PSYC 2314 NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title:	Introduction to Psychology
Course Prefix & Number:		PSYC2301	Section Number:	0351	Semester/Year:	Fall/2020
Semester Credit Hours:		3	Lecture Hours:	3	Lab Hours:	0
Course Description (NCTC Catalog): General Psychology is a survey of the major psychological topics, theories and approaches to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
Course Prerequisite(s):  None
Required Course Materials: King, Laura A. The Science of Psychology. 4th edition. McGraw Hill.  ISBN 978126092230 Online, Connect access is required

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:	Dr. Franz Klutschkowski, Ed.D, LPC-S, NCP
Campus/Office Location:	Flower Mound/Faculty Offices
Telephone Number:	Online for this semester, as I am not in the office.
E-mail Address:	Please send all emails through this course Canvas email system.  If you are unable to access Canvas email, you may email me at fklutschkowski@nctc.edu

 OFFICE HOURS

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
11 am-2 pm	11 am-2 pm	11 am-2 pm	11 am-2 pm	11 am-2 pm
Please note that I am available at other times besides these 'office hours.'  After reading this syllabus, if you should have any questions about this course, feel free to email me using this Canvas course email.  I check my emails daily and am pleased to be of assistance.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog)

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
	Identify various research methods and their characteristics used in the scientific study of psychology.
	Describe the historical influences and early schools of thought that shaped the field of psychology.
	Describe some of the prominent perspectives and approaches used in the study of psychology.
	Use terminology unique to the study of psychology.
	Describe accepted approaches and standards in psychological assessment and evaluation.
	Identify factors in physiological and psychological process involved in human behavior.

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements	Graded Course Elements	Percentage or Point Values
15	Chapter Exams	375 Total
15	Chapter Reading Assignments	375 Total
1	Institutional Effectiveness Quiz & Essay	130
3	Discussion Forums	120 Total

 

Grades are determined on the following basis:

A=90%              900    points or higher    

B-80-89%          800 – 899  points   

C=70-79%         700 – 799  points

D=60-69%         600 -  699  points

F=Below 60%   Below 600  points  

 

Discussion Forum (DF)  A & B Instructons 

The discussion topic is assigned  by the professor and is found in the Discussion tab.  Each student is to write/post about the topic which the instructor has presented (which is the initial posting) and respond to other students about their postings.  The DF has a deadline and no exception is made for missing a deadline.  There are two deadlines for the DF (the initial posting and replies)  All initial postings and replies must be made before the deadlines.  Once a deadline occurs for an initial posting, no other initial postings will be accepted for credit.  Students may make reply postings at any time and some extra credit may be earned for more than one reply, depending on the quality of the replies.   These forums are interactive with students as well as the professor.

For the initial posting (responding to the professors question) you must give at least one complete reference (if the textbook is used, just give the page number).  Grading is based on the quality as well as the quantity of content; A=1 page (double spaced or ½ page single spaced) and one reference, B=1/2 page and one reference, C or D=less than ½ page depending on the quality of the posting and one reference.  Postings may NOT be uploaded, they must be typed within the DF tab (although related website addresses may be included if you wish to provide more information but they are not counted for a grade).  Some extra credit may be earned by exceeding these page requirements, depending on the quality.                            

Reply postings must be made within the DF;  clicking on the initial posting(s) of any other students posting;  and clicking on the reply tab to make your reply.  Replies MUST consist of adding information, with at least one reference, to the posting as well as giving your thoughts.  Thoughtful responses are requested.  Responses such as, ‘I agree’ or ‘I really like what you presented’ etc, will not earn any credit.  As well, responses simply complimenting a student's posting without adding anything will receive minimal credit.  Reply postings grading:  A = 1/2 page-with a minimum of one reference; B =1/4 page with a minimum of one reference; C/D = less than 1/4 page depending on the quality of the content and one reference: F = no significant response or no response at all. 

Note that the discussion forum consists of two parts and has two different deadlines.  The initial posting will have a specific deadline and reply postings will have a later deadline.   Once the deadline for the initial posting is missed, for any reason, no credit may be earned (consider completing this days before the deadline).  Reply postings may be made at any time before the deadline.

Also, please note that demeaning, abusive replies are not acceptable and may be cause for loss of discussion forum points as well as possible removal from the course. 

Grades for this assignment will only be posted after the completion of both DF-A & B, unless students complete the assignment before the deadline.

 

 

Exams: 

Fifteen exams will be given throughout the semester (multiple choice or true false).  All exams are to be taken online and must be completed before the deadlines.  The exams may be found within the Assignments tab of this Canvas course (you will need to have the online version of this textbook in order to access the exams).  

There are no exceptions for missing an exam deadline, so please consider completing each exam well before the deadline.  No excuse will be acceptable if a student waits to complete an exam near the deadline time and the electricity goes off, the computer malfunctions, there is a personal emergency, or any other unexpected event occurs.  Exams will be available in the assignments section of this course for an entire week or longer.  Exams will be over the assigned chapters with one 25 question exam per chapter.  Each exam may be taken twice (highest score is recorded) and will have a specified time limit.  Exam questions are randomly presented, but students will not necessarily see the same questions as the first attempt.  Please remember once an exam is started, it must be completed within the time limit.  If the exam you are taking is stopped for any reason, only that score will be recorded when the exam is stopped (because you cannot return to the exam once stopped).

Reading Assignments:

Each chapter has a graded reading assignment.  These assignments may be found within the Assignments tab of this Canvas course (you will need to have the online version of this textbook in order to access this assignment).  Each reading assignment is worth 25 points and you must complete them before the assigned deadlines.  Reading assignments are not timed.  Also, please be aware that the reading assignments are not necessarily related to the exam questions and they are only designed to have students focus on some aspects of the chapter.  So, before taking each exam, study each chapter.

  There are no exceptions for missing an assignment deadline, so please consider completing each assignment well before the deadline.  No excuse will be acceptable if a student waits to complete an assignment near the deadline time and the electricity goes off, the computer malfunctions, there is a personal emergency, or any other unexpected event occurs. 

Please note, in order to earn credit for completing the reading assignment questions, they MUST be accessed through the assignment tab of this course.  Also within the assignments tab, there are helpful videos about the reading assignments from the publisher of the textbook.

 

Institutional Effectiveness Quiz & Essay (IE):

This Institutional Effectiveness (I.E.) quiz has summary questions relating to the assigned chapters in this psychology course.  The quiz consists of  ten multiple choice questions (5 points each for a total of 50 points) relating to all of the assigned chapters and one essay question.  For the quiz questions, it is a good idea to be familiar with all the chapters even though you may not have completed all of the chapter exams or reading assignments.   

The essay question (worth 80 points) is about individual, family and society responsibilities relating to the substance abuse problem.  You are required to provide at least one reference, so be prepared with notes and a reference for the essay question, before starting the essay-once the quiz is started, the 10 questions and essay question must be completed within the 60 minutes.

The quiz may be started any time before the due date and time, but once it is started, it must be completed without interruption.  Once the quiz is stopped, it cannot be restarted and your grade will be dependent on the number of questions completed before the quiz was stopped, as well as any part answer of the essay question. 

Please note that some of the questions have more than one correct answer.

The time limit for this quiz is 60 minutes. 

Grades will be posted in the Canvas course directly after completion of the 10 multiple choice questions, but the essay question will be graded by the instructor at a later time.   

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE :  Note that all exams & reading assignments close at 11:59 on the due date

Aug 24          Read/study the course syllabus, introduce yourself and start on assignments.

Aug 31          Send an email to Dr. Klutschkowski, indicating you have read and understand

                      this syllabus-using this Canvas course email.

Sept 6            Chapter 1 assignments are due. 

Sept 13          Chapter 2 assignments are due and Discussion Forum 1-A is due.

Sept 20          Chapter 3 assignments are due. 

Sept 27          Discussion Forum 1- B is due.

Oct 4              Chapters 4 & 5 assignments are due. 

Oct 18            Chapters 6 & 7 assignments are due and Discussion Forum 2-A is due.

Oct 25            Discussion Forum 2-B is due.

Nov 1             Chapters 8 & 9 assignments are due. 

Nov 2             Last day to drop the class with a grade of "W."            

Nov 15          Chapters 10 & 11 assignments are due.  Discussion Forum 3-A is due.

Nov 29           Chapters 12 & 15 assignments are due including the I.E. paper.

Dec 6              Discussion Forum 3-B is due.

 Dec 8             Chapters 16 & 17 are due and the semester ends.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor.  It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member.  Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor.  A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam.  Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.    Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

Additional Instructor-specific Absence Policy:

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is November 2.

DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).

Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc.  Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.

For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321.  Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______     

o         Communication

o         Mathematics              

o         Life and Physical Science

o         Language, Philosophy & Culture

o         Creative Arts

o         Government/Political Science

X         Social and Behavioral Sciences

o         Component Area Option

o         American History

 REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core)

                X Critical Thinking

                X Communication

                X Empirical and Quantitative

o            Teamwork

                X Personal Responsibility

                X Social Responsibility

COURSE TYPE

o            Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)

X             Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

o           WECM Course

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY  Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”. 

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS

Name of Chair/Coordinator:	Adam Ramsey
Office Location:	Gainesville Campus, Room 814
Telephone Number:	940-668-7731, ext. 4925
E-mail Address:	aramsey@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean:	Dr. Bruce King
Office Location:	316 E Hickory St, Denton, TX 76201
Telephone Number:	940-380-2504
E-mail Address:	bking@nctc.edu

 

ADDENDUM

 

COVID-19 Specific Syllabi Statements Fall 2020

 

Syllabi statement regarding potential Conversion of Onsite Classes to Online/Remote Format: North Central Texas College students should be aware that in the event of a college closure due to COVID-19, onsite classes will be converted to an online/remote format. Students should plan ahead to ensure they have access to the computer equipment (either PC, MAC, or tablet), webcam, and internet connectivity to continue their classes in an online/remote format. Please read all your official North Central Texas College student emails as the transition from onsite to online/remote might require a reorganization in your personal situation. Students will be granted a 72-hour transition and grace period. Online classes will continue as scheduled without disruption. Wear a mask, stay safe, and contact your Instructor as the situation arises. These policies and procedures were updated on July 30, 2020 and are subject to change.

 

Syllabi Statement Regarding Face Coverings: Per the North Central Texas College guidance on face coverings on campus, in the instructional setting, faculty and students must wear face coverings, such as masks or face shields. Students without coverings, or those who do not comply with the rules relating to face coverings, will not be able to participate in on-campus classroom activities. To request an exception to this requirement, students should contact the NCTC HR Office of Enrollment Management (ccove@nctc.edu). Failure to comply with the face coverings requirement may result in the Instructor directing the student to leave the classroom. Any student asked to leave the classroom may be referred to the student conduct officer. These policies and procedures were updated on July 30, 2020 and are subject to change.

 

Temporary COVID-19 Attendance Policy for Face-to-Face Meetings: We are facing an unprecedented situation in which all of us must be flexible and make prudent decisions in the best interest of our families, our campus, and our community. In light of this, North Central Texas College is temporarily establishing the requirement that faculty keep records of student attendance for face-to-face course meetings as well as a documented seating chart. In addition, students who are sick or need to quarantine should not attend classes. Students will not be required to provide formal documentation from a health care provider and will not be penalized for COVID-19 related absences when proper notification to campus health officials is made in accordance with the guidelines stated below.

 

Faculty will:

 

• Notify students about important course information and delivery changes through Canvas and campus email.

 

Students should:

• Provide notification to campus officials (via NCTC Daily Health Check protocol through Canvas) if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or have to quarantine so we can confirm reported absence with instructors, monitor, and assist the campus community.
• Notify instructors in advance of the absence.
• Connect with that class through Webex if the class session is being transmitted in a hybrid fashion.
• Keep up with and/or make up missed classwork or assignments.
• Submit assignments digitally through Canvas or other means as announced by your instructor.
• Work with their instructors to reschedule exams, labs, and other critical academic activities described in the course syllabus.
• Check Canvas and campus email daily to receive important announcements pertaining to the course.

During this period, faculty with face-to-face meetings will establish assigned seating/work stations to facilitate roll-taking, and, if necessary, contact tracing. Additionally, we ask all members of the College community to be attentive to their health, and safeguard others, by following the CDC’s guideline to “stay home when you are sick.” You should stay home if you have symptoms. More information on what to do if you are sick is available at the CDC’s website.

Additional NCTC information is available at http://www.nctc.edu/coronavirus/index.html

Syllabus Addendum – Fall 2020 – Student Services

 

Student Success Center

The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals. The center links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free online tutoring.  The program helps students acclimate to college by providing free interactive online workshops. For more information, please visit your nearest Student Success Center.

 

Student Success offers academic coaching, tutoring, including a Writing Center, and a Math Lab to assist new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students. http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/student-success/tutoring/index.html

First generation students can also participate in TRIO which offers specialized services.

http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/trio-student-support-services.html

 

Completion Center

The NCTC Completion Center is a comprehensive student engagement program that increases retention and completion rates of first-time, low income students. Services include:

Success coaching to address students’ academic and non-academic challenges and issues; Success Seminars, and a centralized career readiness and job placement program.

http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/completion-center/index.html

 

Career Services Center

The NCTC Career Services Center is the place you can go for educational and career planning. Services include: Career/Degree Exploration, Job Search Tools and Resources, Resume and Professional Portfolio Development, Interview Skills and Preparation. Our Career Advisors partner with you in making your educational journey an efficient process towards a rewarding career. http://www.nctc.edu/career-services/index.html

 

Counseling and Advising

Support Services, Counseling and Advising staff offer a variety of services to current and prospective students, such as College 101, placement testing, academic advising and course registration, transfer assistance, and College Success seminars (Time Management, Study Skills, Test Anxiety, Choosing a Major, Learning Style Strategies, Career Exploration) and much more.  http://www.nctc.edu/counseling-advising/index.html 

 

Testing Service Center

The mission of NCTC Testing Services is to provide high-quality testing services that adhere to the professional standards and guidelines to meet the needs of students, faculty, and community members. http://www.nctc.edu/testing-center/index.html

 

Early Alert and CARES          

The NCTC Early Alert program assists students who are at risk of failing or withdrawing from a course. Faculty and staff may refer students through the Early Alert process at any point in the semester in an effort to provide appropriate intervention and access to support services. Examples of behaviors that could prompt an Early Alert referral could be missing assignments, failing tests, excessive absences, or personal circumstances impacting academic performance. A student submitted as an Early Alert will be contacted by an academic advisor or success coach through text, phone, and/or via their NCTC e-mail address to discuss any current challenges as well as helpful resources and success strategies-we want our students to finish strong and know that education is a partnership!

 

The NCTC CARES (Campus Assessment Response Evaluation Services) Team is concerned not only about our students' academic success, but also their emotional and physical well-being. The CARES Team promotes a safe learning environment for students, faculty, and staff and is committed to taking a proactive approach in helping our students succeed by addressing the mental, emotional or psychological health and safety of the NCTC community. As a student, you have the ability to report concerning behavior which could impact your own safety or the safety of another NCTC student, such as stalking, harassment, physical or emotional abuse, violent or threatening behavior, or self-harm. Visit the NCTC CARES site to also locate campus and community resources, or email counseling@nctc.edu to get in touch with a member of the CARES Team directly.  As always, if you feel there is an immediate threat to your own safety or welfare (or to another student), please call 911 immediately.

 

 

Financial Aid

Financial Aid offers financial resources for students that qualify, visit the financial aid offices for more information.   http://www.nctc.edu/financial-aid/index.html

 

Student Success

At NCTC, student success​ is progress towards collegiate goals, reached in an affordable and timely manner, under professional guidance, empowering students to serve skillfully in their chosen role within their community

 

Equity

NCTC defines equity as encompassing the practice of acknowledging individual differences and systemic disparities when developing new programs and resources for our campus community, which may sometimes challenge our own beliefs and assumptions, in order to ensure balanced educational opportunities toward completion.

 

Affinity Groups

Staff and faculty representing the Employee Resource Groups (ERG’s), along with academic advisors, counselors and success coaches, serve as mentors for NCTC’s student-centered ​Affinity Groups​.

 

An ​Affinity Group​ is a population of students who have specific needs, barriers or systems they are needing to navigate not only within college, but within life. Providing mentorship, support and resources for identified Affinity Groups such as Black/African American students, veterans and active military, single parents, students with disabilities, adult learners, Latinx, LGBTQ+ and students who have experienced foster care and/or homelessness, enables us to make more impactful, meaningful connections with students who are in dire need of equity and understanding.