Assignments 18 Debate 16 Final Exam 45 Total Points 237* *(Extra Credit Possible 10) Grading Scale: Points 220-237 A 213-219 A- 206-212 B+ 196-205 B 189-195 B- 182-188 C+ 173-181 C 165-172 C - 142-164 D 141 & Below F Online Assignments: Each week there will be online assignment(s). These may be discussion questions, short reflection papers, quizzes, or exams. All assignments are due at the end of each weekly deadline (Sunday @ 11:59pm; see calendar at end of syllabus). Point values for each assignment are available on the calendar at the end of the syllabus. Discussion Questions: You are required to post one (1) original answer to each discussion question and reply to two (2) peers per discussion question. Each post is worth 2 points for a total of 6 points per discussion question. You must first post your own original answer before you can view the other posts. There is a short waiting period on Moodle (30 minutes) after you post your original answer (during which time you can edit your post) before you can view all the other posts in that forum. No late discussion questions will be accepted as they require peer-interaction. Please plan to participate early in the week & on multiple days each week, so you do not run into a situation late Sunday night that prevents you from earning these points. Discussion questions are graded on a 2-point scale following the provided rubric. For each discussion question, you are required to post an original answer with depth, detail, and clarity of thought. Focus specifically on answering each part of the presented question. In addition, you should include additional examples, personal experiences, or outside
references to illustrate your points or opinions. When using outside references they need to be clearly cited in your post. In addition to answering the question, students are required to respond to 2 others posts in the same manner that you might in a classroom discussion. These replies must also show depth, detail, & clarity of thought. POINTS DESCRIPTION 2 Discussion post clearly answered each part of the stated question with critical thought. Additional examples, personal experiences, or outside references were provided to illustrate main points with depth. Any outside references were clearly cited in the post (if needed). 1 Discussion post answered each part of the stated question. Additional examples, personal experiences, or outside references were absent or minimal. More detail & depth was needed. 0 Discussion post did not clearly address question topic fully, lacked critical thought, depth, and additional examples. Exams: There will be three online exams. Since the exams will be conducted online, they will be open-book and open-note. They are not, however, open-classmate meaning you must submit your own individual work. There will be a time limit once you open the exam. You will only have one attempt to open and complete each exam. It is created to give you enough time to look up some questions in your book or notes, but not all. Thus you will have to prepare and study most concepts in advance. Each exam is available for one week & due at the end of that week s deadline (Sunday @ 11:59pm for Exam 1 & 2; Tuesday @ 11:59pm for Final exam; see calendar & due dates at end of syllabus). However, once the exam is opened and viewed it will be your ONLY chance to complete it. Late Policy: No late discussion questions will be accepted as they require peer-interaction. Please plan to participate early in the week & on multiple days each week, so you do not run into a situation late Sunday night that prevents you from earning these points. Late point deductions for writing assignments or quizzes are -10% per day Monday- Sunday. EXAMS: I only allow people to take exams after the due date if there has been a prearranged excuse authorized by me. If you cannot complete the exam by the weekly due date, you must notify me BEFORE the actual due date to obtain an excuse. You must have a reasonable excuse for missing the exam deadline, as determined by the instructor. Reasonable excuses include hospitalizations, death of a family member, or severe illness with a doctor s note. You will be required to provide documentation. If you have a personal emergency, please do not hesitate to contact me as soon as possible. Excuses are NOT granted for poor time management, sporting events, forgetting a deadline, or travel plans. Since this this course is available online 24 hours/day you should plan around these predictable events each week.
Extra Credit: You may earn extra credit by reading and critiquing a journal article or participating in a WOU psychology research project. More information is provided at the end of the syllabus. I do not round grades up. I assign grades strictly according to the point totals noted above. Students must earn their points & grade. Extra credit can be a good opportunity to improve your grade especially if the final grade ends up close to the cut off for the next higher grade. Email Reminder: All official university and class business will be directed to your WOU student email account. If you do not regularly check this account, please log in to this account and forward your WOU email to an account that you do regularly access. Also, to ensure your email is NOT deleted by accident before I read it, please write class/ # in the subject line. Online Etiquette: Just like in a face-to-face classroom, I expect all students to respect each other, respect different and opposing viewpoints and ideas, and to be supportive and professional in their online posts and submissions. What you post online can potentially be there permanently for all to see. A good rule of thumb for ALL online activity, Don t post anything you would be embarrassed for your Grandmother (or Professor, or Dean of Students) to see! Disabilities: If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and the Office of Disability Services, APSC 405, or at 503-838-8250, as early as possible in the term. Students needing medical or mental health care can access the Student Health and Counseling Center by calling 503-838-8313, emailing at health@wou.edu, or by walking in to schedule an appointment. Veterans and active duty military personnel with special circumstances are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor. WOU Student Success Specialist Students in this class may be referred to the WOU Student Success Specialist (SSS) if the instructor determines their performance in the class is placing them at academic risk. The SSS will offer to work with referred students to address issues and develop a student success strategy. Irrespective of whether a referral has or has not been made, you are ultimately responsible for tracking your own progress in this course. Mandatory Reporting: As an employee at Western Oregon University, I am required by federal law to report any incident of sexual misconduct. If you wish to talk with me about something that has occurred to you or another student, I must inform university personnel. Reporting this information helps the university to safeguard students and get students the help and support needed. You have the right to maintain your privacy. I will only report what you confide in me. If you would like additional information about sexual misconduct response at WOU, please visit the website at www.wou.edu/student/assault_care.php Academic Honesty: All students in this course are expected to follow the university guidelines for academic integrity outlined by Western Oregon University. Any student caught cheating in this course will receive a failing grade for the assignment and possible failure for the term. Code of Student Responsibility -- 574-031-0030 Specific Standards and Policies
The following list of prohibited forms of conduct is not all inclusive since it is not possible to list all potential violations. The University requires that all students behave in a manner congruent with established community standards and in a manner conductive to the development of the individual. Actions detrimental to the mission of the University and the legitimate activities of the academic community which constitute the University are in violation of this Code and may be subject to judicial procedures. 1) Academic dishonesty, which includes but is not limited to: (a) Cheating- intentional use or attempted use of artifice, deception, fraud, and/or misrepresentations of one s academic work; (b) Fabrication- unauthorized falsification and/or invention of any information of citation in any academic exercise; (c) Facilitating dishonesty helping or attempting to help another person commit an act of academic dishonesty. This includes students who substitute for other persons in examinations or represent as their own papers, reports, or any other academic work of others; (d) Plagiarism- representing without giving credit the words, data, or ideas of another person as one s own work in any academic exercise. This includes submitting, in whole or in part, prewritten term papers of another of research of another, including but not limited product of commercial vendor who sell or distribute such materials. And the appropriation of and/or use of electronic data of another person or persons as one s own, or using such data without giving proper credit for it; or (e) Any use or attempted use of electronic devices in gaining an illegal advantage in academic work in which use of these devices is prohibited, and such devices include but are not limited to cell phones, pdas, ipads, laptops, programmable calculators, etc. Resources TECH SUPPORT: 503-838-9300 or moodle@wou.edu The Writing Center offers assistance with writing. The Writing Center is located in APS 301, 503-838-8286, http://www.wou.edu/las/humanities/writingctr/ The Academic Advising and Learning Center offers academic tutoring and study skills assistance. The Academic Advising and Learning Center is located in APS 401, 503-838-8428 phone, http://www.wou.edu/provost/aalc/advising/ Library and Media services offer assistance with research and information retrieval. Ask for assistance at the reference desk in Hamersly Library, phone/tty 503-838-8418.
Due Dates: Sundays @ 11:59pm Week 1 Oct 4 Week 2 Oct 11 Week 3 Oct 18 Week 4 Oct 25 Week 5 Nov 1 Week 6 Nov 8 Week 7 Nov 15 Week 8 Nov 22 Week 9 Nov 29 Week 10 Dec 6 Course Calendar & Due Dates TEXT READINGS Chapter 1: The Evolution of Psychology Chapter 2: The Scientific Approach Chapter 3: Biological Bases of Behavior Chapter 4: Sensation & Perception Chapter 6: Learning Theories Chapter 7: Human Memory Article: 7 Sins of Memory Chapter 11: Human Development UNIT 1 ACTIVITIES VIDEO LECTURE: Topic 1 Introduction Discussion Question (3 pts) DQ 1a: Psychological Perspectives (6pts) DQ 1b: Careers (6 pts) VIDEO LECTURE: Topic 2 DQ 2: Ethics (6 pts) Quiz 2: Research Methods (5 pts) VIDEO LECTURE: Topic 3 DQ 3: Nature vs. Nurture (6 pts) Quiz: The Brain (5 pts) Exam1: Chapters 1-3 (45 pts) UNIT 2 Study Lecture Notes (no video): Topic 4 DQ 4: WOW moment (6 pts) Quiz: Sensation & Perception (5 pts) Study Lecture Notes (no video): Topic 5 Lesson/Quiz 5: Classical Conditioning (5 pts) Assignment 5: Operant Conditioning (4 pts) VIDEO LECTURE: Topic 6 DQ 6: Memory (6 pts) Quiz 6: 7 Sins of Memory (5 pts) EXAM 2: Chapters 4, 6, & 7 (45 pts) UNIT 3 VIDEO LECTURE: Topic 7 DQ 7A: Erikson s Stages (6 pts) DQ 7B: Development (6 pts) All Extra Credit Due: Friday Dec 4 @ Noon Chapter 8: Language & Thought VIDEO LECTURE: Topic 8 DQ 8: Language & Thought (6 pts) Debate Assignment (16 pts) Finals Week Tuesday, Dec 8 @ 11:59pm EXAM 3: Chapters 8 & 11 (45 pts.) NOTE: This syllabus may be changed at any time by the instructor. Any changes will be presented online.
PSY 201 Extra Credit Instructor: Dr. Cunningham EXTRA CREDIT OPTION #1: Journal Summary Worth: 2 points per article summary REQUIREMENTS: Find and print a psychological article from a peer-reviewed journal (these can be found using the search database called PsychINFO through the library). Should be about a topic that interests YOU. Summarize the article in a typed document that is approximately one page. Include general topic information, methodology, and main findings. Discuss two critiques of the article. (Example: Do you agree with their findings? Did they have enough subjects to draw major conclusions?) Please upload this with your article link or article attached where indicated on our Moodle course site. EXTRA CREDIT OPTION #2: Research Participation Worth: 2 points per red slip REQUIREMENTS: Participate in a research study through the psychology department at WOU. To sign up: Visit Todd Hall, 1 st floor. Enter from Monmouth Ave. & take your first left. Down the hallway, you will see a bulletin board advertising experiments. Follow instructions to sign-up. Participation is voluntary & you may withdraw at any time during the experiment if you do not want to continue for any reason. ALL EXTRA CREDIT DUE: Friday, Dec 4 @ NOON no exceptions Maximum Extra Credit: 10 points. (*This can be a combination of the above.) NOTE: Extra credit cannot be used to make a failing grade into a passing grade. Thus your grade must be passing (60% or higher) before any extra credit will be added. In other words, you must first master the course content at a level equal to 60% or better before any extra credit will be applied.