Lone Star College North Harris

Quick Start Guide

Learning Outcomes, Course Topics, Grading Policy and Supporting Materials from

College and Career Success Concise Version by Dr. Marsha Fralick

Note:  You may not have time to do all the exercises and activities, but these suggestions closely match the objectives and are ones that have worked well for many students across the country. 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

COURSE TOPICS:

The student success course requires that students be introduced to the following topics in order. The topics are designed to build upon each other to support students in meeting the learning outcomes for this course. Listed in parenthesis is the learning outcome that each topic supports. 

·    College Student Inventory (Learning Outcome 1)

The Noel Levitz CSI Pretest
Exercise in the Textbook:
          Measure Your Success, Success Wheel pp. 29-33

·    Angel Instruction (Learning Outcome 2)

·    What Is a Successful Student? (Learning Outcome 1)

Assignments: 
          Read Chapter 1, Getting Started
          Journal entries Chapter 1(Word Documents are located at: www.collegesuccess1.com/JournalEntries.htm.  Be sure to select the Concise Edition documents.)
Exercises in the Textbook:
          Group activity: Case Studies pp. 35-36         
          What do I want from college? p. 37-38 (Use results for introductions.)         
Additional Exercises and Handouts from Getting Started in the Instructor Manual  
              Ice Breakers or Snowball Ice Breaker
             Introduction Exercise or Life Stories
             Group activity:  The Successful College Student
             Describe Your Educational Journey
             Understanding the Grading System, What is my grade?

Video Suggestion from http://www.collegesuccess1.com/VideoClips.htm :
          You’re in Charge (3.18 minutes)  

·    Barriers and Paths to Success (Learning Outcome 1)

Assignments:
          Read Chapter 8, Thinking Positively about The Future
Exercises in the Textbook:
          Positive Thinking p. 299
          Visualize Your Success p. 301
          Summing up Values pp. 303-304
          Happiness Is . . .p. 305
Additional Exercises and Handouts from Looking toward the Future in the Instructor Manual:
           8 Traits that Lead to Success (Follow up with video.)
          Three Wishes
Additional Exercises and Handouts from Getting Started in the Instructor Manual.  
          The “A” Student Exercise
          Roadblocks to success
          Group Discussion: How do you motivate yourself?
          Handout: Behaviors Leading to Success
Video Suggestions from http://www.collegesuccess1.com/VideoClips.htm :
          Slow Starts, Fast Finishes (8.41 minutes)
          Michael Jordan on Failure (31 seconds)
          Steve Job's 2005 Stanford Commencement Address (15 minutes)                                           

·    Time Management (Learning Outcome 1)

Assignments:
          Read Chapter 4, Managing Time and Money
          Journal entries Chapter 4
Exercises in the Textbook:
          My Lifetime Goals Brainstorming Activity pp. 149-150
          My Lifetime Goals pp. 151-152
          Successful Goal Setting p. 153-154
          Weekly Schedule p. 155
          Weekly To-Do Chart p. 157
          Weekly Schedule Analysis pp. 159-160
          The Pie of Life p. 161
Additional Exercises and Handouts from Managing Time and Money in the Instructor Manual:
          Time Riddle (introductory activity)
          Discussion Question: Famous People
          Brainstorm Lifetime Goals (Directions)
          Think, Pair Share: Avoiding Procrastination
          Handout: The One Hour Project
Video Suggestions from http://www.collegesuccess1.com/VideoClips.htm :
          How to Procrastinate Like a Pro (2.08 minutes)
          Time Management (4.23 minutes) (How to make a schedule)                     

·    Available Campus Resources (Learning Outcome 2)

Additional Exercise from Getting Started in the Instructor Manual:
          Finding Resources: The Digital Photo Scavenger Hunt

·    Effective Academic Communication Skills (Learning Outcome 1)

Assignments:
          Read the second half of Chapter 6, Taking Notes, Writing and Speaking pp. 220-231
          Complete Journal Entries 3, 4 and 5
Exercises in the Textbook:
          Assess Your College Writing Skills p. 235
          Thinking about Writing p. 236
Additional Exercises and Handouts from Taking Notes, Writing and Speaking in the Instructor Manual:
          Plagiarism Case Study
          Free Writing Exercise
          The One Minute Paper
          Some Introductory Public Speaking Exercises
(Note that the interpersonal communication topic and related exercises are covered in the personality chapter.)  

Learning Style and Learning Strategies (Learning Outcome 1)

Assignments:
          The Do What You Are Personality Assessment (DWYA)  (Use access code on inside front cover.)
           (The DWA has results relating to learning style as well as careers and majors.)
          The PEPS Learning Style Inventory
          Read Chapter 3, Learning Style and Intelligences
          Journal entries Chapter 3
Exercises in the Textbook:
          Personality Preferences p. 87
          Learning Style Quiz p. 117-118  (Share discovery statements.)
          Learning Style Applications pp. 119-120
          Crystallizers and Paralyzers p. 121
          Describing Your Multiple Intelligences pp. 107-111
Additional Exercise from Exploring Your Personality and Major in the Instructor Manual: 
          The Job Jar Activity (use to introduce DWYA)
Additional Exercises from Learning Style and Intelligence in the Instructor Manual:
          The Paper Airplane Exercise
          Understanding the PEPS Learning Style Inventory
          Brainstorm: Learning Techniques
          Learning Strategies Handout
          Multiple Intelligences Matching Quiz
          Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences Handout
Video Suggestion from http://www.collegesuccess1.com/VideoClips.htm :
          Will Smith Shares His Secrets to Success (10 minutes) 

Path to Success Analysis Paper (Learning Outcomes 1 and 2)

Journal Entries Chapters 1, 3, 4, and 8

·    Career Discovery (Learning Outcome 3)

Assignments:
          Read Chapter 2, Exploring Your Personality and Major
          Journal entries Chapter 2
          Review DWYA
Exercises in the Textbook:
          Personality Scenarios pp. 89-90
          Communication Scenarios p. 91         
Additional Exercises and Handouts from Exploring Your Personality and Major in the Instructor Manual:
          Handout: Personality Checklist
          Introvert and Extravert: Talkers and Listeners
          Sensing and Intuition: The Apple Exercise
          Group Activity: Where do you stand? Judging or. Perceptive
          Personality Skits
          Practice with Communication
          Interview Someone Over 40                     

·    Career Survey, i.e., Do What You Are (Learning Outcome 3)

Review the DWYA.  It was completed as part of Objective 1 because because it has learning style as well as career results. 

·    Educational Major Explorations (Learning Outcome 3)
         
          Handout: Career Research
          Summing Up Values p. 303
          Field trip to Career Center or guest speaker from Career Center
          Research on majors at: www.collegesuccess1.com/Links9Career.htm

·    Career Exploration Paper/Project (Learning Outcome 3)

Assignment:
          My Future Project (What will your life be like 5 years from now?)
          (Use the DWYA, Journal Entries Chapter 2 and the career research as resources for the My Future Project.)
Video Suggestions from http://www.collegesuccess1.com/VideoClips.htm :
          My Future Project  (Student Example from Barbara Eckenfels, Lone Star Montgomery College)
          Social Media Revolution 2011 (2.35 minutes)  

·    Degree Planning (Learning Outcomes 3)

Meet with your advisor to develop your educational plan. 

·    Mid-Year Student Assessment (Learning Outcome 1)

·    Three of the following topics: Research, Note Taking, Test Taking, Studying, Organization, Memorization (Learning Outcome 1 and 2).

Topic 1: Memory and Reading

Assignments:  
          Complete Chapter 5, Improving Memory and Reading
          Complete Journal Entries Chapter 5
Exercises in the Textbook:
          Scenarios: p. 197-198
          Memory Pre and Post Test p. 199
          Practice with Mnemonics p. 201 (group activity)
          Check Your Textbook Reading Skills p. 203-204
          Surveying and Questioning a Chapter p. 205-206
Additional Exercises and Handouts from Improving Memory and Reading the Instructor Manual.
          Directions for Memory Pre and Post Test
          Memory Scenarios
          Extra Credit Card Trick and Explanation (just for fun)
          Group Activity: Make a Mind Map
Video Suggestion from http://www.collegesuccess1.com/VideoClips.htm :
          Father Guido Sarducci's 5 Minute University (5 minutes) (humorous video about how little we remember in college)

Topic 2: Taking Notes

Assignments:  
          Complete Chapter 6,  Taking Notes Writing and Speaking, pp. 207-219
          Complete Journal Entries 1 and 2, Chapter 6
Exercises in the Textbook:
          Note-Taking Checklist p. 233
          Evaluate Your Note-Taking Skills p. 234
Additional Exercises and Handouts from Taking Notes, Writing and Speaking in the Instructor Manual:
          Note-Taking Preview Exercise (good introductory activity)
          Cornell Format
          Group Activity: A Case Study             

Topic 3: Test Taking

Assignments:
          Complete Chapter 7, Test Taking
          Complete Journal Entries for Chapter 7
Exercises in the Textbook:
          Test Taking Checklist p. 267
          Analyze Your Test-Taking Skills p. 268
          Practice with Short Essays p. 269
          How Well Do You Follow Directions?  p. 270
Additional Exercises and Handouts from Test Taking in the Instructor Manual. 
          Guess Test
          Test Anxiety Inventory
          Group Activity: Write Some Test Questions
          A Kinesthetic Test Review
Video Suggestion from http://www.collegesuccess1.com/VideoClips.htm :
          Better Test Performance: Lessons from the Navy Seals (3.25 minutes)
          Walking Through the Bamboo Forest: A Relaxation Exercise for Reducing Test Anxiety (10 minutes)   

GRADING POLICY: 

The grades for this course are Pass or Fail. Letter grades will not be given. In order to pass this course, the student must complete ALL of the following assignments and activities, which must be completed in the order listed:

• College Student Inventory

          Measure Your Success pp. 29-33

• Weekly Schedule

          Weekly College Schedule, Study Schedule Analysis pp. 155-160

• Scavenger Hunt

          Finding Resources: The Digital Photo Scavenger Hunt (from Getting Started in the Instructor Manual

• Short Class Presentation

          Presentation on Campus Resources based on the Digital Scavenger Hunt (above)

• Learning/Personality Inventories

          Complete the DWYA and PEPS (access code inside front cover of text)

• Path to Success Analysis Paper

          Use Journal Entries from Chapters 1,3,4, and 8

• Career ExplorationPaper/Project

          My Future Project (What will your future be like in 5 years?)

• Degree Plan Posted to MYPlanner

          Complete Educational Plan with Advisor

• Intrusive Advising Checklist

          Meet with Advisor to Complete the Checklist

• Mid-Year Student Assessment

          The Noel Levitz MYSA Posttest         
          Complete Measure Your Success pp.293-297 and compare with results from the beginning of the course.
          Complete Intentions for the Future p. 307.