CPD 116 COURSE SYLLABUS:Fundamental Facts and Insights (3 Credits) (8/13 revision)
Instructor contact information:
There are two instructors in this course, so always write to BOTH instructors when using the course in the course messaging system (to locate the messaging system, click on "Inbox" on the top left of the screen).
You can email Mary Ray's office: or call 209-404-1985, and leave a message about where/when we can return your call. We try to check and return email and phone calls daily. Never hesitate to ask a question. You can reach Margaret Curtis by calling: 775-385-6806.
Late work: It is easy to miss late additions to the discussions or late written submissions, so it is VERY IMPORTANT to send the instructors an alert message when you submit late work or find a zero in your grade book...so monitor your grade book...Read instructor comments...And ask questions!
Here is the course syllabus. Use this as your guide for completing assignments. Changes in assignments will be posted here in the course announcements...so read announcements every time you enter the course!
Course Overview
An introduction to issues related to the use/abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in society. Students will gain knowledge of the physical and health effects of drugs. Psychological and cultural issues will also be addressed in addition to identifying prevention strategies.
No prerequisites, but college level reading and writing will be required.
*Special Note: This course is a core requirement for both the degree and certificate programs in Human Services and for the Social Work programs. This course is also required for the Human Services Certificate of Achievement in Substance Abuse Counselor Training. If using this course for continuing education and/or for licensing requirements, check with state and/or national boards prior to registration.
Instructors
Mary Ray
Margaret Curtis
Human Services Program Instructors
Department of Health Sciences and Human Services
Great Basin College
1500 College Parkway
Elko, NV 89801
Phone: 209-404-1985
Fax: 775-753-2151
Office: Health Sciences, Room 116
Administrative Support: Dianna Byers, (775) 753-2301
Office Hours
Contact instructors by course mail. Messages may be left at any time. Generally, phone messages are returned on the next business day.
Required Textbooks and Materials
- Required text:Drugs and Society, 11th edition, by Hanson, G.R., Venturelli, P.J. and Fleckenstein, A.E. (Jones and Bartlett, Publisher, ISBN: 978-1-4496-1369-3). The 10thedition cannot be used due to the specific locations of written assignments!
- Suggested: Workbook: Student Study Guide to Accompany Drugsand Society, 11th edition, same authors, same publisher (ISBN-13: 978-0-7637-5932-2)
- Reliable, regular internet connectionand use of a current word-processing program.
- Internet Web site review of the following self-help organizations is also required:
o “Alcoholics Anonymous” (
o “Rational Recovery” (
o “Emotions Anonymous” (
o “Narcotics Anonymous” (
o “Al-Anon” (
Course Description
This course contains a variety of didactic, introspective, reflective, and interactive approaches to the complex issues involving substance abuse in modern society. The physical, psychological, social and interpersonal aspects of human functioning in terms of the use/abuse of mind/mood altering substances will be addressed. Students required to research one or more community agencies or organizations which offer substance abuse/addiction intervention, prevention and/or education.
Course Goals
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to indicate understanding of the following items:
I.Identify major drugs of abuse, including alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs.
II.Demonstrate understanding of the physical and psychological effects of drug abuse.
III.Examine therapeutic interventions for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.
Expected Learner Outcomes and Methods of Measurement
1. Identify the physical, psychological and social issues related to drug abuse.
Measurement: Media analysis assignments, journal reflections, discussions, educational presentation, exam
2. Identify diagnostic, intervention, counseling and treatment modalities.
Measurement: Journal assignments, discussions, research essay, exam
3.Identify substance abuse prevention/education approaches.
Measurement: Discussions, educational presentation, journal assignments
Methods of Instruction
There are 15 weeks of required participation plus final exam week. The following learning strategies are used:
Reading assignments
Written assignments
Presentations
Class discussions
Email communications
Final examination
Course evaluation
Explanation of Grading Policy
The following grade point percentage scale will be used to calculate letter grades:
A ≥ 93
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
D- 60-62
F 59 or less
W: Student must officially withdraw from the course through the Registrar's office by the GBC fall semester deadline, or a grade will be issued.
Late Work Policy
1.It is the student’s responsibility to initiate the process of making up missed coursework/assignments, and/or obtaining missed instructional content. For late/make up work to be assessed for a grade, notify the instructors of the submission of any late/make-up submission or discussion posts.
2.Students are expected to participate and complete all assignments on time.A grade of “Incomplete” (I) may be requested and can be granted per GBC policy at the instructor’s discretion PRIOR to the beginning of final exam week. Incomplete grades must be made up by the GBC deadline DURING the following semester. Students should seek academic and/or financial aid advisement prior to requesting an incomplete grade. Late points are permanent and only stop accumulating afterthe student and instructor agree that a student will receive an incomplete for the course. Once an incomplete has been agreed upon, no further coursework will be accepted until the following semester.
3.Extra credit assignments may be issued during final exam week at the instructor's discretion, but allassignments and posts must have been completed and submitted on time during the course.
4.To be fair to all students, unexcused late work will receive an immediate 10% deduction and additional deductions in increasing amounts thereafter. Contact the instructor PRIOR to a due date to request an excused time extension. Technical problems and/or difficulty with obtaining the textbook are not generally excused; allow ample time to complete assignments in order to meet deadlines and in anticipation of technical difficulties. If needed, find library, school or alternate internet site to complete assignments on time.
5.No submission or discussion will be graded after the posted deadline for late/make-up work during final exam week. No work of any kind will be accepted for a grade after the final exam has been submitted.
6.IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT COURSE WITHDRAWALS (grade of “W”): Students who log into the course and then fail to participate, cease to participate, and/or do not officially withdraw from the class, will receive a letter grade at the end of the course which reflects total points earned, even if those points equal a zero.
Attendance Policy
Per this statement from the GBC catalog: "[students]…must participate in classes regularly if you intend to obtain the full benefits of instruction.” If you have difficulty participating due to technical problems which cannot be resolved by calling the Help Desk at 775-753-2167, or due to significant illness/personal emergency, notify the instructor as soon as possible, when possible, prior to the due date, and discuss making arrangements for submitting missed assignments. It is recommended that all assignments be completed, no matter how late, due to the educational value of coursework.
General Course Guidelines
1. Due to the sensitive nature of some subject matter, students are expected to present thoughtful reviews of the material, and to offer respectful, appropriate, fact-based, scholarly commentary. Email messages should be addressed by using the name of the recipient and be signed electronically by the sender. Correct spelling and grammar must be used in all areas of the course.
2. Students are to demonstrate respectful, ethical behaviors as outlined in the GBC catalog and the Code of Ethics of the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS) when participating in course-related activities in any class meeting, interactive video session, and/or course-related discussions and/or interpersonal interactions. Course instructor(s), and/or the Admissions and Progression Review Committee, and/or the Dean of the Health Sciences and Human Services Department will address student behaviors which may be deemed in conflict with these expectations. Additionally, involvement by members of GBC administration may occur as needed. These expectations and interventions have been established to help students to develop professional attitudes and behaviors as related to the human services profession. Students are to act in accordance with NOHS professional ethical standards as well as GBC student behavioral standards.
3. This is an interactive class in which student input is needed to enhance learning for all participants. Timely and regular input into the discussions is required by the posted due dates. All discussions, written assignments and email communications must be composed using correct, college level English writing, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc. Points will be deducted for writing errors. Posts may be deleted at the instructor’s discretion. Students will be notified of deleted posts, as well as the reason for the deletion.
4. APA style/format (including an abstract) may be required for specific assignments; APA papers must be logically organized, contain a fully developed narrative, include cover and reference pages, and be based on accurate information from research and evidence-based sources. The Academic Success Center staff and/or the GBC librarians can help with APA style/format. Also, the “OWL at Purdue” website also contains examples of APA style writing and formatting. The instructor will not provide instruction or feedback about style/composition errors, nor offer opportunities for rewriting papers solely to correct formatting. Points will be deducted for work which fails to comply with college level English writing and/or APA writing style requirements.
NOTE>90% of the content of journal and discussion post assignmentsare to be written in the student’s own words. Information from the textbook and/or websites should be summarized or quoted, but must be accurately cited with page numbers. In journal assignments and discussion posts, page numbers indicating the location of information must be supplied in parentheses immediately following the sentence or sentences in which the information was used. Phrases or sentences copied word-for-word from websites or the textbook, or any other published materials must be written in quotation marks and cited. Originality checks/Turnitin course feature will be used, and plagiarism (direct, word-for-word copying of phrases or sentences) will not be accepted for a grade. If non-cited/copied material is found, the student will be given the opportunity to re-write the work within a time limit, and a reduction of 10% (one letter grade) per resubmission will be made. Subsequent incidents may disqualify work, or result in a zero score…and also may result in reporting for disciplinary action by GBC/HSHS Department....Learn to use the "Turn it In" originality check feature by clicking on the colored tab in the assignment area. Work may be revised without penalty until the due date, but instructors will not assess assignments prior to the due date.
5. Students may not use the e-mail addresses of other students, faculty, and/or staff for purposes unrelated to this class. Violations may lead to disciplinary action.
6. Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Great Basin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A qualified student must furnish current verification of disability. The Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Julie Byrnes) will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the appropriate and reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services. For more information or further assistance, please call 775.753.2271.
What is plagiarism? (If you don't know, please ask about this, because this is a serious academic concern!)
Original, college level English writing is required for all assignments, discussion posts and email messages. Points are deducted for errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and for failure to use APA style/formatting and/or failure to cite supporting documentation or information from the readings. Concepts and facts from the textbook must be cited with the correct page number; the page number must appear after a sentence in which information from published and/or internet sources is written. 90% of assignments must be in the student’s own words, and in complete sentences; student work must contain facts and information derived from the assigned readings. Direct quotes from the book, workbook, glossary, dictionary, or index require quotation marks as well as page numbers. Point losses up to and including a zero score will be issued for failure to comply with academic and ethical standards regarding the inclusion of published material in student work.
Course Outline/Schedule/Assignments
__Pretest: Write a description of the terms in Part A, in your own words, in complete sentences, without using books, notes, or any other resources, and before reading the textbook. Upload the Pretest assignment under the “Pretest” section as an MS Word document (.doc/.docx) or PDF or RTF file. Do not email this, or any assignment, to the instructors. Part A of the pretest is not graded, but the topics can be used as a guide for identifying concepts to learn during the course, and to study for the final examination. 5 bonus points can be earned by submitting Part A. 5 bonus points can be earned by answering questions in Part B of the Pretest correctly. Part C: 5 bonus points can be earned by submitting a summary of the Maslow video material (the video is located in the Pretest assignment section). A possible total of 15 bonus points may earned for completing Parts A, B and C.
Pretest: Part A
1. Intervention
2. Recovery
3. Withdrawal
4. Disease model of addiction
5. AA/Al-Anon and the 12 Steps
6. Relapse
7. Co-dependency
8. Rational Recovery (RR―the organization)
9. Delirium Tremens (DT’s)
10. Stimulants
11. Narcotics
12. Hallucinogens
13. Designer drugs
14. Inhalants
15. Steroids
Pretest: Part B
1.What is the minimum number of complete sentences of academic content required for each journal response?
2.What approximate percentage is deducted from an unexcused late assignment which is submitted 8 weeks late?
3.Why are quotation marks and citations required when copying phrases or sentences from books or websites?
4.What is the minimum number of complete sentences of fact-based content required for a peer response post?
5.Why is it important not to give other students personal advice in this class?
Pretest Part C: Watch the Maslow video by clicking on the Pretest area of the course assignments. Write a 15 sentence or more summary of what you learned from the video in complete sentences.
ASSIGNMENTS BY WEEK
Week 1: Topics: Introductions, Pretest
Learning Goals: Complete an overview of the course and course requirements and take the pretest in order to establish objectives
Assignments (To be completed by the end of Week 1):
___Read all course announcements
___Complete the pretest in the course syllabus (above) and submit it the Pretest assignment area. Save work in a file (MS Word, RTF, or PDF format), and upload the Pretest assignment file into the course assignment submission area. DO NOT EMAIL the pretest or any other assignment without prior permission. Call the help desk if you need assistance with uploading files or locating specific areas within the course.
___Read the ENTIRE syllabus
___Mark your calendar with all of the course due dates!
___Read the "Preface" in the textbook. The 11th Edition of the book is required for completing assignments
___Note instructor posts and any new course announcements. Check for new announcements and new email EACH TIME you enter the course
___Introduce yourself to the instructor and your classmates in the ungraded “Introductions” discussion area by the end of the first week of class. Tell us a little about yourself, why you are choosing to take this course at this time, and share your learning/career goals. Include thoughts about addiction and addictive behaviors that may have affected you. Students may continue to use the “Introduction” discussion area for informal chat and/or for forming study groups. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not disclose personal information about which you are uncomfortable sharing or that you wish to keep confidential! Some of the topics in the course may trigger emotional reactions. Contact the instructor and/or the GBC Office of Student Affairs if you feel you are having personal difficulties or challenges during the course, and/or you may wish a referral for counseling.
Week 2
Topics: The spectrum of drug abuse: One-time drug experimentation, use, excessive use/abuse, dependency, and addiction
Learning Goals: Define the spectrum of drug use, misuse and abuse. Distinguish use from abuse and dependency. Examine the “bio-psychosoical” and cultural impact of addiction on individuals, families and societies.
Assignments:
___Note assignment due dates
___Read textbook, Chapter 1. Read all instructor and student posts.
___Participate in Discussion #1 by posting information about one major topic from Chapter 1 by the due date. Try not to duplicate the posts of other students. Cite facts and summarize evidence-based information in addition to your own ideas and insights. Both graded posts must contain citations documenting facts from the readings. Include page numbers after the sentence containing information from the book. REMINDER: A minimum of TWO SEPARATE discussion posts of 10 sentences or more are required for EACH discussion post. ONLY TWO POSTS will be graded in each discussion. Additional, conversational posts are welcome but will not enhance your grade.
___Do Journal #1: Write a description in twenty complete sentences or more about the stages of drug dependence on page 37. Use your own words, but include ideas/facts/concepts/quotes from the text to support the reasons for your statements. Citations are page numbers (in parentheses) which indicate the location of published or internet information. Citations should follow the sentence in which the information is included. Citations are required in ALL journal assignments as well as the two graded discussion posts. It can be considered plagiarism when students do not give credit to the author of published material, even when derived from readings in a textbook. Upload assignment into the “Assignments” area by the due date.