Psychology of Adjustment Syllabus for 2020-2021
Return to Syllabus List

Dr. Alan Kee

Professor of Psychology

Amarillo College

 

Psychology of Adjustment (Online)

 

Course Schedule / Assignments

 

Summer (8 Week), 2020

June 8, 2020 – July 30, 2020

 

Welcome to Psychology of Adjustment 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 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. 

You must make this post by Thursday June 11. The reason for this assignment is that the college needs proof that you are participating in the class before your first written assignment. **If you do not complete this assignment, you will be considered NOT attending and you WILL BE dropped from the course.  And, your financial aid can be terminated.** 

Why Take a Course in the Psychology of Adjustment?

This course is about helping you create a Self-Care plan that you can practice over the course of your life.  If you can learn effective strategies for dealing with the stress in your life, you will experience greater well-being over the course of your life.  You will suffer less.  And you will also have more meaningful and loving relationships.  However, let’s look at the research on stress to see what we are all facing. 

Is stress really a problem?  It’s no surprise that college can be a stressful time in a person’s life. What may be surprising is the degree and extent to which college students are affected by stress. The September 2015 edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education did a special report entitled Today's Anguished Students.  Let me just give you a few highlights:

• 58% of campuses have seen a rise in anxiety disorders
• 89% of campuses have seen a rise in clinical depression
• 31% of campus counseling centers have waiting lists
• 8% of students in the past 12 months have seriously considered suicide
• 33% of students felt so depressed sometime in the last 12 months that it was difficult to function
• 25% of students seeking services at college counseling centers are taking psychotropic medicine
• 69% of counseling center directors have seen increases in crises requiring immediate response

As you can see from these data, a student’s susceptibility to stress becomes a major concern.  Stress arises when the combination of internal and external pressures exceeds the individual’s resources to cope with their situation.  Students are very likely to experience some or many stressors which may test their ability to cope: adapting to a new environment, balancing a heavy work load, making new friends, becoming more independent, caring for children and families while trying to succeed as a student, financial problems and dealing with a myriad of other issues.

Stress can have a profound impact on college students’ well-being. It is critical to be able to identify the signs and symptoms of too much stress.

Physical symptoms:

• Increased frequency of headaches.
• Recurring colds and minor illness.
• Frequent muscle aches and/or tightness
• Fatigue
• Perspiration / sweaty hands
• Increased heart rate
• Changes in sleep pattern

Emotional / Behavioral symptoms:

• Increased levels of frustration and anger
• Being more irritable or disorganized than usual.
• Greater sense of persistent time pressure
• Increased difficulty in getting things done
• Feelings of hopelessness in coping with life
• Crying for no reason
• Fear of failure
• Worries about the future
• Increased smoking

Such feelings can be dangerous as students may turn to unhealthy choices to cope including alcohol or drug abuse, or worse. If the stress is not effectively managed, it could cause long-term health problems, including heart problems, high blood pressure, chronic pain, skin problems and long-term mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and anorexia.

Stress is also related to learning.  It takes a lot to be successful in college, and students have to be ready to learn.  How prepared students are for learning determines how much and how well they learn, and influences persistence, retention, and graduation.  And, a person’s overall health affects the ability of his or her brain to create or modify connections and networks among neurons, which is the critical first step in learning.

Mental health issues (such as stress, anxiety, and depression) and harmful health behaviors such as substance abuse can impair the quality and quantity of learning. For example, students with depression show flattened interest, affect, appetite, attention, and motivation, along with difficulty sleeping or concentrating.  Researchers have also documented both functional and structural effects of depression in the brain, including suppressed activity in areas that are responsible for the formation of new memories.

Depression makes the brain less efficient, which in turn creates difficulties for learning.  Students with depression can be expected to learn less, not to learn as well, and to learn more slowly than their peers. Moreover, depressed students have lower grade point averages (GPAs) and blunted levels of academic persistence and achievement compared with their peers who are not depressed.

The stress and suffering in our lives is not effectively managed by any single intervention.  To manage stress effectively, you must create an entire lifestyle of self-care over time.  This course is designed to help you make this a reality.  It will take time, persistence, and practice.  I hope you enjoy our journey! 

* We would normally have a Service Learning Project. However, due to Covid-19, we will not do this assignment this summer.

* Even though we will not read and discuss the book Be Your Best until the end of the semester, I suggest that you go ahead and purchase the book and start reading and taking notes on it early in the semester. 

Summary / Overview of Course

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. 

Unit 1 (June 8 and June 24)	Unit 2 (June 25 and July 11)	Unit 3 (July 12 and July 29)
Introduce Yourself Assignment One I Never Knew I Had A Choice Chapter 1 Assignment Two I Never Knew I Had A Choice Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Assignment Three Article: Emotional Disturbance & its Treatment in a Nutshell Article: Toward an Egoless State of Being Article: 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) Video Lecture: Help for Stressful Life Situations: an REBT Approach to Coping with COVID-19 Video: “REBT Overcoming Depression.”  Assignment Four REBT Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment	Assignment Five I Never Knew I Had A Choice Chapter 4: Your Body and Wellness Chapter 5: Managing Stress Assignment Six Handout from Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn:  Chapter 1: You Have Only Moments to Live Chapter 2: The Foundation of Mindfulness Chapter 4: Sitting Meditation: Nourishing the Domain of Being Chapter 26: Time and Time Stress Video: “Stress Reduction with Jon Kabat-Zinn.” Assignment Seven I Never Knew I Had A Choice Chapter 6: Love Chapter 7: Relationships Assignment Eight View Video “Dealing with Conflict in Relationships / Making Marriage Work.” Lecture: Making Relationships Work	Assignment Nine I Never Knew I Had A Choice Chapter 8: Becoming the Woman or Man You Want to Be Chapter 9: Sexuality Assignment Ten  Be Your Best Chapters 1 – 14 Be Your Best Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment Assignment Eleven   I Never Knew I Had A Choice by Chapter 12: Death and Loss Chapter 13: Meaning and Values Video: “On Death and Dying / Morrie Schwartz.”  Assignment Twelve Integrative Summary Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment
Exam 1	Exam  2	Exam  3 Final Exam

Do not stop reading here!  You will not understand the instructions and due dates on each assignment unless you read the detailed description of the assignments below!  Keep reading!!

Unit One (June 8 – June 24)

Unit One consists of Assignments 1 through 4 and Exam 1. These Assignments are to be completed between the dates of June 8 and July 24. 

Assignment One 

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 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.  You must make this post by Thursday June 11. The reason for this assignment is that the college needs proof that you are participating in the class before your first written assignment. **If you do not complete this assignment, you will be considered NOT attending and you WILL BE dropped from the course.  And, your financial aid can be terminated.** 

I Never Knew I Had A Choice by Corey and Corey

Chapter 1: Invitation to Personal Learning and Growth

Your assignment here is to read, outline / take notes on Chapter 1.  The goal here is for you to prepare for Exam 1.  You do not turn in your outline / notes to your instructor. 

Assignment Two

I Never Knew I Had A Choice by Corey and Corey

Chapter 2: Reviewing Your Childhood and Adolescence

Chapter 3: Adulthood and Autonomy

Your assignment here is to read, outline / take notes on Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.  The goal here is for you to prepare for Exam 1.  You do not turn in your outline / notes to your instructor. 

Discussion Questions for Exam Review:

After you read and outline chapter 2 and chapter 3, use your notes to reflect on these questions to help you make connections with the material and to help you prepare for your exam. You are not required to answer these questions, and you do not turn in answers to these questions for grade. They are another tool for study purposes.

Discussion Questions for Exam Review can be found by going to “Lessons” and then to “Discussion Questions for Exam Review.”

Assignment Three

1. Emotional Disturbance & its Treatment in a Nutshell (REBT Article)

2. Toward an Egoless State of Being (REBT Article)

3. Overcoming "Self-Esteem" (REBT Article)

*REBT Articles (These documents can be found under "Supplemental Readings" in the Lessons tab. Click on “Supplemental Readings” and then click on “REBT Articles” and then finally click on the article.)

Your assignment here is to read, outline / take notes on the three REBT articles.  The goal here is for you to prepare for Exam 1.  You do not turn in your outline / notes to your instructor. 

Read: REBT Healthy VS Unhealthy Emotion

* To view this handout go to “Lessons,” then to “Supplemental Reading,” and then to “REBT Articles,” and then to “REBT Healthy VS Unhealthy Emotion.” This handout summarizes in one handout all of the emotions covered in the Lectures.

View Lecture 1: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 1) (recorded lecture with PowerPoint)

View Lecture 2: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 2) (recorded lecture with PowerPoint)

In order to view these Lectures, go to “Lessons” and then go to “REBT and Mentalization Lectures.” 

*If you are having difficulty opening the REBT Lectures, please try the following: You should first use Chrome as your browser.  If that does not work, you will have to go to adobe.com and download Adobe Flash Player.  If that still does not work, you need to call the tech support at 371-5992.

View Video Lecture: Help for Stressful Life Situations: an REBT Approach to Coping with COVID-19

In order to view the video, go to “Lessons” and then go to “Videos” and then click on “Help for Stressful Life Situations: an REBT Approach to Coping with COVID-19.”  This video lecture will reinforce many of the ideas in the “REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations Lecture;” it will also show how we can apply REBT to the stress of a pandemic. 

View Video: “REBT Overcoming Depression.” 

This film will demonstrate an actual psychotherapy session using Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy to treat a patient with depression.

In order to view the video, go to “Lessons” and then go to “Videos” and then click on “REBT Overcoming Depression.”

* In order to learn more about REBT (which will help you cope more effectively with your stress!), I recommend you study the book entitled How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything--Yes, Anything By Albert Ellis.  To be clear, you are not required to buy this book.  It is just a recommendation.

I also recommend Dr. Matweychuk’s website that offers many outstanding free audio and video recordings to help you continue your study of REBT.  http://rebtdoctor.com/index.html

Assignment Four

REBT Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment

Part 1:

In this Discussion Response, I want you to reflect on the REBT lectures and the REBT articles in Assignment Three.  I want you to choose one to three major themes from any aspects of the REBT lectures and/or the REBT articles in Assignment Three. I am not asking you to respond to several themes for each REBT lecture and several themes for each REBT Article!  I want you to make connections to any aspects of the REBT lectures and/or REBT Articles that you wish. I want you to reflect how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to any aspects of the REBT lecture and/or REBT Articles.  Your response is not a summary of the reading. No credit is provided for a summary of the reading.

You may want to ask yourself the following questions as a way to help you create a connection response:

1) How does this major concept or theme (a concept from the lectures and/or reading that you choose) help to enrich your life or relate to your life?

2) How does this major concept or theme (a concept from the lectures and/or reading that you choose) relate to problems in our present-day world?

3) How does this major concept or theme (a concept from the lectures and/or reading that you choose) relate to your life, experiences, feelings and ideas?

4) Did the lectures and/or reading assignments increase your understanding of a particular issue? Did it change your perspective in any way?

5) How does the lectures and/or reading assignments relate to your community, or your family?

6) Is there something in the news (or online) or something a friend / family member has experienced that directly relates to something in the lectures and/or reading?

Part 2:

Part 2 is your Peer Response.  There are two parts to your peer response. 

The first part involves you connecting at least one or more ideas (concepts) from the

REBT lectures and/or the REBT articles in Assignment Eight to your peer’s discussion response.  Here is the list of articles and lectures (references) you have already studied in Assignment Eight:

Emotional Disturbance and Its Treatment in a Nutshell 

(Albert Ellis, 2000. Reproduced from The REBT resource book for practitioners Robert Ellis Institute, New York, N.Y. Michael V. Bernard and Janet L. Wolfe, editors.)

Toward an Egoless State of Being

(Arnold Lazarus, 2000. Reproduced from The REBT resource book for practitioners Robert Ellis Institute, New York, N.Y. Michael V. Bernard and Janet L. Wolfe, editors.)

Overcoming Self-Esteem

(David Mills, 2000. Reproduced from The REBT resource book for practitioners Robert Ellis Institute, New York, N.Y. Michael V. Bernard and Janet L. Wolfe, editors.)

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

(Kee, 2000.  REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations Part 1)

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

(Kee, 2000. REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations Part 2)

Lecture 3: Help for Stressful Situations: An REBT Approach to Coping with Covid-19

(Kee, 2020.  Help for Stressful Situations: An REBT Approach to Coping with Covid-19)

In order to get credit, you must indicate in the body (text) of your peer response which article or lecture you are referring to.  Copy and paste the references you choose to use above into the body of your peer response. The minimum length for this paragraph is 150 words. 

In the second part of your peer response, the goal is for you to relate (connect) to your classmate’s discussion response by connecting your personal experience and/or observations to their response.  There is no right or wrong answer to this second part.  You may want to reflect on one or more of the following: 1) How does your peer response relate to your life, experiences, feelings and ideas?, 2) How does your peer response increase your understanding of a particular issue? Did it change your perspective in any way?, 3) How does your peer response relate to your community, or your family?, 4) Is there any advice you would recommend from your own life experience to possibly help your peer? The minimum length for this paragraph is 150 words.

To post your Assignment Four Discussion, go to “Discussions / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignments” and then click on Unit Two Discussion / PBL Assignment.  Then click on “Create Thread.” Next, give your discussion a subject (title). Then, copy and paste your discussion into the “Message” window.  Then click on “Submit.”

Remember, your discussion response to the question needs to be a minimum of 500 words in 12 point type size, and your peer response need to be a minimum of 300 words (part 1 must be 150 words and part 2 must be 150 words).  I will not grade a paper that does not meet these minimal requirements.  Please divide your 500 word discussion paper into paragraphs! 

Your Assignment Four Discussion is due June 18.  Your peer response is due June 22.

Rubric used to grade Assignment Four 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 300 word requirement.  Demonstrates that the student gave their peer’s discussion some real thought.  The student relates ideas from another source to his or her peer’s response. The student provides the references used in the body (text) of their peer 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.	16 Points Peer response meets the minimum 300 word requirement.  The peer response does not relate ideas from another source 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 in the body (text) of the peer response.	0 Points Does not meet the minimum 300 word requirement.

Exam One: The testing date is June 23 – June 24.  The exam will open at midnight on June 23 and close at 11:59 pm on June 24. To get into an exam, click on Lessons and then click on Exams. Exam 1 covers Unit One, consisting of Assignments 1, 2, and 3. This exam is taken online. 

Unit Two (June 25 – July 11)

Unit Two consists of Assignments 5 through 8 and Exam 2.  These Assignments are to be completed between the dates of June 25 and July 11.

Assignment Five

I Never Knew I Had A Choice by Corey and Corey

Chapter 4: Your Body and Wellness

Chapter 5: Managing Stress

Your assignment here is to read, outline / take notes on Chapter 4 and Chapter 5.  The goal here is for you to prepare for Exam 2.  You do not turn in your outline / notes to your instructor. 

Discussion Questions for Exam Review:

After you read and outline chapter 4 and chapter 5, use your notes to reflect on these questions to help you make connections with the material and to help you prepare for your exam. You are not required to answer these questions, and you do not turn in answers to these questions for grade. They are another tool for study purposes.

Discussion Questions for Exam Review can be found by going to “Lessons” and then to “Discussion Questions for Exam Review.”

Assignment Six

This assignment will introduce you to Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).  Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an eight-week evidence-based program that offers secular, intensive mindfulness training to assist people with stress, anxiety, depression and pain. The developer of MBSR is Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD.  He is internationally known for his work as a scientist, writer, and mindfulness meditation teacher. Dr. Kabat-Zinn’s dedication has brought mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), into the mainstream of medicine and society.

Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn: (These handouts from Full Catastrophe Living can be found by going to “Lessons” and then click on "Supplemental Readings.”)

Chapter 1: You Have Only Moments to Live

Chapter 2: The Foundation of Mindfulness Practice: Attitudes and Commitment

Chapter 4: Sitting Meditation: Nourishing the Domain of Being

Chapter 26: Time and Time Stress

Your assignment here is to read, outline / take notes on the supplemental readings from Full Catastrophe Living.  The goal here is for you to prepare for Exam 2.  You do not turn in your outline / notes to your instructor. 

View Video: “Stress Reduction with Jon Kabat-Zinn.”

Take notes on the film; there will be several foundational questions submitted to the test generator. Also reflect on how this film applies to your life.  This film will help reinforce and improve your understanding of MBSR.  You do not turn in your notes and / or reflections to your instructor. 

In order to view the film, go to “Lessons” and then go to “Videos” and then click on “Stress Reduction with Jon Kabat-Zinn.”

*Practice this guided Body Scan Meditation. This is an excellent practice recording you can use. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4gZgnCy5ew

*This guided meditation is about 10 minutes long; you may want to use this one as well for daily practice.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkAMaCZtXUI

*You may purchase Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn's meditation practice CDs as a guide to help you build a meditation practice. These can be found at www.minfulnesscds.com. You can also find free guided mindfulness meditation for practice by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn on youtube.

* If you wish to study MBSR in more depth on your own, you can use the free Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at http://palousemindfulness.com/selfguidedMBSR.html

Assignment Seven

I Never Knew I Had A Choice by Corey and Corey

Chapter 6: Love

Chapter 7: Relationships 

Your assignment here is to read, outline / take notes on Chapter 6 and Chapter 7.  The goal here is for you to prepare for Exam 2.  You do not turn in your outline / notes to your instructor. 

Discussion Questions for Exam Review:

After you read and outline chapter 6 and chapter 7, use your notes to reflect on these questions to help you make connections with the material and to help you prepare for your exam. You are not required to answer these questions, and you do not turn in answers to these questions for grade. They are another tool for study purposes.

Discussion Questions for Exam Review can be found by going to “Lessons” and then to “Discussion Questions for Exam Review.”

Assignment Eight

This assignment will expand our work on love and relationships by looking more closely at the work of Dr. John Gottman.  Dr. Gottman is world-renowned for his work on marital stability and divorce prediction.  He has conducted 40 years of breakthrough research with thousands of couples. 

View Video “Dealing with Conflict in Relationships / Making Marriage Work.”

Take notes on the video; there will be several foundational questions submitted to the test generator. Also reflect on how this video applies to your life.  This film will help reinforce and improve your understanding of how to cope with conflict in relationships.    You do not turn in your notes and / or reflections to your instructor. 

In order to view the film, go to “Lessons” and then go to “Videos” and then click on “Dealing with Conflict in Relationships / Making Marriage Work.”

*Go to the Lessons tab and click on “Lecture on Making Relationships Work.”  Read this lecture as you watch the videos by Dr. John Gottman on Making Relationships Work.  It will help you to better understand the primary concepts in the video.

Exam Two: The testing date is July 10 – July 11.  The exam will open at midnight on July 10 and close at 11:59 pm on July 11.  To get into an exam, click on Lessons and then click on Exams. Exam Two covers Assignments 5, 6, 7 and 8. This exam is online. 

 

Unit Three (July 12 – July 29)

Unit Three consists of Assignments 9 through 12, Exam 3, and the Final Exam.  These assignments are to be completed between the dates of July 12 and July 29.

Assignment Nine

I Never Knew I Had A Choice by Corey and Corey

Chapter 8: Becoming the Woman or Man You Want to Be

Chapter 9: Sexuality

Your assignment here is to read, outline / take notes on Chapter 8 and Chapter 9.  The goal here is for you to prepare for Exam 3.  You do not turn in your outline / notes to your instructor. 

Discussion Questions for Exam Review:

After you read and outline chapter 8 and chapter 9, use your notes to reflect on these questions to help you make connections with the material and to help you prepare for your exam. You are not required to answer these questions, and you do not turn in answers to these questions for grade. They are another tool for study purposes.

Discussion Questions for Exam Review can be found by going to “Lessons” and then to “Discussion Questions for Exam Review.”

  

Assignment Ten 

Step 1:

Read and outline Chapters 1- of Be Your Best (Adams)

*I’m asking you to read and take notes on Chapters 1- of Be Your Best as a way to help you learn the material and prepare for the exam. You do not turn in the outlines / notes for a grade.

* There is a study guide for Be Your Best.  To open this study guide, go to “Lessons” and then to “Be Your Best Study Guide.” 

This assignment will expand on the themes of Love and Relationships we covered earlier in the course. This book, Be Your Best, is a workshop that teaches you how to become more effective and take responsibility in both your personal and professional life. In addition to the communication skills and conflict resolution methods taught, this book offers training in assertive skills, how to handle anxiety, and how to set goals for becoming more fulfilled.

After completing your study of Be Your Best, you will learn how to:

• Take personal control and responsibility by first assessing needs
• Become an effective person, understand different relationship styles and carry out an assertiveness self-appraisal
• Say “no” without feeling guilty
• Be self-disclosing and handle resistance
• Communicate in ways that prevent conflicts from occurring and/or reducing the number of conflicts
• Confront others effectively while developing a clear understanding of who owns the problem
• Deal with anger in self and others
• Effectively reduce anxiety
• Understand the nature of conflict and the three methods of conflict resolution
• Resolve conflicts in a way where everybody wins by using a six-step problem-solving procedure
• Resolve values collisions and discover the choices of ways to deal with other people’s values in collision with your own
• Be an effective helper when someone else has a problem by developing a way of listening so that others will talk
• Avoid responses that actually roadblock communication when another person is experiencing a problem
• Assess needs by understanding the different levels of human needs development
• Make the most effective use of time by making clear distinctions on the various ways you spend your time
• Plan and take control of the mental, emotional and physical aspects of your life
• Find and utilize resources for personal growth

Step Two:

This Discussion Assignment has two parts. 

Part 1:

Part 1 is based on Chapters 1-14 of Be Your Best text. Your task is to choose one to three major themes from Chapters 1-14 of Be Your Best that you want to write about. 

I want you to reflect how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to these major concepts or themes from Chapters 1-8 of Be Your Best of the text.  Your response is not a summary of the reading. No credit is provided for a summary of the reading. I am not asking you to pick one to three themes for each chapter.  I am asking you to pick one to three themes from any aspects of Chapters 1-8 of Be Your Best of the text. 

You may want to ask yourself the following questions as a way to help you create a connection / reaction response:

1) How does this major concept or theme (a concept from the reading that you choose) help to enrich your life or relate to your life?

2) How does this major concept or theme (a concept from the reading that you choose) relate to problems in our present-day world?

3) How does this major concept or theme (a concept from the reading that you choose) relate to your life, experiences, feelings and ideas?

4) Did the reading assignment increase your understanding of a particular issue? Did it change your perspective in any way?

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

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

Part 2:

Part 2 is your Peer Response.  There are two parts to your peer response. 

The first part involves you connecting at least one or more ideas (concepts) from any part of the Be Your Best text.  In order to get credit, you must indicate in the body of your peer response the chapter and concept you are referring to in the text. For example, if you are discussing the importance of using a Confrontive I-Message in relation to your peer’s response, you would indicate the following in the body of your paper (Ch. VII / Confrontive I-Message). The minimum length for this paragraph is 150 words.

In the second part of your peer response, the goal is for you to relate (connect) to your classmate’s discussion response by connecting your personal experience and/or observations to their response.  There is no right or wrong answer to this second part.  You may want to reflect on one or more of the following: 1) How does your peer response relate to your life, experiences, feelings and ideas?, 2) How does your peer response increase your understanding of a particular issue? Did it change your perspective in any way?, 3) How does your peer response relate to your community, or your family?, 4) Is there any advice you would recommend from your own life experience to possibly help your peer? The minimum length for this paragraph is 150 words.

Make these two parts of your peer response into two separate paragraphs.

In order to post your response, go to “Discussions” and click on Be Your Best Discussion / PBL Assignment.  Then click on “Create Thread.” Next, give your discussion a subject (title). Then, copy and paste your discussion into the “Message” window.  Then click on “Submit.” Your discussion response needs to be 400 – 600 words in 12 point type size. Your peer response needs to be a minimum of 300 words in 12 point type size.  I will not take a paper that does not meet these minimum word requirement.  (Your word processor should give you a word count.) I will accept a late Discussion with a 20 point penalty.

Your Assignment Ten Be You Best Discussion is due July 20.  Your peer response (Part 2) is due July 23.    

Rubric used to grade Assignment Ten Discussion 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 300 word requirement.  Part One: Demonstrates that the student gave their peer’s discussion some real thought.  The student relates at least one or more ideas (concepts) from the text to your peer’s discussion response.  In order to get credit, you must indicate in the body of your peer response the chapter and concept you are referring to in the text. For example, if you are discussing the importance of using a Confrontive I-Message in relation to your peer’s response, you would indicate the following in the body of your paper (Ch. VII / Confrontive I-Message). Part Two: Demonstrates that the student relates (connects) to their classmate’s discussion response by connecting your personal experience and/or observations to their response. You are free to talk about your feelings and thoughts as they relate to your classmate’s discussion response.	16 Points Peer response meets the minimum 300 word requirement.  The peer response does not provide both Part One and Part Two.	0 Points Does not meet the minimum 300 word requirement.  Or The response is off-track and does not relate to the classmate’s discussion response.

Assignment Eleven  

I Never Knew I Had A Choice by Corey and Corey

Chapter 12: Death and Loss

Chapter 13: Meaning and Values

Your assignment here is to read, outline / take notes on Chapter 12 and Chapter 13.  The goal here is for you to prepare for Exam 3.  You do not turn in your outline / notes to your instructor. 

Discussion Questions for Exam Review:

After you read and outline chapter 12 and chapter 13, use your notes to reflect on these questions to help you make connections with the material and to help you prepare for your exam. You are not required to answer these questions, and you do not turn in answers to these questions for grade. They are another tool for study purposes.

Discussion Questions for Exam Review can be found by going to “Lessons” and then to “Discussion Questions for Exam Review.”

View Film “On Death and Dying / Morrie Schwartz.” 

Renowned journalist Ted Koppel conducted a series of interviews with former Sociology professor Morrie Schwartz during the last year of his life after being diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). This series is among the most requested and widely discussed Nightline series of the last 25 years. Watching the night they aired was Schwartz’s former student and sportswriter Mitch Albom who was then inspired to reconnect with his former professor and write the best-selling book Tuesdays With Morrie.

Take notes on the film; there will be several foundational questions submitted to the test generator. Also reflect on how this film applies to your life.  This film will help reinforce and improve your understanding of issues related to death and dying. You do not turn in your notes and / or reflections to your instructor. 

In order to view the film, go to “Lessons” and then go to “Videos” and then click on “On Death and Dying / Morrie Schwartz.”

Assignment Twelve  

Integrative Summary Discussion / (PBL) Problem Based Learning Assignment

Part 1:

The primary objective of this course has been to provide many tools for you to learn in the area of self-care.  The hope is that these tools will help you to lead a more meaningful life with less stress.  For this final discussion, I would like you to take one final look over the entire course and describe what you have gotten out of the course.  In other words, what themes or aspects of the course have found most meaningful and helpful in your life?  The minimum length for this paragraph is 200 words.

Part 2:

For the second part of the Integrative Summary, I would like you to describe one or two specific goals you are interested in committing to (i.e., to continue to develop) in your future with regard to your personal growth.  In order to maximize your motivation to follow through with your goal, I want you to write out one or more SMART goals.  Go to “Lessons” and click on “Supplemental Reading,” and then click on “What is a SMART Goal?”  Read this very brief article on how to construct a SMART goal. The minimum length for this paragraph is 200 words.

In order to post your response, go to “Discussions / PBL Assignments” and click on the appropriate “Integrative Summary Discussion / PBL Assignment.”  Then click on “Create Thread.” Next, give your discussion a subject (title). Then, copy and paste your discussion into the “Message” window.  Then click on “Submit.” Your discussion response needs to be a minimum of 400 words in 12 point type size. (I will not take a paper that does not meet the 400 word requirement.  Your word processor should give you a word count.) I will accept a late Discussion with a 20 point penalty.

There is not a peer response for Assignment Fourteen.  This Integrative Summary is due July 28.

Rubric used to grade the Integrative Summary:

Criteria	Exceeds Expectation	Needs Improvement	Does not meet expectations
Knowledge	80 Points It provides clear evidence of the student’s reflective thought.  It provides evidence that the student has diligently applied concepts from the assigned reading and/or lectures to their life experience.	60 Points It provides minimal evidence of the student’s reflective thought.  There is only minimal indication that the student applied concepts from the assigned reading and/or lectures to their life experience.	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 and/or lectures to their life experience.
Organization	10 Points Information is clearly organized.	5 Points Information is loosely organized.	2 Points Information is present, but very difficult to understand due to poor organization.
Mechanics	10 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout essay.	5 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout essay with major errors.	2 Points Very poor grammar and spelling used through essay.

Exam Three: The testing date is July 25 – July 26.  The exam will open at midnight on July 25 and close at 11:59 pm on July 26.  To get into an exam, click on Lessons and then click on Exams.  Exam 3 covers Unit Three, consisting of Assignments 9, 10, 11 and 12. 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.  The exam will open at midnight on July 29 and close at 11:59 pm on July 29. To get into an exam, click on Lessons and then click on Exams.  The testing date is July 29.  This exam is online.