First Year Seminar - Learning Framework Syllabus for 2014-2015
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Instructor Information

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

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N/A

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N/A

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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

EDUC-1100-PSH First Year Seminar - Learning Framework

Prerequisites

Course Description

A study of the: research and theory in the psychology of learning, cognition and motivation; factors that impact learning; and application of learning strategies. Theoretical models of strategic learning, cognition and motivation serve as the conceptual basis for the introduction of college-level student academic strategies. Students use assessment instruments (e.g., learning inventories) to help them identify their own strengths and weaknesses as strategic learners. Students are ultimately expected to integrate and apply the learning skills discussed across their own academic programs and become effective and efficient learners. Students developing these skills should be able to continually draw from the theoretical models they have learned.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

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Hours

(1 sem hr; 1 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

There is no required text for this class. 

iPads and Scholar Textbooks:  The fourth floor reference librarian will be ready to check out PSH textbooks and iPads to students at the beginning of each semester during normal reference desk hours.

You will only check out the texts for the Scholar classes you’re taking this semester.  You are responsible for purchasing other texts you may need.

You will also have the option to receive an iPad.  You’ll be asked to sign a form indicating you understand the iPad belongs to Amarillo College.  If it is lost, damaged or stolen, you will be responsible for the cost of a new iPad.   You will turn the iPad back into the library by noon, May 5, 2015.  That’s the week prior to final exams, so be sure you download any study materials you may need.  Next semester, you’ll be able to check out the same iPad. You may add appropriate apps and you do not need to delete them between semesters.  Once you graduate with a GPA of 3.5, or better, the iPad will become yours!

Supplies

Students will need a USB drive for storing electronic files and should always bring note-taking materials to class.

Student Performance

After completing this course, the student will be able to do the following as evaluated by the instructor:

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1. identify personal learning strengths and weaknesses
\ 2. analyze various leadership contexts
\ 3. apply leadership and team building principles and theory in practical projects
\ 4. participate in class and group processes
\ 5. demonstrate courtesy and respect for classmates

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

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• Students are expected to behave in the classroom in a manner that is supportive of the learning environment. Behaviors that are not supportive include, but are not limited to: tardiness/leaving early; electronic device noises; talking during lectures; abusive, offensive or disrespectful behavior/language. 
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• Emails sent to your instructor must be addressed and signed. Emails, like all academic work, should be proofread, should not include slang or abbreviations, and should not resemble text messages. 
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• Turn off cell phones or put them on silent during class.
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• Any student caught plagiarizing or cheating will receive a failing grade.  According to the Amarillo College Student Code of Conduct, plagiarism is the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another's work and the acknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one's own written work.
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Grading Criteria

Your course grade will be determined by the following percentages:

First Year Scholars
15% Class Attendance/Participation
20% Scholar Project
  -- Project Planning Sheet
  -- Project Execution
  -- Project Presentation at Honors Expo
  -- Project Personal Evaluation Worksheet
  -- Project Report (notebook)
10% Out-of-class Events
30% Research Project
--Research abstract
--Research paper
--Research presentation or poster
10% Educational Planning 
  --Educational Plan Worksheet
  --Specialist Log         
5% End-of-Semester Evaluation Worksheet
10% Honors Update Newsletter Article

Second Year Scholars

10% Class Attendance/Participation (at least three classes)
10% Out-of-class Events (at least five events, one of which should be Banquet)
50% Research Project
--Research abstract
--Research paper
--Research presentation or poster
10% Educational Planning Update
  --Educational Plan Worksheet
  --Specialist Log         
10% End-of-Semester Evaluation Worksheet
10% Honors Update Newsletter Article

Grading Scale:
90 -100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
0-58 F

First Year scholars will receive a letter grade.  Second Year scholars will be graded on a pass/fail basis and must earn a minimum of grade of 70%.

ASSIGNMENTS

Class Attendance/Participation 
Because your success in this class depends on your ability to collaborate during class time, regular attendance is essential for satisfactory achievement. Your participation will directly affect your grade. Daily attendance will be recorded. Points will be deducted from your participation/attendance grade for more than two absences -- regardless of the reason for the absence. Leaving class prior to dismissal time or arriving late will be counted as an absence. Should you need to miss class due to illness or other conflict, please notify your project team.

Scholar Project 
Each First Year student will be assigned a Project Group and will work with team members to fulfill group responsibilities.  The entire Scholars Seminar class will provide the ‘manpower’ for events and activities; however, each Project Group will coordinate planning and execution for that group’s particular responsibilities.

Project Groups will prepare a final report on the group’s work and will deliver a presentation regarding the work at Honors Expo.

Grades will be based on the overall success of the project including planning, organization, teamwork, leadership and creativity and the individual contribution to the group as documented in the Project Planning Sheet, Project Report & Presentation and the Project Personal Evaluation Worksheet.

Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Honors Class Liaisons (a process in which Scholars provide information and encouragement to students in standard Honors classes at AC) Honors Expo (and end-of-the-semester event that showcases work done in Honors and Presidential Scholars classes.) Planning and execution of one fun event for Scholars	High School Recruiting (visits to provide high school students with tips for college success along with background on AC Honors and Presidential Scholars) Arrange and carry out an on-campus travel presentation for the AC community Assist with Creative Mind Lecture Series Assist with Spring into Honors Recruiting event (tentative) Planning and execution of one fun event for Scholars	Community Service (a service project designed and carried out by the Project Group with participation from the entire class) Community Presentations: (coordination of and visits to community groups to present about AC Honors, Presidential Scholars and Honors travel) Planning and execution of one fun event for Scholars	Badgerama booth:  Plan booth and coordinate activities for Badgerama Plan and carry out Scholars end-of-year-banquet Planning and execution of one fun event for Scholars

Group 1

This group will coordinate interactions with standard Honors classes and will be in charge of the Honors Expo and the Spring Honors recruiting event on campus

Responsibilities will include:

• Creating a calendar of dates when Scholars will visit Honors classes
• Assigning Scholars to specific classes and dates
• Preparing information and giveaways to be delivered to those classes
• Planning and carrying out Spring Honors recruiting event (Spring into Honors)
• Providing Honors faculty with information regarding Expo dates, schedules and requirements
• Reserving facilities for Expo
• Arranging for AV equipment, tables, refreshments, entertainment (music between presentations) and decorations (if desired) at Expo
• Creating a schedule for Expo class presentations
• Coordinating Expo set up and clean up
• Hosting Expo (announcing speakers)
• Preparing, distributing, collecting and compiling evaluations of Expo
• Other duties as assigned or as determined necessary by the group

Group 2

This group will coordinate high school recruiting visits and will assist with other recruiting events

Responsibilities will include:

• Reserving space, planning, arranging speakers and AV materials and and carrying out a noon travel presentation
• Determining location, facilities needed and format of Springl-into-Honors Event
• Reserving facilities for Spring-into-Honors
• Arranging for AV equipment (if needed), tables (if needed), refreshments, and decorations (if desired) at Spring-into-Honors
• Creating a schedule for Scholars to assist at Spring-into-Scholars Event and coordinating sign-ups
• Creating and distributing promotional materials for Spring-into-Honors
• Coordinating Spring-into-Honors set-up and clean-up
• Contacting high school  AP teachers to request classroom visits
• Coordinating sign-ups for Scholars to present at high school visits
• Coordinate assistance at Creative Mind events
• Other duties as assigned or as determined necessary by the group

Group 3

This group will create and execute a community service project and will coordinate community presentations about the AC Honors Program and Honors Travel experiences.

Responsibilities will include:

• Designing a community outreach project that can be carried out during Spring semester
• Coordinating arrangements with community organization
• Creating a schedule for Scholars to participate in the service project and coordinating sign-ups
• Executing project
• Contacting community group to arrange presentations for this semester and/or next fall semester
• Coordinating sign-ups for Scholars to present at community events during Spring semester
• Other duties as assigned or as determined necessary by the group

Group 4

This group will organize and lead an on-campus travel presentation about Nepal/India, coordinate set up and staffing of Badgerama Booth and plan and carry out the Scholars End-of-the-Year banquet

Responsibilities will include:

• Planning theme and activities for Badgerama booth and scheduling staffing.
• Planning and carrying out end-of-the year Scholars Banquet (arranging location, food, decorations, schedule, invitations, set up and clean up, etc. as well as coordinating presentations and creating a strategy for showcasing student research and highlighting travel experiences.)
• Other duties as assigned or as determined necessary by the group

Each group will also be responsible for planning and carryng out one "fun" event for the Scholars.  This can be as simple as bringing in lunch to eat during our regular class time or arranging a meal out, movie night or painting event at Burn Studio.  The only requirement is that the events do not require the program to cover the cost of events/food/activities.

Out-of-Class Events 
Numerous activities outside of seminar class time will be offered, some of which will be optional and others will be mandatory.  Scholars are expected to participate in a minimum of five out-of-class events.  Events that take place during normal seminar class time will not count toward this total.  Attendance and participation will be documented.

Research Project 
Scholars will carry out research based on the proposals submitted during Fall semester.  Students will complete abstracts, research papers and presentations/posters following the guidelines for the West Texas A&M University Student Research Conference.  Guidelines and grading rubrics can be found at http://www.wtamu.edu/academics/student-research-conference.aspx

Educational Planning 
Students must update their educational planning documents—the Educational Plan and the Specialist Log.  The Educational Plan is a worksheet that students complete and then finalize with the assistance of their advisors to use as a personal instruction sheet for completing college.  Students can update the Education Plan they began last semester. Blank editable PDF Educational Plan forms can be found at http://www.actx.edu/pagesmith/1 (click on Educational Plan).  The Specialist Log is a signature sheet that documents that the student has met with at least three educational planning specialists during the semester.  One of the three must be your AC academic advisor.  The other two can be a representative of the Career Center or the Money Management Center or an advisor from your anticipated transfer university.  Students who anticipating transferring Fall semester of 2015 should meet with an advisor from the transfer university as early as possible.

Final Evaluation
Students must complete a final evaluation worksheet that responds to questions regarding the Presidential Scholars Program.  Students will be given the evaluation prompt  approximately one week prior to the due date.

Honors Update Newsletter Article
Students will write a 400-600 word article for the Program’s digital newsletter, The Honors Update.  Due dates will vary according to which project group the student is in.  Scholars may choose from the following topics:

• A personal reflection on and description of his/her experiences in AC’s Presidential Scholars program or recent Scholars overseas travel.
• A profile of a current Presidential Scholar or a Presidential Scholar graduate (faculty can provide contact information if needed)
• A profile of an Honors or Presidential Scholars instructor
• A glimpse inside an Honors or Presidential Scholars class
• Reflections on the research project experience
• A summary of experiences at AC in light of upcoming graduation
• Another topic related to Honors or Presidential Scholars pending instructor approval

Article submission does not guarantee publication.  Scholars are encouraged to seek assistance from The Writer’s Corner prior to handing in this assignment.

Attendance

Class Attendance/Participation

First Year Students: Because your success in this class depends on your ability to collaborate during class time, regular attendance is essential for satisfactory achievement. Your participation will directly affect your grade. Daily attendance will be recorded. Points will be deducted from your participation/attendance grade for more than two absences -- regardless of the reason for the absence. Leaving class prior to dismissal time or arriving late will be counted as an absence. Should you need to miss class due to illness or other conflict, please notify your project team.

Second Year Students: Second Year students are always welcome in class and are REQUIRED to attend a minimum of three times during the semester.  Second Year students must sign up for a day to present research and should plan to stay for the entire class time to serve as an audience for classmates.  Attendance at “fun” events and research tips presentations is encouraged.

Calendar

Additional Information

Grades will be available through Blackboard.