Think of this as a Human Resources requirement for a job. Human Resources gives a new person a pile of stuff to read and asks them to sign that they read it, understand it, and will ask questions if they do not. The new person—you--is responsible.
Students fail not because they are incompetent but because they do not understand:
· That college is different from high school – The rules are different and the risk shifts to the student. (With each of these bullets I am trying to make sure you understand because I want you to be OK.)
· That history is different from other classes—The History Department has rules that all history instructors have to follow. I believe in these rules and support them, but you have to know about them to succeed.
· That this history class is different from other classes—I have done things to try to help different kinds of students both learn what the History Department requires AND be able to earn a decent grade. The differences are to help you.
So what do you do? Make your life easy and joyful. Do these 3 things seriously.
1.
Use this weblink. Read
every section and every row.
·
If you do not understand, click on the link in
the row.
·
If it says to search your syllabus, it is easy. Control F (Ctrl-F) is a wonderful key. Copy
the search word or phrase from this link and paste it in the Find box. (Some
words show up multiple times, but you can click on the Find box to see all of
them.)
Click the URL and choose open in new window so you can keep seeing this link at
the same time:
http://www.cjbibus.com/HIST_1302-161_Online_Fall_2018_CRN_11598.pdf
2.
If you
have questions, ask. The Discussion named 2. Syllabus & Success Discussion is
just below this link. If you do not have a question, you might want to look to
see if others do. Answer if you know.
3.
When you
are done, click on the assignment named 3. Syllabus & Success Assignment. You download the small file and state you
agree and then submit it to the Assignment.
----------------
This covers things that can help avoid
problems and gain success. It is not meant to be negative, but to encourage you
to be “intentional” about decisions so you succeed. Success is possible but
it—in my experience—has to be “intentional” and thinking through Risk and
Reward has saved me many times.
The Risk-Reward Continuum (As
Taught by an Old Prof of Mine) |
Balancing Risk and Reward (Click here for the 5 Big Rewards of College, including joy) |
What I say in class: I was taught the
importance of thinking about Risk-Reward from my dad and from several profs
when I was your age. I ask the class the meanings of Risk and of Reward. If
you do not know either one, click on https://www.merriam-webster.com/ I then try to stress that I am not trying to
be negative but get you all to notice the risk in college today shown in all
those rows in Section 1. I use the
example if you had to finish a major paper and a buddy called for a beer (or
ice cream) and you decided not to do the paper and go out. You need to make
yourself notice the risks and they are hard to see. Section 1 tries to help
you see them. I then go over these briefly and try to get
questions if there are any. If you have questions, ask in the Syllabus
& Success Discussion
or talk to me in person or by phone. |
Make sure you
click the links if you are not positive that you understand every row.
|
“Estimate
2 -3 hours of study time outside of each classroom hour (more may be needed
for certain classes).” Example: if you are taking 12 credit hours each week, you need to spend 24 (12 X 2) hours in study.
That means 12 + 24 = 36 per week
on college. If you need 3 hours of study, 12 +36 =
48. For the source, click here. |
|
“The more hours
you work, the less classes you may want to take.” Example: if you are taking
12 credit hours each week, the “Maximum Hours Outside Employment” is
“20-hours/week or less.” For the source, click here. |
|
“NOTE: You
must maintain 15 credit hours every semester (or attend in the summer) in
order to complete an Associate’s degree within two years.” For the source,
click here. |
|
“Do not
take more than you can be successful
in or you will risk lowering your GPA or losing financial aid. Manage
your time wisely.” For source, click here. |
|
College
and high school are different in many ways, including who pays for it and who
manages your time. “High School is mandatory
and free.” “College is voluntary and you pay for it.” In high school, “your
time is structured by others”; in college, you manage your own time.” For the source, click here and look at the 1st table. |
|
‘You can
graduate only if your final average for all classes is at least a 2.0 or
C. Next semester registration or transferring to a university may be
prevented if your grade point average (GPA) is below a 2.0. Classes
with a grade of D often won't transfer.” For the source, click here and look
at the bottom of the last table. |
|
Student
loans (FYI: Bankruptcy is not an easy solution.) For a Department of Education source, click here. |
|
Six Drop
Rule – a Texas requirement about
the maximum number of drops. Syllabus Search Word: Six |
URL for 1st 4 rows: http://www.cjbibus.com/College_orientation_hours_taken_of_study_of_outside_work.PNG)
URL for 5th -6th row: http://www.cjbibus.com/College_orientation_differences_high_school_and_college_4tables.htm
URL for 7th row: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/bankruptcy
What I say in class: I stress that I have
done what I have done so you can earn 240 points with no risk. And I have set
up things to reduce your risk and to mentor you (next page). I have permission of the department to do
these experiments to help you:
|
Although
there are points with No Risk and Lowered Risk, you will need “Grit,” Good
Habits, and Self-Management.
Make sure you
click the links if you are not positive that you understand every row.
|
You can pre-earn 240
points—200 with Learning Quizzes on history concepts and 40 Evidence Quizzes.
If you just click, it will not make a big difference in your life, but, if
you try to understand, it can. |
|
You can pre-learn about 30%
of the Exam questions (3 exams at 100 points each). Click here for a definition of concepts and 2
examples. Syllabus Search Word: pre-learn |
|
You have useful exam questions to help you understand history as whole
rather than repeat bits of stories. Syllabus Search Word: Goal of Exam Questions Click here for the type of questions on the exams. |
|
You have a review for the Final Exam. Syllabus
Search Word: Final Exam |
|
Learning
Discussions – 30 points (20 for the discussion and 10 as an incentive) for
each Unit or 90 of the total 1000 points (nearly 10% of your grade) Syllabus
Search Word: the phrase With the 3 Learning Discussions |
|
Thinkers who may help you think about success with grit and with 5
abilities to think well: ·
What’s “grit”?: Click on this video of a Ted Talk by Angela Duckworth (URL: https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance) ·
"Teach Students How to Learn: Metacognition is the
Key!" by Saundra McGuire. Click here for 5 abilities you need to think well, with the last being “know what you know
and know what you don’t know” |
Make sure you
click the links if you are not positive that you understand every row.
|
“Why Historical Thinking
Matters”-Click on this “interactive presentation where Professor Sam Wineburg discusses
how historians investigate what happened in the past.”
(URL: http://historicalthinkingmatters.org/why/) Wineburg
researches how thinking works. He explains what history is: “Boring
names, facts, dates - this is history for a lot of people. But historians
think about history differently. They
see themselves as detectives, often unsure about what happened, what it
means, and rarely able to agree amongst themselves. This process of trying to figure out things you don't
already know is as different from mindless memorization as you can get.” |
|
Figuring out things is the
hard part of writing (and earning a living). For example, over 60% of
students since 2011 usually did not know basics such as being factually
accurate when writing about real things until this course. Click here
to see what past students said they did not know before. |
Make sure you
click the links if you are not positive that you understand every row.
|
Student
Learner Outcomes for the History Department – including requiring that
students use primaries and “historical evidence” and they
analyze (not just repeat). Click here for details about those terms. Syllabus Search Word: Outcomes
|
|
The
Department requires that instructors’ courses consist of a minimum of 25%
written assignments. With 25% specific written work,
you must do some written
assignments—or—only want a C for the course and always make 100% on each objective assignment (a risky plan). Syllabus
Search Word:
25% If
you don’t understand, click here to see examples of the math |
Make sure you
click the links if you are not positive that you understand every row.
|
College
and high school are different in many ways, including in how teaching works and office hours as times instructors want
students to come, and what passing is. For the source, click here. |
|
Heading
in the Syllabus: How This Course Tries to Help Different Types of Students Succeed in
Writing about History—an experiment to help students Syllabus Search Word: Writing
about History Click here for how the separate Good Habits
for Evidence grade can raise your grade a letter and help
you practice skills you need. What are the 5 Good Habits for Evidence? Click here for Practical Examples How the
World Would Not Pay You If You Do Not Have These Basic Habits.
|
|
Heading in the Syllabus: 3-Part
Writing Assignments—another experiment to help students |
Make sure you
click the links if you are not positive that you understand every row.
|
Academic
Honesty Policy. Syllabus Search Word: Honesty |
|
Attendance
Policy Syllabus Search Word: Attendance |
|
Class
Behavior Policy |
|
Dropping a
Course with a Grade of “W” – including how instructors in the History
Department cannot drop students. Syllabus Search Word: Dropping |
|
Late Work
Policy – including no make-ups and
having to have valid written excuses
(such as a doctor’s note) Syllabus
Search Phrase Late Work Policy Caution: Make-ups are on the date of the Final Exam.
|
|
If there
is a problem with a grade or with anything incomplete about an assignment,
your instructor enters 1.11 as a
temporary placeholder for the grade and posts a comment with that grade
telling you what you need to do. You must check Blackboard for your grades. Syllabus Search Word: 1.11
- It shows up in
2 places. |
Section 1 on page 1 is full of the risks of college—but only if you do not make your work “intentional” and plan for it. But what are the rewards of college?
1. Some employers require specific courses or programs for specific jobs.
2.
Some employers want to know that you have been
able to teach yourself enough to pass college courses.
Think of it this way. If you were paying someone money for work, you would want
proof that person had all of these traits that you will be practicing if you do
the work in Section 2:
·
“Grit”
·
Good Habits
· Self-Management
3.
With a history course requiring primaries and
evidence, you can gain from mentored
practice in figuring something out. (See
the phrase with Wineburg in Section 3.)
Mentor: “a trusted counselor or guide https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mentor |
Practice in figuring something out matters for your success:
· To be able to figure something out is a survival skill now that you are the manager of your own life.
· To be able to figure something out is a skill employers will pay for—and employers will keep you in a job when they have to layoff others.
· To figure something out is to experience joy. If you have not had that feeling yet, it is time to try it.
4.
College provides the general knowledge to protect your future.
The required courses for a freshman program are based on the establishment of a curriculum called the liberal arts. Notice the meaning. You want to be a free person.
Meaning of liberal
arts in "[1745-1755; trans. of L artes
liberals - works befitting a free man]” [bold mine - in other words, for a person who was not a
slave or serf.] Note: in the late 1700s (think
about that famous date of 1776) 3/4s of world population was in
servitude (slavery or serfdom). Only 1/4 profited from their own labor--and
learning. Root word of liberal:
"1325-75; ME < L liberalis of
freedom; befitting the free, equiv. to liber free + alis A] “liberalis of freedom, befitting the free” From Merriam Webster ‘s Unabridged Dictionary. |
5. As part of your college experience, history can help you because it is the vocabulary of our nation. As Wineburg says, history is not “boring names, facts, dates.” Instead, history introduces you to the basics of:
· Demographics
· Economics
· Government
· Knowledge, including science, technology, culture, arts, and how we transfer knowledge to the next generation
· Religion
· Sociology
The more you learn, the more you can learn. Click here for vocabulary and the “Mathew effect” on learning.
FYI: When I say the word college, I
do not just mean a 4-year degree. In this economy and for you as an individual any of these paths could be fine: