St. Gregory's University Syllabus
Fall Semester, 2001
GS 1003 Foundations
Instructor: Marian Salwierak, M.Ed., Associate Professor
Course Description: (from SGU 2000-2001 catalog) Designed to prepare students to succeed in college and to formulate and carry out a life development plan. Major components include: learning to use a laptop computer and a local area network, investigating academic and career choices, acquiring effective study habits, using the resources of the library and the learning center, preparing for examinations, and developing a positive self-image.
Mission Statement: The Foundations course guides students in discovering who they are, what they want and how they will get it. The course is aligned with the University Life Development plan, a lifelong holistic approach to development. The course focuses on self-knowledge and skills which lead to success in college and beyond.
Instructor Information:
Office 311 Phone number: 878-5181 on campus: 5181
Email address: mksalwierak@sgc.edu
My teaching schedule is as follows:
M-W-F English Composition I 10:00-10:50
M-W-F English Composition I 11:00-11:50
M-W-F Literature for Young Adults 1:00-1:50
W Professional Mentoring Team 12:30-1:20
T-Th Foundations 9:30-10:45
Office Hours: It is best to set an appointment with me. I am willing to meet you when I am not in class or in a meeting. I will try to be in my office on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week from 9:00-10:00 and on Mondays and Fridays from 2:00-3:00. Feel free to call me in my office or at my home (273-6139) to ask questions or make an appointment.
Instructor Philosophy: I have been teaching the Foundations class since its second year of existence. It is a course that is, as its title proclaims, a "foundation" for you. My favorite quality about this course is its flexibility. It allows me as facilitator to use a variety of tools and topics. It demands that students help design many parts of the curriculum.
Foundations is most useful if you see it as a means to an end rather than an end in itself. So, use it! Read the legacy letters left by previous students. They wrote them as they exited this course in their freshman year.
Objectives: By the end of the semester the student will be able to:
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Set realistic and realizable goals for his/her development in five dimensions of life (spiritual, physical, academic, social and emotional); | |
| Develop effective strategies for the achievement of his/her success in college; | |
| Demonstrate introductory competency in using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, email, and computer terminology; | |
| Produce a portfolio to validate growth and learning. |
Textbook: Ellis, Dave. Becoming a Master
Student. 9th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. (ISBN
0-395-98149-2)
Rule of St. Benedict
Materials:
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Paper and pens for journal and class writing assignments | |
| Paper and computer for formal writing assignments and computer assignments | |
| A binder/folder for the portfolio | |
| Box for storing and organizing portfolio artifacts (bookstore) | |
| Full Spectrum workbook and materials (bookstore) |
Internet Resources: (see course outline)
Course Requirements:
Grading Criteria:
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A = 900 or more points | |
| B = 800 or more points | |
| C = 700 or more points | |
| D = 600 or more points | |
| F = another semester in Foundations for earning less than 600 points! |
Point System: (1030 points, at least, are available)
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310 points Attendance (10 points per class for attendance) If you are not in class, you do not get the points. If there is a legitimate excuse for the absence you may have the opportunity to submit assignments related to the class if possible. (There are some assignments that, by their nature, cannot be "made up.") | |
| 160 points Assignments (text work, quizzes, class exercises, other) Late assignments are not accepted for full credit. In some cases, partial credit may be granted. Discuss missed or late assignments with the instructor. | |
| 120+ points Journals 3/4 -1 page per week beginning August 23. Twelve entries equals 100% (120 points). Journals are due each Thursday at the start of class. No late journal assignments are accepted. Less than 3/4 page receives no credit or partial credit, depending on length. The journal entries may be typed or hand-written. If you do not wish an entry read, please fold it and mark it confidential. | |
| 110 points Service project To receive credit, log the time you spend in service to others. Describe the activity and write a reflection. In reflection, consider such questions as: How did others benefit from your service? What skills/abilities/qualities did you show in providing this service? How did you benefit? (Note: These are worthy entries for your portfolio. Keep it up.) For an article on volunteering and for some suggestions, click here. | |
| 200 points Papers (two - four for the semester), career brochure, PowerPoint presentation. Type papers double spaced in 12 pt Times New Roman font, unless otherwise directed. | |
| 100 points Portfolio (This includes the image book, goal setting, and reflection in the five dimensions of life development. You may also begin a career section at this time.) |
Instructor and University Policies:
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Attendance: I expect you to attend each class. If you should be unable to attend a class, please inform me as soon as possible. You earn 10 points for each class you attend. Failure to attend class three times will warrant an "Absence Warning." (Note that while you are encouraged to explain a necessary absence, I do not distinguish between "excused" and "unexcused" absences for points or for the warning.) | |
| Assignments: Assignments receive full credit only when they are completed on time. | |
| Plagiarism: is a grave error. Each student is expected to do his/her own work and to respect the work of others by use of appropriate documentation. A student guilty of plagiarism will receive, as a minimum, a failing grade for the assignment. | |
| ADA: Requests from individuals with disabilities for accommodations necessary for access to campus events, programs, and services should be made in advance by contacting the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator at 878-5152. | |
| Outline: The outline for this course is subject to change. After discussion with the students enrolled, the instructor reserves the right to modify the outline. It is a "work in progress" throughout the semester. | |
| Classroom etiquette: Please remove hats during class times. It facilitates matching a name to a face. Refrain from use of food, drink, cell phones or pagers during class time. Listen with attention when others speak; only one person may speak at a time. (We have two ears and one mouth; Consider using them in that proportion.) |
Beginning and ending assessment: Students self report data regarding current knowledge of topics to be covered. Through written reports and class discussion, students indicate their level of expertise. The curriculum is developed based upon this data. A similar procedure is used after topics are covered. In addition, the portfolio is used as an authentic assessment tool at the culmination of the course.
For the course outline, click here.