INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

OFFICE HOURS

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

GRADING CRITERIA

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, 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.  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 Paper (IE):

For this assignment, please write about death, dying and/or the grieving process as presented in chapter 17 and other sources (personal experience may be included as is comfortable for students). Using academic articles, at least one primary reference, carefully address the following topics (please use them as headings in your paper).  Note that each of these topics do not need to be addressed comprehensively, but at least one part must be addressed:

1. Describe some of the stages of the developing person at different periods of the life span from birth to death in relationship to the death, dying and grieving process (a grieving child, teenager, adult, etc).
2. Discuss some of the social, political, and/or economic forces that affect the death, dying and grieving process.
3. Identify some factors of responsible personal behavior with regard to issues of sexual activity, substance abuse, and/or  marriage / parenting, in relationship to the death, dying and grieving process (how does death and grief affect marriages or why do some people begin or increase substance abuse during these times?).
4. Explain some of the bio-social, cognitive and/or psychological influences relating to the death, dying and grieving process, including both continuity and changes (describe some of the biological/social changes that occur during the death and grief processes, and/or how do thoughts change when faced with death and grief).
5. Describe some of the different developmental perspectives of the major theories of development (i.e. cognitive, learning, humanistic and/or  psycho dynamic) in relationship to the death, dying and grieving process (consider the Kubler-Ross  theory mentioned in the textbook) .
6. Identify examples of some cultural and ethnic differences relating to the death, dying and grieving process (how do different countries/cultures deal with death and grieving).
7. Discuss some of the various causes or reasons for the death  process.
8. Evaluate empirical / quantitative research findings from at least one primary references (such as statistics, data, charts, etc) relating to the death, dying and grieving process (consider presenting a chart of the most common causes of deaths in the country or world and briefly discuss the meaning of that data, or select one cause of death-aids, cancer, etc, and present data and discussion).

Your paper should be a minimum of 3 to 5 pages in length, typed and double-spaced, using a 12-point font and APA formatting.   In addition to these pages, include a cover page and reference page (which are not counted as the 3 to 5 pages).  Also, please be sure each source on your reference page is cited in the body of your text.  At least three reliable, academic sources should be used to support your writing (one must be from a primary source).   Extra credit may be earned once a student exceeds all of the above expectations by writing more pages and more references.

Format;  American Psychological Association (APA)  style, with a complete reference page, fully identifying all references used in the paper.

Grading Rubrics:

A = Addressing all 8 of the aforementioned topics, a title page, reference page, at least 3 references (with one being a primary source).

B = Addressing 7 of the aforementioned topics, a title page, reference page, at least 3 references (with one being a primary source).

C = Addressing 6 of the aforementioned topics, a title page, reference page, at least 3 references (with one being a primary source).

D = Addressing 5 of the aforementioned topics, a title page, reference page, at least 3 references (with one being a primary source).

F = Less than 5 topics are addressed.

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 & 13 assignments are due including the I.E. paper.

Dec 6              Discussion Forum 3-B is due.

 Dec 8             Chapters 14 & 17 are due and the semester ends.

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.

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

                X Critical Thinking

                X Communication

                X Empirical and Quantitative

o            Teamwork

                X Personal Responsibility

                X Social Responsibility

COURSE TYPE

STUDENT HANDBOOK

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY