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UNIV 1102: Learning to Learn
Instructor: Dr. Winfred H. Biddle Office: 223 Milledge Hall Faculty Mailbox in 233 Milledge Hall Office hours: T/Th, 1:00-2:00 PM, (other times by appointment) 223 Milledge Hall E-mail: [email protected] (preferred method of communication); for same day response, message must be received by 4 PM. All other messages will be answered by the next day. Text: 404-797-1887 Texts: Nist, S. L., & Holschuh, J. P. (2012). College Success Strategies (4TH edition). New York, NY: Pearson Longman. Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The story of success. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company. Course packet available at Bel-Jean NOTE: Bring your text and syllabus to each class. Supplies: 3-Ring binder; schedule (planner) book; stapler; pocket-folder
** The course syllabus is a general plan for the course, and deviations may be necessary.**
Purpose of the Course The purpose of Learning to Learn is to teach you how to become a better learner by developing efficient and effective studying behaviors. Many students begin college armed with study behaviors that may or may not have been successful for them in high school. Students may quickly find that what worked in high school fails to work in college. In this course you will learn basic ideas in learning theory and how these theories inform the practice of learning. We will also cover how to select and modify learning strategies based on the course, the academic tasks, and your own characteristics as a learner.
It is important for you to understand that successful completion of the course demands practice, so that they may become effective habits. As strategies are taught, you are expected to apply them to college-level materials presented in class as well as to other courses in which you are enrolled. In addition, you will be expected to engage in a variety of other activities that ask you to problem-solve what you mig ht be assigned to do in other classes and to respond to scenarios that ask you to provide advice to fictitious students about learning in college. Learning Objectives By the end of the course it is expected that you will have developed: 1. Students will identify their learning beliefs, the role these beliefs play in their learning outcomes, and will demonstrate strategies for modifying beliefs. 2. Students will demonstrate and apply the ability to develop time management plans that support their learning goals. 3. Students will identify strategies and resources needed to manage various types of stress and will practice effective stress management skills by employing appropriate skills. 2
4. Students will synthesize and articulate an argument supported by academic research from multiple sources. 5. Students will gain knowledge about and practice review and rehearsal skills. 6. Students will demonstrate their proficiency taking both lecture notes and annotating texts. 7. Students will develop motivational strategies to address specific academic challenges as evidence of perseverance in problem areas.
Attendance Policy and Assignment Expectations
Class attendance, punctuality, and participation are an important part of managing your time and becoming a strategic learner. Unlike other courses, in which you can get someone else’s notes if you are absent, Learning to Learn requires much more interactive class participation. It is important to be in class to participate in discussions and group activities, to practice strategies that are modeled, and to receive specific directions for various assignments.
Therefore, in this class, there is no such thing as an “excused” absence. For each absence beyond THREE, you will lose 5 percentage points on your final grade for that absence and each subsequent absence. All tardies will count as ONE HALF of an absence. Please come to class on time (or early, at no penalty)
Students who have no absences will have two (2) percentage points added to their final grade in the course.
You are responsible for assignments whether or not you are in class the day they are assigned or the day they are due at the time which they are due. If you are planning to miss class for any reason and wish to receive credit for an assignment due that day - you must get the assignment to me before class. Work will not be accepted late unless you have a documented, rare emergency. In the case of a rare emergency, e-mail me as soon as possible in order for us to reach an agreement on how and when you will turn in your work. University Honor Code All students are responsible for maintaining the highest standards of honesty and integrity in every phase of their academic careers. The penalties for academic dishonesty are severe and ignorance is not an acceptable defense. “Academic Honesty” means performing all academic work without plagiarism, cheating, lying, tampering, stealing, receiving unauthorized or illegitimate assistance from another person, or using any source of information that is not common knowledge.
“Academic Dishonesty” means knowingly performing, attempting to perform, or assisting any other person in performing any academic work that does not meet this standard of academic honesty. Assistance by another, when authorized by the Faculty Member, will not be considered academically dishonest, nor will using information that is fairly attributed to the source.
All academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty.” Students are responsible for informing themselves about those standards before performing any academic work. 3
UGA GRADING SCALE A 92-100 4.0 B- 79-81 2.7 D 60-68 1.0 A- 89-91 3.7 C+ 77-78 2.3 F <60 0.0 B+ 87-88 3.3 C 72-76 2.0 B 82-86 3.0 C- 69-71 1.7
GRADING As with other courses, grades depend primarily on how well students perform on exams and other course requirements. Exams will consist of objective, essay questions, and scenarios based on problem-solving activities. Grades will be determined using a point system and will be weighted as follows:
Daily quizzes, in-class work, and participation 20% Opportunity to Shine I 10% Opportunity to Shine II 15% Problem/ Solution Project 15% Internet/ Library Project 15% Final Exam 15% Time Management Assignment 5% Reflective Essay 5%
Three major projects will be required (put in a folder to turn in):
1. ACADEMIC RESEARCH PROJECT The purpose of this assignment is to familiarize you with the UGA on-line library site, as well as the library itself, to help you successfully complete the assignments that professors across campus require of you. (More information will be forthcoming)
2. PROBLEM/ SOLUTION PROJECT This project will provide you the opportunity to reflect upon and seek solutions to an academic area that concerns you. The possible areas you might select include the following: Concentration; Motivation; Procrastination; Stress and test anxiety; Test preparation strategies; Time management and scheduling; Writing skills for papers; Reading rate and fluency; Building a larger vocabulary. (More information will be forthcoming) 4
Other assignments In-class Assignments: As stated earlier in the syllabus, class attendance and participation are extremely important. Throughout the semester, you will complete several assignments and group activities during class. Anticipate a daily quiz over the reading, on the day that reading is due. If you are absent the day we complete an in-class assignment, you cannot complete this in advance or make up the assignment later. TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE (Changes may occur as necessary.) DATE Topics Reading & Assignments Thursday Drop/add 1.5 Tuesday Drop/add 1.10 Thursday Introduction/course overview Tracking Your Time (eLC) 1.12 Tuesday Active Learning CSS 2 pp. 12-23 1.17 How You Learn CSS 3 pp. 24-33 Time Management Assignment Guidelines Thursday Professors, Tasks, and You CSS 4 pp. 35-44 1.19 Time Management CSS 5 pp. 45-56 Interactive activity: Learning Style Inventory Neoplasticity video Interactive: 5 Day Test Preparation Plan Tuesday Academic Energy (Motivation) CSS 6 pp. 57-71 1.24 Physical Fitness Physical fitness reading
Thursday Internet/library project TIME MANAGEMENT 1.26 description ASSIGNMENT DUE Problem/solution project ACADEMIC RESEARCH description PROJECT TOPICS DUE Tuesday OFFSITE CLASS MEETING 1.31 Thursday OFFSITE CLASS MEETING 2.2 Tuesday Critical Thinking Critical thinking reading 2.7 CSS – Appendix A Cognition and Intelligence Thursday Cognition and Intelligence CSS – Appendix A 2.9 “Multiple Intelligences and Career Counseling”
Tuesday Cognition and Intelligence CSS – Appendix A 2.14 OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE REVIEW “Emotional Intelligence” articles 5
Thursday OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE I 2.16 Tuesday Just what do you believe, anyway? CSS 7 pp. 73-83 2.23 Stress management CSS 8 pp. 84-95 Interactive Activity: Annotation; Imagery Driscoll and Anxiety and Depression exercise Association of America articles Stress Management reading
Strategic Reading—Annotation CSS 9 pp. 97-111 Thursday Lecture Notes – 4 Methods of Note CSS 10 PP. 113-131 2.25 Taking Personal Finance reading Personal Finance PROBLEM SOLUTION TOPICS DUE
Tuesday Rehearsal & Review Strategies CSS 11 pp. 133-152 2.28 Strategies for Social Science CSS 12 pp. 153-165 CSS 13 pp. 166-180 Strategies for the Humanities CSS 14 pp. 182-194 ACADEMIC RESEARCH Strategies for Science & PROJECTS DUE Mathematics Interactive Activity: Expressive Writing Thursday Using technology to learn CSS 15 pp. 195-202 3.2 CSS 16 pp. 203-212 Objective exam preparation CSS 17 pp. 214-227 Essay & Specialty exam preparation Tuesday Individual Conferences — MLC NO CLASS for UNIV 1102 3.14 Jittery Joe’s Thursday Individual Conferences — MLC NO CLASS for UNIV 1102 3.16 Jittery Joe’s Tuesday Individual Conferences — MLC NO CLASS for UNIV 1102 3.21 Jittery Joe’s Thursday Outliers Introduction; Chapters 1,2 3.23 Tuesday Outliers Chapters 3, 4, 6 3.28 Thursday Outliers Chapters 7, 8, 9; Epilogue 3.30 Tuesday Resilience, Lesson 1 Learning Your ABCs exercise on 4.4 eLC Thursday Resilience, Lesson 2 4.6 Tuesday Resilience, Lesson 3 4.11 Thursday OPPORTUNITY TO 6
4.13 SHINE II REFLECTIVE ESSAY DUE Tuesday Problem/Solution Presentations PROBLEM/SOLUTION 4.18 PROJECTS DUE Thursday Problem/Solution Presentations 4.20 Tuesday Problem/Solution Presentations 4.25 Thursday FOS review 4.27 7
Exams follow University exam schedule and are held in the regular classroom