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Return to Table of Contents for More Strategies
On Course Syllabus for a Student Success Course (IMPORTANT NOTE TO
INSTRUCTORS: The syllabus directly below is for courses using the new
Study Skills Plus Edition of On Course. If you are using the
regular edition, scroll down to find the syllabus for that course.) Welcome! My goal in this course is to offer
you one of the most valuable learning experiences of your entire life. And I
need your full cooperation to make it work! Course Purpose: This course is designed to help you create greater success in college and in life. In the coming weeks, you will learn many proven strategies for creating greater academic, professional, and personal success. We will use guided journal writings to explore these strategies, and as a bonus, you will learn to express yourself more effectively in writing. You may never again have an opportunity quite like this one to discover how to create a rich, personally fulfilling life. I urge you to make the most of this extraordinary opportunity! If you do, you will dramatically change the outcome of your life—for the better! Course Objectives: In this course, you will learn how to . . . 1. Take charge of your life. You will learn how to take greater personal responsibility, gaining more control over the outcomes and experiences that you create both in college and in life. 2. Increase self-motivation. You will learn to create greater inner motivation by, among other things, discovering your own personally meaningful goals and dreams. 3. Improve personal self-management. You will learn numerous strategies for taking control of your time and energy, allowing you to move more effectively and efficiently toward the accomplishment of your goals and dreams. 4. Develop interdependence. You will learn how to develop mutually supportive relationships with people who will help you achieve your goals and dreams as you assist them to achieve theirs. 5. Increase self-awareness. You will learn how to understand and revise your self-defeating patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion as well as your unconscious limiting beliefs. 6. Maximize your learning. You will learn key research on how the human brain learns. You will apply this knowledge to develop your own learning system, giving you the keys to learning important course content in college as well as becoming a more effective lifelong learner. 7. Develop emotional intelligence. You will learn effective strategies for managing your emotional life, decreasing stress while increasing your inner sense of well-being. 8. Raise your self-esteem. You will learn how to develop self-acceptance, self-confidence, self-respect, self-love, and unconditional self-worth. 9. Write more effectively. You will learn how to improve your writing skills through the extensive writing practice offered by your guided journal entries. 10. Improve creative and critical thinking skills. You will learn how to enhance the thinking skills essential for analyzing and solving problems in your academic, professional, and personal lives. You will also develop reasoning skills that will help you both construct persuasive arguments and deconstruct illogical arguments intended to persuade you to think or act against your own best interest. 11. Master effective study skills. You will learn how to raise your grades in college by improving essential skills such as reading, taking notes, , studying, memorizing and taking tests. 12. Manage your money. You will learn helpful techniques for increasing your income (including gaining more financial aid for college) and decreasing your expenses. Course Supplies: 1. On Course, Study Skills Plus Edition, by Skip Downing 2. String-bound composition notebook OR computer journal (with entries emailed to your instructor as attachments, then printed and stored in a 3-ring binder) Method: By reading On Course (our textbook), you’ll learn empowering strategies that have helped others create great success. By keeping a guided journal, you’ll discover how to apply these success strategies to achieve your own goals and dreams. By participating in class activities and focused conversations, and by completing a course project, you will further improve your ability to stay on course to your success. Once you make these new strategies your own through application, you’ll have the ability to dramatically improve the outcome of your life—academically, professionally, and personally. Course Grades:
Course Projects: Points 1. 15 Quizzes (5 points each 75 2. 32 Success Journals (5 points each 160 3. 6 Study Skills Plans (10 points each) 60 4. 1 Personal Philosophy of Success Essay
65 Total Possible Points 360 1. Quizzes (75 Possible Points) This is a course for students who wish to be successful in college and in life. One of the most important factors of success in any endeavor is consistent and active participation. To encourage and reward your preparation for active participation at every class, fifteen unannounced quizzes on the readings will be given. If you have read the assignment and completed your journal entry, you should have no trouble earning the maximum points (5) for each quiz. No quiz may be made up. Great success is created one small step at a time. Each time that you earn your quiz points you take an important step toward your success in this course . . . and in life! 2. Success Journals (160 Possible Points) Your Success Journal provides an opportunity to explore your thoughts and feelings as you experiment with the success strategies presented in On Course. By carefully examining each strategy in your journal, you will discover which ones will assist you to create a rich, personally fulfilling life. Although I will be collecting your journals and looking through them, write your journal for yourself, not for me. Your journal entries may occasionally be read by your classmates. Journal Writings: During this semester, you will write thirty-two numbered journal entries from our textbook. These entries will be written outside of class. Additionally, you will write occasional lettered journal entries based on class exercises. These entries will be written in class. At various times you may have an opportunity to read a journal entry to one or more classmates. therefore, please bring your textbook and journal to every class. Note: If you wish, you may write the first draft of journal entries on loose sheets of paper, but all journal entries must be written in the composition notebook when it is handed in for evaluation. Or if you choose to write your journal on a computer, you will print hard copies of all entries and bring them to class neatly organized in a 3-ring binder. This requirement will assure that none of your entries gets lost. At the end of this semester, you will have your entire journal to keep for years to come. Many students come to regard their personal journal as one of their most valued possessions. Journal Evaluations: Journals are due weekly. It is not my intention to read every journal entry you write. Instead, I will look through your journal book to verify the completion of each assignment and to give credit for a job well done. I read occasional journal entries to get a sense of the issues you are working on. With this knowledge I can be of greater assistance to you this semester. If you want my comment on a specific journal entry, please let me know. Journal Points: Each journal entry will be awarded up to 5 points. Thus, all thirty-two journal entries will be worth a possible total of 160 points. A journal entry will be awarded the maximum of 5 points if it fulfills the following two criteria: 1. The entry is complete (all steps in the directions have been responded to), and 2. The entry is written with high standards (an obvious attempt has been made to dive deep). Grammar, spelling, and punctuation will NOT be factors in awarding points in this journal. You are free to express yourself without concern for Standard English conventions. 3. Study Skills Plans (60 Possible Points) You will complete a personal Study Skills Plan for the following six topics: Reading (Chapter 2) Taking Notes (Chapter 3) Organizing Study Materials (Chapter 4) Rehearsing and Memorizing Study Materials (Chapter 5) Taking Tests (Chapter 6) Writing (Chapter 7) The creation of each Study Skills Plan provide an opportunity for you to apply a effective problem solving model to determine the most effective way for you to deepen your learning in college and beyond, not to mention raising your grades! In addition to improving your learning skills and grades, these activities will help you learn how to approach and solve virtually any problem you encounter, whether academic, personal, or professional. Each of your personalized Study Skills Plan can earn up to 10 points; thus, all six Plans will be worth a possible total of 60 points. To complete each Plan, simply follow the six-step process that you will find explained in each chapter, filling in your answer to the following questions: 1. What’s my present situation? 2. How would I like my situation to be? 3. What are my possible choices? 4. What’s the likely outcome of each possible choice? 5. Which choice(s) will I commit to doing? 6. When and how will I evaluate my plan? 4. Final Essay (65 Possible Points) As your final project, you will choose one of the two topics below and write an essay. Option 1: Personal Philosophy of Success Essay In this essay, you will present your own
Personal Philosophy of Success, identifying the On Course success strategies
that you will use for years to come. This essay is your opportunity to write the
script that will keep you on course to a rich, personally fulfilling life! An “A” paper will . . . 1. Offer the writer’s personal definition of success. 2. Demonstrate the writer’s careful consideration of three or more On Course success strategies that he or she will use to achieve success. 3. Contain extensive support (examples, experiences, evidence, and/or explanation) for each strategy, and 4. Show a commitment to excellence in preparation, including professional appearance and a command of Standard English. Option 2: One Student’s Story In this essay, you will relate the story of
how you used a specific On Course strategy to overcome an obstacle to your
success in college or in life. Use the “One Student’s Story” essays
in our textbook as models of how to write your story. If done well, your
instructor may submit your story to the On Course Essay Contest. Winning entries
will be published in the next edition of the On Course text to inspire future
students. Winning entries will also be awarded a $100 prize. Full directions for
writing this essay can be found at http://oncourseworkshop.com/Contest.htm.
An “A” paper will . . . 1. Explain a specific obstacle the writer faced, the specific On Course strategy used to overcome the obstacle, and the outcome. 2. Show a commitment to excellence in
preparation, including professional appearance and a command of Standard
English. Course Rules for Success To create the very best environment for supporting your success and the success of your classmates, this course has three important rules. The more challenging these rules are for you, the more value you will experience by adopting them. By choosing to follow these three rules, you are choosing to be successful not only in this course but in your life. These rules will support your success in every goal you pursue! 1. Show up! To support my success, I choose to attend every scheduled class period in its entirety. 2. Do the work! To support my success, I choose to do my very best work in preparing all of my assignments and hand them in on time. 3. Participate actively! To support my success, I choose to stay focused and involved in every class session, offering my best comments, questions, and answers when appropriate. Student Success Course Schedule of Assignments (15-Week Course) REMINDER: Fifteen unannounced quizzes will be given. No quizzes may be made up. Assignments below are due at the first class
of the week in which they are due. Bring your textbook and journal to every
class. Week 1:
Read/Write Journal #1: Taking the First Step
Read/Write Journal #2: Becoming an Active Learner
Read On Course Principles at Work Week 2:
Read/Write Journal #3: Believing in Yourself-Develop Self-Acceptance
Read Wise Choices in College—College Customs Week 3:
Read/Write Journal #4: Adopting the Creator Role
Read/Write Journal #5: Mastering Creator Language
Read/Write Journal #6: Making Wise Decisions
Read Personal Responsibility at Work Week 4:
Read/Write Journal #7: Believing in Yourself—Change Your Inner Conversation
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 2) Read Wise Choices in College—Reading
Write your personal Study Skills Plan for Chapter 2:
Read/Write Journal #8: Creating Inner Motivation Week 5:
Read/Write Journal #9: Designing a Compelling Life Plan
Read/Write Journal #10: Committing to Your Goals and Dreams
Read Self-Motivation at Work
Read/Write Journal #11: Believing in Yourself—Write a Personal Affirmation
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 3)
Read Wise Choices in College—Taking Notes
Write your personal Study Skills Plan for Chapter 3: Taking Notes Week 6:
Read/Write Journal #12: Acting on Purpose
Read/Write Journal #13: Creating a Self-Management System Week 7:
Read/Write Journal #14: Developing Self-Discipline
Read Self-Management at Work Read/Write Journal #15: Believing in Yourself—Develop Self-Confidence
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 4)
Read Wise Choices in College-Organizing Study Materials
Write your personal Study Skills Plan for Chapter 4: Organizing Study Materials
Read/Write Journal #16: Developing Mutually Supportive Relationships Week 8:
Read/Write Journal #17: Creating a Support Network
Read/Write Journal #18: Strengthening Relationships with Active Listening
Read Interdependence at Work Week 9:
Read/Write Journal #19: Believing in Yourself—Be Assertive
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 5)
Read Wise Choices in College—Rehearsing and Memorizing Study Materials
Write your personal Study Skills Plan for Chapter 5: Rehearsing and Memorizing
Study Materials
Read/Write Journal #20: Recognizing When You Are Off Course
Read/Write Journal #21: Identifying Your Scripts Week 10:
Read/Write Journal #22: Rewriting Your Outdated Scripts
Read Self-Awareness at Work
Read/Write Journal #23: Believing in Yourself—Write Your Own Rules
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 6)
Read Wise Choices in College—Taking Tests
Write your study skills plan for Chapter 6: Taking Tests Week 11:
Read/Write Journal #24: Discovering Your Preferred Learning Style
Read/Write Journal #25: Employing Critical Thinking
Read/Write Journal #26: Learning to Make Course Corrections
Read Lifelong Learning at Work Week 12:
Read/Write Journal #27: Believing in Yourself—Develop Self-Respect
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 7)
Read Wise Choices in College—Writing
Write your personal Study Skills Plan for Chapter 7: Writing
Read/Write Journal #28: Understanding Emotional Intelligence Week 13:
Read/Write Journal #29: Reducing Stress
Read/Write Journal #30: Creating Flow
Read Emotional Intelligence at Work Week 14:
Read/Write Journal #31: Believing in Yourself—Develop Self-Love
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 8)
Read Wise Choices in College—Managing Money
Read/Write Journal #32: Staying On Course to Your Success Week 15: Final Essay Due * * * * * On Course Syllabus for a Student Success Course (IMPORTANT NOTE TO
INSTRUCTORS: The syllabus below is for courses using the new Regular
6th Edition of On Course. If you are using the Study Skills Plus
edition, scroll to the top of this page to find the syllabus for that course.) Welcome! My goal in this course is to offer
you one of the most valuable learning experiences of your entire life. And I
need your full cooperation to make it work! Course Purpose: This course is designed to help you create greater success in college and in life. In the coming weeks, you will learn many proven strategies for creating greater academic, professional, and personal success. We will use guided journal writings to explore these strategies, and as a bonus, you will learn to express yourself more effectively in writing. You may never again have an opportunity quite like this one to discover how to create a rich, personally fulfilling life. I urge you to make the most of this extraordinary opportunity! If you do, you will dramatically change the outcome of your life—for the better! Course Objectives: In this course, you will learn how to . . . 1. Take charge of your life. You will learn how to take greater personal responsibility, gaining more control over the outcomes and experiences that you create both in college and in life. 2. Increase self-motivation. You will learn to create greater inner motivation by, among other things, discovering your own personally meaningful goals and dreams. 3. Improve personal self-management. You will learn numerous strategies for taking control of your time and energy, allowing you to move more effectively and efficiently toward the accomplishment of your goals and dreams. 4. Develop interdependence. You will learn how to develop mutually supportive relationships with people who will help you achieve your goals and dreams as you assist them to achieve theirs. 5. Increase self-awareness. You will learn how to understand and revise your self-defeating patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion as well as your unconscious limiting beliefs. 6. Maximize your learning. You will learn key research on how the human brain learns. You will apply this knowledge to develop your own learning system, giving you the keys to learning important course content in college as well as becoming a more effective lifelong learner. 7. Develop emotional intelligence. You will learn effective strategies for managing your emotional life, decreasing stress while increasing your inner sense of well-being. 8. Raise your self-esteem. You will learn how to develop self-acceptance, self-confidence, self-respect, self-love, and unconditional self-worth. 9. Write more effectively. You will learn how to improve your writing skills through the extensive writing practice offered by your guided journal entries. 10. Improve creative and critical thinking skills. You will learn how to enhance the thinking skills essential for analyzing and solving problems in your academic, professional, and personal lives. You will also develop reasoning skills that will help you both construct persuasive arguments and deconstruct illogical arguments intended to persuade you to think or act against your own best interest. 11. Master effective study skills. You will learn how to raise your grades in college by improving essential skills such as reading, taking notes, , studying, memorizing and taking tests. 12. Manage your money. You will learn helpful techniques for increasing your income (including gaining more financial aid for college) and decreasing your expenses. Course Supplies: 1. On Course, 6th Edition, by Skip Downing 2. String-bound composition notebook OR computer journal (with entries emailed to your instructor as attachments, then printed and stored in a 3-ring binder) Method: By reading On Course (our textbook), you’ll learn empowering strategies that have helped others create great success. By keeping a guided journal, you’ll discover how to apply these success strategies to achieve your own goals and dreams. By participating in class activities and focused conversations, and by completing a course project, you will further improve your ability to stay on course to your success. Once you make these new strategies your own through application, you’ll have the ability to dramatically improve the outcome of your life—academically, professionally, and personally. Course Grades:
Each of these three components of your grade is explained below. 1. Quizzes (75 Possible Points) This is a course for students who wish to be successful in college and in life. One of the most important factors of success in any endeavor is consistent and active participation. To encourage and reward your preparation for active participation at every class, fifteen unannounced quizzes on the readings will be given. If you have read the assignment and completed your journal entry, you should have no trouble earning the maximum points (5) for each quiz. No quiz may be made up. Great success is created one small step at a time. Each time that you earn your quiz points you take an important step toward your success in this course . . . and in life! 2. Success Journals (160 Possible Points) Your Success Journal provides an opportunity to explore your thoughts and feelings as you experiment with the success strategies presented in On Course. By carefully examining each strategy in your journal, you will discover which ones will assist you to create a rich, personally fulfilling life. Although I will be collecting your journals and looking through them, write your journal for yourself, not for me. Your journal entries may occasionally be read by your classmates. Journal Writings: During this semester, you will write thirty-two numbered journal entries from our textbook. These entries will be written outside of class. Additionally, you will write occasional lettered journal entries based on class exercises. These entries will be written in class. At various times you may have an opportunity to read a journal entry to one or more classmates. therefore, please bring your textbook and journal to every class. Note: If you wish, you may write the first draft of journal entries on loose sheets of paper, but all journal entries must be written in the composition notebook when it is handed in for evaluation. Or if you choose to write your journal on a computer, you will print hard copies of all entries and bring them to class neatly organized in a 3-ring binder. This requirement will assure that none of your entries gets lost. At the end of this semester, you will have your entire journal to keep for years to come. Many students come to regard their personal journal as one of their most valued possessions. Journal Evaluations: Journals are due weekly. It is not my intention to read every journal entry you write. Instead, I will look through your journal book to verify the completion of each assignment and to give credit for a job well done. I read occasional journal entries to get a sense of the issues you are working on. With this knowledge I can be of greater assistance to you this semester. If you want my comment on a specific journal entry, please let me know. Journal Points: Each journal entry will be awarded up to 5 points. Thus, all thirty-two journal entries will be worth a possible total of 160 points. A journal entry will be awarded the maximum of 5 points if it fulfills the following two criteria: 1. The entry is complete (all steps in the directions have been responded to), and 2. The entry is written with high standards (an obvious attempt has been made to dive deep). Grammar, spelling, and punctuation will NOT be factors in awarding points in this journal. You are free to express yourself without concern for Standard English conventions. 3. Final Essay (65 Possible Points) As your final project, you will choose one of the two topics below and write an essay. Option 1: Personal Philosophy of Success Essay In this essay, you will present your own
Personal Philosophy of Success, identifying the On Course success strategies
that you will use for years to come. This essay is your opportunity to write the
script that will keep you on course to a rich, personally fulfilling life! An “A” paper will . . . 1. Offer the writer’s personal definition of success. 2. Demonstrate the writer’s careful consideration of three or more On Course success strategies that he or she will use to achieve success. 3. Contain extensive support (examples, experiences, evidence, and/or explanation) for each strategy, and 4. Show a commitment to excellence in preparation, including professional appearance and a command of Standard English. Option 2: One Student’s Story In this essay, you will relate the story of
how you used a specific On Course strategy to overcome an obstacle to your
success in college or in life. Use the “One Student’s Story” essays
in our textbook as models of how to write your story. If done well, your
instructor may submit your story to the On Course Essay Contest. Winning
entries will be published in the next edition of the On Course text to inspire
future students. Winning entries will also be awarded a $100 prize. Full
directions for writing this essay can be found at http://oncourseworkshop.com/Contest.htm.
An “A” paper will . . . 1. Explain a specific obstacle the writer faced, the specific On Course strategy used to overcome the obstacle, and the outcome. 2. Show a commitment to excellence in
preparation, including professional appearance and a command of Standard
English. Course Rules for Success To create the very best environment for supporting your success and the success of your classmates, this course has three important rules. The more challenging these rules are for you, the more value you will experience by adopting them. By choosing to follow these three rules, you are choosing to be successful not only in this course but in your life. These rules will support your success in every goal you pursue! 1. Show up! To support my success, I choose to attend every scheduled class period in its entirety. 2. Do the work! To support my success, I choose to do my very best work in preparing all of my assignments and hand them in on time. 3. Participate actively! To support my success, I choose to stay focused and involved in every class session, offering my best comments, questions, and answers when appropriate. Student Success Course Schedule of Assignments (15-Week Course) REMINDER: Fifteen unannounced quizzes will be given. No quizzes may be made up. Assignments below are due at the first class
of the week in which they are due. Bring your textbook and journal to every
class. Week 1:
Read/Write Journal #1: Taking the First Step
Read/Write Journal #2: Becoming an Active Learner
Read On Course Principles at Work Week 2:
Read/Write Journal #3: Believing in Yourself-Develop Self-Acceptance
Read Wise Choices in College—College Customs Week 3:
Read/Write Journal #4: Adopting the Creator Role
Read/Write Journal #5: Mastering Creator Language
Read/Write Journal #6: Making Wise Decisions
Read Personal Responsibility at Work Week 4:
Read/Write Journal #7: Believing in Yourself—Change Your Inner Conversation
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 2)
Read Wise Choices in College—Reading
Read/Write Journal #8: Creating Inner Motivation Week 5:
Read/Write Journal #9: Designing a Compelling Life Plan
Read/Write Journal #10: Committing to Your Goals and Dreams
Read Self-Motivation at Work
Read/Write Journal #11: Believing in Yourself—Write a Personal Affirmation
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 3)
Read Wise Choices in College—Taking Notes Week 6:
Read/Write Journal #12: Acting on Purpose
Read/Write Journal #13: Creating a Self-Management System Week 7:
Read/Write Journal #14: Developing Self-Discipline
Read Self-Management at Work Read/Write Journal #15: Believing in Yourself—Develop Self-Confidence
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 4)
Read Wise Choices in College-Organizing Study Materials
Read/Write Journal #16: Developing Mutually Supportive Relationships Week 8:
Read/Write Journal #17: Creating a Support Network
Read/Write Journal #18: Strengthening Relationships with Active Listening
Read Interdependence at Work Week 9:
Read/Write Journal #19: Believing in Yourself—Be Assertive
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 5)
Read Wise Choices in College—Rehearsing and Memorizing Study Materials
Read/Write Journal #20: Recognizing When You Are Off Course
Read/Write Journal #21: Identifying Your Scripts Week 10:
Read/Write Journal #22: Rewriting Your Outdated Scripts
Read Self-Awareness at Work
Read/Write Journal #23: Believing in Yourself—Write Your Own Rules
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 6)
Read Wise Choices in College—Taking Tests Week 11:
Read/Write Journal #24: Discovering Your Preferred Learning Style
Read/Write Journal #25: Employing Critical Thinking
Read/Write Journal #26: Learning to Make Course Corrections
Read Lifelong Learning at Work Week 12:
Read/Write Journal #27: Believing in Yourself—Develop Self-Respect
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 7)
Read Wise Choices in College—Writing
Read/Write Journal #28: Understanding Emotional Intelligence Week 13:
Read/Write Journal #29: Reducing Stress
Read/Write Journal #30: Creating Flow
Read Emotional Intelligence at Work Week 14:
Read/Write Journal #31: Believing in Yourself—Develop Self-Love
Write Embracing Change—Do One Thing Different This Week (Chapter 8)
Read Wise Choices in College—Managing Money
Read/Write Journal #32: Staying On Course to Your Success Week 15: Final Essay Due * * * * * The ON COURSE NEWSLETTER publishes innovative strategies for helping students become active, responsible learners. To subscribe to this bi-weekly (monthly in the summer) e-newsletter, click here and send the resulting e-mail. No need to type anything. Our computer will automatically add your return address to the list of subscribers. You're always in charge of your subscription, with a subscribe/unsubscribe link in every newsletter. Have a best practice to share? Click here and request our publication guidelines.
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