PSYC 5 -- Dr. Michaels -- Syllabus -- Barstow College

Syllabus

Name: (Always use your real name in this box)

Email: (Enter your exact email address)

Postal Address: Number & Street Telephone Number:

City, State, ZIP

Course CRN #:
Last four numbers of student ID:

USER NAME AND PASSWORD:

You must use a user name and password after the first week of class. Without these, you will not be able to access the course materials beyond the first week. If you need assistance, please visit www.bcconline.com/orient/password.htm to receive further assistance.

In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of user names and passwords as it pertains to this course: "I understand that I must use a user name and password to access materials beyond the first week of class. I also understand that I can visit the above-referenced website to obtain assistance."

Instructor Contact Information:

E-mail address: amichaels2@bcconline.com

Subject line: Include your name and class (Career Planning) in the subject line.

If your name and class are not in the subject line, I may mistake your message for spam and delete it.

I answer email several times per week, but generally not on weekends or holidays.

If you do not receive a reply within two business days, I did not get your message. Please re-send.

Fax number: 814-206-0360

Technical Help:

For help with course content, contact Dr. Michaels

For help with technical issues (computer problems or software problems), use the following contact information:
- E-mail: nolson@bcconline.com
- E-mail: akegyulics@bcconline.com

In the box below, please type, I understand how to contact my instructor and how to contact technical assistance.

Course Information:

Required Textbook:

The Career Fitness Program – Exercising Your Options (9^th edition)

Authors: Diane Sukiennik, William Bendat, and Lisa Raufman

Prentice Hall, 2010

ISBN: 9780137010417

In the box below, please type which of the following applies to you: "I have my book already" or "I will have my book by the end of the first week of class."

Email Updates

One of the primary methods of contact in an online course is email. Your college is capable of extracting student names and email addresses from our registration system. The purpose of extracting this information is two fold. The information will be used by the instructor to remain in contact with the class in order to provide information necessary for the students' academic success. The information will also be used to send emails to the students from the college administration. The emails sent by the college administration will consist of links to course surveys which will be used to improve our online courses, important announcements for students, and links to college surveys, which will be used to satisfy requirements placed on the college by the California Community College Chancellor's Office. The college will not use this information to advertise any products and will not share student email addresses with any other organization.

In the box below type the following information:

As a student I understand it is my responsibility to ensure my email address is up to date in the registration system, and that failure to do so can seriously impact my ability to successfully complete my courses. Further, I consent to receive email communication from my instructor and from the college administration. This consent will remain in force until it is revoked in writing or I am no longer taking classes with the college. Upon submitting the syllabus, I agree to enter the registration system, check my email address and change it if necessary. I understand a tutorial is available to assist me with this procedure. I also understand I can contact 760-252-2411 x7236 to receive additional assistance if I encounter any difficulties when attempting to change my email address.

Course Calendar:

All important dates for the class, including due dates, discussion dates, exam dates, and etc. are listed on the course home page.

Instructor Drop Date:

You must participate in Discussion 1 during the first week of this course. Otherwise, I will drop you from the course. The specific instructor drop date is given on the course home page.

Academic Misconduct:

Disciplinary action will be imposed for any academic misconduct, such as plagiarism or cheating on exams. In most cases, the student will fail the course.

In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the issues involving academic honesty: "I understand that all work must be my own unless collaboration is granted by the instructor. I also understand that any form of cheating will NOT be tolerated. I also understand all due dates are listed on the home page of the course."

Course Description:

Development of tools to assess the skills, interests, values and motivation needed to make career decisions. Includes decision making, education planning, and college survival. May be used to meet Orientation requirement for graduation. Degree Applicable.

General Course Objectives:

Differentiate between a job and a career

Identify and Apply Super’s Theory to your career development

Determine how generational differences affect the workplace

Discuss why personal assessment is the key factor leading to career satisfaction

Discuss why building positive self image is important in developing a successful career plan

Identify specific components of "the success profile"

Practice through exercises the approaches and techniques necessary to develop a success profile

Define and clarify your values

Discuss how your values motivate you

Describe how your values affect your career decisions

Understand differences in personality types

Understand more about your own personality type

Recognize how personality type relates to career planning

Identify college majors that interest you

Match your interests to occupations

Understand the importance of skills in your career search

Define and identify your skills

Recognize the power of the transferability of your skills

Use the language of skills in writing your resume and preparing for an interview

Identify personal beliefs and assumptions that will affect your career

Recognize how social and cultural conditioning influences your career choice

Identify trends that will affect your career planning through the next decade

Understand changes in the workplace

Recognize the skills employers expect in new employees

Learn the value of a Liberal Arts degree

Brainstorm possible career options based on information you learned about your attitudes, beliefs, interests, personality, and skills

Adopt a strategy to approach occupational research that will enhance your efficiency and effectiveness

List printed and on-line sources of information to use in further clarifying career choices

Use your skills to gather information about specific occupations and career-related opportunities by using library materials and on-line resources

Confirm or revise your first impressions about your top career choices

Describe and explore your own decision-making process

Apply the principles of decision making to your career search

Identify psychological barriers to decision making and develop alternative strategies for success

Understand how to write a clear objective

Summarize insights gained from past chapters and identify potential occupations

Make tentative career/education/training choices

Define and use Stress Management Techniques

Set and manage financial goals

Identify the components of a successful job search

Begin the process of searching for a job

Learn to find the hidden job market

Understand the advantages of developing a resume

Identify guidelines for resume preparation

Write a resume and cover letter

Understand the art of interviewing

Learn how to prepare for an interview

Develop guidelines and techniques for good interviewing

Understand the concept of lifelong career management and career fitness

Recognize the role of the future in your current career-planning efforts

Explain the philosophy of personal empowerment and career flexibility

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Define Learning Outcomes of this Course:

1. Define various career perspectives and theorists regarding work/career development and relevant influences.

2. Difference between jobs and careers.

3. Describe the rational approach to career development.

4. Differentiate between needs, wants, values in reference to career decisions.

5. Research the influence of cultural / societal / roles / status and expectations regarding:

a. The world of work.

b. Implications of trends and statistics of the economy on the world of work.

c. The implications of trends and statistics on the experience of work and changing conditions for women and minorities.

6. Identify personal influences on work including:

a. Personality, interests, skills/abilities, multiple intelligences, values

7. Discuss various models of decision-making styles.

8. Identify and relate short term/intermediate and long term career goals.

9. Define and give examples of the relationship of a personal work philosophy, values and work ethics on career selection.

10. Exercise evidence of information competency using print and computer/internet resources to identify and aid selection of three career goals.

11. Report on interview do’s and don’ts and the role of interviewing for information in the career development process.

12. Differentiate between the traditional and nontraditional job hunt.

13. List the five important elements of a professional career.

14. Research a viable educational plan for a specific career.

In the box below type one reason why you took this course and the objective/ SLO above which interests you the most.

Course Outline:

Lesson 1 Assignments:

Read textbook chapters 1 and 2

Read Lesson 1

Participate in Discussion 1

Lesson 2 Assignments:

Read textbook chapters 3 and 4

Read Lesson 2

Participate in Discussion 2

Lesson 3 Assignments:

Read textbook chapter 5

Read Lesson 3

Submit Self-Observation Paper 1

Lesson 4 Assignments:

Read textbook chapters 6 and 7

Read Lesson 4

Participate in Discussion 3

Lesson 5 Assignments:

Read textbook chapter 8

Read Lesson 5

Participate in Discussion 4

Lesson 6 Assignments:

Read textbook chapter 9

Read Lesson 6

Submit Self-Observation Paper 2

Lesson 7 Assignments:

Read textbook chapter 10

Read Lesson 7

Participate in Discussion 5

Lesson 8 Assignments:

Read textbook chapters 11 and 12

Read Lesson 8

Participate in Discussion 6

Lesson 9 Assignments:

Review textbook chapters 1-12

Review lessons 1-8

Note: Lesson 9 is a course review. If your course occurs during an 8-week session, you may read the Lesson 9 review at your convenience.

Comprehensive Final Exam:

Take the Comprehensive Final Exam (Covers the entire course, Lessons 1 - 8)
The Final Exam is proctored
The Final Exam is closed-book
The Final Exam will be available online during the last week of the session.

In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the course schedule: "I understand the course schedule and weekly assignments that are required as part of this course."

Grading:

Discussions

The discussions are worth a total of 120 points, divided as follows:

Discussion 1 = 20 points

Discussion 2 = 20 points

Discussion 3 = 20 points

Discussion 4 = 20 points

Discussion 5 = 20 points

Discussion 6 = 20 points

Self-Observation Papers

The self-observation papers are worth a total of 100 points, divided as follows:

Self-Observation Paper 1 = 50 points

Self-Observation Paper 2 = 50 points

Comprehensive Final Exam

The Final Exam is worth 100 points

To Compute Your Course Grade:

Add all of your points together.
Your total will be between 0 and 320 points.
Divide the total by 3.2 (this converts the points to a letter grade)
Use this scale: 90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, below 60=F

Early Submission of Assignments

All assignments in this course, except the Final Exam, may be submitted early.
All of the Discussions are posted at the beginning of the semester. You may post answers at your convenience.
The assignment drop-boxes for Self-Observation Papers 1 and 2 are located in Lessons 3 and 6 (scroll to the bottom of the Lesson). You may submit these assignments at your convenience.
I do not grade assignments early. Although you may submit at your convenience, I grade the entire class together (after the due date).
If you know that a personal or work-related situation will prevent you from submitting an assignment during the week it is due, I strongly encourage you to submit the work early.

Late Submission of Assignments

I generally do not accept late assignments unless you have a medical reason or other emergency.

If you have a medical (or other) emergency for yourself or a close family member, you may fax me documentation (such as a doctor or hospital note) at 814-206-0360. Be sure to send me an e-mail message so that I know to expect the fax.

After receiving your documentation, I’ll e-mail a confirmation to you, along with a new extended due date.

In limited circumstances, such as unexpected military deployments or unexpected job-related emergencies, I’ll accept late assignments. In these cases, there is usually a grading penalty for late work. Send me an e-mail message explaining the situation and I’ll reply with a yes or no answer. With a yes answer, I’ll also include the extended due date and grading penalty (if there is one).

I do not accept any assignments after the official ending date of the course (unless you have requested and received an "Incomplete" grade).

In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the grading policy for this course: "I understand the grading scale, the possible number of points available in this class, and that I have the ability to track my grade throughout the course."

Final Exam:

This course requires a comprehensive final exam. It will cover material from all eight lessons of the course (lesson nine is a course review).

The final exam is online.

The final exam is proctored (see instructions below).

You may access the final exam from the course home page – your proctor will have the password.

You may take the final exam during a one-week period (see course home page for dates).

There is a two-hour time limit on the final exam.

The exam will consist of 50 multiple choice questions, which can be answered in two hours if you are well prepared.

Do not use books, notes, or other aids during the final exam.

Late Submission of the Final Exam

I do not accept late Final Exams.
The exam is available for a week, and the dates are posted from the first day of class. This gives everyone plenty of time to make arrangements to take the exam.
If an emergency prevents you from taking the exam during the week it is available, contact me immediately. In some cases, you may be able to take the exam early.
I submit course grades shortly after the Final Exam ends (usually the next morning). Please realize that I have deadlines from the college for submitting grades.

It is very important that you confirm the hours your testing site is open (see below). Some campus sites (at Barstow College or other colleges) may be closed on Fridays or weekends. A closed testing site is not an acceptable excuse for missing your Final Exam. Confirm the hours of operation before making your plans.

Proctor Information (for the Final Exam):

The Final Exam in this course is proctored.

You must have a proctor, and will not be allowed to take the test alone (unsupervised).

You may take the exam on-campus in the Barstow College Computer Labs.

Or, you may take the exams at the Fort Irwin Resident Center.

Or, you may take the exams at the Miramar Marine Base.

If you live at a distance, you may arrange for your own proctor by submitting the proctor form. There is a link to the proctor form on the course home page.

If you arrange for your own proctor, I must receive your proctor form at least two weeks before the final exam

If your proctor is acceptable, I will e-mail him/her testing instructions and passwords. I will also e-mail a confirmation to you.

College policy states that proctors must be 1) employed by a school system (K-12), or 2) employed by a college or university, or 3) a military testing officer (or equivalent), or 4) a member of the clergy. Your proctor may NOT be a member of your family, even if s/he meets the other criteria.

The proctor must have a professional e-mail address, which matches his/her position. For example, the address should end in ".edu" or ".mil," or another professional extension.

The proctor may not use a private or corporate address to receive your testing information. For example, addresses ending in ".org," ".com." or ".net" are not acceptable.

You must bring a picture ID to the proctor location to take your exam. You will not be permitted to take the exam without a picture ID.

It is very important that you confirm the hours your testing site is open. Some campus sites (at Barstow College or other colleges) may be closed on Fridays or weekends. A closed testing site is not an acceptable excuse for missing your Final Exam. Confirm the hours of operation before making your plans.

In the box below, please type the following to indicate that you understand your responsibility relating to a proctored examination: "I understand that I must arrange for a proctor at least two weeks before the final exam, if I am not going to take the examination at Ft. Irwin or the Barstow College Campus."

Discussions:

There are six discussions in this course.
To find your discussions, scroll to the bottom of the course home page and click the "Discuss" button.
Each discussion consists of two parts. For Part A, you will have a choice of three questions to answer. Part B is a response to one of your classmates.
You will also find a copy of each discussion assignment in the appropriate Lesson. For example, a copy of the Discussion 1 assignment (Parts A and B) is given in Lesson 1 (scroll down the Lesson).
Detailed grading criteria are also listed in each Lesson, right after the discussion assignment. Keep scrolling down (past the discussion assignment) to see the grading criteria.

NOTE: Discussion 1 is written so that you can participate without a textbook, if necessary. Wait to read a few other responses, and you should be able to choose one of the assigned questions. Remember that you MUST participate in Discussion 1 during the first week to prevent being dropped from class.

For your convenience, here is a copy of the grading criteria for the discussions:

Grading Criteria

Part A is worth 10 points. For full credit (10 points), your answer must be at least 150 words long. For half credit (5 points), your answer must be at least 75 words long.
Part B is worth 10 points. For full credit (10 points), your answer must be at least 150 words long. For half credit (5 points), your answer must be at least 75 words long.
You are always welcome to post supportive comments for your classmates, but short answers (less than 75 words) will not count for credit.
You may earn a maximum of 20 points on the discussion if both Parts A and B earn full credit.
If you describe a person who is not in our class, use initials instead of his/her real name. You may use my name, your own name, and your classmates’ names. If you use the real name of a person outside class, your post will not earn credit.
Disrespectful language, attitudes, or other behavior is strictly forbidden, and will result in a grade of zero for the discussion. You may disagree with another person, but do so in a respectful manner.
Each discussion will last for several days (check the course calendar on the home page for dates). You may post early, but not late. I will not grade anything posted after the discussion has ended.

Plagiarism

Do not copy material from another source, unless you enclose the copied material in quotation marks and include a bibliography at the end of your post. (You are allowed to quote short passages in your discussion posts, but it is not required.)
Exception: You may quote our textbook simply by chapter and page number. A bibliography at the end of the post is not required.
Do not copy material from another student and submit it as your work. You may quote another person’s post, but be sure to use quotation marks and tell who wrote it.
Do not give your work to another student to be copied.
If you engage in any of these behaviors, or any form of plagiarism, your grade on the discussion will be zero.

In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the discussion and plagiarism policy for this course: "I understand the discussion and plagiarism policy for this course. Furthermore, I understand the grading criteria for the discussion assignments for this course."

Self-Observation Papers:

There are two Self-Observation Papers in this course.
Each Self-Observation Paper consists of five exercises. You will do each exercise, and submit a written summary as instructed.
The assignment, instructions, and grading criteria for Self-Observation Paper 1 are listed at the bottom of Lesson 3. Scroll down the Lesson to find your assignment.
The assignment, instructions, and grading criteria for Self-Observation Paper 2 are listed at the bottom of Lesson 6. Again, scroll down the Lesson to find your assignment.
Notice that each paper requires very specific formatting. A formatting example is included in the instructions for each paper.

For your convenience, here is a copy of the grading criteria for the Self-Observation Papers:

To earn 50 points

You did the correct exercises from the textbook and lessons.

Your paragraphs are substantive. They show original thought and self-insight.

Your assignment is typed and submitted according to the guidelines.

You correctly followed the formatting example (including the topic statement at the beginning of each paragraph.

Each Part (A, B, C, D, and E) consists of a paragraph that is at least 200 words long.

You have fewer than 5 spelling and/or grammar errors in the assignment.

Your Self-Observation Paper was submitted by the due date.

To earn 40 points

Your assignment meets all of the criteria listed above, but includes only four of the Parts.

To earn 30 points

Your assignment meets all of the criteria listed above, but includes only three of the Parts.

To earn 20 points

Your assignment meets all of the criteria listed above, but includes only two of the Parts.

To earn 10 points

Your assignment meets all of the criteria listed above, but includes only one of the Parts.

Additional specific point deductions

Write substantive paragraphs that show effort and original thinking. There are various deductions (from 5 to 40 points) for writing paragraphs that fail to show effort and substance.
Protect the privacy of other people. If you describe another person, use initials (not the person’s name). There is a 5-point deduction for using a person’s real name.
Check your assignment for spelling and grammar errors. There is a 5-point deduction for excessive (more than 5) spelling and/or grammar mistakes.
Check your formatting. There are various deductions for formatting mistakes, depending upon how much your paper differs from the requirements.
Check the number of words in each paragraph. There is a deduction (from 5 to 40 points) for submitting paragraphs that are shorter than the requirements. The shorter your paragraphs, the higher the deduction.

Plagiarism:

Do not copy material from another source, unless you enclose the copied material in quotation marks and include a bibliography at the end of your paper. (You are allowed to quote short passages in your paragraphs, but it is not required.)
Exception: You may quote our textbook simply by chapter and page number. A bibliography at the end of the paper is not required.
Do not copy material from another student and submit it as your work.
Do not give your work to another student to be copied.
If you engage in any of these behaviors, or any form of plagiarism, your grade on the Self-Observation Paper will be zero.

In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the Self-Observation Papers: "I understand the instructions for the Self-Observation Papers that are required as part of this course."

SYLLABUS DISCLAIMER:

A syllabus is not a contract between an instructor and student, but rather a guide to course procedures on attendance, requirements, grading, and objectives. The instructor reserves the right to amend the syllabus when circumstances dictate. Students will receive appropriate notification if circumstances arise to justify amending the syllabus.

In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the syllabus for this course: "I understand a syllabus is a general guidelines for students to use in planning their time in a particular class. The instructor reserves the right to make modifications to the syllabus with reasonable time allowances for students to adjust to the changes."

Disability Statement:

If you have a disability which may impact your success in this course, you may contact the Office of Student Support (OSS) to arrange any reasonable accommodations and supports to which you are entitled. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate these procedures. The OSS department can be contacted by calling 760-252-2411 x7225 or 760-252-6759 TTY/TDD or emailing oss@bcconline.com.

In the box below type: I understand that if I have or suspect I have a disability I can contact the OSS program at the number or email address listed above and request reasonable accommodations. Further I realize it is my responsibility to contact the OSS department.

click here to go to the discussion group

Name:		*(Always use your real name in this box)*
Email:		*(Enter your exact email address)*
Postal Address:	Number & Street	Telephone Number:
	City, State, ZIP
Course CRN #:		Last four numbers of student ID: