Tulsa Community College

English 1003 – 337

Strategies for Academic Success

MWF 3:00 – 3:50 Room SE1204

Instructor Information

Aaron Z. Jordan, Recruiter/Adjunct Faculty

Phone - 918.595.7910

Email – ajordan@tulsacc.edu

Mailbox – 002 SE2202

Course Information

Description – Strategies for Academic Success is designed to improve academic

performance and enhance skills in time management, test taking, note taking, memory,

diversity and critical thinking. 3 Credit Hours

Course Delivery – This course will be taught in-classroom with several activities

requiring students to utilize the campus, print and electronic resources, Blackboard, and

Facebook.

Course Objectives

Develop and improve study skills, time management, test taking strategies, reading

skills, memory process, concentration techniques, and note taking systems; and

demonstrate transference of these skills to other coursework to successfully complete

college work.

Apply critical and creative thinking skills to identify, discuss, and resolve academic and

social problems including math and science strategies, information literacy techniques,

collaborative learning, diversity issues, and conflict resolution.

Use personal and social strategies to succeed in and enjoy the college experience and

to become involved in college, community, and cultural activities.

Become familiar with college procedures, terms, resources, and support services; and

incorporate these into the learning process.

Apply the stages of the writing process and communication skills using essay,

paragraph, and sentence structure to written work, and oral presentations.

Text and Materials

Ellis, David, Toft, Doug, Macina, Dean, McMurray, & Eldon. (2009).

Becoming a master student concise. Boston, MA: Wadsworth.

(Students will also be required to purchase a three-ring binder or folder

to store their portfolio.)

Attendance and Student Expectations

Strategies for Academic Success gives students the tools and abilities to become better

learners, therefore it is necessary to show up to class. Role will be called at the

beginning of each class and students are allowed to miss no more than three (3)

classes. Obviously, there are unforeseen circumstances (illness, death in the family,

childcare issues, etc) which may arise during the course of the semester. Such

instances should be communicated to the instructor as soon as possible and will be

managed on a case-by-case basis. In any case, it is the responsibility of the student to

speak with the instructor concerning lecture notes and assignments.

The classroom environment is expected to be open, collaborative, mutually respectful,

educational, and enjoyable. Comments not pertaining to class lecture, the flow of class

discussion, or any behavior that draws negative attention to the student will not be

tolerated. Use of cell phones or electronic devices outside of designated time also falls

under inappropriate behavior.

Plagiarism Policy:

Plagiarism is claiming, indicating, or implying the words, ideas or sentences of another

writer are your own; copying the work of another and presenting it as your own; or

following the work of another as a guide to ideas and expressions that are then

presented as your own. Students should review the relevant sections of the TCC

Student Code of Conduct Policy Handbook. A student who is determined to have

plagiarized will receive a “0” on the assignment and may fail the course.

The ISBN is

978-0-547-

12670-8!

Evaluation

Course Grades will be determined by the following

Discussion Board…………………………. 15%

Attendance/Class Participation..……. 10%

Mid-Term Exam…………………………... 20%

Campus Event Assignments……….... 10%

Semester Portfolio………………………. 25%

Final Exam…………………………………. 20%

Grading Scale

90 – 100% - A

80 – 89% - B

70 – 79% - C

60 – 69% - D

0 – 59% - F

Course Withdrawal

The deadline to withdrawal from a course shall not exceed ¾ the duration of any class.

Contact Advisement or Counseling at any campus or login to your TED account to

withdrawal from specific courses. Be sure to check the TCC Student Handbook and the

TCC Academic Calendar for specific dates and enrollment procedures.

Inclement Weather

Tulsa Community College only closes under extreme weather emergencies. In the case

where you suspect TCC may be closed due to weather conditions contact the

switchboard at 595-7000, visit the college website at www.tulsacc.edu, join the Tulsa

Community College group on Facebook, or follow Tulsa Community College on twitter

(tulsacc).

ADA Policy

TCC provides accommodations for qualifying students in compliance with the Americans

with Disabilities Act. For information, students may contact the disabled Student

Resource Center, 918 – 595 – 7115, or the Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of

Hearing, 918 – 595 – 7428.

Assignments

Discussion Board Posts

As a means for students to openly communicate

their thoughts and ideas outside of the classroom, students

will be required to respond to a weekly discussion board

posting on the course Blackboard page. Posts should be

intelligent, thoughtful, engaging and original in content.

Exams

Two exams will be given during the course of the semester.

Exams will cover lecture, discussion and textbook material

covered up to the date of the exam. Exam format includes

multiple choice, true/false, matching, and essay.

Prior to the exam date, student will be given a study guide.

Exam dates:

Mid-Term 10/08

Final 12/03

Exams are closed – no book, no notes.

Campus Event Assignments

In an effort to learn more about Tulsa Community College and the college experience,

students are required to attend two campus events throughout the course of the

semester. There is no limit to the type or location of the event as long as it is a Tulsa

Community College event. Once the student has attended the event they are required

to write a 250 – 450 word essay.

The essays will cover:

- Date and Location of the event

- Why the event was chosen

- What happened at the event

- Did the student enjoy the event

- Would they attend the event or related events in the future

- Personal reflection of the event

Events will be submitted electronically and are due no later than 12/03.

Semester Portfolio

In an effort for students to build a collection of

resources which can be utilized throughout their

college careers, one requirement of this course is

a semester portfolio. To receive full credit for the

assignment, students should complete each section

listed below:

- All class worksheets, completed

- Beginning and Ending Lassi Test Scores

- Course Schedule

- Course Study Log

- Career Exploration PowerPoint

- Current Resume

Portfolio must be submitted the week of 12/06 – 12/10

Class Worksheets

Throughout the course students will be given a number of in-class and take home

worksheets which should be completed in the predetermined time given. Once students

complete the assignments, the worksheets should be stored in the semester portfolio.

Lassi Test Scores

The Lassi is an 80-question assessment that surveys a student’s specific learning style.

Students are required to take the assessment at the beginning and the end of the

semester. Once the assessment is complete, results should be printed and placed in the

semester portfolio.

Course Schedule

A detailed print-off of the student’s current schedule. This can be accessed from TED on

the Tulsa Community College homepage.

Course Study Log

Students are required to keep a daily planner for three weeks of coursework attempted

during the fall 2010 semester. The study log should be organized weekly and cover:

- Hours of study, reading, assignments and homework per week

- Time spent at work and leisure activities

- Major Projects and Tests

* Students will be given a specific rubric for this assignment in the third

week of class and will count towards class participation and the portfolio

grade.

Career Exploration PowerPoint

Students are required to explore one career of their choice.

Once a career is chosen, students should create a 7 - 10 slide

PowerPoint describing the specific aspects of the career.

- Introduction Slide

- Overview of the chosen career

- Educational requirements

- Does Tulsa Community College offer the program?

- Job demand

- Average salaries

- Personal Reflection of the career

*This portion of the assignment must be printed and submitted with the rest

of the portfolio. The PowerPoint should also be submitted electronically.

Resume

Students must submit an updated resume along with the rest of the portfolio

requirements. Resumes and job skills will be discussed throughout the class and

students may also work with their professor to discuss resume options and ideas.

Southeast Campus Resources

Writing Center 595 – 7749

Math Lab 595 – 7751

Student Activities Office 595 – 7771

Fitness Center 595 – 8640

Learning Resource Center 595 - 7701

Enrollment Services 595 – 7726