Course Description:

This course offers students an introduction to college.  It emphasizes study methods and techniques for beginning students.  Study strategies are suggested for reducing anxiety, improving memory and concentration, managing time, taking notes from texts and lectures, researching, and preparing for and taking tests.

Course Objectives:

Become familiar with the services of the Regents Online Degree Programs.

 

Learn how study skills can help formulate and attain goals.

 

Identify the emotional and physical needs that attribute to success in college.

 

Learn how to apply the principles of time management.

 

Recognize how external or internal distractions, physical or mental fatigue, and lack of interest in the work to be done affect concentration.

 

Apply the principles of learning and remembering.

 

Acquire techniques used to read graphic materials.

 

Develop a system of making notes on (and from) textbooks.

 

Develop a system of taking notes from lectures.

 

Learn to recognize and manage test anxiety.

 

Learn how to analyze and answer both objective and subjective test questions.

 

Explore means to improve vocabulary in speaking, reading, and learning.

 

Explore steps required for research and complete a career research assignment.

 

Use online library resources to assist learning.

Appropriate score on college entrance test. 

Goal setting, time management, stress, concentration, memory, learning styles, reading strategies for study, note taking, visual learning, career research, test anxiety, and test taking.

Audio capability, RealPlayer and Microsoft Word will be needed to complete assignments.  A free download of RealPlayer is available.

Please visit the RODP Virtual Bookstore to obtain current textbook information for this course:  http://rodp.bkstr.com

Collegiate dictionary, wide tip accent pen (highlighter), 3" by 5" note cards, three-ring binder (standard notebook paper size), hole punch.

Minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. 

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. Specific software requirements for this course include Microsoft Word and Real Player.  A download of RealPlayer will be available.

Please see the Professor page inside the course to find instructor contact information. 

Midterm and final examinations will be given in a proctored setting.  Students will be responsible for securing a proctor at an educational institution and submitting the proctor's contact information to the instructor of this course.  Proctor information can be obtained at http://www.rodp.org/proctorstudentform.htm.  Exam grades will be available approximately 48 hours after the completion of the exams.

It is possible to earn 1000 points during this course.  Activities from which to gain points are as follows:

 

Online discussion:  This is an opportunity for students to share reactions to material read in the textbook and/or in the web exploration activities.  Points will be assigned to each student based on involvement in the discussions.  10 points are possible for each assignment.

 

Evaluations:  After each topic is studied, students will write summary evaluations of the concepts covered and explain how they can or cannot use the study strategies discussed.  20 points are possible for each assignment.

 

Quizzes:  These are opened book quizzes used to assess understanding of concepts presented in the textbook and to provide practice for the midterm and final examinations.  10 points are possible on each quiz.

 

Note taking:  Students will submit notes from selected textbook pages and one lecture.  30 points are possible on each of the assignments.

 

Career report:  Students will research the career of their choice and complete a brief report including a cover page and a works cited page.  150 points are possible for this assignment.

 

Midterm examination:  The midterm exam will consist of questions from Chapters 1-8 and supplemental content covered during the first portion of the semester.  The exam is worth 200 points.

 

Final examination:  The final exam will consist of questions from Chapters 9-16 plus related material from web sources.  200 points are possible on the exam.

900-1000 points = 90-100% = A
800-899 points = 80-89% = B
700-799 points = 70-79% = C
699 points and below = 69% and below = F

 

(Note:  D's are not given in developmental studies courses.)

The final course grade will be determined according to the following scale:

 

   Online discussion - - - -12%

   Topic evaluations - - - -16%

   Opened book quizzes - -11%

   Note taking - - - - - - - - 6%

   Career report - - - - - - 15%

   Midterm exam - - - - - - 20%

   Final exam - - - - - - - - 20%

Lesson 1: Orientation 

   Quiz: Syllabus and RODP

   Textbook Preview

Lesson 2: Goal Setting

   Chapter 1: "Setting Goals -- A Self-Management Skill"

   Web Exploration - Goals

   Presentation: "Effective Goals"

   Quiz: Goal Setting

   Evaluation of Goal Setting

Lesson 3: Time Management

   Questions in the Margin

   Chapter 2: "Managing Your Time" 

   Web Exploration - Time Management

   Quiz: Time Management

   Evaluation of Time Management

Lesson 4: Stress Management 

   Chapter 3: "Managing Stress"   

   Web Exploration - Stress Management 

   Quiz: Stress Management   

   Evaluation of Stress Management

Lesson 5: Concentration

     Web Exploration - Concentration

     Quiz - Concentration

     Evaluation of Concentration

Lesson 6: Memory

   Chapter 5: "Forgetting and Remembering"

   Web Exploration - Memory

   Quiz - Memory

   Evaluation of Memory Techniques

Lesson 7: Textbook Reading

   Chapter 6: "Building a Permanent Vocabulary"

   Chapter 7: "Improving Your Reading Speed and Comprehension"

   Chapter 8: "Understanding and Using Key Concepts"

   Web Exploration - Reading

   Quiz - Reading

   Evaluation of Reading Strategies

Midterm Exam: Chapters 1-8 and Collateral Materials

   Practice Questions for Study Skills Examinations

Lesson 8: Lecture Note taking

   Chapter 9: "Listening to Take Good Notes"

   Chapter 10: "Taking Good Notes"   

   Web Exploration - Lecture Note taking   

   Quiz - Lecture Note taking

   Lecture for Cornell Note taking

Lesson 9: Textbook Note taking

   Chapter 11: "Learning from Your Textbooks"

   Chapter 12: "Noting What's Important in Readings"

   Web Exploration - Textbook Note taking

   Quiz - Textbooks and Note taking

   Questions in the Margin

Lesson 10: Learning Styles

   Chapter 13: "Thinking Visually"

   Learning Style Inventories

   Using Your Learning Style

   Web Exploration - Visual Learning

   Quiz - Thinking Visually

   Evaluation of Learning Styles

Lesson 11: Career Research

   Internet Resources

   Writing a Research Report

Lesson 12: Testing

   Chapter 14: "Managing Test Anxiety"

   Chapter 15: "Mastering Objective Tests"

   Chapter 16: "Tackling Essay Tests"

   Web Exploration - Testing

   Quiz - Testing

   Evaluation of Testing Strategies

Final Examination

   Practice Questions for Study Skills Examinations

Students must participate in all interactive aspects of the course.  They are expected to email the instructor if questions arise about assignments, they must check the course discussion board, and mailbox at least two times each week for announcements, and they must actively participate in threaded discussion events. 

The due dates listed on the course calendar are the latest dates on which assignments can be submitted for full credit.  Grades will be posted approximately 48 hours after the due date.  Grades on assignments and exams submitted after the due dates will be reduced 10% points. 

Students are expected to learn to navigate in WebCT, keep abreast of course announcements, and complete all assignments by the due dates.  They should be prepared to spend 8-10 hours each week on course work.  If, for any reason, a student has a question about an assignment or realizes that an assignment cannot be completed on time, the instructor should be notified immediately.  Students should use the WebCT mail rather than a personal email address.  Emails should not be sent to the instructor under another person's name.  If technical problems arise, they must be dealt with immediately.  Course netiquette should be observed in all communications.

• MLA Citation Style http://www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citmla.htm  
• Citation Styles Online http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite5.html 
• Southwest Tennessee Community College Library - MLA http://www.southwest.tn.edu/library/mla.htm 

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading are included. 

Students With Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with the home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and by posting both the notification and the nature of the change(s) on the course bulletin board.

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