General Psychology Syllabus for 2011-2012
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Instructor

Jeffery Kee (Curriculum Vitae)

E-Mail

jakee@actx.edu

Phone

8063715183

Office Location

Dutton Hall 202N

Office Hours

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (Student Service Center room 119, phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

N/A

Student Withdrawal Procedures

N/A

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students. If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

PSYC-2301-H General Psychology

Prerequisites

RDNG 0331-minimum grade of C or a score on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading skills

Course Description

An introduction to psychology covering the principles of human behavior relating to heredity, maturation, intelligence, learning, motivation, perception, emotions and personality.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

\ TEXTS

\ Myers, D.G. (2008). Exploring Psychology (8th ed.) Worth Publishers.

\ Straub, R.O. (2008). Study Guide to Accompany Exploring Psychology (8th ed.) , Worth Publishers.

\ Bolt, M. (2004). Pursuing Human Strengths: A Positive Psychology Guide , Worth Publishers.

\ * REBT articles – see Supplemental Reading (online)

Supplies

\ null

Student Performance

\ After studying the material presented in this course of study, the student will be able to do the following:

\ Define psychology and list and discuss the goals of psychology
\ Compare and contrast the major theoretical perspectives in contemporary psychology.
\ Explain what is meant by the scientific method and describe the various research methods.
\ Describe the parts and functions of the nervous system.
\ Define and discuss sensation and perception.
\ Describe learning from the behavioral and the cognitive perspectives.
\ Describe the functioning of sensory, short-term and long-term memory.
\ Define motives, needs, drives, and incentives.
\ Explain and evaluate the cognitive-appraisal theories of emotion.
\ Discuss the nature-nurture controversy in developmental psychology.
\ Define Piaget's concepts and outline Piaget's four stages of cognitive development, describing the major characteristics of each.
\ Describe the major personality theories and projective and objective measures of personality.
\ Describe the psychological disorders and the biomedical and psychological therapies that are used.
\ Describe the social context of human behavior, emphasizing attribution theory, relationships between attitudes and action, conformity, group/cultural influences, prejudice, aggression, social conflict, attraction, altruism, and peacemaking.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

\ Students are expected to follow all Amarillo College policies and procedures.

Grading Criteria

MAKEUP POLICY:

Please review the test dates in the course schedule. If your schedule cannot accommodate these dates and times, you will need to drop this course and find a course that will work with your schedule. No exams will be given after the deadlines posted in your course schedule with the exception of a true emergency such as death in the family or serious illness. In such a case you must provide documentation from a physician or psychologist indicating that you were not able to complete the final exam.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THE EXAMS?

1. Studying in college is a complex task in that it involves many factors such as time management skills, reading ability, nutrition, exercise, study skills, motivation, sleep, and stress among others. The guidelines offered in this section may help to some degree. However, I recommend that you take the course on Student Success at AC and/or read books on study skills, motivation, time management, and stress management.

2. Achieving success in this course will require a time commitment. I recommend that you prepare for your exams and for class by ACTIVELY reading and outlining (taking detailed notes) the assignments.

3. I recommend that you use a word processor to create your own outline of the reading material. After you complete this process, you have a way to test your knowledge level and you will have covered the material in a systematic and comprehensive manner. This process will allow you to “chunk” the material into smaller pieces, which is more effective than trying to “digest” it all at once by cramming or just “reading over” or skimming over the reading.

4. If you are having difficulty with the material, you may want to receive tutoring or study skills training free of charge from the Access Center (Library; 3rd floor). There are also many web sites on study skills and strategies.

5. Review the "How To Prepare For Exams" information to learn more about effective study methods. This document can be found under the Lessons Tab.

EXAMINATIONS:

1. There will be four multiple choice EXAMS. Each exam is scored on a 100 point scale. The four exams include Exam 1, Exam 2, Exam 3 and a Comprehensive Final Exam. The lowest exam score is automatically dropped. Therefore, if you are happy with your scores on Exam 1, Exam 2, and Exam 3, then you have the option to not take the Comprehensive Final Exam. The three exams that are not dropped will count for a total of 75% of your grade in the course. Each exam will be worth 25% of your grade in the course.

2. The lowest exam score will be dropped. Because the lowest exam score is dropped, there will be no make-up exams. If you miss a scheduled exam for any reason, that exam will be the exam score that will be dropped.

3. There will be an item analysis on each exam. If the majority of students miss (i.e., approximately 70% of the class) a question, that question will be taken out and an adjustment will be made (points will be added to the students exam score). This method takes 1 - 2 days to complete, but I believe it helps to make the evaluation process fairer. Your exam will not be instantly scored with the adjustment after you complete it. You will get your score with the adjustment 1 - 2 days after the end of the test date period. I will send you all an email indicating when the adjustment has been made.

4. Each exam will have approximately 50 questions. The exams start at 12:00 am on the scheduled start date, and they will turn off at 11:55 pm on the last day scheduled for the exam. Therefore, you will need to be sure to allow plenty of time to take the exam. You need to allow an hour and a half to take an exam, even though most students will finish in about 50 minutes. Also, you will be able to see only one question at a time, and you will have one attempt for each question. You are not penalized for guessing. You will not be able to go back and review or answer questions. Remember to click the “submit” button at the end of your exam.

5. For test security reasons, you will not be able to see your exams after you take them. However, I recommend you use the Study Guide To Accompany Exploring Psychology by Richard Straub; it will have many example test questions that will be similar to your actual exams. The Study Guide To Accompany Exploring Psychologyis not required for this course. If you do not have the Study Guide To Accompany Exploring Psychology, then you may use the Book Companion Website for Exploring Psychology.

You can access the Book Companion Website for Exploring Psychology by going to

www.worthpublishers.com/myersand click on your textbook. You will need to register before you can access the Book Companion Site for Exploring Psychology. You have to have an email address in order to register. Once you get into the Book Companion Site for Exploring Psychology, you can you can review the concepts by doing the practice Quizzes. You do not turn in any of the assignments from the Study Guide To Accompany Exploring Psychology or from the Book Companion Site for Exploring Psychology. These resources provide similar practice exam questions. They are not required, but they are highly recommended.

6. In order to check your grades, you can go to the Home Page and see "About This Section" and click on "Click here to check your grades." The other option to see your grades is to go to the Reports tab. Then, under Category, choose Grades. Under Report, choose Student Grades.

When you look at your grades you may notice that the categories of "overall," and "exams overall," will appear low because as you take exams more points are added into these two categories. These two categories will not be complete and accurate until the very end of the semester - after you have completed all of the exams.

Also, the "discussion participation overall" grade will not be calculated until the very end of the semester. If you are on track with your participation assignments then you will not hear from me, and you can assume that you are receiving full credit for each participation assignment. If there is a problem with one of your participation assignments, I will let you know so that you can correct the problem and get back on track.

7. Each online exam will consist of about 50 questions.Each online exam will have a time limit. You will be notified of the amount of time when you start your exam. You will have approximately 1.5 minutes per test item. After you answer a test item, you may not go back to that test item at a later time during the exam. The questions for each exam will be presented to you one at a time. The questions must be answered in the order given. Do not skip any questions. If you do, the question will be counted as incorrect. There is no penalty for guessing. For test security reasons, the exams are not released for review.

8. All exams will be taken online. You are allowed to use your notes on the exams. The exams are timed (approximately 1.5 minutes per test item) so you will not have much time to look up the answers. In other words, you will need to know the information well before you take the online exams.

You may not have another person with you at the time that you are taking one of the online exams. If there is indication that you received help during an online exam, the penalty will be an F in the course and likely expulsion from Amarillo College.

9. Please review the test dates in this course schedule. If your schedule cannot accommodate these dates and times, you will need to drop this course and find a course that will work with your schedule. No exams will be given after the deadlines posted in your course schedule with the exception of a true emergency such as death in the family or serious illness. In such a case you must provide documentation from a physician or psychologist indicating that you were not able to complete the final exam.

10. An example of how to calculate your grade: if you, for example, made an 82 on exam 1, 79 on exam 2, a 93 on exam 3, and 100 on participation, you would do the following calculations. Remember, each exam is worth 30% of the course grade and participation is worth 10% of the course grade. You would not include the final exam if you were happy with your scores on exams 1, 2, and 3. Here are the calculations: 82 x .3 + 79 x .3 + 93 x .3 + 100 x .1 = 24.6 + 23.7 + 27.9 + 10 = 86.2 So, your grade in the class would be a "B."

11. Final Grades

A = 90-100

B = 80-89

C = 70-79

D = 60-69

F = 0-59

DISCUSSIONS:

The discussion board has two purposes: 1) to provide a way to participate online, and 2) to allow students to post questions or confusing questions about the reading and have other students and/or the instructor respond to the questions.

If you have general questions (and answers) that other students may benefit from, please direct them to the instructor by posting them in General Questions and Answers. When I answer the question (or when you answer a question) in General Questions and Answers, all students will be able to see my (and your) responses.

PARTICIPATION / CONNECTION RESPONSES:

How do we participate in this class?

Your course schedule (found in the Lessons Tab) will give you the instructions for participation as you proceed through the assignments of the course. By participating in class, the class will become more interesting and rewarding as more students actively share their ideas.

Furthermore, the group discussion will be a safe place to share ideas. The rules of the group do not allow group members to put another person down for their idea. I will respect you, and I expect you to respect me and the other group members. I also expect you to have carefully read the assignment before you come to class. You need to be prepared to discuss your connections when you come to class.

The reason for assigning the connections (participation homework) is because it will help you become more actively involved in the reading. This greater activity improves learning. By participating in class, the class will become more interesting and rewarding as more students actively share their ideas.

Where do we go to post our response in the class?

Participation occurs in this class by clicking on the lessons tab, then go to discussion forums, and then click on the specific chapter.

A copy of your participation homework can be shared by posting it in the Discussions. You can post your response in the class by clicking on the lessons tab, then go to discussion forums, and then click on the specific chapter. There will be Participation Homework assigned throughout the semester. In order to receive credit for your connections (participation homework) you must post it in the Discussions. You will also need to turn in a hard copy to your instructor at the end of the class period when it is due.

Where do we find the homework assignments?

The way in which you participate is by following the instructions in your course schedule (found under the Lessons Tab), which will indicate the type of homework assignment.

What types of homework assignments will we have?

There are two types of assignments that are designed to facilitate your critical thinking about the reading: 1) a structured discussion question or 2) a connection response.

Can you explain the difference between a structured discussion question and a connection response?

The structured discussion questionis very straightforward in that it is a structured question that I design and you answer based on the reading assignment. The directions for each critical thinking exercise / discussion question is found in your course schedule.

The connection responseis a detailed response consisting of your reaction and opinion to a reading assignment. The connection response is more open-ended (less structured) than the discussion question.

Each connection responseshould reflect how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to a major concept from the chapter.You can also talk about how concepts from other readings from any source relate to a concept in your assigned reading. It is critical that you title each connection response with your name and the chapter that you are responding to.

Connection responses(like the structured discussion question)help students find meaning in what they read. The process of making connections to the main concepts in the reading helps with remembering the concepts. If you can remember a concept, you can then apply that knowledge in your life.

These connection responsesare not a summaryof the reading. No credit is provided for a summary of the reading. You may want to ask yourself the following questions as a way to help you create a connection response:

1) How does this concept (a concept from the reading that you choose) help you to cope with stress or to enrich your life?

2) How does the reading relate to your community, or your family?

3) Is there something in the news (or online) or something a friend has experienced that directly relates to something in the reading?

4) How does the reading relate to other books, films, web sites, or articles you have read?

5) You may also take one side or another with an issue in the reading. If you choose to take one side or another, you must support your opinion or viewpoint with facts either from the textbook or from another reputable source.

Do we need to save a copy of our responses?

Yes. I recommend that you write your response in Word, and save a copy in your files. If there is a problem with the online course, then you will have a backup copy. You also need to run spell check, grammar check, and then post it into the course.

How much will participation count in terms of the overall grade in the course?

Participation will count as 10% of your final grade. The maximum score for participation at the end of the semester is 100. You will receive a grade for participation at the end of the semester. You will notice that the overall grade for the course will not be accurate until the very end of the semester because your participation grade will not be included in the formula until after the final exam.

Each participation assignment will be grades as a pass or fail. You can assume that you are passing each participation assignment unless you hear from me. If the quality of your participation assignment is low, I will email you with feedback to help get you back on track.

The quality of your participation is based on what you bring to the course with regard to your responses and your responses to other persons responses. You will be able to determine the student who puts his or her heart into the response and discussion in contrast to the student who provides very little to the group. In addition, you will be able to see other students' connection responses (online) which will help you to improve your own responses.

How long should each response be?

Each response, whether it is a structured discussion question or a connection response, should have a main idea and several supporting statements. Make each connection response at least 300 – 600 words single-space and in 12 point character size.

What are the ground rules for group discussion in class and any online discussion?
The objective of establishing ground rules is to honor free speech and the dignity, respect, and worth of everyone in the classroom.

• In order to create a climate for open and honest dialogue and to encourage the broadest range of viewpoints, it is important for class participants to treat each other with respect. Name calling, accusations, verbal attacks, sarcasm, and other negative exchanges are counterproductive to successful teaching and learning about topics.

• The purpose of class discussions is to generate greater understanding about different topics. The expression of the broadest range of ideas, including dissenting views, accomplishes this goal. However, in expressing viewpoints, students should try to raise questions and comments in a way that will promote learning, rather than defensiveness and conflict in other students. Thus, questions and comments should be asked or stated in such a way that will promote greater insight into and awareness of topics as opposed to anger and conflict.

Example of a question that may put students on the defensive: Why do you insist on calling yourself Hispanic? That's wrong. It seems to me that Latino is the correct term? Can you explain to me why you insist on using the term Hispanic?

Example of a non-defensive question: I don't understand. What is the difference between the terms Hispanic and Latino?

• Learning is both about sharing different views and actively listening to those with different views. Students in this class are expected to do both. Learning is maximized when many different viewpoints are expressed in the classroom.

• Keep the discussion and comments on the topic, not on the individual. Don't personalize the dialogue. Rather than personalizing the dialogue, please direct challenging comments or questions to the instructor or the entire class.

• Remember that it is OK to disagree with each other. Let's agree to disagree. The purpose of dialogue and discussion is not to reach a consensus, nor to convince each other of different viewpoints. Rather, the purpose of dialogue in the classroom is to reach higher levels of learning by examining different viewpoints and opinions.

Service Learning Project:

The service learning project will count for 15% of the grade in the course.

Often the deepest learning is accomplished through EXPERIENCE. The concept of service learning connects teaching, learning and research in a vital way, called active practice. The goal of the service learning project is to facilitate the process of giving of yourself in a setting which is DIVERSE from your normal realms of experience and enhance the academic learning through the community service.

Another benefit of service learning is the insight you may gain into yourself and others as you explore unique territory. In addition, you may find your sense of interconnectedness with others is strengthened. By participating in a community setting, you will be able to obtain insights that are not possible by reading the textbook. Studies of students who participated in servicelearning reported that it was one of the most important experiences in college. It is not uncommon for students to make career decisions based on their experiences in the community.

A service learning project is also a powerful way to enrich your learning of the theories and principles of psychology through active participation in your community. An additional benefit to this learning experience is the acquisition of service hours that are often required or preferred in application to many psychology programs as well as other programs of study.

How Does the Service Learning Project Work?

I. Complete a minimum of TEN hours of service in the community during the semester. I have selected a variety of community-based organizations that you can contact to request a placement. You may also know of organizations that are not on my list. You can find this list of community-based organizations under the Lessons tab. You must consult with me before securing your placement.

Some of you may choose to work individually with an agency, while others may prefer to work with other students in pairs or in a small group.

By September 15 every student should select an agency for Service Learning Project.

By October 3every student should contact the agency and set up an initial visit.

The quality of your service to the agency is so important that it will be considered in your grade on this assignment. Issues such as attitude, punctuality, dedication, and notification to the agency if you cannot keep a specific commitment to be there will be reported by your supervisor. If there are any problems that arise for you during this service, pleasetalk to your supervisor and/or me. Also if any problems regarding the quality of your work occur, the supervisor will contact me. Throughout the semester you will be asked in class for brief feedback on the service learning experience.

II. Collect a signed form that verifies your minimum volunteer hours. This verification will also include comments regarding the value of your work. This form is due on November 21.

III. Write a Service-Learning Project Paper (due on November 21) which will include:

A 2-3 page, double-spaced proposal of your selected service learning site and your proposed project. These are the questions you will need to consider when you approach an organization to request a placement.

In the heading; state your name, the organization, and your contact person at that organization with his/her telephone number.

What does your agency/organization do?
What will you be doing for that organization?
What concepts and theories will your project focus upon?
What reasons did you have for selecting the site?
With whom will you be working?
What do you hope to learn from this placement?

A 2-3 page, double-spaced detailed description of your placement activities.

Describe some of the history of the agency.

What social problems is your agency working on, and what specific interventions are they using?
What are the tasks of the staff at our placement?
What is your role in the placement? How do you fit into the team?
What is your assessment of the service that is provided by the agency?
What theories do you see reflected in the population that you are serving?
How have these theories influenced your observations of and behavior toward the population you are serving?

A 2-3 page, double-spaced reflective summary.

In the context of self-exploration and self-discovery, complete a description of your FEELINGS, OBSERVATIONS, PERSONAL VALUES, ATTITUDES and even ETHICAL ISSUES related to the experience. You may consider your reactions to being at the site that is diverse from your normal experiences, any shifts in your attitude, as well as your INTENTIONS upon completing the assignment.
What have you learned about the population that you served, the agency that serves them and the broader social issues that affect them?
How does what you learned at your placement relate to the theories that have been explored in the readings and class discussions? Provide a DEPTH analysis of the experience in relation to at least FIVE SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES and CONCEPTS of the material that was covered in the course. Students have to identify specific elements from lecture, text, discussion, videos which are amplified by your community service. The goal of this section is to illustrate that the accomplishment of service enhances your academic study and learning.

IV. Prepare a thank you letter to the agency. Include in this letter: appreciation for their help with this assignment, specific strengths and weaknesses of the experience, some comments as to the ways the service learning experience related to the course and the overall benefits of the experience. This thank you letter is due when you turn in your Service-Learning Project Paper on November 21.

V. Participate in a group discussion of the Learning Project. I will announce the date for these discussions.

IT MAY BE USEFUL:

Use a notebook to jot down your experiences after each visit to your site.
Ask questions at your site if you are confused.
After participating in your first meeting or visit, what is something that surprised or interested you?
Think about your goals for the semester. What do you hope to learn by being in the community? What do you think you will be able to contribute to the people at the community site?
Select some experiences from your service setting and explain how they helped you to gain a better understanding of course material. Use concrete examples and try to be as specific as possible.
What are possible ways that information from introduction to psychology could be applied to the setting? Use concrete examples and try to be as specific as possible.
Describe an incident or situation that presented a problem of some type or left a lasting impression on you. For example, seeing a person in a totally different way because of something that happened, seeing yourself in a new way because of a conversation or discussion with others. Maybe the event was dramatic or maybe it was a simple exchange during a daily routine.

How will the Service Learning Project be graded?

You will have to successfully complete a minimum of TEN hours of service in the community during the semester in order to receive credit for this part of the course. In addition, you will have to complete the Service Learning Project Paper. The Service Learning Project Paper is worth 100 points, and it counts for 20% of the grade in the course. This paper must be typed, double spaced, and turned in by November 21. Late papers will accrue a 10 point penalty for each day that they are late. No exceptions.

Guidelines for Evaluating The Service-Learning Project Paper:

The "A/B" paper (100 points) contains clear, thorough responses to the items identified in the assignment. It provides a critical analysis of the project experience. It provides evidence that the student has diligently applied ideas and theories from the course to the service learning experience. It follows normal written conventions for good sentence construction, paragraph development and spelling. There is a clear organizational plan, meaning a well-organized introductory paragraph that indicates to your reader where you are going in your paper. Major points are developed logically and are supported with concrete, specific evidence or details that arouse the reader's interest. It is punctual.

The "C" paper (70 points) meets only the basic criteria, and those in a minimal way.It responds to the items of the assignment, but leave questions for the reader as to the facts and impressions of the writer. It needs to be proof read for spelling or mechanics. Generally avoids both the monotony created by series of choppy, simple sentences and the incoherence caused by long, tangled sentences. Although the essay may contain a few serious grammatical errors and several mechanical errors, they are not of sufficient severity or frequency to obscure the sense of what the writer is saying. Supporting examples from the assigned reading are evident, but are generally not used adequately throughout the essay or may be inadequately developed. Writing may contain some extraneous or loosely related material.

The '"D/F"' paper (50 points) does not adequately address all of the items in the assignment. They do not provide evidence of the student’s reflective thought and they contain errors in sentence structure, paragraph development. It lacks a clear organizational plan. It does not develop its points or develops them in a repetitious, incoherent, or illogical way. There may be little, if any, development of supporting examples from the assigned reading.

Possible Areas of Service:

AC Learning Frameworks

Adoption

Bullying prevention

Child care / intervention services

Civic engagement

Community development

Community gardens

Disaster services

Diversity and cultural awareness

Dropout prevention

Economic opportunity