COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, HEALTH, & HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OF KINESIOLOGY
HSCI 200 Personal Health & Wellness
Fall 2012
3 units
Professor:
Office:
Office Phone: 760-750Office hours:
Meeting time:
Location:
Email:
Course Description:
Introduces the basic principles of health and wellness from a holistic perspective to enhance
self-awareness and personal wellness behaviors. Topics covered include mental, emotional,
physical and socio-environmental dimensions of health, sexuality and relationships, nutrition
and physical fitness, use and abuse of drugs, health care services and current health problems.
Health literacy and the ability to communicate with others about personal health behaviors is
emphasized.
Course Objectives:
The journey. . . increasing self –awareness. . .
Overall, the objective of the course is to engage students in exploring the concept of personal
health and wellness including its related concepts of intellectual, psychosocial, social, spiritual,
physical, emotional, occupational, and environmental health/fitness, and their interactions.
Such exploration will be directed at how an understanding of these concepts along with
motivation, self-efficacy, skills, and opportunity can empower one to make more informed
decisions concerning one’s lifestyle/behavior choices.
Health and information literacy
A major focus of the course is on the promotion of personal health and information literacy,
which includes the ability to use information resources to: identify personal health needs,
issues, or problems, develop objectives related to those needs, plan an intervention/course of
action based on scientific principles to address the health needs, implement the course of
action, and then evaluate to see if the objectives were met. Information literacy involves the
ability to collect, analyze, and evaluate information using a variety of sources, in order to make
informed decisions. Health literacy involves the ability to think critically, to be self-directed in
your learning and information gathering, to communicate well, and to take appropriate
responsibility for your health needs, issues, or problems.
Text:
Insel, P., & Roth, W. (2010) Core concepts in Health; Brief. 11th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
*Note: an eBook is also available if you prefer this over a traditional book.
Student Learning Outcomes:
As a result of taking this class, students should be able to develop the knowledge and skills to:
1. make healthy decisions regarding their own wellness as it relates to their own lives;
2. know how their own personal health and wellness is related to their own mental,
emotional, physical and socio-environmental dimensions of health;
3. understand the risks of addictive behaviors and understand the proper use and misuse of
alcohol, drugs and tobacco
4. understand the importance of exercise and proper nutrition in their own lives.
5. analyze their own eating and exercise habits
6. understand responsible sexual lifestyles
7. understand and recognize the risk factors and lifestyle behaviors associated with
disease
8. address environmental health concerns
9. understand the importance of being a critical consumer in regards to one’s health and
wellness
10. promote self-awareness and responsible behaviors when evaluating personal health
issues and risks
11. communicate effectively with others about how to make healthy lifestyle choices as well
as the implications of poor choices on health, longevity, and quality of life.
12. use the information learned in this class to make informed decisions about their own
health. Students will be: visually literate (able to understand graphs or other visual
information), computer literate (able to operate a computer), information literate (able
to obtain and apply relevant information), and numerically or computationally literate
(able to calculate or reason numerically).
Weekly Schedule
Week 1--Class Introduction/Overall wellness
Week 2--Stress Management-Psychological Health
Week 3--Intimate Relationships and Communication
Week 4--Sexual Health Awareness
Week 5--Review and Exam #1
Week 6--Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs
Week 7--Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs continued
Week 8--Nutrition
Week 9--Physical Activity and Exercise
Week 10--Review and Exam #2
Week 11--Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer
Week 12--Immunity and Infection
Week 13--Environmental Health
Week 14--Health Care - Personal Safety
Week 15--Communicable Disease
Week 16--Class project Presentations
Week 17--Exam #3
STUDENT EVALUATION:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
E.
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Personal Evaluations (4 @ 20 pts each)
Online Discussions (4 @ 20 pts. each)
Research paper
In-class presentation
Total points possible --
50 points
50 points
50 points
80 points
80 points
100 points
20 points
430 points
Student learning of the course objectives is assessed in the following ways:
o Personal Evaluations & Discussions (35%)
o Students complete four personal assessments/inventories related to their
intellectual, psychosocial, social, spiritual, physical, emotional, occupational, and
environmental health (SLO 1-11). Students also participate in four online
discussions related to a variety of health-related issues with personal,
community, national, and global relevance (SLO 12). Examples may include
topics such as HIV/STD awareness, nutrition labeling laws, medical marijuana,
universal healthcare, the childhood obesity epidemic and the role of parents,
adults, and society in these issues. Student’s interaction with the topic and with
each other will provide an opportunity for self-reflection and exposure to other
students’ point of view. While there is not a “right” or “wrong” answer to these
self-assessment and discussion activities, students will be graded based on their
level of self-reflection, critical thinking, and professionalism/tactfulness/respect
when responding to their classmates.
o Exams (35%)
o Multiple-choice and short answer style exams assessing students’ cognitive
learning toward student learning outcomes.
o Research paper and presentation (30%)
o At least 5 hours of class time will be dedicated to the development of
information literacy, to include workshops delivered by the resource librarian.
o 10-page research paper on a topic of their choice related to a specific domain of
health (approved in advance by the instructor). Students are evaluated on
writing mechanics, content, use of appropriate library resources and references,
research paper organization, and interaction with the topic.
o As part of their research paper, students present a short 5-minute Powerpoint
presentation and oral report on the most relevant information gleaned from
their research. This allows all students to benefit from their research and also
gives students important practice in public speaking.
How HSCI fulfills the Area E requirement for Technology and Information Literacy
This course employs the use of computer technology and information literacy in the following
ways:
1. Students must utilize Cougar Courses daily for the syllabus, course calendar,
Powerpoint slides, discussion boards, links to professional organizations, outside
readings, and assignments.
2. Students use an online dietary analysis tool (http://mypyramid.gov) to evaluate their
current diet and energy expenditure.
3. Students use the internet and relevant search tools (e.g. PubMed, EbscoHost, ERIC)
to locate information for their research paper. Students also utilize the
communication features of the library website and the San Diego Library Circuit.
4. Using the “Turnitin” feature on Cougar Courses, students will not only be held to a
high standard with regards to plagiarism, but will receive instant feedback about the
degree to which their paper is plagiarized, with an option to re-work and re-submit
the paper.
5. As an ancillary to their research project, students prepare a 5-minute Powerpoint
presentation and deliver an oral report of the most relevant information gleaned
from their research paper.
GRADING:
A = 93 - 100%
A- = 90 - 92%
B+ = 87 - 89%
B = 83 - 87%
B- = 80 - 82%
C+ = 77 - 79%
C = 73 – 76%
C- = 70 – 72%
D+ = 67 – 69%
D = 63 - 66%
D- = 60 - 62%
F = Below 60%
Academic Honesty
“Students will be expected to adhere to standards of academic honesty and integrity, as
outlined in the Student Academic Honesty Policy. All written work and oral presentation
assignments must be original work. All ideas/material that are borrowed from other sources
must have appropriate references to the original sources. Any quoted material should give
credit to the source and be punctuated with quotation marks.
Students are responsible for honest completion of their work including examinations. There will
be no tolerance for infractions. If you believe there has been an infraction by someone in the
class, please bring it to the instructor’s attention. The instructor reserves the right to discipline
any student for academic dishonesty, in accordance with the general rules and regulations of
the university. Disciplinary action may include the lowering of grades and/or the assignment of
a failing grade for an exam, assignment, or the class as a whole.”
Incidents of Academic Dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Students. Sanctions at the
University level may include suspension or expulsion from the University
Americans with Disabilities Act
Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations must be approved for
services by providing appropriate and recent documentation to the Office of Disabled Student
Services (DSS). This office is located in Craven Hall 5205, and can be contacted by phone at
(760) 750-4905, or TTY (760) 750-4909. Students authorized by DSS to receive reasonable
accommodations should meet with me during my office hours in order to ensure
confidentiality.