Dr. Alan Kee

Professor of Psychology

Amarillo College

 

General Psychology (Online)

Course Schedule and Assignments

 

Summer (8 Week), 2018

June 4, 2018 – July 27, 2018

 

Welcome to General Psychology Online!

I want you to use the more user friendly version of the Syllabus and the Schedule / Assignments document in this course by going to the Home Page for the course and then going to the Lessons tab.  Here you will find the two most important documents in the course: the Syllabus and the Course Schedule / Assignments document.

Please read and review carefully all of the policies in the Syllabus. Then, read and review carefully all the information in this Course Schedule / Assignments document.  These two documents are your roadmap to the entire course!  Also, do not hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions regarding the policies in this course. 

This document, the Course Schedule / Assignments document, may appear intimidating when you first read it.  However, in reality it is not all that complicated. It is lengthy because I’m going to great length to anticipate most of your questions. Please read this document carefully several times so that you will understand how this course works. If you do not carefully read this document, you will be lost in the course.

Also, please do not make the written assignments and the service learning project more complicated than they actually are. The service learning project instructions will appear complicated. However, when you break it down, you’re just simply answering a few questions. Again, do not make it more complicated than it actually is!  Do not hesitate to ask me questions if you feel like you don’t understand some aspect of the assignments.

I also recommend that you thoroughly take notes (outline) on the lectures as well the assigned reading. These notes (outlines) are for your own study purposes – you do not turn them in to me. 

In addition, I strongly recommend that you write the due date for all of the assignments into your daily planner / calendar.  This way you can see the big picture of how much time you have to complete all of the assignments.

Critical Information on How To Use Email in This Course!

In order to receive email from the instructor you must use your AC Connect Google Email account.  If you do not activate and use your AC Connect Google Email account, you will be lost in this course because you will not be able to receive email from your instructor. 

There is one way to email your instructor.  You must use your AC Connect Google Email account, and you will have to construct your email from within the course you are taking.  Go to the top left hand corner of the home page of the course and click “Send Email” to construct your e-mail from within the course.  Next, you will click on “All Instructor Users,” and make sure your email is being sent to Jeffery Kee (your instructor for this course). 

Also, students are responsible for accessing e-mail messages sent to their AC Connect Google Email account; thus, students are responsible to check their AC Connect Google Email account on a daily basis.  The instructor will only respond to e-mails sent from the student’s AC Connect Google Email account.  These e-mails must identify the applicable class in the subject line; this information is automatically included in messages sent from within the course when you use your AC Connect Google Email account.  

If you do not follow these instructions, you email is at risk of getting lost.  I teach six courses per semester, and I have to create folders in my Outlook e-mail for each class.  If you follow these instructions, your email will automatically go into the proper folder for your course, and I will then be able to respond to you in a timely manner. 

You will need to learn how to use email in this course by viewing two tutorial videos on how to access email as a student in the portal and on how to send email from Blackboard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Bb857-WJX9w

http://screencast.com/t/0jlcsuLrdj

Introduce Yourself

If you are attending this class, your Introduction Assignment is to complete an introduction on yourself in order to be counted as attending.  This assignment also helps me to learn your names! 

You must make this post by Friday June 8. The reason for this assignment is that the college needs proof that you are participating in the class before your first written assignment and exam 1 is due.  It is a way I can count you as attending early in the semester; if you do not complete this assignment, you will appear to the registrar as not attending the class.  If you appear as not attending, your financial aid can be terminated. 

This Introduction Assignment also allows me and your classmates to get to know you.  Please briefly tell the class your name, major, and your career plan.  You will post your response by clicking on Discussions.  Post your brief introduction in the “First Assignment: Your Introduction” discussion. 

Mental Health and Social Services at AC

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 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 iswww.actx.edu/arc

Summary / Overview of Course Assignments:

This summary provides an overview of all the assignments and due dates.  Please take the time to look at all of these assignments ahead of time and plan your time so that you can complete them on time. 

This Course Schedule / Assignments document is detailed in an attempt to minimize confusion.  This document should answer most of the questions that would typically come up.  Do not be overwhelmed by the detail of the assignments; I provide a lot of detail in an attempt to answer most of the questions you may have.  The papers that you write are NOT as difficult as all of the instructions appear at first glance. 

I also want to alert you early in the semester that the Service Learning Project is due 7/20/18.  You should go ahead and get started on this project now so you will not be stressed at the end of the semester.  I suggest you find your volunteer agency as quickly as possible so you will have plenty of time to complete the essay part of the assignment.  Go to Unit Three to see details for this assignment. 

Unit 1 (6-4-18 to 6-22-18)	Assignment	Due Date
	Introduce Yourself	6-8-18
	Assignment One Chapter 1 - Thinking Critically with Psychological Science  Lecture 1: What Is Psychology? Lecture 2: Why Do Psychology? Lecture 3: The Scientific Method Assignment Two Chapter 2 - The Biology of Behavior  Lecture 1: Neural Communication Lecture 2: The Nervous System Lecture 3: The Endocrine System Lecture 4: The Brain Assignment Three Chapter 3 - Consciousness and the Two-Track Mind  Lecture 1: The Brain and Consciousness Lecture 2: Sleep and Dreams Lecture 3: Consciousness and Hypnotherapy Lecture 4: Drugs and Consciousness Assignment Four Chapter 9 – Thinking, Language and Intelligence (read only pages 305 – 317 and 329 - 346) Lecture 1: Intelligence Lecture2: Thinking Lecture 3: Wisdom Assignment Five Chapter 7 - Learning Lecture 1: Classical Conditioning Lecture 2: Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning Lecture 3: Self-Control	You have between 6-4-18 and 6-20-18 to complete Assignments 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.   You are tested over this material on 6-21-18.
	Assignment Six Unit One Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment	6-13-18 No Peer Response
	Exam 1 Exam 1 Retake	6-21-18 Retake: 6-22-18

Unit 2 (6-22-18 to 7/10/18)	Assignment	Due Date
	Assignment Seven Chapter 14 - Psychological Disorders Lecture 1: Perspectives on Psychological Disorders Lecture 2: Anxiety Disorders Lecture 3: Other Psychological Disorders Assignment Eight Chapter 15 - Therapy Lecture 1: Psychological Therapies (Psychoanalytic and Humanistic) Lecture 2: Psychological Therapies (Behavioral, Cognitive, Group, and Family) Lecture 3: Evaluating Psychotherapies Lecture 4: The Biomedical Therapies and Prevention Lecture 5: Hope Assignment Nine REBT - Emotional Disturbance and Its Treatment in a Nutshell  REBT - Toward an Egoless State of Being REBT - Overcoming Self-Esteem Lecture 1: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 1) Lecture 2: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 2) Assignment Ten Chapter 10 – Motivation and Emotion (read only pages 371- 386) Chapter 11 – Stress, Health, and Human Flourishing  Lecture 1: Theories of Emotion Lecture 2: Embodied Emotion   Lecture 3: Expressed Emotion   Lecture 4: Experienced Emotion Lecture 5: Emotions (Stress and Health) Lecture 6: Emotions and Promoting Health Lecture: Happiness	You have between 6-22-18 and 7/8/18 to complete Assignment 7, 8, 9, and 10.  You are tested over this material on 7-9-18.
	Assignment Eleven Unit Two Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment	Unit Two Discussion 6-29-18 Peer Response 7-3-18
	Exam 2 Exam 2 Retake	7-9-18. Retake: 7-10-18

Unit 3 (7-11-18 to 7-27-18)	Assignment	Due Date
	Assignment Twelve  Chapter 4 - Developing Through the Lifespan Lecture 1: Childhood Cognitive Development Lecture 2: Childhood Social Development Lecture 3: Adolescence Lecture 4: Adulthood Assignment Thirteen Chapter 10 – Motivation and Emotion (read only pages 351-355 and pages 364-371) Chapter 5 – Gender and Sexuality (read only pages 171 – 187) – Myers. Lecture 1: Motivation Lecture 2: Sexual Motivation Lecture: Love REBT - How to Stop Being a Love Slob  REBT - Self-Interest and Assertion Assignment Fourteen Chapter 13 - Social Psychology   Lecture 1: Social Thinking Lecture 2: Social Influence (Conformity and Obedience) Lecture 3: Social Influence (Group Influence) Lecture 4: Social Relations (Prejudice) Lecture 5: Social Relations (Aggression) Lecture 6: Social Relations (Attraction, Altruism, and Conflict)	You have between 7-11-18 and 7-23-18 to complete Assignments 12, 13, and 14.  You are tested over this material on 7-24-18.
	Assignment Fifteen Unit Three Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment	Discussion: 7-16-18 Peer Response: 7-19-18
	Assignment Sixteen Service Learning Project	7-20-18
	Exam  3 Retake Exam 3	7-24-18 Retake: 7-25-18
	Final Exam	7-27-18

 

Detailed Description of Assignments for Unit One, Unit Two, and Unit Three:

Unit One 

Unit One consists of Assignments 1 through 5 and Exam 1. All of these assignments are to be completed between the dates of June 4 and June 22.  

Assignment One

Chapter 1 is an introduction to the science of psychology. The purpose of the chapter is to get you to think about how you think. It is common for people to accept things they read and hear in the media as the "truth" without asking how they reached such a conclusion. This chapter teaches you how to think critically, and apply this type of thinking to your life.  

Appendix C: Please look over this appendix so you have familiarity of the subfields of psychology.  It describes the professional fields of psychology.  You are not tested over appendix C. 

Read: Chapter 1 - Thinking Critically with Psychological Science - Myers 

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: What Is Psychology?

View: Lecture 2: Why Do Psychology?

View: Lecture 3: The Scientific Method

*You will find the lectures under Lessons Tab on the Home Page of the course.  I have recorded the lectures with a PowerPoint show to help explain and reinforce the assigned reading.  Some of the lectures are not a reinforcement of the material in the textbook; these lectures are indicated as additional information.

I recommend that you read and outline the assigned reading first and then complete the recorded lectures.  The recorded lectures will help reinforce your learning in the assigned readings. 

Assignment Two

We cannot understand our psychological selves without understanding our physical selves. This assignment describe how brain activity, neurons and hormones affect your psychological functioning.

 

Read: Chapter 2 - The Biology of Behavior – Myers

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: Neural Communication

View: Lecture 2: The Nervous System

View: Lecture 3: The Endocrine System

View: Lecture 4: The Brain

Assignment Three

In this assignment we will explore the fascinating world of consciousness, sleep, dreams, hypnosis, and the connection between drugs and consciousness.

Read: Chapter 3 - Consciousness and the Two-Track Mind - Myers 

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: The Brain and Consciousness

View: Lecture 2: Sleep and Dreams

View: Lecture 3: Consciousness and Hypnotherapy

View: Lecture 4: Drugs and Consciousness

 

Assignment Four

"I think, therefore I am," said the philosopher Rene Descartes. This assignment discusses the impressive ways in which human beings think - and why they so often fail to think and reason well.  This assignment also looks at the importance of developing emotional intelligence and wisdom. 

 

Read: Chapter 9 – Thinking, Language and Intelligence (read only pages 305 – 317 and 329 - 346) – Myers (note: we are covering Thinking and Intelligence only; we are not covering Language)

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View Lecture 1: Intelligence

View Lecture 1: Thinking

View Lecture 1: Wisdom – note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Assignment Five

How We Learn and Develop Self-Control? This assignment discusses the fascinating process of learning.  The chapters below on Learning and Self-Control can be applied to improving your own process of learning to make college (and your life) a more successful experience. 

 

Read: Chapter 7 - Learning – Myers

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: Classical Conditioning

View: Lecture 2: Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning

View: Lecture 1: Self-Control - note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Assignment Six

Unit One Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment:

Your Unit One Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment is due June 13.  Your assignment is to complete the discussion question below on Self-Control. 

                                                                                                                                   

To post your discussion response, go to “Discussions / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignments” and then click on the specific unit for the discussion question you are working on. Remember, your discussion response to the question needs to be a minimum of 600 words in 12 point type size. I will not grade a paper that does not meet these minimal requirements. 

This assignment on Self-Control is based on the lecture on Self-Control and Learning.  A well-defined plan is critical in order to change a problem behavior. You need a well-structured plan and strong motivation. Your objective here is to identify one behavior you want to change. Examples of behavioral deficits include: poor study habits, lack of assertiveness, poor time management, poor eating habits, lack of exercise, lack of public speaking skills, lack of appropriate social skills, inability to relax, lack of positive thoughts. Examples of behavioral excesses include: being overweight, smoking cigarettes, substance abuse (for example alcohol abuse), negative thoughts, use of bad language, jealousy, overuse of caffeine, procrastination, too much stress, test anxiety, poor budget management. 

After you identify one behavior you want change, your goal is to write out your behavior change plan.  Remember to get specific and write out your plan for each step.  Your assignment is to copy and paste each of the 7 steps below into your paper.  Be sure you answer each of the 7 steps below in your paper.  Break your paper into at least 7 paragraphs; do not make it one long paragraph!

1. Set a target behavior that is realistic and measurable.

2. Identify the potential benefits of reaching your target. Also identify the costs of not reaching the target!

3. Set up a daily schedule that utilizes your favorite activities as rewards.

4. Enlist social support from family and friends who - describe how, when, where?

5. Identify the specific obstacles you're likely to encounter in reaching your target and construct strategies for overcoming them. Remember that the hardest part is minimizing the influence of immediate rewards and maximizing the impact of your rewards.

6. Use tracking (self-monitoring system) to keep you focused; describe what will your tracking system look like? What can you do to make sure you stay on track with your goal?

7. If you slip, keep trying; remember that behavioral change takes time.  4 out of 5 people experience backsliding.  It is worth the effort!

Please use this rubric (assessment tool) below to help you to formulate (develop) your answer to the question for this essay.

Rubric used to grade Unit One Discussion Assignment:

Criteria	Exceeds Expectation	Needs Improvement	Does not meet expectations
Knowledge	60 Points Contains clear, thorough responses to each of the 7 items identified in the assignment.  It provides evidence that the student has diligently applied concepts from the assigned reading.	40 Points Does not address all of the 7 items in the assignment. It provides minimal evidence of the student’s reflective thought. There is only minimal indication that the student applied concepts from the assigned reading.	30 Points Minimally addresses the items in the assignment.  It does not provide evidence of the student’s reflective thought.  There is no indication that the student applied concepts from the assigned reading.
Organization	20 Points Information is clearly organized.	15 Points Information is loosely organized.	10 Points Information is present, but very difficult to understand due to poor organization.
Mechanics	20 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout written work.	15 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout written work with major errors.	10 Points Very poor grammar and spelling used through written work.

Exam One: The testing date is June 21.  You can retake Exam 1 on June 22.  The higher of the two grades will count.  There is no penalty for attempting Exam 1 twice.  To get into an exam, click on Lessons and then click on Exams. Exam 1 covers Unit One, consisting of Assignments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Unit Two 

Unit Two consists of Assignments 7 through 10 and Exam 2. These assignments are to be completed between the dates of June 22 and July 10.

Assignment Seven 

This assignment concerns your mental health.  At some point, many of us struggle with psychological problems, which range from everyday difficulties to incapacitating conditions. This part describes the major mental and emotional disorders and then later we will look at the therapies that have been designed to treat them.

 

Read: Chapter 14 - Psychological Disorders – Myers

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: Perspectives on Psychological Disorders

View: Lecture 2: Anxiety Disorders

View: Lecture 3: Other Psychological Disorders

Assignment Eight

Psychotherapy, also called counseling or talk therapy, is a way to help people with a broad variety of emotional difficulties. Psychotherapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can function better and can increase well-being and healing.

Problems helped by psychotherapy include difficulties in coping with daily life; the impact of trauma, medical illness or loss, like the death of a loved one; and specific mental disorders, like depression or anxiety. There are several different types of psychotherapy and some types may work better with certain problems or issues. Psychotherapy may be used in combination with medication or other therapies.

 Read: Chapter 15 - Therapy – Myers

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: Psychological Therapies (Psychoanalytic and Humanistic)

View: Lecture 2: Psychological Therapies (Behavioral, Cognitive, Group, and Family)

View: Lecture 3: Evaluating Psychotherapies

View: Lecture 4: The Biomedical Therapies and Prevention

View: Lecture: Hope - note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Assignment Nine 

In this assignment, I want to go deeper into one specific form of psychotherapy called Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). The material in this assignment will help you learn how to cope more effectively with the stress in your life by teaching you to evaluate and change your thinking about events that leads to emotional and behavioral upset.

Read: REBT - Emotional Disturbance and Its Treatment in a Nutshell 

Read: REBT - Toward an Egoless State of Being

Read: REBT - Overcoming Self-Esteem

* When the assignment requires you to read an article on REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy), you can access this document by going to the Supplemental Reading folder located under the Lessons tab.

View: Lecture 1: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 1)

View: Lecture 2: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 2)

*To view these lectures go to Lessons and then to REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations Lectures.

Assignment Ten 

A satisfying life depends on having healthy emotions, coping well with stress and knowing how to reach your goals. In these chapters, we see how personality, body, mind and environment affect your emotional health.

 

Read: Chapter 10 – Motivation and Emotion (read only pages 371- 386) – Myers

Read: Chapter 11 – Stress, Health, and Human Flourishing – Myers

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: Theories of Emotion

View: Lecture 2: Embodied Emotion

View: Lecture 3: Expressed Emotion

View: Lecture 4: Experienced Emotion

View: Lecture 5: Emotions (Stress and Health)

View: Lecture 6: Emotions and Promoting Health

View: Lecture: Happiness - note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Assignment Eleven

Unit Two Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment:

Your assignment in Unit Two is to answer one of the 18 questions below to answer.  Each of the Discussion Questions relate to the readings and lectures in Unit Two.  Do not make this assignment more difficult than it actually is.  All of these discussion questions below can look overwhelming!  You only have to pick one and simply answer the question and then respond to one of your peers in the class.

In order to increase the variety of questions answered, I would like to distribute the questions across the people in this class:

• If your last name falls between A – C, then please select your question from questions 1 – 2. 
• If your last name falls between D – F, then please select your question from questions 3 – 4. 
• If your last name falls between G – I, then please select your question from questions 5 – 6. 
• If your last name falls between J – L, then please select your question from questions 7 – 8. 
• If your last name falls between M – O, then please select your question from questions 9 – 10.
• If your last name falls between P – R, then please select your question from questions 11 – 12.
• If your last name falls between S – U, then please select your question from questions 13 – 14.
• If your last name falls between V – X, then please select your question from questions 15 – 16.
• If your last name falls between Y – Z, then please select your question from questions 17 – 18.

The objective in this assignment is for you to engage in a higher level of reflection by making interesting connections in your reading.  The question you choose will be the question you write about and post in your discussion response. 

Your task is to answer each of the sub-questions in your chosen question. Most of the questions ask you to briefly summarize aspects of the reading or lecture as well as reflect on your own experience related to the question.  You may also choose to relate concepts from other sources of media (such as other chapters of the reading from this course, lectures from this course, articles, newspapers, magazines, books, websites or films) to your assigned question. 

 Your Unit Two Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment is due June 29.  Your peer response is due July 3.

To post your Unit Two Assignment, go to “Discussions / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignments” and then click on the specific unit for the discussion question you are working on. Remember, your discussion response to the question needs to be a minimum of 600 words in 12 point type size, and your peer response needs to be a minimum of 100 words.  I will not grade a paper that does not meet these minimal requirements.  Please divide your 600 word discussion paper into paragraphs! 

In terms of your 100 word peer response, I want to see that you gave their discussion some real thought.  For this assignment, your goal is to relate (connect) ideas from another source (such as the text, lecture, website, newspaper, article, book, etc.) to your peer’s response.  After you relate ideas from some source to your peer’s response, you then also add your personal experience (observations) and opinions to your peer’s response.  You must cite the source in the body of your peer response AND provide the reference (bibliography) after your peer response.  

Use APA style when citing sources in the body of your peer response and when listing your reference at the end of your peer response.  Basically the idea here is to be sure you cite your source with the authors name, date of publication and that title of the source, and publisher along with any pages you used, or, if your source is an online source include the title , any author, date, and the web address stating "Retrieved from".           

Example of using a book will have a citation that looks like this:

Myers, D. (2014) Exploring Psychology (9th Edition).  Worth, pages 35-39.  

Henslin, J. (2016).  Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach.  Core Concepts (6th Edition). Pearson, page 102.

Example of using online source (website) you will have a citation that looks like this:

How Does Marijuana Affect You? WebMD Retrieved May 21, 2016 from http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/marijuana-use-and-its-effects

Be sure you cite your sources in the body of your text:

Example: There are numerous physical effects of marijuana such as increasing heart rate, increase bleeding, lower blood pressure, blood sugar issues, and increased risk of lung cancer (How Does Marijuana Affect You? WebMD Retrieved May 21, 2016 from http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/marijuana-use-and-its-effects)

Example: Myers (2014, p. 375) tells us that people must have their basic needs met before they can accomplish higher order goals.  This idea is put forth in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1970), which shows that needs like hunger and thirst must be met before people will go after personal goals like building self-esteem and attaining an educational degree.

Please use this rubric (assessment tool) below to help you to formulate (develop) your answer to the question for this essay.

Rubric used to grade Unit Two Discussion Assignment and Peer Response:

Criteria	Exceeds Expectation	Needs Improvement	Does not meet expectations
Knowledge	50 Points Contains a clear and thorough responses to the assignment.  Provides evidence that the student has diligently applied concepts from the assigned reading.	40 Points Does not address all of the sub-questions in the assignment. It provides minimal evidence of the student’s reflective thought.  There is only minimal indication that the student applied concepts from the assigned reading.	20 Points Minimally addresses the items in the assignment.  It does not provide evidence of the student’s reflective thought.  There is no indication that the student applied concepts from the assigned reading.
Organization	10 Points Information is clearly organized.	7 Points Information is loosely organized.	5 Points Information is present, but very difficult to understand due to poor organization.
Mechanics	10 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout written and oral work.	7 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout written and oral work with major errors.	5 Points Very poor grammar and spelling used through written and oral work.
Peer Response	30 Points Peer response meets the minimum 100 word requirement.  Demonstrates that the student gave their peer’s discussion some real thought.  The student relates ideas from another source (such as the text, lecture, website, newspaper, article, magazine, book, etc.) to his or her peer’s response.  After the student relates ideas from some source to the peer response, he or she also adds their personal experience (observations) to their peer’s response.  Uses APA Style in the body of the paper (peer response) to reference the source(s).  The peer response paper also includes a bibliography.	16 Points Peer response meets the minimum 100 word requirement.  The peer response does not relate ideas from another source (such as the text, lecture, website, newspaper, article, magazine, book, etc.) to his or her peer’s response.  Instead, it only provides opinions about the peer’s response. Or, the peer response relate ideas from another source but fails to provide the reference after the peer response.	0 Points Does not meet the minimum 100 word requirement.

Psychological Disorders

Question 1: Psychologists believe that classification (or labeling) can help in describing, treating, and researching the causes of psychological disorders.  However, other psychologists criticize such labeling.  Explain the advantages and disadvantages of classification. What is your opinion of labeling?  Do you know of a person who has been “labeled?”  What were the effects (positive and negative) in this person’s case?  Explain. 

Question 2: Anxiety is a part of life.  None of us can avoid it completely.  Fortunately, for most of us, our occasional uneasiness is not intense and persistent.  However, if our level of anxiety becomes more intense, i.e., to the point that it is quite distressing and persistent, we may have developed an anxiety disorder.  In order to help us recognize the differences between the different anxiety disorders, briefly explain what is meant by Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobia, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.  Have you known anyone who has suffered from one of these anxiety disorders? Describe what you think was the cause of the anxiety disorder based on your observation and the evidence from the text.  Did they receive any form of help? Why or why not?  What type of treatment would you suggest?  Explain. 

Question 3: Most of us, at one time or another will experience some symptoms of depression. It can be difficult to know where to draw the line between life’s normal “downs” and major depression.  How do you distinguish between major depression and life’s normal “downs.”  How do you distinguish between major depression and bipolar disorder?  Have you known anyone with one of these disorders?  What was their experience?  Did they receive any form of help?  How long should a person wait to get help?  What do think keeps people from getting help?  What type of treatment would you suggest? 

Question 4: Why do you suppose the incidence of serious psychological disorders is doubly high among those below the poverty line?  Explain in detail how psychological disorders can be prevented. Do you think our state and federal governments are doing enough to prevent psychological disorders? 

Therapy

Question 5: You are a counseling psychologist working in a community counseling center.  Your client, a 45 year old male, presents with the following concerns for the past six months:  feeling of hopelessness, lack of energy, difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, lack of appetite, and thoughts of suicide.  First, your task is to make your diagnosis.  Second, explain how you would treat this patient from a biological perspective.  What medical conditions would you rule out (think back to lecture on biological basis of behavior). Assuming that you recommended medication, which medication would you suggest?   How would this medication help your client i.e., describe the mechanism of how this medication works in the brain?

Question 6: A friend comes to you to talk to you about his mother who is experiencing a high level of anxiety with panic attacks and serious problems in her relationship with her husband.  Your friend wants to help his mother, but he believes that therapy is a waste of time.  He believes that all they do in there is “just talk.” Describe what you think was the cause of the anxiety disorder based on the evidence from the text.  What kind of evidence could you give to your friend that supports the notion that therapy is actually scientifically indicated to help his mother?  Explain. 

Question 7: You are a counseling psychologist working in a community counseling center.  Your client, John, is a 25 year old male who is unshaven, with long greasy hair, and appears to care little about his personal hygiene.  He was evicted from his apartment by his landlord several weeks ago and has been homeless and living on the streets for weeks.  Upon interviewing John, he appeared guarded and suspicious of the police.  He appeared agitated, showed bizarre posturing, and appeared unpredictable in terms of his reactions and movement.  When left alone for a few moments, he was observed talking to himself.  When he was finally able to talk, John stated that men were following him and that these men were attempting to poison his food.  He also believed that his parents were attempting to poison his food.  What diagnosis would you give this patient? Would you recommend psychotherapy?  Would you recommend medication, if so which type of medication?  How would this medication help John i.e., describe the mechanism of action in the brain? 

Question 8: Do you believe there is still a stigma toward people with a psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia?  What can be done to improve this problem of stigma toward these patients?  Explain.

Hope

Question 9:  Explain, based on the lecture on hope, what is meant by optimism and pessimism in terms of explanatory style.  Do you believe that you tend to lean more toward optimism or pessimism?  Explain what these tendencies look like in your life.  Where do you believe your tendencies come from? If you tend to be a pessimist, explain why you have periods of pessimism in your life.  How could you increase optimism in your life?  Then, describe in detail someone you know who is pessimistic.  What do you think caused this person to lean toward pessimism?

Question 10: Think about a highly stressful event in your life.  Describe how you could think about that stressful event by focusing on a pessimistic explanation as well as an optimistic explanation. Specifically, describe your thinking about this stressful event from a pessimistic perspective, meaning in terms of Stable (It's going to last forever.), Global (It's going to affect everything I do.), and Internal (It is all my fault.).  Then, describe your thinking about the same stressful event in optimistic terms.  Then, describe your thinking about this stressful event from an optimistic perspective, meaning in terms of Temporary (This is only momentary.), Global (This is only one small aspect of life.), and External (This is really not completely my fault.). After completing this exercise, what thoughts do you have about the possibility of people making some positive change in how they think and feel about a stressful life event?

Question 11: Describe the components of hope, according to the lecture on Hope.  Also, explain the advantages of having hope.  Do you believe that you tend to operate out of hope, or do you tend to feel more hopelessness?  If you are a high hope person, then describe a person you know who is low in hope.  Where does a person’s hopefulness and helplessness come from?  In what ways can a person possibly increase their current level of hope?

 

Emotion

Question 12.  How do you respond when you “get angry?”  Briefly describe a person you know who has a problem with anger.  Explain what the experts recommend as a way to deal effectively with anger.  Do you think you can apply these recommendations to your life or to the person with the anger problem?  What would that look like?

Stress

Question 13.  Reflect on a time when you have felt a high degree of (chronic) stress in your life.  Explain your situation in the following terms: 1) what resources were threatened?, 2) the general adaptation syndrome, and perceived control.  If you did not get your stress under control, explain how it could have affected your body.  In learning how to manage your stress, did you use any of the suggestions in the reading i.e., aerobic exercise, biofeedback, social support, spirituality, or religion?  Do you use any of these options in promoting your health currently?  Explain.  Also, explain how you can apply the information in the course on hope and REBT to help you deal with your stress.

Happiness

Question 14.  Myers points out that people who “are into seeking money to prove themselves, gain power, or show off rather than support their families" actually experience lower levels of happiness. Explain why people tend to believe that more money would make them happier.  Do you believe that more money would make you happier?  Explain why psychological science refutes this idea (that more money will make you a happier person); incorporate the adaptation-level phenomenon and relative deprivation into your explanation.   Then, describe what types of experiences lead to happiness for you.  Do you find that these experiences that lead to happiness are the same ones described in the lecture on happiness?  Explain.

Question 15.  Explain in your own words what is meant by flow.   Have you experienced flow?  How would you know if you have experienced it?  Describe what that feeling is like for you.  Describe in detail how you can increase the experience of flow in your life?

Question 16.  Some people find happiness in everyday occurrences and others seem chronically unhappy.  Explain the difference in these people by describing people who tend to emphasize maximization.  Who do you know falls in this category of maximization?  Describe this person – in what ways to they engage in maximization.  Explain what a person needs to understand in order to decrease his/her tendency toward maximization.  How does this concept of maximization relate to your life?

Question 17.  Review the recommendations in the lecture and reading on happiness for increasing your happiness.  Which of the recommendations are you pursuing now?  Which of the recommendations are you not doing?  Are there any you would like to incorporate into your life?  Explain what this would look like in terms of specific behavior.

REBT

Question 18.  Explain how you connect to the REBT Lecture and articles.  In what ways can you apply some of the ideas in the REBT Lecture and articles to help you potentially increase and/or maintain your hope and optimism and lower your stress?

Exam Two: The testing date is July 9.  You can retake Exam 2 on July 10. The higher of the two grades will count.  There is no penalty for attempting Exam 2 twice.  Exam 2 covers Unit Two, consisting of Assignments 7, 8, 9, and 10.  This exam is online. 

Unit Three

Unit Three consists of Assignments 12 through 16, Exam 3, and the Final Exam. These assignments are to be completed between the dates of July 11 and July 27.

Assignment Twelve  

At the heart of psychology lies a question: What is a person as they develop across the lifespan? What role does work and love play in our development? What is involved in human motivation? What milestones occur on the way to becoming a person? 

 

Read: Chapter 4 - Developing Through the Lifespan – Myers

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: Childhood Cognitive Development

View: Lecture 2: Childhood Social Development

View: Lecture 3: Adolescence

View: Lecture 4: Adulthood

Assignment Thirteen  

In this assignment we will explore the fascinating area of what motivates humans, the importance of belonging, and human sexuality. We will also continue to learn about REBT as it applies to love.

Read: Chapter 10 – Motivation and Emotion (read only pages 351-355 and pages 364-371) – Myers

Read: Chapter 5 – Gender and Sexuality (read only pages 171 – 187) – Myers.

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapters to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: Motivation

View: Lecture 2: Sexual Motivation

View: Lecture: Love – note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Read: REBT - How to Stop Being a Love Slob 

Read: REBT - Self-Interest and Assertion

* When the assignment requires you to read an article on REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy), you can access this document by going to the Supplemental Reading folder located under the Lessons tab.

 

Assignment Fourteen

Your Environment: Even unsociable hermits are influenced by their surroundings and by other people. In these chapters you will learn how physical and social environments-from the immediate situation to large cultural context-affect your actions and attitudes.

 

Read: Chapter 13 - Social Psychology - Myers 

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View Lecture 1: Social Thinking

View Lecture 2: Social Influence (Conformity and Obedience)

View Lecture 3: Social Influence (Group Influence)

View Lecture 4: Social Relations (Prejudice)

View Lecture 5: Social Relations (Aggression)

View Lecture 6: Social Relations (Attraction, Altruism, and Conflict)

Assignment Fifteen

Unit Three Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment:

Your Unit Three Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment is to choose one of the 44 questions below to answer.  Each of the Discussion Questions relate to the readings and lectures in Unit Three.  Do not make this assignment more difficult than it actually is.  All of these discussion questions below can look overwhelming!  You only have to pick one and simply answer the question and then respond to one of your peers in the class.

In order to increase the variety of questions answered, I would like to distribute the questions across the people in this class:

• If your last name falls between A – E, then please select your question from questions 1 – 9. 
• If your last name falls between F – J, then please select your question from questions 10 – 19. 
• If your last name falls between K – O, then please select your question from questions 20 – 29.
• If your last name falls between P – T, then please select your question from questions 30 – 39. 
• If your last name falls between U – Z, then please select your question from questions 40 – 44.

The objective in this assignment is for you to engage in a higher level of reflection by making interesting connections in your reading.  The question you choose will be the question you write about and post in your discussion response. 

Your task is to answer each of the sub-questions in your chosen question. Most of the questions ask you to briefly summarize aspects of the reading or lecture as well as reflect on your own experience related to the question.  You may also choose to relate concepts from other sources of media (such as other chapters of the reading from this course, lectures from this course, articles, newspapers, magazines, books, websites or films) to your assigned question. 

In addition, you could also choose to reflect on two of the assigned questions if you found this to be helpful.  For example, if I were required to pick between questions 30 – 39, I could choose to combine questions 33 and 34 to describe my own observations of prejudice as well as expand on the social roots of prejudice in the form of social inequalities.   My thought here is that I want you to have a great deal of freedom to go where you wish in terms of building the connections that you find most interesting and meaningful in relation to the assigned questions.

Your Unit Three Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment is due July 16. Your peer response is due July 19.

To post your discussion response, go to “Discussions / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignments” and then click on the specific unit for the discussion question you are working on. Remember, your discussion response to the question needs to be a minimum of 600 words in 12 point type size, and your peer response needs to be a minimum of 100 words.  I will not grade a paper that does not meet these minimal requirements.  Please divide your 600 word discussion paper into paragraphs!  *Note: The length of you answer will vary depending on the question you choose.  If you find that you are having difficulty making the 600 word requirement with your question, then you need to choose a second question to answer.  Please feel free to pick any question on the list for your second question.

In terms of your peer response, I want to see that you gave their discussion some real thought.  You must relate (connect) ideas from another source of media (such as the text, lecture, website, newspaper, article, magazine, book, etc.) to their response.  After you relate ideas from some source of media to your peer’s response, you can also add your personal experience (observations) to their response. 

Lifespan Development

Question 1: Piaget reports that children in the preoperational stage are still limited in their thinking.  For example, they have not achieved conservation.  Also, they tend to be egocentric, meaning that they cannot perceive things from another person’s point of view.  This does not mean that the child is “selfish.”  Briefly describe preoperational, conservation, and egocentric. Then answer the following questions: To what degree do you think parents understand this fact about children?  Do you think that this connects to child abuse?  How could an understanding of Piaget help decrease and prevent child abuse?  Explain.

Question 2: The lecture talks extensively about the importance of attachment for healthy development.  How does attachment relate to stranger anxiety?  How does Piaget’s sensorymotor stage (object permanence) relate to stranger anxiety?  Also, briefly explain how researchers study attachment in children (strange situation).  Moreover, describe the significance of body contact and familiarity in attachment.  Describe observations you have of parents and children that connect to these factors of attachment. 

Question 3: Describe the basic characteristics for both infants and adults in terms of the secure attachment, ambivalent attachment, and avoidant attachment.  Describe any observations you have of adults who seem to fit these three attachment styles.  Also, describe the basic characteristics of the child with disorganized/disoriented attachment. 

Question 4: Explain what is meant by the relationship between attachment style and quality of parenting.  Describe the relationship between basic trust and attachment.  What are the consequences of a deprivation of attachment for both monkeys and humans? How does a deprivation in attachment relate to abusive parenting.  Describe what is happening in terms of neurotransmitters (serotonin) in animals and humans that are traumatized.  Describe observations you have of parents and children that connect to these factors of attachment. 

Question 5: Describe the relationship between trauma and attachment based on the lecture.  What are the negative effects of trauma?  Explain the three levels of interpersonal involvement in trauma.  How does stress pileup related to trauma and attachment?  How can a person who has experienced traumatic attachment learn how to heal? 

Question 6: How would you explain the parenting style your parents used in raising you? Were they highly restrictive, permissive, or more democratic? In what ways has their approach affected your self-esteem? If you are a parent, do you parent in the same way or differently?  How would you recommend helping parents develop a more authoritative parenting style? 

Question 7: Describe the advantages and the risks for boys who mature early.  Describe the risks for girls who mature early.  Then, explain frontal lobe development in adolescence, and its relationship to impulsivity and risk for smoking.  Describe your observations that connect to these factors in adolescence.

Question 8: Describe what is meant by the adolescent version of egocentrism.  How does this version differ from the preoperational child version of egocentrism.  How does the concept of imaginary audience connect to the concept of the adolescent version of egocentrism?  Describe your observations that connect to these factors in adolescence.

Question 9: The chief task of adolescence is to solidify one’s sense of self (one’s identity).  Explain the difference between identity and role confusion.  Then, answer this question related to the development of identity: When you were an adolescent, who had the most influence on how you saw the world and yourself? Was it your parents, your peers, or a best friend? Who has had the most lasting influence?  

Question 10: Explain why cohabitation is correlated with higher rates of divorce.  What is your position on cohabitation?  Explain. 

Question 11: Talk to three people you would expect to have contrasting views on love and marriage (differences in age, gender, upbringing, experience, and religion might affect attitudes). Ask each the same questions and then compare their answers. 

Question 12: Explain what happens to happiness levels in later life (60 to death).  Also, how do people in later life cope with the loss of a spouse?  Describe what is meant by Erikson’s final stage i.e., integrity vs despair.  How can we maximize our chances for developing integrity into old age?  Describe your observations that connect to these factors in late life. 

 

Question 13: If death is a natural part of life -- it's a natural progression of life, birth, growth, maturity, aging, and death -- then why do so many people regard death as bad? Also, would you fill out a do-not-resuscitate order or living will for yourself? Why or why not?

Motivation

Question 14: Describe the basic difference between instinct theory and drive-reduction theory.  Then explain the importance of optimal arousal and living in the optimum stress zone.  Are you able to maintain your life in the optimum stress zone?  Explain.

Question 15: Maslow believes that the only reason that people would not move in the direction of self-actualization is because of hindrances placed in their way by society.  Briefly describe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.  Then, describe hindrances that you observe that prevent people from moving in the direction of self-actualization.  What can be done to improve or overcome the hindrances that you observed to help people develop their individual potential? 

Question 16: Explain the role of external stimuli on sexual behavior.  How do humans habituate to erotic stimuli?  How does this process of habituation relate to using pornography?  Describe the potential harmful consequences of using and habituating to pornography?  Have you observed this phenomenon in people?  Explain. 

Question 17: American teens compared to European teens have 1) Lower rates of intercourse, 2) Lower rates of contraceptive use, and 3) Higher rates of teen pregnancy and abortion.  Only one third of sexually active American male teens use condoms consistently.  Why are American teens not more motivated to use contraception?  Myers reports the following: 1) Ignorance,  2) Guilt related to sexual activity,  3) Minimal communication about birth control, 4) Alcohol use, and  5) Mass media norms of unprotected promiscuity.  After reviewing these five factors, explain what you would recommend that can be done realistically to reduce teen pregnancy rates and teen STI rates.  Come up with at least five intervention factors that relate to multiple levels (i.e., individual level, peer level, family level, and social level).  How do your ideas relate to themes in the assigned reading for this unit?

Question 18: Based on the lecture and text, briefly describe the evidence that sexual orientation is primarily biologically based.  Do you see sexual orientation as biologically driven?  If so, how does this view affect your attitude toward sexual orientation?  If you do not see it as biologically driven, what evidence do you have to support your perspective?  How does your perspective on the origins of sexual orientation affect your view on same-sex marriage and civil rights protection?

Love

Question 19:   Which form of attachment (secure, avoidant, and anxious) best reflects your observations of yourself?  Does the description of this form of attachment accurately reflect your experience?  In what way does this help you think about your close relationships with others?

Question 20: How realistic is it for couples to experience and maintain consummate love?  Explain what is meant by consummate love, and then explain your rationale for how realistic it is for couples to have consummate love.  How would this work?  What are the barriers? 

Question 21: What do you look for in a mate?  Do you observe differences in what men and women look for in a mate?  Explain.     How do your ideas relate to themes in the assigned reading for this unit?

Question 22:   How do you feel about commitment?  Why do you think it is so important?  Why does it seem to be difficult for many people to develop?  How is commitment different from passion and intimacy?  How does commitment connect to equity?  How do your ideas relate to themes in the assigned reading for this unit?

Question 23: As you review the suggestions provided on the lecture on love regarding building close relationships (minding theory, carve out time to talk, handle conflict constructively, express admiration, show affection, and create shared meaning), describe which suggestions struck you as strategies that you had not thought about.  Do you see couples practicing any of these suggestions?  Which suggestions do you want to apply in your life?  How do your ideas relate to themes in the assigned reading for this unit? 

REBT

Question 24: This structured discussion question is based on REBT: How to Stop Being A Love Slob.  Briefly describe the three common problems associated with being a “Love Slob.”  Briefly describe the attitudes (Irrational Beliefs) associated with being a “Love Slob” and Limerance. Do you see any "Love-Slob" in your personality? Or, are you the other extreme in that you are fiercely independent, keeping yourself at a distance if you are in a close/romantic relationship?  What are your observations of others who show “Love-Slob” behavior or the other extreme of keeping extreme distance?  How can a person learn not to be either extreme?  Explain.   

Question 25: This structured discussion question is based on REBT: Self-Interest and Assertion. Explain the difference between self-interest and selfish.  Explain the problem with guilt with regard to being assertive in relationships.  Describe the difference between assertive and aggressive.  Briefly explain how the need for approval can work against your desire to learn to be more assertive.  What type of rational beliefs do we need to practice in order to develop assertiveness?  Do you see yourself as assertive in your relationships with people in your work and in your personal / love life? Or, do you tend to allow people to take advantage of you too much? Are there aspects in these areas you would like to change?  Explain. 

 

Social Psychology 

Question 26: Explain how the fundamental attribution error can influence how we interpret other people’s behavior vs our own behavior?  Describe how the fundamental attribution error can result in hurtful (negative) effects on our relationships with others.  Provide examples of your observations to explain your description. 

Question 27: Define attitude, and explain how attitudes and actions affect each other.  In your description, explain the power of roles by explaining what happened in the Stanford Prison Experiment and how this study sheds light on what happened at Abu Ghraib.

Question 28: How do people cope with the discomfort (dissonance) when their actions and attitudes clash?  Explain how people will use cognitive dissonance as a way to cope with this discomfort.  Provide an example to help clarify your explanation.     

Question 29. Define conformity.  When are we more likely to conform?  Then, describe Asch’s experiment on conformity.  Describe an example of conformity that you have observed or learned about from reading or media.

Question 30: Describe why we conform be explaining the difference between normative social influence and informational social influence.  What examples do you see that relate to conformity and/or the price people pay for being different?

Question 31: Describe Milgram’s experiments on obedience, and explain how the conformity and obedience studies can help us understand our susceptibility to social influence.  Describe an example of obedience that you have observed or learned about from reading or media.

Question 32: Describe conditions in which the presence of others (group influence) is likely to result in deindividuation, group polarization and groupthink. Provide an example of each to illustrate your explanation. 

Question 33:  Reflect on experiences that you have had with prejudice i.e., experiences could be personal as well as interactions you have observed in the news or in movies. Describe the experiences in detail. Then reflect and connect your observations and experiences to the three components of prejudice (prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes).

Question 34: One of the social roots of prejudice is social inequalities.  Do a Google search and from your research explain how people who are in bonded labor are an example of discrimination, prejudice, and social inequality.  Give an example of a group of people who are in bonded labor.  

Question 35: Discuss how blame-the-victim-dynamic and just-world phenomenon help explain prejudice.  Give examples from your observations, reading, or media. 

Question 36: Discuss how ingroup bias and scapegoating help explain prejudice.  Give examples from your observations, reading, or media.   

Question 37:  Define aggression.  Then, describe how biological factors (genetic, neural, and biochemical) play a role in explaining aggressive behavior.  Give examples from your observations, reading, or media.   

Question 38:  Briefly describe how psychological and social­-cultural factors (frustration, aversive events, rejection, learning, modeling, minimal father care, and disparity between rich and poor) play a role in explaining aggressive behavior.  Give examples from your observations, reading, or media.   

Question 39: Describe the research on the relationship between violent video games and aggressive behavior. Give examples from your observations, reading, or media.  

Question 40: Does viewing sexually explicit media contribute to sexual violence?  Describe the  research from the text on this issue.  Then, describe your own observations and opinions on this issue. 

Question 41: How do researchers explain attraction?  Briefly explain the differences between proximity, physical attractiveness, and similarity.  Give examples from your observations. 

Question 42: Do you see equity in the long-term relationships or marriages that you have observed?  Do you think relationships become less equitable after the couple becomes married or after they have a child? Do you think most people struggle with self-disclosure in love relationships? Give examples from your observations. 

Question 43: How do you explain the lack of help for Kitty Genovese?  Explain how research on the bystander effect helps us to understand this lack of altruism.  Have you observed the bystander effect?   

Question 44: Explain how conflict is fostered through social traps and mirror-image perceptions.  Then describe how cooperation can be fostered through contact, communication, and conciliation.  Give examples from your observations. 

Rubric used to grade Unit Two Discussion Assignment and Peer Response:

Criteria	Exceeds Expectation	Needs Improvement	Does not meet expectations
Knowledge	50 Points Contains a clear and thorough responses to the assignment.  Provides evidence that the student has diligently applied concepts from the assigned reading.	40 Points Does not contain a clear and thorough responses to the assignment.  It provides minimal evidence of the student’s reflective thought.  There is only minimal indication that the student applied concepts from the assigned reading.	20 Points Minimally addresses the items in the assignment.  It does not provide evidence of the student’s reflective thought.  There is no indication that the student applied concepts from the assigned reading.
Organization	10 Points Information is clearly organized.	7 Points Information is loosely organized.	5 Points Information is present, but very difficult to understand due to poor organization.
Mechanics	10 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout written and oral work.	7 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout written and oral work with major errors.	5 Points Very poor grammar and spelling used through written and oral work.
Peer Response	30 Points Peer response meets the minimum 100 word requirement.  Demonstrates that the student gave their peer’s discussion some real thought.  The student relates ideas from another source (such as the text, lecture, website, newspaper, article, magazine, book, etc.) to his or her peer’s response.  After the student relates ideas from some source to the peer response, he or she also adds their personal experience (observations) to their peer’s response.  Uses APA Style in the body of the paper (peer response) to reference the source(s).  The peer response paper also includes a bibliography.	16 Points Peer response meets the minimum 100 word requirement.  The peer response does not relate ideas from another source (such as the text, lecture, website, newspaper, article, magazine, book, etc.) to his or her peer’s response.  Instead, it only provides opinions about the peer’s response. Or, the peer response relate ideas from another source but fails to provide the reference after the peer response.	0 Points Does not meet the minimum 100 word requirement.

Assignment Sixteen

Service Learning Project

This assignment is due July 20. You will be required to complete 4 hours of volunteer work in the community.  I suggest you find your volunteer agency as quickly as possible so you will have plenty of time to complete the essay part of the assignment.  All of the instructions look complicated, but in fact this assignment should not be difficult!  The goal of this assignment is to get you connected to a real-life situation and apply your learning to that situation.  You basically do 4 hours of volunteer work in the community and then answer a series of questions about your experience. 

There are several steps to complete for this Service Learning Project:

Step 1: Click on the Service Learning Project at the upper left hand corner of the Home Page for the course in order to access the required documents needed to complete the Service Learning Project.

Step 2: Open and read the document entitled “Service Learning Project Instructions.”  This document will explain how to do the project and it provide instructions on the essay questions that you will have answer as part of the project.

Step 3: Open and read the document entitled “Reading Graphs and Charts.”  This mini lecture will help you better understand how to interpret information on graphs and charts.

Step 4: Open and read the document entitled “Volunteer Opportunities for Service Project.”  This document will give you information on possible places for you to consider for your volunteer work.

Step 5: Open and read the document entitled “Service Learning Project Essay Template.”  This is the template you use to answer the questions after you complete your 4 hours of volunteer service in the community.  You MUST include the questions in your paper!  I will have a very difficult time grading your answers if I cannot see each of the questions that you are answering.

Remember to SAVE YOUR DOCUMENT as a WORD file or a RICH TEXT FORMAT file on your computer.  Do NOT submit your paper as a pdf. file.

Step 6: Once you click on the Service Learning Project Template, it will open in Word.  You will then have to click on the “Enable Editing” button at the top of your screen.  This will allow you to add your answers to the document.  Be sure to save this document with all of your answers to your computer as a Word or Rich Text Format file.

Step 7: Instructions for uploading your Service Learning Project into the course.

Go to the Service Learning Project in the upper left hand corner of the Home Page.  Click on the Service Learning Project Drop Box.  Then, click on “Write Submission” and you will see the Text Submission box.  Copy and paste your completed Service Learning Project Essay (Service Learning Project Essay Template) that you have already saved to your computer into this Text Submission box and not the Comments box.  In order to paste your Service Learning Project Essay into the Text Submission box, you will first need to highlight your Service Learning Project Essay.  Then hold the Ctrl button and press C to copy.  Next, you will need to click your cursor inside of the Text Submission box.  Then, hold the Ctrl button and press V to paste your Essay into the Text Submission box.  Then click Submit and it will upload into the course. I will then go in at a later time and grade your Essay.

Exam Three: The testing date is July 24.  You can retake Exam 3 on July 25. The higher of the two grades will count.  There is no penalty for attempting Exam 3 twice.  To get into an exam, click on Lessons and then click on Exams.  Exam 3 covers Unit Three, consisting of Assignments 12, 13, and 14. This exam is online. 

Comprehensive Final Exam: This exam covers all of the material assigned in the course. There is not a retake option for the Final Exam.  To get into an exam, click on Lessons and then click on Exams.  The testing date is July 27.  This exam is online.