UNIV 1301 Spring, 2011 SYLLABUSUNIV 1301 Spring, 2011SYLLABUS  Course Information Course name & section CRN: University Seminar, CRN 23117 Class meeting time: 8:30 am – 9:20 am Class meeting place: EDUC 309 Percentage online (if applicable) 49% or less Contact Information (please note best/preferred contact method) Name & title: Owen Williamson, MA, Lecturer Office number/building: 209 Education Office hours: To be announced Office phone number: 915-747-7625 Email address: [email protected] All above contact information for your Peer Leader: To be announced. All above contact information for your Librarian: Juan Sandoval, 915-747-6713, LIB 212, [email protected]. All above contact information for the Advisor assigned to your class,if applicable: Esteban Terrazas, 915-747-8021, AAC, [email protected]  Class online addresses: Website: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/univ1301Class Wiki: http://wiki.utep.edu/display/UNIV/Home Space to include contact information for fellow classmate(s)Name, phone and e-mail of two classmates: 1. ___________________________________________________________2. ____________________________________________________________________  Course Description: Seminar in Critical InquiryUniversity 1301 is a 3-credit hour course created to help you make asuccessful start at UTEP. This course will strengthen your academic skillsand will help with your transition to university life by offering you a “taste”of what it is to be a university student.You will receive considerable support in the course. Your section will betaught by an instructional team consisting of an instructor, student peerleader, and university librarian. In addition, you will wok closely withothers, forming friendships with classmates. The goals, instructional teamand class size all combine to make University 1301 a course designed foryour college success.  Learning objectives (what students will know or be able to do at theend of the semester): o What content knowledge students will gain from your course o What skills students will gain from your course.Goal 1. Students will begin to understand their roles, opportunities and responsibilities that impact their success within the context of the University. - Objective 1.1. Students will explore one or more academic topics to become familiar with specific academic disciplines. The academic topic of this course is “Progymnasmata: The Ancient Secrets of Effective Persuasion.” - Objective 1.2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the rules of academic integrity and will practice acceptable academic behavior.- Objective 1.3 Students will become familiar with current UTEP academic policies and requirements in order to remain in good academic standing and graduate in a timely manner. To fulfill this objective, you will read and study the Borders: Crossing into Your Future textbook, and the UTEP UndergraduateCatalog.- Objective 1.4. Students will participate in appropriate advising procedures to develop a plan of study. You will be encouraged to take control of your own education by obtaining your required program of studies for your current, prospective ordesired major. This information will be used throughout the semester. - Objective 1.5. Students will examine personal and social transition issues affecting college success. You will be assigned to use the Borders text to facilitate this process. You will also have assignments that offer the opportunity to encounter people, ideas, images, cultures and lifestyles, on campus and off, that may be radically different from those you might have encountered previously in your everyday life.Goal 2. Students will learn about and practice essential academic skills in order to strengthen performance in the University setting.- Objective 2.1 Students will demonstrate an improved level ofskill in critical thinking and problem-solving. You will be asked for verbal and written critical responses and you will be introduced to new and challenging concepts and problems. You will have ample opportunities to learn and practice tried-and-proven rhetorical techniques, along with other intellectual and cultural experiences related to the theme of the course.- Objective 2.2. Students will demonstrate an improved level of skill in oral, written and electronic communication. For this course, you will be required to use your personal UTEP Wiki account. You must read all your course-related e-mail and text messages, as you will be responsible for their content, as well asfor checking the course website <http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/www.univ1301.edui> on which you can find all class assignments along with a wide variety of resources and links related to the theme of the course.You will be able to communicate with the Instructor, with your Peer Leader and with your classmates on Facebook or by e-mail. Groups of students will present reports to the class using posters, Internet websites and / or multimedia presentations. You will also make extensive use of other UTEP electronic resources, including the University radio station, KTEP, the MSpace system, and your personal utminers webspace. - Objective 2.3. Students will demonstrate an improved level of skill in library and electronic research. During this course you will receive an orientation to the University Library and the resources that it offers to you. The class will be visiting the Library and receiving an orientation on its hardcopy and electronic resources. For this course, you will have a assigned librarian as part of the instructional team, to whom you can turn for help at any time.- Objective 2.4. Students will demonstrate an improved level of skill in discussion in both small and large groups. You will practice public speaking with two declamations during the semester in class. - Objective 2.5. Students will demonstrate an improved level of still in academic survival and success strategies (e.g., active learning skills, note-taking, reading, test taking, time management, etc. For this purpose you will be required to keep a Wiki in which you will complete a series of preliminary exercises in rhetoric (Progymnasmata) along with your own comments. During the course, strategies for note-taking andannotation, time management and rhetorically-informed approaches to