\ USING FILMS, READINGS SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN TOPICS, IN CLASS AND ONLINE LABS, AS WELL AS CLASS DISCUSSIONS, LECTURE AND EXAMS, STUDENTS WHO TAKE THIS COURSE WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES BY THE END OF THIS CLASS: 1.  Learners will gain a working knowledge as to how individuals impact social situations and groups and how situations and groups impact individual thinking, feeling and behavior.
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\ 2.  Learners will gain an understanding of how scientific methodology is applied to studying social psychology.
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\ 3.  Learners will analyze the major concepts and theories in the field of social psychology.
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\ 4.  Learners will critically and creatively analyze concepts and theories discussed in the text.  Students will engage is discussions in class, as well as writing essays related to the text readings and lecture material.
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\ 5.   By the end of this course, learners will be able to apply the ideas in this class to real world social situations, such as dealing with prejudice and stereotyping, changing attitudes and behaviors through persuasive techniques (such as those used in politics and advertising), and in creating a sustainable future on our planet, as a few examples.
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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:

Students are expected to engage in appropriate classroom behavior, and proper"netiquette" in the online portion of this class AT ALL TIMES.  Inappropriate behaviors 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 related to sociology!  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!  If you are not comfortable expressing your opinions in front of the class, you may obtain 10 extra credit points by WRITING a rebuttal paper.  If your instructor feels that you have backed up your point of view with sources that are informed and expert on the topic, your instructor will READ your paper to the class (with your permission of course!).  Let's enjoy the spirit of debate (and we will actually have a REAL DEBATE over the DEATH PENALTY in class...your instructor ONLY plays the time keeper and steering the discussion so that everyone is heard).  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 Kee in DUTTON HALL 202N, (806) 371-5183.

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 or call me on my cellphone. 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!  Thanks! Dr. Harding

Grading Criteria

YOU CAN SEE YOUR GRADES FOR THIS COURSE AT ALL TIMES BY GOING TO THE COURSE HOMEPAGE, AND CLICKING ON the "MY GRADES" TAB in the MENU to the left of your screen. 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: You will have FOUR ONLINE UNIT EXAMS (covering units 1, 2, 3 and 4) that are worth 100 points each.  You get to drop your lowest score of the FIRST THREE EXAMS.  YOU MUST TAKE THE LAST EXAM (EXAM 4) as it has A FEW OVERVIEW QUESTIONS ON IT ABOUT THE COURSE CONTENT.   Your online exams are OPEN FOR A FULL WEEK AT A TIME.  Your first exam (and the first exam ONLY) you will get two attempts on the exam (just in case you haven't taken an ONLINE exam before).  Each of the four exams is worth 100 points and, with dropping your lowest score for the first 3 exams, and the REQUIRED fourth exam, and your total number of exam points  = 300 points out of 500 points possible = 60% of your grade.

WRITTEN FILM LABS: You have a requirement to complete FOUR written FILM LABS for this course to turn in by the DUE DATES ASSIGNED in the ASSIGNMENT DROP BOX, within each UNIT.  For Unit 1, the written film lab is required for everyone and covers the CLASS DIVIDED documentary, linked to both Chapters 1 and 2.  For Unit 2, you can choose which film you want to do your lab over, including Moneyball or Grand Torino.  For Unit 3, you can choose the film you want to write about including Jim Jones and the People's Temple for Chapters 6 & 7 (it's an ONLINE FILM that you cfan watch on your own), American History X for Chapters 6 & 7 (we will watch this in class), The Experiment or the HBO documentary over THE GHOSTS OF ABU GHRAIB for Chapters 8 (which you can watch on your own with Ghosts of Abu Ghraib being available ONLINE), and Thirteen Days (which you can watch ONLINE) or The Human Behavior Experiments (which we will watch IN CLASS), for Chapter 9.  For Unit 4, you can choose to do your written lab over Remember the Titans or The Help or Mississippi Burning (over ch 10 and 11), Bowling for Columbine (which you can watch yourself online over ch 11), The Mirror Has Two Faces (which we will watch in class over ch 12), or Schindler's List (which we will watch in class over ch 13). While the FOUR you submit ONLINE need to be typed and edited,  you are highly encouraged to PRINT OUT THE FILM LABS (I've given you the first one for chapters 1 and 2) and do the film labs in class over ALL the films we watch, as they are designed to help you make sense out of the CHAPTER MATERIALS. They will help you learn for the exam, so do them, think about how the film shows us what the chapter is talking about! You can type them up later, but bring the lab to class to fill in while you watch the film!  Labs are worth 15 points each for a total of 60 points towards your final grade = 12% of your total grade.

FINAL PAPER:  We will be watching lots of films in class over the next 16 weeks.  You will write a 4 to 6 page essay over the MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I LEARNED IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. See your specific instructions online for this paper.  You will also submit your paper ONLINE BY THE DUE DATE SHOWN ON THE PAPER DROP BOX.  The total final paper is worth 100 points. Be sure you follow instructions for the paper and the labs,complete each, and watch your spelling/grammar and punctuation. Consider each lab AND your essay a college level writing assignment.  If you are a poor writer, be sure you make an appointment with our WRITER's CORNER by emailing the at: writerscorner@actx.edu    OR stop by: LOCATION:  Ordway Hall, Room 102.  They will help you polish and edit your work! They also send me a report on your tutoring which will get you 5 more points on your paper.

ATTENDANCE POINTS:  Attendance points are 5 points each.  I will take attendance 7 times over the semester and 6 of those count towards a total of 30 points.  You can miss 1 night class without it counting on your grade. (Note: At the end of class, if you have perfect attendance, it's worth 5 extra credit points towards your grade). As well, you will be given 5 attendance points for READING YOUR SYLLABUS and TAKING A SHORT SYLLABUS QUIZ, along with another 5 attendance points for RETURNING YOUR STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET AFTER YOU HAVE READ the SYLLABUS.  Your total of attendance points, including in class attendance (6 x 5 = 30, syllabus quiz = 5 and returning your student information sheet = 40 points which is worth 8% of your final grade.  

You will have TWO EXTRA CREDIT opportunities for this course as well, but participation in Extra Credit is strictly voluntary. You can one, both or none!

We will have a COMMUNITY PROJECT to benefit AC STUDENTS = up to 30 points

You can SIGN UP TO BRING SNACKS/DRINKS for THE MOVIE NIGHTS (we'll have 8 movie nights) for 5 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS.  and I hope that two people will bring snacks and one person will bring drinks.  I will provide napkins, silverware, cups and the ICE for drinks.  You can, after everyone has had a chance sign up for ONE SNACK NIGHT,  if you want, you can then sign up for a SECOND chance to bring snacks (another 5 extra credit points!).  = Up to 10 points.

GRADE BREAKDOWN:

4 exams 100 pts each (lowest score for the first 3 exams dropped, you must take exam 4) = 300 pts = 60% of your final grade

Final paper = 100 points = 20% of your final grade

4 written Film Labs (at 15 points each) = 60 points  = 12% of your final grade

Attendance points (including syllabus quiz, student information sheet & in class attendance) = 40 points = 8%

*Added possible 30 points for Community project and 5 to 10 points for snacks = up to 40 extra credit points!

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF POINTS FOR THIS CLASS = 500 points, and a possible 35 to 40 extra credit points. These points get added to your total of the points you earned.  My gradebook is set up as a points gradebook, so every point counts. It's not weighted.  It would be like getting a 60 on an exam and then adding 40 points to make it a 100.  That's a big help for some of you! Take advantage, plus you help others!

Because the exams will be online and open for a week, there will NOT be any make up exams, EXCEPT IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.  IF YOU HAVE SUCH EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE, PLEASE DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR INSTRUCTOR VIA PHONE OR DURING MY OFFICE HOURS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOU.  YOU CAN SEND ME AN EMAIL IN THE AC CONNECT CLASSROOM FOR THIS COURSE, OR YOU CAN CALL ME AT (806) 584-7569 (MY CELL) OR (806) 355-2360. REMEMBER, once the UNIT EXAM is closed it's a 0 for you.  YOU MUST TAKE THE FOURTH EXAM, but you get to drop the lowest of the first three.  ALso, you must do FOUR FILM LABS  along with turning in your final paper.   

YOUR FINAL PAPER, that includes a 4 to 6 page essay will have a final due date.  YOU MUST TYPE YOUR FINAL PAPER.  YOU MUST turn in your paper in the FINAL PAPER ONLINE DROP BOX.   THE FOUR LABS you CHOOSE TO SUBMIT in EACH UNIT MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE in the UNIT 1, 2, 3 or 4 FILM LAB DROP BOX. You will find those in each unit. If you miss a film in class, you may go to the library and watch it at the library.  It is your responsibility to either rent or go to the library ann watch any films that you miss! 

Attendance

"90% of Success is SHOWING UP"  ~ Woody Allen

While it may be tempting to skip class, know that the #1 factor linked with good grades IS class attendance!!!  You can work ahead in this class, and you can get 5 extra points for turning in your paper early, BUT note that each unit, exam, lab and assignment has a closing time.  You MUST stay current with your film labs (they are due by the end of each of the four units and will be submitted ONLINE! The film labs are intended to help you study the material for the exams, so you want to watch the film and relate it to the TEXTBOOK MATERIAL. Each film is related to a specific chapter or chapters and you will want to READ THE CHAPTER BEFORE you watch the film, and then fill out the study guide before you take the exam for that unit!

Work to stay current in your chapters and read ahead! The film labs along with your final paper are worth almost 1/4th of your full grade!  I expect excellent work on the labs and the essay! The people that will do the best in the class are those that are in the class every CLASS, that do their study guides and practice quizzes, along with watching the films and doing the written labs over the material in that chapter!  I hope you will be ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS!  Good luck with that! I LOVE GIVING A's for EXCELLENT WORK!  ~ Dr. Harding

Calendar

Additional Information

HOW TO SEE YOUR GRADES, and VIEW COMMENTS AND RUBRICS FOR YOUR PAPER AND LABS:

In order to see your grades for your film labs and paper,

• ·GO TO MY GRADES in the TAB MENU at the LEFT OF YOUR SCREEN, and click. 

• ·Scroll down the list to find the item you want to view.

• Click on that and you will see a place that says VIEW 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!