STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND LEARNING OUTCOMES for PSYC 2301:  These are the MINIMUM COMPETENCIES.  After studying the material presented in this course, the student will be able to do the following as evaluted by the faculty in the department/program:

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1. Define psychology and list and discuss the goals of psychology
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2. Compare and contrast the major theoretical perspectives in contemporary psychology.
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3. Explain what is meant by the scientific method and describe the various research methods.
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4. Describe the parts and functions of the nervous system.
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5. Define and discuss sensation and perception.
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6. Describe learning from the behavioral and the cognitive perspectives.
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7. Describe the functioning of sensory, short-term and long-term memory.
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8. Define motives, needs, drives, and incentives.
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9. Explain and evaluate the cognitive-appraisal theories of emotion.
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10. Discuss the nature-nurture controversy in developmental psychology.
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11. Define Piaget's concepts and outline Piaget's four stages of cognitive development, describing the major characteristics of each.
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12. Describe the major personality theories and projective and objective measures of personality.
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13. Describe the psychological disorders and the biomedical and psychological therapies that are used.
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14. 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.
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Students 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

STUDENT BEHAVIOR: What is expected of you!

Students are expected to attend class, to participateONLINE, just like you were in a ON CAMPUS COURSE! Failure to work in the class MAY RESULT in your ADVISOR BEING ALERTED AND YOU LOSING YOUR FINANCIAL AID!  Please don't let this happen to you!  THE BEST WAY TO DO WELL IN ONLINE CLASSES IS TO BE IN CLASS WORKING AT LEAST 3 to 4 TIMES DURING THE WEEK...just like an ON CAMPUS COURSE!  Since this instructor emails reminders via the AC ONLINE classroom announcement page, it's best to check into your AC CONNECT class frequently.  As well, all course notes and assignments are in the AC CONNECT classroom folders, as directed by your instructor.   It is your responsibility to get the information and printed materials, as well as take EXAMS in the AC CONNECT classroom. If you don't have a computer, simply check the ones in the library or our many CAMPUS COMPUTER LABS! You can get onto AC CONNECT from any computer anywhere!

THE BOTTOM LINE: Things I WILL NOT TOLERATE:  There are several things that can get you kicked out of this class or will get you a zero on an assignment: Each student is expected to engage in academic honesty, refraining from cheating or plagiarism. YOUR EXAMS ARE MEANT TO BE TAKEN BY YOU!  IF THIS INSTRUCTOR LEARNS THAT YOU ARE COLLABORATING ON EXAMS, YOU WILL FAIL THE COURSE!  Plagiarism on written work will NOT be tolerated.  PLAGIARISM IS USING SOMEONE ELSES MATERIAL AS IF IT WERE WRITTEN OR ORIGINATED BY YOU. If you plagiarize, you can fail the assignment and receive a 0.  Plagiarism means copying off of the internet, quoting directly without giving credit to the source, or using parts of another persons work as your own. Copying and pasting material off the internet is strictly forbidden!   YOU MUST CITE ALL SOURCES when needed AND HAVE A REFERENCE SECTION WITH CITATIONS FOR all papers and assignments where you USE OTHER PEOPLE's MATERIAL!  PLEASE DO NOT ENGAGE IN PLAGIARIZING BEHAVIOR....it is considered stealing!   We have access to a plagiarism checker program and any paper that this instructor sees is plagiarized in part or in full, will be getting a 0 on the paper, and a letter of reprimand will be filed in your academic record.  IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER SOMETHING IS CONSIDERED PLAGIARISM, PLEASE ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR BEFORE YOU ENGAGE IN QUESTIONABLE BEHAVIOR!  AGAIN, I CONSIDER CHEATING ON EXAMS and PLAGIARISM VERY SERIOUS OFFENSES AND WILL NOT TOLERATE IT!!!

Students are expected to engage in appropriate "netiquette" in the class AT ALL TIMES.  Inappropriate online behaviors, such as swearing, discussion of inappropriate issues NOT related to the courseroom material, or any type of intolerance or rudeness to other learners will not be tolerated and may result in having to drop this course, failing the class, or dismissal from Amarillo College. Treat others as you like to be treated and everything should be fine!

Now, having said that, please remember that this is an COLLEGE LEVEL COURSE, and we will be discussing controversial issues in an ADULT MANNER!  You are expected to act like an adult in these discussions and realize that others may think and feel differently than you on a host of issues  Diversity is a GREAT THING and to be APPRECIATED in this instructors opinion.  If you find something offensive that is said by another student OR your instructor, please don't hesitate to contact me and discuss this with me.  However, it's important to remember that this course is not designed to CONFIRM YOUR OWN POLITICAL or RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, but rather to get you to think about sociology, society, and people in a bigger way than you may have already been exposed to. IN THAT, YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF UNCOMFORTABLE AT TIMES, AS YOU ARE BEING REQUIRED TO STRETCH OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE! This is a part of what it means to get an education!  Obviously, learning to see the world in a different light is the goal of this course!   You are encouraged to debate others, and your instructor, in a polite BUT WELL INFORMED manner!  If you want to debate a point made, all this instructor asks, is that you bring your sources and do a good job of backing up your ideas.  In academics, we like well informed opinions!  This is KEY to analytical and creative thinking and is the hallmark of what it means to have academic freedom!  I look forward to a REAL educational experience with you all! 

If you have a complaint about this course, please contact me first.  If you are uncomfortable doing that, you may contact my supervisor, Dr. Alan Key, my department chair at DUTTON HALL 202.  He will be happy to hear your complaint. 

If you have a concern that something you want to say or write that you think might offend others in the classroom or in the online course-room, run it by me first. Simply contact me via the AC CONNECT class email. As well, if you are aware of any student being mistreated or harassed in this course (including yourself), please bring it to my immediate attention.  We have zero tolerance for any student being mistreated here at Amarillo College. This will be a SAFE place for the expression of ideas and exchanges! Remember, you are an adult and differences in opinions, beliefs and ideas are a critical part of adult education!  You are expected to be an adult in this class!  Thank you for making our class a safe place to discuss ideas and to learn!   ~ Dr. Harding

Grading Criteria

GRADING CRITERIA:

YOU CAN SEE YOUR GRADES FOR THIS COURSE AT ALL TIMES BY GOING TO THE COURSE HOMEPAGE, AND NEXT TO THE SYLLABUS LINK, BELOW THE ANNOUNCEMENTS, YOU WILL SEE A SECTION THAT SAYS "ABOUT THIS COURSE: CLICK HERE TO SEE YOUR GRADES".  iF YOU THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR GRADE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IMMEDIATELY, SO WE CAN GET IT CORRECTED RIGHT AWAY! THANKS!

Your final grade for this course will be based on the standard grading percentages:

• 89.45 - 100 = A
• 79.45 - 89.44 = B
• 69.45 - 79.44 = C
• 49.45 - 69.44 = D
• Below 49.5 - F

Your final grade is based on the following items:

EXAMS : We have four units and four exams.  Exam 1, 2 and 3 are worth 100 points each and YOU MAY DROP YOUR LOWEST EXAM from EXAMS 1, 2 or 3.  Your last exam, EXAM 4 is also worth 100 points BUT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE IT.   You will have a couple of REVIEW questions over the MAIN and MOST important questions in the class.  MOST OF THE QUESTIONS on EXAM 4 are from the UNIT 4 material.  NOTE:  YOU SHOULD PLAN on TAKING ALL FOUR OF YOUR EXAMS in order to maximize your grade.   EXAMS ARE OPEN FOR ONE FULL WEEK, SO I USUALLY DO NOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE UP A MISSED EXAM, EXCEPT IN THE MOST UNUSUAL OF CIRCUMSTANCES!  See me if this is the case. AGAIN....YOU MAY NOT DROP YOUR LAST EXAM (EXAM 4),but if you miss either exam 1, 2 or 3 that zero for that missed exam will be your dropped score. Your total number of exam points = 300 exam pts and count as about 70% of your total grade).

SYLLABUS QUIZ: You will be asked to read through your online syllabus and to print it off. After you do that, you will need to take the 15 point ONLINE SYLLABUS QUIZ.  You are not considered as registered in this class until you have read the syllabus and taken that quiz. The syllabus quiz is worth 15 points or about 2% of your final grade.

UNIT DISCUSSIONS:  You will have 2 discussions for this course, INCLUDING 1 DISCUSSION for Unit 1 WHERE  YOU WILL DISCUSS THE WILD CHILD FILM and the CONCEPT OF NATURE VS NURTURE,  and ALSO INTRODUCE YOURSELF to the class (THIS IS ONE DISCUSSION POST),  and another DISCUSSION in UNIT 4 about the FILM WE WILL WATCH related to the concepts on CONFORMITY TO AUTHORY in CHAPTER 13 over SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. BOTH of these discussions are worth 20 points. DISCUSSIONS are worth 20 points each  (40 points total)  =  about 15% of your final grade.

LABS and QUIZZES: We will have 3 LABS for you to complete this semester, that also include 2 quizzes following the lab.  The first of these labs, REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, is the SCIENCE LAB.  THE LAB ITSELF is worth 50 points AND after you complete the lab and turn it in, YOU WILL TAKE A SHORT 15 Point Quiz for a total of 65 points. On the lab istelf, You  will watch some films on learning theory, read Chapter 5 in your text, then type in your answers on the provided answer sheet and submit that part of the lab by saving it on your computer.  Then UPLOAD YOUR COMPLETED LAB into the SCIENCE LAB DROP BOX.  Finally, YOU WILL TAKE THE SCIENCE QUIZ for 15 pts. THIS IS REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS! It's IMPORTANT YOU DO YOUR BEST ON THIS LAB.

In  UNIT 2 you will have a LEARNING LAB that you will complete by reading chapter 5 and then taking the QUIZ on LEARNING THEORY for 10 points credit.  There are also going to be QUESTIONS OVER LEARNING THEORY AND EXAMPLES on the UNIT 2 EXAM. For this lab, you do NOT TURN IN THE ACTUAL LAB...just watch the film, do the lab, and then take the quiz. This will help you with the Unit 2 exam questions. The film, lab and quiz are intended to help you UNDERSTAND LEARNING THEORY. 

The third LAB should be considered your FINAL PROJECT and it looks at your PERSONALITY type, your motivations and passions in life, along with your style of stress management to determine some CAREER PATHS FOR YOU.  Your answer sheet to THE PERSONALITY AND CAREER LAB will be turned in to the ONLINE DROP BOX and will be graded for a total of 25 points. The three labs and quizzes are worth a total of  100 points, about 22% of your total grade.

EXTRA CREDIT: Finally, you will have the following EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY:SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COURSE PROJEcT = will be up to 30 possible points.   Total = 30 possible extra credit points! You are not required to participate in the extra credit opportunity! It's up to you.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF POINTS FOR THIS CLASS will be 455 points (with 30 points possible of extra credit).  

Attendance

STUDENT ATTENDANCE:

"90% of Success is SHOWING UP":  While it may be tempting to ONLY CHECK INTO YOUR ONLINE CLASSES ONCE A WEEK, know that the #1 factor linked with good grades and SUCCESS IN ONLINE LEARNING is FREQUENT class attendance (Yes...it's just the same as the #1 factor in ON CAMPUS COURSES...BEING INVOLVED AND ENGAGED HELPS YOU SUCCEED!). If you haven't taken an online class, be sure you use the STUDENT TOOLS and HELP WITH BLACKBOARD tutorials, and you can call the AC HELPDESK at 371-5000, as well as get help in the LIBRARY on WASHINGTON STREET in the TLTC on the 1st floor and with the staff on the 4th floor!  We want you to do great in your online class, so please LET US HELP YOU! If we don't know your difficulties, we cannot be of service!  Also, call me if you want some help!  The best way to get me is on my cellphone....see my contact hours below!   ~THANKS! DR. HARDING

Calendar

Additional Information

HOW TO VIEW GRADES, INSTRUCTOR's FEEDBACK COMMENTS AND RUBRICS FOR YOUR LABS AND DISCUSSIONS:

  In order to see your instructor's comments on your work (such as your discussions and your paper), GO TO "MY GRADES" tab in the menu to the left of your BLACKBOARD CLASSROOM SCREEN.  Find the item you want to look at in the LIST (they are not necessarily in order...sorry!).  Click on that and you will see a place that says RUBRIC and COMMENTS.  Click on comments to see anything your instructor has said, and click on RUBRIC to view the rubric grading system and how your instructor graded you.  PLEASE...this instructor SPENDS A LOT OF TIME to give you CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK...USE IT and make corrections accordingly! If you keep making the same error time and again, YOUR GRADES WILL CONTINUE TO GO DOWN!  I expect you to USE THE FEEDBACK I GIVE YOU TO BECOME A BETTER STUDENT and to IMPROVE IN YOUR SCHOOL WORK!