FYS 110.82: Freshman Year Seminar“Life is a journey. You’ll need a map.”Class day and times: Wednesdays, 5:00 – 6:17 pm, January 9 through April 2, 2008Instructor: Name: Sue SkiendzielE-mail: [email protected] Course Philosophy:This Freshman Year Seminar course equips students for transitions in education and life. Students will be actively involved in learning and integrating practical tools to succeed. Students will develop a learning portfolio and an educational plan while enhancing critical thinking and study strategies.This seminar explores four major journeys in life. - One is our inner journey of learning more about ourselves, our strengths, and our learning styles. This journey boosts our confidence and aids and helps us develop a sense of feeling “at home” within the college community. - Another is our learning journey in courses. This journey includes active learning, effective and efficient study strategies, effective test-taking, and time management. - Yet another journey involves navigating college, using available resources, and understanding the processes. - Finally, in this course you will consider your career path. You will spend time considering career options and develop an educational plan that leads toward your career goals.Required Materials: - Text: Hamachek, Alice. Coping with College: A Guide for Academic Success. 2007.- An academic weekly/monthly planner (calendar) available at most supply stores. This is to help you organize your assignments and reading schedule for this class and other classes as well. Organization is the key to success in college and beyond.- One three-ring binder. The best size for this class will be a ½- inch one.- Paper for in-class and homework assignments.- One new two-pocket folder.Course Goals: In FYS 110, you will:1. Assess your learning styles, assess your career aptitudes and write an academic plan.2. Learn and apply study strategies that improve your ability to succeed in courses. 3. Develop communication and leadership skills by working in groups and speaking to your class. 4. Access and effectively use college resources. 5. Build your critical thinking skills as you read various selections and answer questions related to them.Grades:Grades on individual assignments will be assigned using points. Your final course grade will be assigned according to a 4-point scale. I use a point system to calculate grades, with a possible point total of 500 for the semester. The assignments are weighted for this class as follows:Journal questions 125 points SOS assignments 120 points Capstone project 125 pointsParticipation 130 pointsFinal course grades will be assigned as follows:Grading scale:4.0 94%—100% (470 -500 points)3.5 88—93 3.0 82—872.5 76—812.0 70—751.5 64—691.0 57—63.5 50—56Expectations:You are expected to complete the homework before class begins. Generally, you should plan to spend two to three hours preparing for every class. If you have any questions about an assignment, contact me. Please don’t wait until it is time to hand in the assignment to tell me you did not understand it or for some other reason could not complete it.Attendance is mandatory. I do not keep track of whether an absence is excused or unexcused. Each student gets a “participation grade” for each class session, except for the first and last class of the semester. If you miss a class, you will miss the complete participation grade for that class session. If you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to contact a classmate or the instructor before the next class meeting to find out what you need to do to prepare for the next class. Points will also be deducted for arriving late and leaving early. My goal is for you to be successful in this class. My experience has shown me that students who don’t attend the classes are generally not successful in class, and those who attend each class have the most chance at success. Each student who has perfectattendance—no absences, tardies, and does not leave any class early—will receive 5 extra credit points.Late Work Policy:It is expected that assignments will be turned in on time. However, if you cannot turn themin on time, it is still recommended that they be turned in late. You can still benefit from theassignment’s learning goals. Assignments will receive a 20% deduction for each class day that they are late. In-class and public speaking assignments cannot be made up.Participation:It is expected that students will participate in class discussions and group discussions.Each student will be given a participation grade for each class session. Class participation makes our time together much more interesting and valuable to everyone, including me. Participation points will be deducted when students do not participate in the class discussion, have obviously not prepared for class, disrupt the class, sleep, or do other thingsbesides this class’s work.Class Format:This class will be conducted in a seminar setting. This means that we will sit around a table and have discussions similar in style to what would take place in a business setting. This is a more relaxed atmosphere than is the case in the more common lecture style college classroom.Although the setting may be relaxed, the expectations are still college-level ones. Students are expected to actively participate in discussions, actively read the selections, and put much thought into their journals and assignments. If you put forth a lot of effort in this class and take each assignment seriously, I guarantee that this class will give you more confidence in your college work, and it might possibly change your way of thinking.Academic Honesty PolicyThe Jackson Community College Catalog states: “Academic honesty is expected of all students. It is the ethical behavior that includes producing their own work and not representing others’ work as their own, either by plagiarism, or by cheating, or by helping others to do so…Faculty members who suspect a student of academic dishonesty may penalize the student by taking appropriate action to and including assigning a failing grade for the paper, project, report, exam, or the course itself.”Other Items to Keep in Mind:1. Please turn off cell phones before class. If you must be accessible by phone for family emergencies, please have your phone on vibrate only. All phones and personal media devices should be put