Collegiate Communication 101 Syllabus
Fall 2011
Instructor:
Name: April Thomas-Powell
Title: Academic Adviser
Department: School of Nursing
Email: thomaspo@oakland.edu
Phone: 248-370-2506
Office Address: 451 O Dowd Hall
Instructor Office Hours:
By appointment Monday – Friday 9AM-5PM
Course Information:
Section # 41099
Thursdays 1-2:20 PM
Wellness Classroom downstairs in Recreation Center. Must have ID to enter Rec Center EVERY TIME.
Course Purpose:
This course is designed to help you become successful in college and in life.
Required Text:
Downing, Skip. On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life – Study Skills Plus Edition, 1st
Edition. The textbook can be purchased at Barnes & Noble at OU or rented from the publisher, Cengage Learning.
Visit www.cengagebrain.com/isbn/1439085226 for more information on renting the textbook.
Course Objectives: In this course, you will …
 Learn about campus resources and how to use them
 Build positive relationships with peers, faculty, and staff
 Explore personal strengths, abilities and interests and how they contribute to your college experience
 Learn skills for successfully navigating the college environment
Student Responsibilities:
1)
Show up! Choose to attend every scheduled class period in its entirety.
2)
Do the work! Choose to do your best work in preparing all of your assignments and hand them in on time.
3)
Participate actively! Choose to stay mentally alert in every class, offering your best comments, questions,
and answers when appropriate.
4)
You are responsible for your own learning.
5)
You are responsible for doing your best thinking and most professional work for each class.
6)
Absence policy: A student who misses more than two class sessions will automatically fail this course.
7)
Other expectations – keep syllabus handy, check Moodle/email regularly, maintain a safe classroom
environment.
8)
Submit all course work at beginning of class. All work done on Moodle is due at 12:50 on Thursday. Before
class starts.
Academic Integrity:
The highest level of academic integrity is expected. Students are expected to submit their own work. Cheating
and plagiarism will not be tolerated. A complete listing of Academic Conduct Regulations is available in the OU
Student Handbook (http://www2.oakland.edu/deanofstudents/handbook/). The course is graded and a passing
grade is required to earn credit for the course.
Special Accommodations:
If you need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, you should contact the instructor to arrange an
appointment as soon as possible, preferably within the first 10 class days. At the appointment we can discuss the
course format, anticipate your needs, and explore potential accommodations. Students with a disability must also
register documentation with Disability Support Services (121 North Foundation Hall, 248-370-3266). All
discussions and documentations will remain confidential.
Grading: (Each of these requirements are described below.)
120 points
Attendance & In-Class Participation: showing up does not guarantee participation points. Late
arrival and early departure will count for no less than half you participation points.
60 points
Group Project:
120 points
Writing Assignment: “Picture Quilt”
50 points
Personal Interaction: Interview
20 points
Campus Involvement: Scavenger Hunt
30 points
On Course Self Assessments 15 pts. each
400 Total Points Available
COM 101 Grading Scale:
4.0
380-400 points
3.0-3.9
320-379 points
2.0-2.9
280-319 points
1.0-1.9
250-279 points
0.0
Below 250 points
** EXTRA CREDIT**
5 Points extra credit is available for each of the following:
-Responding to Getting to know you questions on Moodle before the first day of class.
-Attend a School of Nursing sponsored event.
-Activities from Get involved hand out.
Group Project:
 Identify a health related concern or challenge for college students and use OU campus resources to
address the issue. Create and present a 3 minute presentation in class of the problem and the solution. **
Learn about campus resources and how to use them, Build positive relationships with peers, faculty, and
staff, Explore personal strengths, abilities and interests and how they contribute to your college
experience.
Writing Assignment:
 Student will create a portfolio of information gathered through the semester and create a "picture quilt"
or collage representing them self. The “quilt” will represent self-exploration, career exploration and
campus engagement experienced by the student through the semester. The “quilt” can be presented on
poster board, construction paper or through computer video. Student will write a reflection about what
they learned through the process. In addition they will submit a type written outline of the presentation
to be presented before the class on the last day of class. This assignment meets three of the course
objectives. ** Explore personal strengths, abilities and interests and how they contribute to your college
experience. ** Learn about campus resources and how to use them. **Build positive relationships with
peers, faculty, and staff.
Personal Interaction:
 Interview a faculty or upper class student who is committed to the same profession as you. Submit an
informative article regarding this career. Submit through Moodle. This assignment meets the following
course objective. Build positive relationships with peers, faculty, and staff.
Campus Involvement:
Photo Scavenger Hunt: Tour OU campus with COM 101 group and take your photo at various locations on
campus. Submit photos to instructor. Submit response to online questions through Moodle. This
assignment meets the following course objectives: Learn about campus resources and how to use them,
Build positive relationships with peers, faculty, and staff ,Learn skills for successfully navigating the college
environment
On Course Self-Assessment:
You are expected to do two assessments.
http://college.cengage.com/collegesurvival/downing/on_course/4e/students/assess/index.html
Course Calendar & Assignments:
Week One: 9-1-11
Lesson: Getting to Know you.
Due:
 Getting to know you questions on Moodle. 5pts extra credit.
Week Two: 9-8-11
Lesson: Getting to Know OU.
Due:
 Camera. Either on your phone or rented from the Student Technology Center.
 Be prepared to walk. Photos due by 3PM. write a one page reflection on Moodle.
 ON Course Self Assessment.
Week Three: 9-15-11
Lesson: Getting to know Success
Due:
 Read pg. 19-22
 Scavenger Hunt Reflection due on Moodle at 12:50 PM
 Group projects assigned.
Week Four: 9-22-11
Lesson: Getting to know your role: Victim or Creator
Due:
 Read pg. 31-46
Week Five: 9-29-11
Lesson: Getting to know Self-Management Setting priorities
Due:
 Read pg. 131-140
 Bring in your completed time management forms
Week Six: 10-6-11
Lesson: Getting to know your goals
Due:
 Read pg. 85-95

Week Seven: 10-13-11
Lesson: Lesson: Getting to know the campus resources
Due:
 Group project presentations is due
Week Eight: 10-20-11
Lesson: Getting to know your Career
Due:
 Read pg. 181-200
 Interview assigned
Week Nine: 10-27-11
Lesson: Getting to know professionals, Guest Speakers
Due:
 Questions for professionals
Week Ten: 11-3-11
Lesson: Getting know your degree.
Due:
 Career cycle information
Week Eleven: 11-10-11
Lesson: Review
Course Evaluations
Due:
 Interviews are due on Moodle at 12:50 PM
Week Twelve: 11-17-11
Lesson: Getting to know each other
Due:
 Quilts are due
 Two minute presentation of your picture quilt.