PSY6720 FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE
1 Credit Hour
Student Level:
This course is open to any student, but it is required that students take it their first semester if they are a new,degree-seeking student, post high school, with fewer than 12 transferable college-level credits.
Catalog Description:
PSY6720 First Year Experience (1 hr.)
An introduction to the community college experience at Cowley College. The course includes resources (i.e., financial aid), academic requirements, study skills, time and money management, career/life planning, assessment and advising, health issue, and job search strategies.
Course Classification:
Lecture
Prerequisites:
None
Controlling Purpose:
This course is designed to help the student increase their knowledge of Cowley College and its resources. It is also designed to prepare students to be successful in college and to make connections with faculty, staff, and other students.
Learner Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Identify the key characteristics of a successful college student
- Demonstrate the ability to take responsibility for own personal growth and development
- Identify and explain own learning style and motivation for going to college
- Exhibit productive student habits of a responsible college student including skills in reading, test-taking, note-taking, memory and study skills
- Produce a detailed plan for completion of degree and exploration of career opportunities
Units Outcomes and Criterion Based for Core Content:
The following outline defines the minimum core content, not including the final examination period. Instructors may add other material as time allows.
UNIT 1: Transitions, Balance, and Organization
Outcomes: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the value of a college education.
- Explain two ways a college education will be valuable for you
- Describe two college transition issues you have already experienced
- Describe how knowledge of your life dimensions will help you be successful in college and personal life
- Identify two organizational strategies you can use to help you achieve academic success
UNIT 2: Critical Thinking
Outcomes: Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills.
- Define critical thinking
- Use a given model to minimize academics problems that arise
- Explain the language of critical thinking
- Explain how critical thinking skills can help you be successful
UNIT 3: Priority Management
Outcome: Student will demonstrate the ability to prioritize and manage life choices.
- Develop a written schedule that reflects a responsible college schedule
- Use and evaluate at least two management tools
- Develop a weekly to-do list and identify ways to stop procrastination
- Describe how applying organizational skills can help balance life demands
UNIT 4: Information Literacy
Outcomes: Student will demonstrate knowledge of information literacy concepts which can include doing research, avoiding plagiarism, and using social media responsibly.
- Explain and use the four steps an information literate person follows when doing research
- Explain and practice responsible behavior for the following: emailing an instructor, receiving and sending text messages, and participating on a social networking site
- Create an appropriate online profile
- Demonstrate at least two strategies to avoid plagiarism
UNIT 5: Motivation and Achieving Your Goals
Outcomes: Student will describe motivating forces and goals in own life.
- List and describe the major motivating force in own life
- Identify a motivational barrier and create a strategy to overcome it
- Create a goal statement that clearly identifies own pathway forward
UNIT 6: Learning Styles
Outcomes: Student will identify and explain own learning style.
- Identify own preferred learning style
- Develop practical strategies for maximizing learning style preference in and out of class
- Apply knowledge of multiple intelligences to developing strategies for academic success
UNIT 7: Note Taking, Memory and Studying, and Reading
Outcomes: Student will demonstrate appropriate study skills strategies, and techniques.
- Identify three strategies that will help you pay more attention in class and develop a working relationship
- Use and evaluate at least one note-taking strategy
- Develop a strategy for immediate review of material
- Identify and develop at least two strategies for retaining information and create a mnemonic device to recall information from assigned reading
- Demonstrate how and why to use the SQ4R reading process
- Demonstrate strategies for identifying key information and improving understanding of material read
UNIT 8: Test Preparation and Test Taking
Outcomes: Student will demonstrate strategies and techniques for successful test preparation and test completion.
- Identify successful test preparation strategies and be able to apply these strategies to an unsuccessful test preparation practice
- Identify at least one strategy to combat test anxiety
UNIT 9: Civility
Outcomes: Students will demonstrate knowledge of and exhibit behavior that is civil in nature.
- Explain at least two considerations for forming your own group and explain a challenge in group development and how to overcome it
- Identify at least one healthy way to minimize how negative people affect you
- Use active listening techniques to improve communication skills
- Use at least one conflict management strategy
UNIT 10: Treating yourself with respect and financial literacy
Outcomes: Student will explain how to manage their own financial situation successfully and engage in healthy behavior.
- Identify and explain at least two healthy changes you can make to your lifestyle
- Commit to two actions that will keep you healthy and safe in your relationships
- Develop a budget and establish a goal to identify and eliminate unnecessary spending
- Recommend strategies for using credit and explain awareness of spending, borrowing, earning, and saving patterns.
UNIT 11: Exploration of Majors and Careers
Outcomes: Student will identify their own major and degree plan as well as begin strategies for a future career.
- Identify personal interests and how they relate to major and coursework
- Conduct research to determine skills, experience, and education needed for a career
- Explain two positive and two negative consequences of changing a college major
- Develop a two-year plan for completion of degree/program of study
Projects Required:
Student must complete the online assignments
Textbook:
Please Contact Bookstore for current digital Textbook.
Materials/Equipment Required:
It is recommended that students have access to a computer with Internet.
Attendance Policy:
Students should adhere to the attendance policy outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.
Grading Policy:
The grading policy will be outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.
Maximum class size:
Based on classroom occupancy
Course Time Frame:
The U.S. Department of Education, Higher Learning Commission and the Kansas Board of Regents, define credit hour and have specific regulations that the college must follow when developing, teaching and assessing the educational aspects of the college. A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit or an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. The number of semester hours of credit allowed for each distance education or blended hybrid courses shall be assigned by the college based on the amount of time needed to achieve the same course outcomes in a purely face-to-face format.
Refer to the following policies:
402.00 Academic Code of Conduct
263.00 Student Appeal of Course Grades
403.00 Student Code of Conduct
Disability Services Program:
Cowley College, in recognition of state and federal laws, will accommodate a student with a documented disability. If a student has a disability which may impact work in this class and which requires accommodations, contact the Disability Services Coordinator.
DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FOR THE OFFICIAL COURSE PROCEDURE CONTACT ACADEMIC AFFAIRS.
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