Below is an overview of assignments for our semester (readings are presented in Works Cited format using MLA documentation). As with all things in life, this schedule is subject to change. Changes will be announced in announcement and via email.
Week 1 ~ due Monday, 1/30, 11:59 pm: Getting Started and Time & Stress Management
- Read all pages in the Syllabus module to familiarize yourself with class policies and procedures.
- Read Content > Class Introductions and post your two class introductions: your public intro goes in the discussion forum of the same name, then post your private intro in the private intro discussion forum that has your name on it.
- Read the following five articles about academic survival skills: time and stress management (click the links in the article titles to avoid the firewalls in the New York Times articles):
- Tierney, John. "This Was Supposed to Be My Column for New Year's Day." The New York Times, 2013 Jan. 14, https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/15/science/positive-procrastination-not-an-oxymoron.html.
- Mueller, Pam, and Daniel Oppenheimer. "The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard." Psychological Science, May 2014, pp.1-10, https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/sites.udel.edu/dist/6/132/files/2010/11/Psychological-Science-2014-Mueller-0956797614524581-1u0h0yu.pdf.
- Gordon, Jiniai. "Study Apps, Websites, Software." Bureau of Study Counsel, Harvard University, 2017 Mar 28.
- Friedman, Michael. "Smarter Studying: Two Core, Evidence-Based Approaches." Bureau of Study Counsel, Harvard University.
- "Annotating a Text" (be sure to also watch the embedded video). Writer's Center, Eastern Washington University, 21 Jul 2021, https://research.ewu.edu/c.php?g=82207.
- Complete the Time and Stress Management quiz.
- Read the Time and Stress Management instructions, then post your advice about time & stress management techniques to the discussion forum on time & stress management.
Week 2 ~ due Monday, 2/6, 11:59 pm: Student Life & Student Engagement
This week's assignments are aligned with COL101 student learning outcome 1.
- Read the following articles about student life and student engagement (click the links in the article titles to avoid the firewalls in the New York Times articles):
- "Why Involvement in College Matters." Project CEO: Cocurricular Experience Outcomes, Austin State University, 4 Apr 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR7U2lsChgw.
- Bauerlein, Mark. "What's the point of a professor?" The New York Times, 2015 May 9, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/opinion/sunday/whats-the-point-of-a-professor.html.
- Grant, Adam. "What straight-A students get wrong." The New York Times, 2018 Dec. 8, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/08/opinion/college-gpa-career-success.html.
- Deming, David. "Engineers sprint but English majors endure." The New York Times, 2019 Sep. 20, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/20/business/liberal-arts-stem-salaries.html.
- Bauer-Wolf, Jeremy. "Survey: Employers want "soft skills" from graduates." Inside Higher Ed, 2019 Jan. 17, https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/01/17/survey-employers-want-soft-skills-graduates.
- Krakoff, Sonya. "Top five soft skills employers are looking for in 2019." Career & Workplace Division, Champlain College Online, 2021, https://online.champlain.edu/blog/top-soft-skills-employers-are-looking-for.
- Complete the Student Life & Student Engagement quiz.
- Read the Student Life & Student Engagement instructions and post your three ideas for campus activities to the discussion forum on student life & student engagement.
Week 3 ~ due Monday, 2/13, 11:59 pm: Research & Media Literacy
This week's assignments are aligned with COL101 student learning outcome 6 and with COL101 student learning outcomes 2, 4, and 5.
Week 4 ~ due Tuesday, 2/21, 11:59 pm: Considering Multiple Perspectives
- Complete the Diversity & Re-Perception quiz. This grade does not count toward your COL101 grade but the quiz is mandatory, as the college requires that we cover "academic survival skills: diversity and perspective" so it'll help you think about your perspectives on what you know, what you think you know, and what you don't know.
- After you complete the quiz, click the Grades link above, then click the numeric score for your quiz. You will see what you got right and wrong.
Week 5 ~ due Monday, 2/27, 11:59 pm: Major & Career Planning
This week's assignments are aligned with COL101 student learning outcome 6 and with COL101 student learning outcomes 3 and 5.
- Read the following articles about the value of the liberal arts in college (click the links in the article titles to avoid the firewalls in the New York Times articles):
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- Jaschik, Scott. "In defense of the liberal arts." Inside Higher Ed, 2018 June 1, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/06/01/two-groups-whose-memberships-extend-beyond-liberal-arts-issue-statement-support.
- Roth, Stephen S. "Light, truth, and whatever." The New York Times, 2012 June 8, https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/books/review/college-by-andrew-delbanco.html [review of College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be by Andrew Delbanco]
- Read Major / Career Planning and post major and career planning assignment answers in the discussion forum.
- Follow the instructions in SCCC, Academic & Career Plan and post your academic plans for SCCC and beyond in the week 5 discussion forum.
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- Step 1 is the four (or more) semester chart that you need to complete and attach
Step 2 is just your current thoughts about what might come after SCCC (further academic plans or career plans).
Week 6 ~ due Monday, 3/6, 11:59 pm: Resume & Cover Letter
This week's assignments are aligned with COL101 student learning outcomes 3 and 5.
- Read the Resume and Cover Letter instructions pages. Download the formats for the resume and letter and edit them to reflect your personal information. Refer to my resume info & advice video and my cover letter info & advice video to help you, then post your drafts in the resume and letter rough draft discussion forum.
Week 7 ~ due Monday, 3/13, 11:59 pm: Resume & Cover Letter
This week's assignments are aligned with COL101 student learning outcomes 3 and 5.
- Review Cynthia's feedback on your drafts, then revise and submit your resumes and letters final drafts.
Week 8 ~ due Monday, 3/27, 11:59 pm: Scholarships & Transfer
This week's assignments are aligned with COL101 student learning outcomes 3 and 5.
- Read the SCCC Scholarships/Personal Narrative or Statement instructions page, complete your draft and post your scholarship narrative/personal statement rough draft to the discussion forum. Include the name of the scholarship, the question/guidelines provided, and the word count (if applicable).
Week 9 ~ due Monday, 4/3, 11:59 pm: Scholarships & Transfer
This week's assignments are aligned with COL101 student learning outcomes 3 and 5.
- Following the peer response instructions in the Content area, read and post peer response to the scholarship/personal narrative rough drafts of the two students who posted BELOW you on the discussion forum. Be sure to post your feedback as a reply to each classmate.
Week 10 ~ due Monday, 4/10, 11:59 pm: Scholarships & Transfer
This week's assignments are aligned with COL101 student learning outcomes 3 and 5.
- Review Cynthia's feedback as well as your classmates' good ideas & thinking, then revise and post your scholarship narrative/personal statement final draft to the discussion forum.