COL 101—College Success Seminar
Fall 2012 Course Syllabus (Sept 4to Dec 15, 2012)
CCRN: 47650 Section: 122
Professor Dr. S. GramlichClass time: TR 2:20—3:20pm
Office: B2-25J
Office phone: 215-751-8723
Office hours: TR 3:30-5pmMSSL Cr ID: gramlich92164
Email:
Course Description:
The Freshman Orientation Seminar is designed to increase students’ persistence and success in college by providing them with the academic, personal, and life management tools needed to function effectively and complete their course of study. The seminar will cover topics that revolve around three major issues: Navigating the system, academic focus and transition to college.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Student Learning Outcomes 1 – Students will be able to identify key college resources and utilize them to navigate the college system.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
- Recognize college policies/procedures.
- Utilize the college catalog.
- Identify the curricular requirements of the College.
- Identify campus resources.
- Interpret general education and career specific courses.
- Student Learning Outcome 2 – Students will be able to recognize and apply strategies for their own academic success.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
- Understand classroom expectations.
- Identify strategies for lecture comprehension and note taking.
- Identify study and test taking strategies.
- Exhibit knowledge of memory/concentration improvement strategies.
- Identify their learning style and adapt to multiple teaching styles.
- Student Learning Outcome 3 – Students will be able to examine the college social and cultural expectations and identify strategies for success.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
- Construct realistic academic expectations.
- Clarify and determine their expectations and responsibilities with respect to the college experience.
- Examine strategies for improving time management and organization.
- Identify sources of stress and effective coping strategies.
- Understand the student/teacher relationship.
Required Text and materials:
- Baldwin, A. (2013). The Community College Experience PLUS, Pearson Publishing (CCP Customized edition).
- Learning and Study Strategies Inventory/LASSI (comes with new book)
- My Student Success Lab (comes with new book)
- Community College of Philadelphia 2012-13 Student Handbook
- College Catalogue (online)
Accommodations:
It is College policy to provide, on a flexible and individualized basis, reasonable accommodations to students who have documented disability conditions (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, or systemic) that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Center on Disability for a confidential discussion of their individual need for academic accommodation. The Center on Disability is located in M1-22 and their telephone number is 215-751-8050.
Community College of Philadelphia's Academic Early Alert:
The system positively intervenes in Community College of Philadelphia's students' academic paths early and appropriately by effectively communicating current performance and supplying information beneficial to academic success. Faculty members have the opportunity to complete Early Alert reports at 20% and 50% reporting periods during the semester. Students will be assessed on the following items: attendance, punctuality, meeting assignment deadlines, classroom behavior, classroom participation and other factors pivotal to student success. Should you receive an Early Alert letter, you should follow up on the suggested intervention strategy as soon as possible.
Classroom Ground Rules
We promise to respect your individuality, values and opinions. We expect you to respect each other and treat us and each other with civility. This does not mean that we cannot disagree, but we will do so in an appropriate manner. While you are in class, we expect you to shut off your cell phone, pager, etc. Do not place these devices on vibrate; shut them off during class, or leave them at home.
Students are required to purchase required learning materials. We expect you to come to class prepared and ready to participate in discussions. That means we do not expect to see you put your head on the desk to sleep. You will have your materials ready and come with books, handouts, paper, and writing utensils.
Assignments—Readings, Journals, Quizzes, Writing Assignments, Capstone Project, Independent Learning Assignments, and My Student Success Lab
Readings: Readings will be selected from the textbook and other sources; assignments are due the day listed on the schedule, so come prepared to discuss readings on the day given.
Journal Writing: journal writing is an important part of this course, as they provide you with the opportunity to think through and analyze in greater depth issues presented and discussed in class and reading materials and how the topics of this course affect you personally. Each journal should be no less than one page long on letter size paper.
Chapter Quiz: Quizzes will be given at the completion of each chapter.
Writing Assignments:
Exploratory Interview—you will go beyond the confines of the class sessions to inform your thinking and learning about certain topics such as time management, the student/teacher relationship and campus involvement. (Interviewing colleagues, faculty and/or other appropriate persons about such topics can enrich your thinking and provide you with opportunities to integrate ideas in response to your own needs.) Paper should be 300 words.
Expository Writing—you will be asked to write short expository essays to illustrate a point, an insight, or a conclusion based on a reading assignment. Paper should be 300 words.
Capstone/Final Project—the final project is your opportunity to focus on modifying a behavior that has served as a barrier (or potential barrier) to your success as a student. Development of the project will require you identify and define a barrier. For example: maneuvering through the college system, time management, concentration, memory, relationships, study strategies, etc. You will then need to utilize aspects of the material covered in this course to devise a method or plan to address and overcome this barrier. Finally you must describe the resulting change.Papers should be approximately 500 words.
(See handout)
Independent learning assignment: Independent learning assignments are a part of this course which will help you to gain a broader view of what can be learned within the college, yet outside of your classes. You must participate in 3 selected college wide activities to supplement the themes of the course. You must then write about what you learn. Your paper should be between 1 to 2 pages in length. Such activities may include but not limited to the following:
- Attend at a learning lab workshop
- Research a campus organization of interest
- Attend an on-campus guest lecture
- Attend a job placement workshop
- Participate in a workshop in the use of CHOICES (Career Software)
- Attend a program orientation or open house
- Attend workshop at the Career Services Center
- Visit an open house at a transfer institution.
- Participate in workshops sponsored by the counseling department
- Attend the College Fair at CCP
Papers Format: All written assignments (Journal entries and essays) must be typed, doubled space with a 12 point font and a 1-inch margin. Please follow the guidelines use in your English class.
My Student Success Lab: helps you build college success and career development skills that students must apply what they learn. MSSL ( offers you a self-paced, interactive, virtual lab designed to offer application and practice of your skills. By developing strategies that work best for students, you will experience greater relevance, and motivation to achieve success.
You will be required to engage in weekly assignments and/or tests via mssl.
Attendance, Class Participation and Evaluation of Course Work
Attendance and Class Participation: Students are encouraged to participate in class discussions and activities. You will find that if you actively participate in class, you will get much more out of the course. Not attending class, lateness for class, and not participating in class will adversely affect your grade for class participation.
College policy states if a student misses the equivalent of two (2) weeks work in any class without an acceptable excuse, the teacher may initiate an official "Drop" form for the student and send it to the Director of Student Records & Registration who will inform the student and change the permanent record accordingly.
Student who are absent when assignments are given are responsible for obtaining a copy of the assignment. Assignments are due on the date established by the instructor. The instructor may deduct points for each day that an assignment is turned in late. The instructor MAY offer additional assignment for extra credit.
Student who stop coming to class without contacting the instructor will be dropped from the class. Students who ask the instructor not to drop them for poor attendance but who continue to be absent will receive an “F” grade as a final grade for the course.
Evaluation of Course Work:
Grades for FOS 101 are cumulative and are determined from a combination of elements which reflect your level of accomplishment in the course. In this course, you will receive a letter grade (A, B, C, D, and F). All assignments will be graded and returned to you as promptly as possible. Attendance, successful completion of all written and oral assignments, and class participation are essential for a passing grade.
Graded Work:
AssignmentPoints
Class participation 30
Journal entries (11)110
Chapter Quiz (10)100
Writing assignments (3) 75
ILA Summary paper 25
Capstone/Final Paper 75___
Total415
Final Grade
Total pointsGrade
375—415A
334—374B
292—333C
247—291D
0—246F
Semester Schedule
WEEK / SESSIONS / ASSIGNMENTSWeek 1
Sept. 4 / Session 1—Introduction
- Orientation to COL 101
- Review syllabus—requirements
- Warm-up exercises
- Register for MSSL—Need a computer classroom
Week 2
Sept. 10 / Chapter 1 College Culture and the Campus
- Making the transition
- College publications: catalog, student handbook, myccp portal, college policies (NEED A SMART CART)
Quiz Chapter 1
Week 3
Sept. 17 / LASSI—Need a computer classroom
- Assessment
- Review and explanation of results
Essay: Homeless to Harvard due
Week 4
Sept. 24 / Chapter 2 Goal Setting, Motivation, and Learning Style / Journal 2:
Quiz Chapter 2
Read Chapter 3
Week 5
Oct. 1 / Chapter 3 Relationships and Diversity / Journal 3
Quiz chapter 3
Read Chapter 4
Week 6
Oct. 8 / Chapter 4: Time and Money / Journal 4
Quiz chapter 4
Read Chapter 6
Week 7
Oct. 15 / Chapter 6: Learning, Memory, and Thinking / Journal 5
Quiz chapter 6
Read Chapter 7
Essay: on the Educated Person due
Week 8
Oct. 22 / Chapter 7: Reading / Journal 6
Quiz chapter 7
Read Chapter 8
Week 9
Oct. 29 / Chapter 8: Listening and Note-Taking / Journal 7
Quiz chapter 8
Reading Chapter 10
Essay: Teacher Interview Due
Week 10
Nov. 5 / Chapter 10: Studying and taking Tests / Journal 8
Quiz chapter 10
Read chapter 11
Week 11
Nov. 12 / Chapter 11 Planning for your Degree
College Catalog and program of study requirements (online catalog) Needcomputer classroom / Journal 9
Quiz Chapter11
ILA summary paper due
Read Chapter 5
Week 12
Nov. 19 / Library Instruction—1 day
Chapter 5: Handling Stress and Making HealthyChoice / Journal 10
Quiz chapter 5
Read Chapter 9
Week 13
Nov. 26 / Chapter 9: Writing and Presenting College Assignments / Journal 11
Quiz chapter 9
Week 14
Dec. 3
Last day of class Dec. 7 / Preparing Capstone Paper
Course Evaluation / J
Week 15
Dec. 10-15
Finals / Capstone Project
Presentation and Paper due
Four Essays:
Homeless to Harvard
The Educated Person
Interview a Teacher
Summary—Independent Learning Assignments
July 19, 2012