Last name:

 

First name:

 

Date   __/__/2018

Syllabus & Success  - You can find this at the top of http://www.cjbibus.com/List_Fall_2018.htm

The purpose is not for you to click on everything, but to have handy where to click if you want more. For me to be able to talk through a few issues, but mainly to spark issues you want to know and for me to answer your questions

 

This covers things that can help avoid problems and gain success. Do ask if you

1.       What does WCJC’s Orientation for Students Say about Success?

Place an X in the __ to the left of EACH row to confirm you understand or will ask for help.

 

“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.  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.
Adding your 12 credit hours each week + 24 hours in study + 20 of “outside employment = 56 hours a week

 

“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 the source, click here.

 

College and high school are different in many ways, including in how teaching works, office hours as times instructors want students to come, and what passing is. For the source, click here.

URL for the 1st 4 rows: http://www.cjbibus.com/College_orientation_hours_taken_of_study_of_outside_work.PNG)
URL for the 5th row: http://www.cjbibus.com/College_orientation_differences_high_school_and_college_4tables.pdf

2.       Policies can be restrictions, but they are also guidance on how to succeed. You can find these policies by the state of Texas and that WCJC requires its instructors to cover in their syllabus by clicking on the Searchable Syllabus. Place an X in the __ to the left of EACH section in the syllabus to confirm you understand or will ask for help.

 

Six Drop Rule – a Texas requirement about the maximum number of drops. Fastest search word: Six

 

Academic Honesty Policy. Fastest search word: Honesty

 

Attendance Policy and “active attendance”(the only way your average might climb so read it with care)

Fastest search word: Attendance or Active

 

Attendance Policy, Locking of the Door, the Seating Chart, and Days When Papers Are Due 

Fastest search word: Lock

 

Class Behavior Policy – Fastest search word: Behavior

 

Dropping a Course with a Grade o Fastest search word: f “W” – including how instructors in the History Department cannot drop students. Fastest search word: Dropping

 

Late Work Policy – including no make-ups and having to have verifiable written excuses (such as a doctor’s note) Fastest search word: Late with a blank space after it

 

Self-Management grade – 30 points for each Unit or 90 of the total 1000 points (nearly 10% of your grade)

Fastest search word: the letters Manag

 

3.     What Is the History Department Supposed to Help You Accomplish? History is a “gateway course,” not a gatekeeper.

 

Student Learner Outcomes for the History Department – including requiring that students use primaries and “historical evidence” and they analyze (not just repeat).

Fastest search word: Outcomes                         

Click here for details about those terms.

 

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).

Fastest search word: 25%                                         

 If you don’t understand, click here to see examples of the math

 

4.       What Do Experts About Learning Suggest about Success?

 

The Power of Passion and Perseverance – “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)

 

“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 has written extensively about learning of history and reading. If you are interested, I can provide more.

 

 

 

5.       How Is Your Instructor Trying to Help You Succeed.
Place an X in the __ to the left of EACH of the statements to confirm you understand or ask for help.

 

Heading in the Syllabus: How This Course Tries to Help Different Types of Students Succeed in Writing about History

Fastest Search Words:  Writing about History

 

Click here for required Course Objectives, the separate Good Habits for Evidence grade, and how it can help you.

 

To help you pre-learn 30% of the Exam questions, your course offers Learning Quizzes to help you learn concepts and locations.

Fastest Search Words: pre-learn

 

Click here for a definition of concepts and 2 examples

 

To help you pre-earn points, Learning Quizzes also provide several ways to help you: Click here for how Self-Testing, Full-Testing where highest score counts, and incentives can help you.

Fastest Search Words: pre-learn

http:ME

 

To help you understand history as whole rather than repeat bits of stories, exams for your course do not require that you know everything, but that you know something. Click here for the type of questions on the exams.

 

Do you know any job that pays well that doesn’t require these habits or any decision you could make safely without these habits? If you think you do a job that does not require the 5 Good Habits for Evidence, try this link. Unfortunately, most students do not realize they are not being careful enough with evidence. 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. 

 

If there is a problem with following the Good Habits for Evidence 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.