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SYLLABUS
Oklahoma City Community College
SCL-1001 Success in College and Life
Fall, 2010
Instructor Information
Name: Professor Ferguson
Office Location: 1H13
Email Address: craig.w.ferguson@email.occc.edu
Website: www.occc.edu/cferguson
Phone Number: 787-2588
Office Hours and Location: 1H13, MWF 7:00-8:00 a.m. & by appointmentSection
Information
Number: SCL-1001-E39
Days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Times: 10:00 – 10:50 a.m.
Location: VPA room 128 Required Text:
Your College Experience: Strategies for Success in College and Life.
8th Ed. Gardner, John N.; A. Jerome Jewler, and Betsy O. Barefoot. Boston:
Thomson Wadsworth, 2010.
Course Description:
Students will be introduced to some of the best practices for success
in college and life. General topics include: Making Connections, Time
Management, Major/Career Exploration, Setting Educational, Financial,
and Personal Goals, Study Skills, Critical Thinking, Diversity and Global
Awareness, College Ethics, Library Skills and Information Literacy,
Using Technology Effectively, and Health and Wellness Strategies. This
course should be taken during a student's first semester of college
work at Oklahoma City Community College and is a required course in
degree plans.
Course Competencies: Upon successful completion of
this course, the student will
• Identify and use available college resources, technologies, practices,
and procedures.
• Evaluate educational, financial, and personal goals incorporating
a major and career plan.
• Assess and develop study skills, critical thinking skills, and
strategies for academic success.
• Demonstrate an understanding of diversity and global connections.
• Demonstrate appropriate ethical behavior for academic success.
• Locate and evaluate resources to meet an information need.
• Develop strategies for balancing school, work, family, spiritual,
social, and physical well-being through time and stress management techniques.
Participation and Attendance Policy: Oklahoma City Community College expects regular and punctual attendance in all courses. Since much of this course is activity and participation based, it is critical that you attend all class meetings. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to turn in your work early or notify me through email, voice mail, phone, or in person about your absence. If you miss, be aware that the due dates for assignments still apply, and you are still accountable for all missed work (quizzes, activities, assignments, etc.) and lecture notes or handouts. Contact me or a classmate. If you miss an entire week of an 8 week semester or two weeks in a 16 week semester, you should consider dropping the course. However, discuss this with me first! I want you to do well in this course, so let me help you to discover answers to any barriers which are stopping you from being successful in this course. As per the policy of Oklahoma City Community College, attendance will be taken. Also according to college guidelines, attendance will affect one’s grade. The occasional absence due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances will be tolerated, however excessive absences for ANY reason will result in a lowering of one’s grade. Specifically, EACH absence in excess of five will result in the student’s final point total being reduced by ten points. For example, if a student has missed ten classes then that student would lose fifty points. Moreover, in an attempt to encourage punctuality, AN ABSENCE IS DEFINED AS MISSING ANY PART OF A CLASS PERIOD. Missing part of a class means coming in late, leaving early or at any point during class for any reason whatsoever, or simply being inattentive during class (e.g. cell phone interruptions, texting, talking out of turn, sleeping, doing homework for another class, etc.). Determining attendance will be subject to my prerogative. However, in an attempt to encourage class attendance, if a student has fewer than five absences then that student will be rewarded by having five points added to their point total for each absence under five. For example, if a student has zero absences then that student will receive twenty-five extra points.
Assignments and Grading: Grades will be calculated
on a point basis. Types of graded assignments will be exams, projects,
activities, worksheets, quizzes, inventories, and others. The quizzes
will occur every week throughout the course and will cover assigned
readings from the text. Quizzes will be administered at the beginning
of class, therefore punctuality is paramount. If a student is not present
at the commencement of class, that student will not be allowed to take
that quiz. Moreover, there will be no make-ups for the quizzes. These
quizzes are designed to encourage and reward reading, thus better preparing
students for course material. However, to ensure fairness and compensate
for the inevitable unforeseen absence (or tardy), only six of the quizzes
will count toward ones' grade. Simply, students will be allowed to drop
their lowest quiz score. Each of the quizzes will be worth twenty-five
points, for a total of 150 points. The final exam will count for an
additional 100 points. The remaining points will result from a variety
of classroom assignments.
Your final grade will be based on the total number of points you earn.
450 - 500 = A
400 - 449 = B
350 – 399 = C
300 – 349 = D
299< = F
Late Work Policy: All work should be turned in on time.
If work is turned in late for any reason, points may be subtracted for
each day until submission for major assignments. After one week, points
may not be awarded for assignments, but students may still be expected
to turn them in. No work may be submitted after the last day of class.
Accommodation Statement: Oklahoma City Community College
Complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans
with Disabilities Act. Students with disabilities who seek accommodations
must make their request by contacting the Office of Student Support
Services located on the first floor of the main building near SEM entry
3 or by calling 682-7520. All accommodations must be approved by the
Assistant Director, Student Disability Services.
Global Awareness: Knowing our larger connection to
the world is an essential part of a complete college education, in this
course, we will include connections to other cultures in order to create
a fuller world perspective throughout the course and particularly in
the Diversity module.
Assessment: Oklahoma City Community College is committed to providing
quality educational experiences to all students and to striving for
continuous improvement in its programs and services. Student assessment
is vital to the educational process and can be of significant value
to you and to the students who follow you.
To ensure that adequate assessment information is available to allow
OCCC to continuously improve programs and services, you may be asked
to participate in personal interviews; take program and/or general education
assessments, which could be tests; give oral presentations, write assignments,
or engage in other activities. You may also be asked to complete surveys
during designated times, which may include class periods. These opportunities
are your chance to help OCCC improve the courses, programs, and services
which could affect you and will certainly impact students in the future.
For this course, you will do a pre-test and a post-test, so we can assess
how much students are learning throughout the semester.
Academic Integrity Policy: Oklahoma City Community
College places the highest value on student learning, and academic integrity
is critical for that learning to take place. A lack of academic integrity
will undermine the learning process, leaving students less prepared
to face challenges in future classes as well as in the work environment.
Therefore Oklahoma City Community College expects all students to meet
the highest ethical standards in their academic pursuits. Faculty and
staff share in the responsibility to ensure standards are maintained.
Violations of academic integrity are viewed very seriously. Any form
of academic dishonesty is subject to disciplinary action by the college.
Should a professor determine that a student violation of academic integrity
has occurred, the following actions shall be taken:
• The professor may record a zero for the assignment, require the
student to redo the assignment, assign a failing grade in the class,
or recommend other appropriate action.
• The professor shall present in writing to the appropriate Dean
and to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs a description
of the specific occurrence, supporting documentation and action taken.
• The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs shall send
the student a certified letter that verifies that a report of the incident
and the professor’s actions is on file in the office of the Associate
Vice President for Academic Affairs. The student may file an appeal
in accordance with the Student Appeal of a Grade Procedure if he/she
believes that an erroneous or unfair accusation has been made.
• The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs may file an
official complaint of a Student Conduct Code Violation if a) the incident
is an extreme violation or b) if there are repeated instances of violations
on file. The Student Conduct Code is published each year in the Student
Handbook.
Transfer Awareness: Keep your course syllabi from each course you take.
You may need to show your new institution that the course you are asking
to transfer is the same/similar to the course you do not want to retake
at another college. Also, keep a copy of the College Catalog from the
year you enter OCCC in case you need it for a course description or
other explanation sometime in the future.
Safety and Security Emergency Procedures
The health and safety of all our students, faculty, and staff are OCCC’s
prime concern. The procedures outlined below are designed to deal with
emergencies of various types. Students should always follow the lead
of their instructors.
• Fire
First notification will come from the fire alarm horns, sirens, and
strobes. The class should gather their belongings, exit the building
using the nearest exit, and move to a parking lot. Do not use the elevators.
No alarm should be treated as a false alarm. Horns, sirens, and strobes
are only used for fire alarms.
• Fire (Special Considerations)
If someone in your area is not physically capable of descending the
stairwell, please ensure that they remain in the “area of safe
refuge” located just inside each upper-level enclosed first stairwell.
There are emergency phones located near each of these areas.
• Medical
For all medical related issues push the "emergency” button
located on each classroom phone. The phone will display your room number,
allowing for fast response to your location. All security officers are
trained as first responders and will assist in guiding EMSA to your
location. Treat all bodily fluids as if they were contaminated.
• Bomb
If you receive a bomb threat, document as much information as possible
and push the “emergency” button on the phone. If the decision
to evacuate is given, the phone will sound an alarm and display a text
message. The class should gather their belongings, exit the building
using the nearest exit, and move to an open grassy area. Please turn
off all wireless devices. (Cell phones, radios, laptops, and other portable
devices.)
• Weather
Tornado warnings that include OCCC will be sent directly to the classroom
phone. The phone will sound and alarm and display a text message. The
class should gather their belongings, move away from exterior glass
and exits, and move to safer areas. These areas are lower-level interior
classrooms, restrooms, and stairwells. You should familiarize yourself
with the safer areas near your classroom(s). If the city/county sirens
are sounding and OCCC is not in the warning area a message will be sent
to the classroom phone advising this information.
• Disturbance/Threats
If someone is causing a disturbance in a classroom call security immediately.
Push the “emergency” button located on each classroom phone.
Distance yourself from that person, do not place yourself in the person’s
exit path and remove all potential weapons from the area. Shelter in
place: If there is an armed person or shooter on campus: Close and lock
your hallway doors. Turn off the lights, shut the blinds or move away
from exposed areas. Use desks, tables and other objects to provide protection.
Updated information will be sent to the classroom phone.
8 WEEK TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Week One: August 23rd – 27th
Monday, August 23rd:
Introduce Course/Syllabus/Expectations/Resources
Welcome Video
Making Connections video
Academic and Career Portfolio assignment (100 points) due 10/15
Wednesday, August 25th:
Myers-Briggs Inventory
Friday, August 27th:
Discover Tour
Week Two: August 30th – September 3rd
Monday, August 30th:
Quiz 1: syllabus (25 points)
Reading assignment: chapter 1 – “Exploring Your Porpoise”
chapter 2 – “Managing your Time”
Setting Goals video
Wednesday, September 1st:
Library tour (70 point assignment) exercises 4-6
Friday, September 3rd:
Time Management video
Individualized Educational Plan assignment (20 points) in class assignment
bring to class degree program sheet – http://www.occc.edu/ACS/DegreePrograms.html
Budget Worksheet assignment (10 points) in class assignment
Week Three: September 8th – 10th
Wednesday, September 8th:
MBTI analysis, meet in CU2
Friday, September 10th:
Quiz 2: chapters 1-2 (25 points)
Reading assignment: chapter 3 – “Understanding Emotional Intelligence”
chapter 4 – “Discovering How You Learn”
Study skills video
Importance of class participation discussion
Note taking assignment (10 points) in class assignment (bring notes
from another class)
Week Four: September 13th – 17th
Monday, September 13th:
Quiz 3: chapters 3-4 (25 points)
Reading assignment: chapter 5 – “Thinking Critically”
chapter 6 – “Being Engaged in Learning”
SQ3R Assignment (20 points) in class assignment (bring text from another
class)
Wednesday, September 15th:
Safety presentation
Friday, September 17th:
Student Life presentation
Week Five: September 20th – 24th
Monday, September 20tht:
Quiz 4: chapter 5-6 (25 points)
Reading assignment: chapter 7 – “Reading to Learn from College
Textbooks”
chapter 8 – “Learning to Study, Comprehend, and Remember”
College ethics video
Plagiarism discussion
Wednesday, September 22nd:
Financial Aid presentation
Friday, September 24th:
Plagiarism assignment (20 points) in class assignment (print out article
from website or book and bring to class)
Week Six: September 27th – October 1st
Monday, September 27th:
Quiz 5: chapter 7-8 (25 points)
Reading assignment: chapter 9 – “Improving Your Performance
on Exams and Tests”
chapter 10 – “Writing and Speaking Effectively”
Diversity and Global Awareness video
Lifeboat Diversity assignment (10 points)
Wednesday, September 29th:
Library Assignment (50 points) in library assignment, exercises 7-8
Due date: 3/12
Friday, October 1st:
Health and Wellness Assessment worksheet assignment (10 points)
Math anxiety video
Critical thinking video
Health & Wellness video
Critical Thinking puzzle assignment (20 points)
Week Seven: October 4th – 8th
Monday, October 4th:
Quiz 6: chapter 9-10 (25 points)
Reading assignment: chapter 11 – “Developing Library, Research,
and Information Skills”
chapter 12 – “Making the Right Choice for Majors and Careers”
Library Skills video
Grammar handout
Wednesday, October 6th:
Enrollment/Advisement session, LB room 407
Friday, October 8th:
Personal finances speaker
Week Eight: October 11th – 15th
Monday, October 11th:
Quiz 7: chapters 11-12 (25 points)
Major & Career Exploration video
Next Steps: Advising video
Using technology effectively video
Wednesday, October 13th:
Next steps worksheet assignment (10 points) in class assignment
Friday, October 15th
Academic and Career Portfolio due
Library assignment due