Heartland Community College
Master Course Syllabus
Student Success
COURSE PREFIX & NUMBER: GENS 100
COURSE TITLE: College Success
DATE PREPARED: 9/7/2001
DATE REVIEWED:
DATE REVISED: October 2014
PCS/CIP/ID NO: 11-240102
IAI NO. (if available):
EFFECTIVE DATE OF FIRST CLASS: 1/13/2014
CREDIT HOURS: 1.0
CONTACT HOURS: 1.0
LECTURE HOURS: 1.0
LABORATORY HOURS: 0.0
CATALOG DESCRIPTION (Include specific prerequisites):
Prerequisite:
-
There are no formal placement level or prerequisites required for this course, however
placement into READ 090 & ENGL 094 is recommended
A foundational course in active learning strategies and effective study skills that focuses on the
learner’s role and responsibility in the learning process.
TEXTBOOKS:
Solomon, A., Taylor, T. Tyler, L. &Wilson, G. 100% Student Success, 2nd Ed. Boston, MA:
Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012.
*Or a comparable text that addresses at a minimum the topics listed in the Course Outline and
that provides students with the opportunity to achieve the learning outcomes for this course.
RELATIONSHIP TO ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND
TRANSFERABILITY:
GENS 100 fulfills 1 hour of elective credit for the A.A. and A.S. degrees. It should transfer to
most colleges and universities as an elective course. However, since GENS 100 is not part of
either the General Education Core Curriculum or a baccalaureate major program described in the
Illinois Articulation Initiative, students should check with an academic advisor for information
about its transferability to other institutions.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Course Outcomes
1. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses as a
learner relative to typical learning tasks
at the community college level.
2. Identify institutional resources helpful
in the achievement of academic
success.
3. Apply the results of study skills
inventories and formulate a plan to
improve personal study habits.
4. Adapt study techniques to complement
personal learning preferences,
instructors’ teaching styles, and specific
course content.
5. Organize course materials in a
functional manner.
6. Demonstrate proficiency in oral and
written communication.
7. Utilize basic technology tools and
strategies to access student portal and
academic resources.
8. Recognize and appropriately use the
language of academia.
Essential
Competencies
PS2
PS2
Range of Assessment
Methods
Throughout the
semester, the
following assessment
methods will be used
to measure the
course and Essential
Competencies:
CT2
CT2
PS2
CO2
PS2
CO2
Including but not
limited to quizzes,
tests, journals (and
other reflective
writing), peer
reviews,
collaborative work,
in-class activities,
homework, selfinventories,
participation, final
project (e.g.,
portfolio, blog,
multi-media
presentation, poster
presentation, etc.)
PS2 (Problem Solving Outcome 2): Student identifies the type of problem and use a framework
to solve the problem.
CT2 (Critical Thinking Outcome 2): Students determine value of multiple sources or strategies
and select those most appropriate in a given context.
CO2 (Communication Outcome 2): Students effectively deliver a message via various
channels/modalities.
COURSE/LAB OUTLINE:
I. Strategies for College Success
A.
The value of education
B.
Choices of successful students
C.
Understanding human behavior and self-esteem
D.
Paying for your education
II. Becoming an Active Learner
A.
Functions of the brain in learning
B.
Taking personal responsibility for learning
C.
Goals, Motivation and Self-Management
D.
Identifying and Utilizing your Institutional Resources
III.
Exploring the Way you Learn
A.
Learning Preferences
B.
Learning Preferences and Teaching Styles: Adapting Yours to Theirs
IV.
Active Reading
A.
Active vs. Passive Reading
B.
General Reading Strategies
V.
Active Listening and Note taking
A.
Active vs. Passive Listening
B.
Note taking Strategies
VI.
Processing Information
A.
Strategies to organize materials from notes or text
B.
Working with Information in Different Ways
C.
Thinking Critically about Information
D.
Rehearing and Memorizing Information
VII. Test-Taking Strategies
A.
Preparing for and Taking Objective Exams
B.
Preparing for and Taking Essay Exams
C.
After the Exam
D.
Test Anxiety
VIII. Information Literacy
A.
Research methods
B.
Evaluating and organizing information
C.
Library Instruction
IX. Technology Literacy
A.
Basic communication tools
B.
Internet-based resources
METHOD OF EVALUATION (Tests/Exams, Grading System):
Evaluation will be based on a combination of the assessment methods listed below. The final
grade will be determined by the total percentage earned through completion of selected activities
from the following (including but not limited to):
Min - Max
Journals/reflective writing
20% - 40%
Participation/in-class activities/peer reviews/collaborative work
10% - 20%
Homework/quizzes/tests
20% - 30%
Self-inventories
10% - 15%
Final project
10% - 20%
The grading scale is as follows:
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
Below 60%
A
B
C
D
F
REQUIRED WRITING AND READING:
Shared reading and writing experiences serve as the basis for many learning activities in GENS
100. Out-of-class readings and writings are to be completed before class begins on the due date,
and in-class readings and writings will also be completed periodically. Students should not
attempt to complete unfinished writings or readings during class time.
Readings. Required readings of up to 25 pages will be assigned on a weekly basis. This
estimate is based on a 12-week course schedule. Please note if your section is not a 12-week
class, your weekly reading assignment will be adjusted. These readings will be selected from the
required text and from supplemental materials provided by the instructor. As stated above, these
out-of-class readings should be completed before class begins.
Writing. Written assessments and other in-class writings will also be required as a part of daily
work.
Evaluation of writing assignments. Different types of writing assignments will be evaluated in
different ways. For example, in-class assignments might contain minor errors not resulting in a
major point loss. However, those same errors in a final project or reflective writing assignment
may cause a significant loss of points. Instructors will provide specific guidelines for assigned
writing.