Allegany College of Maryland Entrepreneurship 206 Web Syllabus

“A foundation course in Psychology. Overview of the nature and purpose of psychology, the dynamics of adjustment, sensory development, psychometry, and the application of psychological knowledge to practical problems.”

Academic Prerequisites: None

Technical requirements for the course:

If you have never taken an online course before, this course will be different for you. Our primary means of communication will be through the Internet, therefore, you should be comfortable with using the Internet and email. You must have reliable Internet access (you must provide your own ISP), an email account, and a browser (Netscape 3.0 or higher or Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher).

· If using a modem, 28.8 bps or higher is strongly recommended.

· A CD-rom on your computer is required for viewing CD lectures.

· You must have basic computer and Internet literacy skills. This includes the ability to work comfortably in a browser, send and receive email with attachments, use a search engine, and create and modify documents in MS Word. You will also need a Blackboard login account, which will be provided to you by ACM.

· You must have Windows Media Player installed on your computer. Most computer systems come with Windows Media Player already installed. If your system does not have it installed, please go to http://www.allegany.edu/dl/updates.shtml to download and install it.

· You also must have working speakers.

· You must have MS Word, or word processing software that allows you to create MS Word compatible documents.

You may also want to:

· Take the online quiz to see if distance learning is for you.

· Take the online quiz to see if you have the technical skills to succeed at distance learning.

Please note: Technical difficulties do occur during a semester. However, technical difficulties do not excuse late or incomplete assignments

Resources:

Textbook- Gerrig, Richard and Philip Zimbardo, (2005) Psychology and Life, Seventeenth Edition, New York: Allyn and Bacon Publishers.

· ISBN# 0-205-61871-5

· Workbook included with the text.

· “MyPsychLab” student access key (packaged with the textbook)

Other Materials:

Various articles, handouts and the lecture CD – provided by the instructor.

The library, internet web sites, the instructor, and each other!

Your primary resource is the textbook. If you don't want to come to campus to pick up the book, you can either order it from the Allegany College of Maryland bookstore and ask them to mail it to you (301-784-5348, there is an additional fee for shipping) or order it online from www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.efollet.com, or www.half.com. I have recently been sent a link that is basically a search engine for where you can get these book for the cheapest price. For this check out: http://www.campusi.com/.

If ordering online, use the ISBN number indicated above to be sure you order the correct textbook. This is incredibly important, for you do not want to get the wrong book. The textbooks we have on campus are 3-ring binder, special order books (at a discount) that contain passwords for www.mypsychlab.com. The only downside to this is that the passwords are only good for one semester so that makes the book cheaper, but you can not resell it back to the bookstore. You could also buy a used book without these passwords, but then you would be missing what is in essence an “online study guide”. “mypsychlab” is NOT required, but it does assist you and if completed can be converted into bonus points at the end of the semester. If you choose this route, please be sure when you order that the textbook is in stock in order to avoid delays. You may start reading the text as soon as you get it, as it has a lot of content.

SMART START - If you are ordering the text from an online source, be sure to order it well in advance of the start of classes. Falling behind at the beginning of class makes the course much harder.

Course Objectives:

This course will present the major concepts of the field of Psychology – providing an introductory background in preparation for academic transfer AND applicable to contemporary life and work. Learners will develop an enhanced understanding of human identify, learning, development, behavior, motivation, as well as a historical perspective of the field of psychology. By the completion of the course, students will be able to:

v Describe/define all of the components of the Scientific Method.

v Describe/define the “Four Forces of Psychology”.

v Describe/define “Freud’s Iceberg Model” and “defense mechanisms.”

v Describe/define “Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs.”

v Describe/define the physiology of “sensation” as well as the psychology of “perception”.

v Describe/define Gestalt “grouping principles.”

v Describe/define the various theories of personality development.

v Describe/define human biorhythms and the stages of sleep.

v Describe/define the various aspects of Operant and Classical Conditioning.

v Describe/define the different types of memory.

v Describe/define the three aspects of problem-solving.

v Describe/define Critical Thinking and obstacles to critical thinking.

v Describe various models of intelligence and wellness.

v Describe/define various models of human development.

v Describe/define various psychological disorders from the DSM-IV-TR.

Course Content:

“You are a universe, a collection of worlds within worlds. Your brain is possibly the most complicated and amazing device in existence. Through its action you are capable of art, music, science, philosophy, and war. Your capacities for love, compassion, and dedication coexist with your potential for aggression, hatred, and...even murder? You are the most frustrating riddle ever written, a mystery at times even to yourself. You are at one and the same time a unique event in human history and like everyone who has ever lived.

Look around you. Newspapers, magazines, radio, and television abound with psychological information. Psychology is discussed in homes, schools, businesses, and bars. Psychology is an explosive, exciting, and ever-changing panorama of people and ideas. You can hardly consider yourself "educated" without knowing something about it. There is another reason for studying psychology. Socrates said, "Know thyself," and although we must envy those who have set foot on the moon, looked into an atom, or cruised the dreamlike landscapes of the ocean's depths, the ultimate frontier still lies close to home. Psychologist D. O. Hebb put it this way: "What is psychology all about? Psychology is about the mind: the central issue, the great mystery, the toughest problem of all" (Hebb, 1974).

In this exploration of our own psychology as well as the field of Psychology; our psychological journey will take us to various topics. We will explore how the Scientific Method is conducted in psychological research, we will look at the brain and the part it plays in who we are. We will examine how perception works, how we sleep, and what this thing called “consciousness” is all about. We will also look at how memory, intelligence and problem-solving works. We will learn about emotions and health, and the part that stress plays in both. We will understand personality in psychological terms, and then examine what personality is in personal terms. We will end with how we act in the social world and how we help (and don’t help) those in need. Personally, I think it will be an educational voyage and one that is also personally rewarding. Bon voyage!

Course Policies

· FORM OF ASSIGNMENTS

v Reading - Students are responsible for assigned readings in the textbook, articles, and on the web.

v Pre and Post-Tests for each chapter under “Study Plan” on “MyPsychLab”.

v Internet Homework Journal.

STUDENT CONDUCT AND PLAGRIARISM

Refer to the ACM Student Handbook.

The college has a strict policy on academic dishonesty. You are expected to understand and abide by the policy as defined in the student handbook.

The ACM student handbook defines plagiarism as:

a. “the submission, as your own work, of papers or parts of papers actually written by another;

b. including in your own work a passage written by another person without giving due credit; i.e., quoting or paraphrasing without proper citation of source.”

Academic Dishonesty also includes failure on your part to keep your current and past assignments out of the hands of other students who may misinterpret their origins. To receive credit for quantitative assignments, please show all calculations. It is also suggested that you keep a record and/or rough draft of written or other work until you have received your final grade.

For additional information on plagiarism, and how to avoid it, go to http://www.indiana.edu/%7Ewts/wts/plagiarism.html . For information on plagiarism and writing bibliographies and citations, go to www.allegany.edu/plagiarism/ .

The ACM student handbook defines cheating as “an act of conscious deception done in order to obtain an undeserved grade; or the aiding or abetting of deception in order to obtain an undeserved grade”. See the student handbook for more information about cheating and penalties.

v EXAMS

o Complete 15 weekly chapter quizzes which can be taken over the internet.

o Complete 4 unit exams during the semester. Exams will be given and proctored in the Student Support Services Testing Center.

v ASSIGNMENT DEADLINES

Due dates are posted in the course calendar. Please see the course calendar

for a week-by-week list. I will NOT remind you when assignments are due.

You are expected to complete all assignments on time.

v ATTENDANCE” – Failure to complete the required assignments in the first

2 weeks of class indicates “non-attendance”. Non-attendance may result in you being dropped from the course at my discretion. If at any point you choose not to continue with this class any longer, DO NOT assume I have dropped you from the class. Take responsibility of dropping yourself.

How the course is conducted

Since there will be no face-to-face class lecture, it is imperative that you are conscientious, motivated and self-disciplined. While the course is flexible in terms of when you put in the time, you can expect to average about the same amount of time as a normal lecture course -- about three hours total a week per credit. This comes out to nine hours per week. Note also that the course is NOT self-paced. Assignments are due by specific dates. You may work ahead if you like, but you may not “work behind”.

A list of all assignments and their due dates is included in the course calendar. I will not remind you of when assignments are due. You are expected to refer to the calendar and to complete all assignments on time. If you have difficulty with the assignments or have any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to assist you.

You will have opportunities to interact with other students enrolled in the course. You are encouraged to communicate with other students in the course by email, by use of the discussion board or by phone. Interacting with other students in the course will enhance your learning experience.

What you get out of this class will depend on how much you put into it. Each one of you will be helping to create the class. The more effort and participation you devote to the learning environment, the more you will derive from it. This is your education, you are paying for it, so get the most for your money!

Getting Started

You may start on the course on the first day of classes by logging into Blackboard. For information on how to log in, go to http://www.allegany.edu/dl/onlineorientation/ooblackboard.shtml. You may also want to email me. Please be sure to send me the email from the account you will be using throughout the course.

Blackboard will be the primary method for conducting the course. Be sure your email address is correct in Blackboard (see link above for information) and be sure that you change your password periodically. You are responsible for keeping your password secure.

To get started in the course, login to Blackboard, choose the course title and then read the announcement on the first page of the course. The announcement will give you instructions about how to get started in the course.

GRADING AND TESTING

Grades are based on exams, quizzes, internet homework journals and discussion board participation. The “pre” and “post-tests” for each textbook chapter on “MyPsychLab” are not required, but are highly recommended as they are an important resource to your success. If your semester grade is on the borderline of a higher grade, having done ALL of these pre/post-tests will raise your grade.

A total of 650 points are attainable.

Students will not receive mid-term grades in the US postal mail. However, all grades will be posted on the blackboard site, so students will always have the opportunity to review grades as soon as I have completed grading of the assignments/exams. I will complete grading of written assignments within 1to 2 weeks and will return the assignment to you using the “Digital Drop Box” in Blackboard.

Unit Exams will be proctored at the respective testing centers, depending at which campus you are registered; weekly quizzes can be taken from home and are timed.

o If using an ACM testing center, please contact the testing centers in advance to verify hours of operation. If you would like to take an exam in advance of the scheduled week please contact me to make arrangements. The exams may not be taken after the scheduled dates.

TESTING CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION

Cumberland campus: swilson@allegany.edu

Shirley Wilson, phone (301) 784-5551

Bedford campus: mclark@allegany.edu

Mary Ann Clark, phone 814-652-9319

Somerset campus: tshaffer@allegany.edu

Tiffany Shaffer, phone 814-445-9848, extension 6104

Makeup exams:

You must take the exams when they are scheduled. If an emergency does arise, you must have an official excuse and either call the faculty secretary or leave a message on my voicemail. You will need to contact me to make arrangements for a makeup exam with the approved absence.

The student’s final grade will be comprised of:

Assignment	Points
4 Exams at 100 points each	400
15 chapter quizzes	150
1 Internet Homework journal	100
Discussion Board Participation	100
Total Points	750
750-675=A 674-600=B 599-525=C 524-450=D 449 and below=F

A= 90-100 B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60-69% F = Less than 60%

GRADING CRITERIA

HOMEWORK JOURNAL:

You will be required to access and study 10 assigned web sites. These websites will provide further introduction into a topic, or will provide a unique interactive experiential to deepen your understanding. Your assignment will consist of exploring the web site and then typing your reflections addressing the questions:

What did you learn from this website?