St. Petersburg College
COURSE SYLLABUS
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SLS 1101 The College Experience, 3 credit hours
INSTRUCTOR:
Name: Gail R Gallagher
Contact Information: . And, you may reach me through mycourses.com
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 11-12:15; 2-3:15
Office Location: PS 119
If you need to see me on campus, I will be in my classroom PSY 119 from 12:30-2:00 Tuesday and Thursday.
ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT:
Dean: Dr. Joseph SmileyOffice Location: PS bld
Office Number: 727-712-5783 / Academic Chair: Dr. David Liebert
Office Location: PS bld
Office Number: 712-5776
Department Web Page: http://www.spcollege.edu/tsc/social_science.htm
Welcome to The College Experience!
This course is designed to present skills to help you succeed in college.
Criteria Performance Standard:
In order to obtain a grade of C in this course, the student must master 70 % of the stated objectives. Satisfactory performance is based on tests, quizzes, or exams; class attendance; completion of projects and exercises and participation in the prescribed learning task(s)/challenge(s).
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK:
You will be tested on every chapter!
Keys to Success, custom edition for St. Petersburg College
Publisher: Pearson: Copies of the book are available at the bookstore
MEETING INFORMATION:
Location: Tarpon Springs
Learning Modality: face to face
Meeting Day: Tuesday and Thursday
Class Times: Starting January 9 11:00-12:15; 2-3:15
IMPORTANT DATES:
Withdrawal Deadline: TBA
DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Please familiarize yourself with the college wide Student Rights and Responsibilities: http://www.spcollege.edu/sacs/compliance/3_9_1_Student_Rights.htm and the Syllabus Addendum: http://www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/policies.htm
ASSIGNMENTS: Active participation is integral to your success in this course. Active participation involves attending class and being on time. It also includes completing class activities and involvement in class discussion as well as reading the appropriate textbook chapters before class. All work is due on time.
It is important you check for my class announcements on line in your mycourses. I will ALWAYS post reminders or changes in your assignments. If you do not know how to use the mycourses format, please let me know.
1. Chapter Quizzes: We will discuss the chapters in your textbook in class. When we complete a chapter, you will take a 100 point quiz. The quiz will consist of true/false and multiple-choice questions and an essay. It is important you have read and studied the information in the textbook prior to attending class. Each quiz is worth (100) points..
WE DO NOT TAKE ANY QUIZZES ON LINE. All tests and quizzes are DONE IN CLASS.
2. Do Now grammar Quiz: This quiz is based on grammar sentences which will be on the white board every class period. We will discuss them each class period and I will give you the answers. After 24 sentences we will have a Do Now quiz.
In addition, there will be an essay at this time during the semester on the quotes I put on the board every day. (If you miss a class, make sure you get the white board information.)
3. *****My Learning Plan (MLP) is normally started in Start Smart: My Learning Plan (MLP) is an electronically housed, semester-by-semester plan of how you will earn your desired degree or certificate.
You will be required to have an approval signature on your final plan. You may need to make a few visits to your advisor before your MLP is accurate; so, it is very important to continuously be working on this assignment. This assignment is worth a total of 200 points. The requirements are to print out Degree Requirements and the MLP Worksheet signed by an Academic Advisor and turn them into me. The MLP will be due to me with the signature at the end of October.
4. SPC Instructor Assignment: This assignment will allow you the opportunity to gain insight into a future instructor and course you will need to take based on your MLP. You will find the instructor’s email address in the SPC Directory and send an email to the instructor introducing yourself and your assignment. You will politely request his or her participation and inquire about his or her preferred method of interaction to answer your questions (i.e., phone, face-to-face, email, etc.). The importance of this assignment is for
you to learn how to be successful and know what to expect in the course with this particular instructor. Once you have completed your interview, you will need to write a 350-word response paper including the information you gained through your interview, responses/reactions to your instructor’s information, and evaluation as to whether this instructor will work for you based on what you know about your learning style. If this instructor is not a good fit for you, what would you do to learn about other instructors who teach the same course? It will be due the end of April.
5. Civic Awareness Assignment: We will discuss the options for this assignment in class. It is worth 200 points. However, this assignment can be a written assignment or a participation one.
6. Library Reference Assignment “Hot Topics”: You will have a library orientation which will show you how to research and access information in the library (reference books, online databases, scholarly journals, etc.).
For this assignment, you will write a research paper on a hot topic in our society today. The paper needs to be in APA format and typed. Handwritten papers will not be accepted. This assignment is worth 400 points.
******As part of this assignment you will be required to visit the writing center in the Learning Support Commons and work with a tutor on writing and formatting your paper. The tutors will not write your paper for you. Therefore, you need to have your paper written before visiting the Learning Support Commons. The research paper process will take time, but we will go over each step in class.
You are encouraged to go back to the Learning Support Commons for additional visits and revisions. You will receive a form with feedback which is the proof of your visit. This form needs to be turned in to me with your paper. If you choose to use Smarthinking, you can upload your feedback when you submit your paper, or you can print your feedback and turn it in to me.
You MUST use either smartthinking or the Learning Support Commons. You will get an extra 20 points on your paper for using the tutors.
7. Financial Assignment: This assignment has two parts:
Part 1: You will apply your anticipated career earnings information from your career research paper to expenses that you will have once you graduate from college to create a realistic budget. I will provide you with more information on how to properly complete this assignment.
Part 2: You will create a SALT account and complete one of the modules of your choice. Once you complete the module, you will print the certificate and turn that in with your reality budget.
8. Final Exam: The final exam will be a cumulative exam over the entire semester. It will consist of 50 multiple choice and true/false questions and an essay. You will need a scantron for the exam. If you have 0 or 1 absence in the class and have an A average, you are allowed to exempt the final exam.
ATTENDANCE:
For this class, attendance is ESSENTIAL. It is annoying when you walk in late or skip class and then ask me “what did I miss?” If you are going to be absent let me know but missing more than three classes will affect your grade.
GRADING:
Grades will be determined as follows:
Chapter Quizzes 800 points
Do Now quizzes 200
Library Reference Assignment 400
Anthem assignment 200
Financial Assignment 100
SPC Instructor Assignment 100
Civic Awareness Assignment 200
My Learning Plan Assignment ` 200
Final Exam 200
Total 2400 points
The grading scale will be as follows:
A 90%
B 80%
C 70%
D 65%
F 0
Makeup Quizzes/Exams, Presentations, and Assignments: It is your responsibility to be present for all quizzes/exams and to turn assignments in on the appropriate due date. Makeup exams will only be given at my discretion and in documented dire circumstances. Any make up quizzes will be essays.
Late assignments will not be accepted without proper documentation of extenuating circumstances.
Cell Phones: It is annoying to me and any other college professor or speaker in my class when you check your email, Facebook, etc.
It is rude and I require all cell phones to be off or on vibrate prior to entering the classroom. Use of cell phones during class time, in any form, is a violation of College Policy.
Academic Honesty: As reflected in SPC’s Honor Code, honesty and integrity are core values that should guide your conduct and decisions as members of the SPC community. Plagiarism and cheating contradict these values, and so are very serious academic offenses. Penalties can include a failing grade on an assignment or in the course, or expulsion from the college. You are expected to familiarize yourself with and follow the college’s Honor Code (see http://www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/catalog/current/stu_affairs_honesty.htm).
STUDENT SURVEY OF INSTRUCTION:
The student survey of instruction is administered in courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance improvement.
***I reserve the right to alter this syllabus at anytime. Sometimes I can’t get into computer labs or the library when I want or a classroom debate may go longer than I planned.
Please check the news section of our Mycourses classes each week for accurate dates, chapter changes, quizzes, tests and classroom changes.
If things change too much, I normally will give you a new syllabus.
Dates / Material Covered / Assignments Due1/9 / Introductions: what’s in a name?
Overview of D2L
Review Syllabus and textbook
Chapter 1 Welcome to College
Civic awareness discussion
Go over 1st essay assignment / Written assignment prompt
How did I get here?
What am I doing now?
Where am I going?
Three paragraph essay
Due January 11
Discussion of chapter 1 and possible quiz
1/11 / Discuss MLP procedure Or, do you have an MLP?
Discuss library reference assignment 400 points
Receive the hot topics for paper
Administration of the learning styles test the VAK
Introduce Do Nows and quotes / Select hot topics
Essay due
1/16 / Who is taking Start Smart?
Quiz on intro and chapter 1
Monday Madness starts / Quiz on intro and chapter 1
1/18 / Questions on APA?
Discuss the hot topics paper
Go over requirements and work on thesis statements
1/23 / Groups with Hot Topics
Write a Draft for the first paragraph
Review chapter 2
1/25 / Library orientation / Thesis statement due for hot topics
Meet in library computer lab
1/30 / Introductory paragraph of paper
What is your EI?
How top students study.
Time management / Quiz on chapter 2
Thesis statement due for hot topics paper
2/1 / MLP must be finished
Discussion chapter 3
More ways to study
Cornell note taking and mapping
2/6 / Psychogeometrics test
Diversity
Discussion of Research / Chapter 3 quiz
2/8 / Introduction to
Reading comprehension
Speed reading
Discussion of hot topics paper again
2/13 / Chapter 4 Think outside the box
discussion
2/15 / Most important skill for the 21st century
Critical thinking
Discussion of Anthem / Quiz on chapter 4
2/20 / Chapter 5 more reading relating to college thinking / MLP project due, signed by academic advisor
Do Now test if we reached question 24
2/22 / Chapter 6
Listening and note taking: what did you say?
Speed reading continued / Hot topic papers due
Peer editing
2/27 / Review and Chapter 6 quiz / Final hot topics papers due
3/1 / Chapter 7 Retaining what you learn / How can I remember?
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3/13 / Spring Break March 5-111
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Review and Quiz on chapter 7
3/15 / Chapter 8 Tests How can I prepare?
3/20 / Quiz 8 What about FCAT? Just kidding. / Anthem paper due
3/22 / Yikes test anxiety / Speaker
3/27 / Chapter 9 / Carpe Diem speaker
3/29 / Wellness / Speaker
4/3 / Financial awareness / Financial assignment given
4/5 / Financial speaker
4/10 / Do Now and Quote test
4/12 / Resume discussion
4/19 / Review chapter 9
4/24 / Quiz on chapter 9
4/26 / Exam review
5/1 / Finish up
COURSE INFORMATION:
A. Course Description:
Prerequisites: Students who place into one (1) area of remediation are required to take SLS 1101 and SLS 1126.
This course is designed to strengthen skills essential to success in college, with further applications to post-college plans. Included are study and test-taking strategies; effective interpersonal skills; time management techniques; creative and critical thinking skills; college services and resources; educational policies, procedures, regulations and terminology; and library resources, research strategies, and information skills for online, blended, and traditional learning environments. 47 contact hours.
B. Course Objectives:
1. The student will demonstrate effective study, note-taking, and test-taking strategies.