FYE 101 (Fall 2007)

Section F29, M 1:00-1:50, Copernicus 167

 

First-Year Experience (FYE) 101

Professor:         Jim Conway

Office:              Marcus White Hall, Room 215

Hours:              Monday 9:00-10:00, Tuesday 11:00-12:00 & 3:50-4:50, Wednesday 9:00-10:00, Thursday 11:00-12:00; and by appointment

Phone:              860-832-3107

E-mail:              conwayj@ccsu.edu

Home page:      http://www.psychology.ccsu.edu/conway

Required:          World Wide Web (WWW) access

 

Course Objectives and Content

 

Your first semester at college is a time of transition.  It’s an opportunity to grow and that’s exciting, but it also means you need to adapt.  You also want to be ready to take advantage of everything a university has to offer.  The main objective of FYE 101 is to help you be ready to do those things.  More specifically, this course should provide you with:

 

      1. The tools you need to be thoughtful and intentional about your college experience – you should be able to understand yourself, decide what you want from college, and set goals to achieve what you want;

      2. Good “habits of mind” that allow deep learning – you should be able to study and learn effectively, using strategies that help you to draw meaning from class material and readings;

      3. Manage yourself – you should be responsible for managing your time, keeping track of your progress toward your goals, seeking help when needed, and seeking out enriching experiences;

      4. Knowledge of opportunities and resources at CCSU – there are many extra-curricular activities (clubs etc.) and support services (e.g., The Learning Center; Counseling and Wellness Center) available and knowing what they are will help you get the most out of your CCSU experience.

 

FYE 101 is linked to your Psy 112 (General Psychology) class.  We will discuss both personal growth and academic adjustment issues as they relate to the discipline of psychology - there are many connections that can be made, such as with the topics of alcohol/drugs, memory, stress, etc).  In addition we will sometimes use the Psy 112 course material as an example when we discuss academic skills.

 

Evaluation and Grading

 

Your grade will be based on three kinds of things: (1) a series of small project/assignments, (2) a group report on campus resources, and (3) a final quiz.

      1. Small projects/assignments.  These will include a variety of activities and will be assigned almost weekly.  Unless otherwise noted, each assignment will be due the following week.  These assignments will be worth a total of 100 points.

      2. Group report on campus resources.  You will work in your Psy 112 groups.  Your group will choose a campus resource or office (e..g., The Learning Center), investigate it, and give a brief, informal oral report to the class.  This will be worth 20 points.

      3. Final quiz.  During the last week of the semester, before exam week, we will have a final quiz covering material from the semester.  You will have a chance to improve your grade by taking an alternative version of the quiz during the final exam period.  The quiz will be worth 30 points.

      Calculating Course Grades.  You can earn a total of 150 points.  Your grade will be determined by the percentage (e.g., 90%, 80%) out of 150.  For example, if you get 135 out of the 150 points (90%) you will receive an A-

 

Academic Integrity/Misconduct

      In order to achieve the course objectives it is essential that any work you hand in (including quizzes and assignments) be your own work.  Assignments should be written in your own words, and demonstrate your own thinking.  If I suspect that what I read is not your own work, I will talk with you about it, and may file a misconduct report.  For further information about the rules regarding cheating and plagiarism, go to the Academic Misconduct section of the student handbook or the CCSU website (go to “Directory” and click on “Academic Misconduct Policy”).  If you have any questions about how you can use the work of other scholars with integrity, you may want to attend a workshop in Academic Integrity, offered by The Learning Center.

 

Statement for Students with Special Needs

      If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.

 

Tentative Reading and Lecture Outline

Week:

 

Sept. 10                   Introduction to course/Psy 112 Syllabus / Semester-at-a-Glance

Sept. 17                   What are you doing in college?

Sept. 24                   Note-Taking for deeper learning

Oct. 1                      Reading for deeper learning

Oct. 8                      Managing yourself - Exam prep

Oct. 15                    Managing yourself - Meetings

Oct. 22                    Academic Integrity and Misconduct

Oct. 29                    Memory strategies

Nov. 5                     General Education/Registration

Nov. 12                   Reviewing goal progress

Nov. 19                   Careers/Getting involved at CCSU

Nov. 26                   Planning for last couple of weeks

Dec. 3                     Final Exam/End-of-Semester Strategies

Dec. 10                   Final quiz

 

            ** Last Day of Classes: Thursday Dec. 13 **

            Final Quiz II during finals week: Wed., Dec. 19, 2:00

 

Note About the Collegiate Learning Assessment

 

One of your assignments this semester (probably due in early November) will involve taking an assessment test, the ‘Collegiate Learning Assessment.’  Please see attached sheet (distributed in class) for info. about CLA.