PY 101 08
Psychological Perspectives on Human Behavior
Spring 2013
Instructor — Dr. Ken Callis
Section Number — 08
Class Hours — Tues/Thurs, 9:30- 10:45: Scully 419
Office — Scully 405
Office Hours — By Appointment or Tuesday/Thursday 8:30 am
Email —
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Examination of human behavior and experience from a psychological perspective. Application of psychological principles to understanding of human behavior. (University Studies course) (3)
PREREQUISITES
None
REQUIRED TEXTS/MATERIALS
Textbook
Psychology: Themes and Variations (8th Ed, Briefer Version) by Wayne Weiten
Wadsworth Publishing, 2011
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
-identify basic theories of psychological explanation regarding human behavior
-describe the scientific method and apply it in a psychological context
-explain and apply the basic principles of human development
General Education Student Learning Outcomes
Students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:
· Critical Thinking
Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.
· Interpersonal Skills
Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.
· Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning
Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY
This course is taught in the classroom in a lecture/laboratory format. Reading textbook chapters multiple times is imperative. You are expected to read the assignments before class and, in doing so, will get much more out of the class meeting and discussion. To put it bluntly, the students that read the assignments, come to class and do the work generally do quite well. Those that don’t often end up having to repeat the class. As much fun as Psychology is, you probably don’t want to do it twice.
This course is web enhanced (Moodle) and requires use of several computer applications including on line testing, electronic discussions and interaction with the course web page
http://cstl-cla.semo.edu/callis
COURSE EVALUATION/GRADING
Final Grade Evaluation
A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F= below 60
COURSE POLICIES
Course Policies "Face to Face" Class
Participation
/ Students are expected to attend class regularly and participate in activities and discussions.Distractions / The classroom environment is intended to offer the maximum setting for quality learning. Turn off cell phones. Avoid "side conversations" or any other activities that would detract from the learning process. Appropriate attire should not undermine the academic process and does not include clothing with profanity or inflammatory logos, symbols or language.
Electronic Devices / Cell phones and text messaging are prohibited. No MP3 players or other "head phone" devices are allowed during class. Tape recorders for lecture purposes are acceptable as long as they do not distract other students. Use of lap top computers during class is not acceptable without previous discussion with professor.
Make Up Work
/ In general, there will be no make-ups. Make up work is not a student right, but at the discretion of the professor. Exceptions to this policy will be made in the most extraordinary circumstances and will require documentation such as a police report, emergency room note or other formal information. Make ups will be of a different format so students are strongly encouraged to take exams when they are scheduled. It is the responsibility of the student to request make up work with the instructor.Extra Points / No extra credit will be considered. Therefore, it is imperative that students carefully prepare each Assignment and examination.
Technical Problems / It is likely that students will experience technical problems at some time during the semester. When this occurs, step 1 is to "reboot" your computer and attempt the task a second time. Should this not solve the problem, you should contact a study group member to determine if this is a class wide problem. If problems persist, contact help services at with a detailed explanation of the problem.
Do not expect your instructor to "fix" technical problems.
Study Groups / Students will be assigned to small groups for activities and interaction. Although called "Study Groups", this does not mean that students physically meet. It is an administrative grouping for discussions and activities.
Absence from class / If you are unable to attend class, your first action should be to contact a study group member to gather information about the missed session. DO NOT expect the instructor to repeat class for you ! For example, an email such as "I was not in class. What did I miss?" is unrealistic. After speaking with classmates, if you do not understand certain material or assignments, contact the professor with specific questions.
Assignments / A deduction of 20% per day will be made for Late Assignments. As college students, proficiency in expression is vital. The use of informal language, misspellings, and grammatical errors will be included in assessment of assignments. No email submissions of assignments are accepted.
On Line Exams / Tests and Quizzes are “open book” meaning you may refer to your text, notes and power points. Students are NOT allowed to consult with others while taking quizzes and tests. Quizzes are to be taken alone, with no help from others. Others should not be allowed to view your quiz. Moreover, it is considered "cheating" if a student makes a copy of and/or records any question from any quiz. Thus, do not make copies of any quiz (or quiz item). Violation of any of these procedures is considered "cheating," and will be subject to the University Academic Honesty Policy
(Code of Student Conduct, http://www6.semo.edu/judaffairs/code.html). Quizzes will be “open” at specific times. If technical problems occur, contact your instructor BY EMAIL immediately.
Grading / "Will this be on the test?" is a question instructors dislike. It is generally interpreted as "I really want to do the least amount possible and care little about really learning". There are basically 2 forms of assessment: Formative and Summative.
Summative assessment is the type students generally think of as "grading". Some rating is assigned to the piece of work. Criteria are established and the work measured against those standards. Formative evaluation is just as important, but sometimes not appreciated by students. This form of appraisal is intended to encourage students to consider their work from different perspectives and reflect on various options. When a teacher returns a paper with several marks and comments, students should view that as a compliment. The instructor has invested considerable time and energy in your academic development. The professor believes in you and your potential. Students make a severe error when they do not consider this feedback and "skip to the grade". Not all assignments will be "graded" but that does not lessen their importance. As for examinations, those will be taken on line as previously described.
* Students should retain copies of all work
in the event loss occurs.
*All work should be stapled in the upper left hand corner and each page should be clearly identified with name, class and assignment.
*Questions, comments or requests regarding this course or program should be taken to your instructor. Unanswered questions or unresolved issues involving this class may be taken to the Chair, Department of Psychology (Room 404 Scully).
Cell Phones
As a courtesy to the instructor and other students, please turn off cell phones and pagers. It’s also embarrassing when your backpack starts playing Lady Gaga in the middle of a lecture. Everyone stares at you.
Statement on Scholastic Dishonesty
A student attending Southeast assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution. Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion from the college. See the Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Process and other policies at (Code of Student Conduct, http://www6.semo.edu/judaffairs/code.html
Statement on Students with Disabilities
Our campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities. Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through the Office of Disability Services. Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed. Students who have received approval for accommodations from ODS for this course must provide the instructor with the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from OSD before accommodations will be provided. Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student. Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to submit the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ to the instructor at the beginning of the semester because a reasonable amount of time may be needed to prepare and arrange for the accommodations.
Additional information about the Office for Students with Disabilities is available at
http://www.semo.edu/ds/
Other Information
* Students should retain copies of all work in the event loss occurs.
*All work should be stapled in the upper left hand corner and each page should be clearly identified with name, class and assignment.
Classroom Civility
Active learning is a distinguishing feature of higher education. This is best achieved through a positive environment founded upon respect and consideration for others. While a variety of opinions and perspectives can greatly add to a topic, personal attacks and disrespect are counter productive. The vast majority of college students are well mannered, courteous citizens who appreciated differences and honor dissimilar views. However, a few exceed the bounds of variance and disrupt the educational environment. A recent survey of faculty and students identified these behaviors as topping the list:
-Annoyances, minor disruptions—Arriving late and leaving early, talking on cell phone, reading newspaper, side conversations, packing up noisily before end of class. Together, these offenses can add up to more than just an annoyance.
-Dominating discussion—The student who won’t let anyone else talk.
-Aggressive challenges of teacher—The student who takes up class time questioning authority, expressing anger about grading, or generally undermining the professor’s opportunity to teach.
-Disputes between students; demeaning comments—When classroom discussion gets out of hand, or a student uses demeaning or stereotyping language.
This means more than just “plays nicely with others”. Prospective employers OFTEN ask about this aspect of student conduct and do not simply look for the academic grade in a class.