BIS 200F
Learning Services
7:00–9:40
(Class No. 21978)
Godwin
341
Instructors:
Office Phone: x2929 Office Phone: x2884
watersrw@jmu.edu johns2ck@jmu.edu
Course Description:
James Madison University is committed to the success of its students. This course will assist nontraditional students in their transition to college, their years in college, and their preparation for life after college. Additionally, this course will cover the student’s introduction to the campus; its services, resources and facilities, assist with academic planning, and help students develop realistic career and personal goals.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student will have
enhanced his or her academic, personal, and career development by:
(1)
Becoming
familiar with campus resources and facilities
(2)
Effectively
managing his or her time and developing appropriate study techniques
(3)
Participating
in cultural and workplace diversity exercises
(4)
Implementing
goal-setting strategies
(5)
Participating
in wellness, nutrition, and stress management programs
(6)
Gaining
personal finance skills
Required Text/Materials:
(1)
Student Services packet (provided)
Recommended Text/Materials:
(1) Calendar/Planner to encourage
application of time management skills
(Subject to Change)
Communication (Professors
and Advisors)
January
14 Time
Management, Study Skills, Note-taking and
Library Exercises
January
28 Test-taking
and Goal Setting
Academic Advising and Career
Development Resource Library Tour -- Scavenger Hunt Project Due
February
4 Wellness
and personal finance
Goals Project Due
February
11 Diversity
and Communication
Wellness Plan Due
_______________________________________________________________________
Attendance and Class Participation 600
Diversity Paper 100
Goals Project 100
Wellness Plan 100
Scavenger Hunt Project 100
T O T A L 1000
A 1000 – 900
B 899 – 800
C 799 – 700
D 699 – 600
F 599 and lower
* All late assignments will
be reduced by 25% for every week past the due date!
(January 7 – CLASS I)
I.
Welcome
*Go through class roll – are all students registered
for the class?
*Student Introductions / Ice Breaker:
Indicate that this course is interactive; it is not
a lecture course where students will sit and take notes; it is important for
the students to know one another.
Ice Breaker
Exercise: To
be determined
*Attendance
Pass around Class I “Sign-in-Sheet”– space for name,
phone number and e-mail address.
II.
Introduction of the Course
and Syllabus
*Pass out course packets
*Clarify objectives of the course and any questions
the students may have regarding the course syllabus.
*Stress the importance of class attendance and
participation. This class has limited
assignments and no exams, therefore attendance and participation are a must!
*Discuss class materials and assignments.
*Solicit and answer questions.
III. Introduction to Campus Resources (Godwin Hall 342
Computer Lab)
Goal: To familiarize students with the valuable resources available on the
campus of James Madison University
Class Exercise: Each student will be provided a blank campus resource list. The task is for the students to fill the list with pertinent information about several JMU resources as discovered through appropriate JMU web pages.
Resources: Multicultural Student Services / International Student Services Academic Advising and Career
Development
University
Health Center
Counseling
and Student Development Center Reading
and Writing Resource Center
Dining
Services
Disability
Services
Financial
Aid and Scholarships
Page 2 - Class I
- Lesson Plan
Resources Special Topic: Working Successfully with Your Professors and Advisors
*Discussion session with instructor/advisor. This session will be helpful not only when
students are working with their advisors, but when they are working with their professors
as well.
Role Play Exercise: Solicit a volunteer from the class to engage in an advisor/advisee exchange to role play various advising situations. Some examples may include: difficult professors, university policies, personal relationships, drug and alcohol problems, etc.
Discussion: Class will discuss their reactions to this exchange.
*Misconceptions about advising:
-Advisement versus scheduling
-Full-time advisor versus part-time advisor
-Advisement versus counseling
*Characteristics of a good advisor (Step-by-step to College Success, pages 87-96):
-Makes time to see you and listens attentively.
-Ability to make you feel comfortable in his or her office.
-He or she will always see you alone.
-Makes eye contact.
-Asks for your input or suggestions.
-Never guesses at answers.
-Protects his or her privacy as well as your own.
*Discussion on preparing for an advisement appointment.
Advisement Exercise (choose one of the following):
Shaping the Ideal Advisement
Relationship (Step by Step to College Success, page 95) (Shaping Relationship Exercise in Bound
Packet)
*Discussion on getting to know your Professor and
Identifying Successful Student Behaviors (Create Your College Success,
pages 60-63) (Communication Sheet in
Bound Packet)
-Go to all classes -Sit in the “V” -Participate
-Come to class on time -Ask questions -Smile and say hello
-Be well-groomed -Show interest -Maintain eye contact
-Be prepared (read!) -Pay attention (don’t talk!) -Realize the value
Page 3 - Class I –
Lesson Plan
IV. Introduction to the next class:
*Time Management, Study Skills, and Note-Taking
*Mention next week’s library exercises
(January 14 – CLASS II)
I.
Administration
*Comments and questions from last week’s class
and/or assignments
GOAL: To help students achieve
their best academically through proper time management, note-taking, and study
skills techniques
II.
Library Tour (Meet at the
library by 7:15 p.m. for a tour by the library staff)
III.
Time Management (Meet back
in classroom)
*What is time management?
-Making
the best use you can of a precious resource, TIME
*Why is time management so important?
-Tool
you need to succeed in school and beyond
+Achieve more
+Have more free time
+Lead a balanced life
+Meet deadlines
*What kind of time manager are you?
Exercises: “What Kind of Time Manager are You?”
Sample Weekly
Calendar (CSDC)
Have students fill out a sample weekly calendar
signifying their low, neutral, and high energy levels through the day. Then, fill in the times of day that they
study, recreate, etc. to see where these activities fit within their energy
levels.
*How do you schedule your day?
-Fixed activities, such as class and work
-Flexible
activities, such as recreation, socialization, studying, sleeping, eating
*What is important?
-Encourage the use of a planner or similar tool (Handout
from planner)
-Assign priorities (Franklin
Planner example…A,B,C)
*Controlling interruptions and other important tips
to help you stretch the clock
-Don’t
procrastinate (Time management techniques in bound packet)
-Have
your own study space
-Control
distractions -Use
waiting time, i.e. between class
-Learn
to say no -Take
care of yourself
-Schedule
social time -Do difficult things first
-Study
each subject every day -Avoid perfectionism
Page 2 – Class II – Lesson
Plan
IV.
Note-taking
*Cornell Note Taking System – (Include in bound packet with explanation)
*Note Taking Tips – (In bound packet)
-Read
assignments before class -Review previous notes frequently
-Use
effective note-taking system -Copy
everything written on the board
-Notes
are short, neat, organized, dated -Sit
in front of class
-Use
ink and do not recopy notes -Use
abbreviations
-Leave
blank spaces – readability -Mark
unclear ideas
*How Speakers Show Importance
-Change
in voice or rate of speech -Writing
on board
-Audiovisuals -Nonverbal cues
V.
Study Skills
* Bound
Packet: “Time Management – Basic Study Skills”, Highlighting Exercise, “Studying Tips”, “How well do You Concentrate”
*Exercise – Survey of Study Skills
*Listening
-Listen
actively -Evaluate what you hear
-3/4
of facts gathered thru listening -Focus
attention on speaker
-Sit closer to the speaker -Ask
questions about unclear ideas
VI.
Introduction to the Next
Class
*Written
Assignments: (1) Academic Advising and Career
Development Resource Library Scavenger Hunt Project Due Next Week
*Academic Advising and Career Development Tour
(January 28 – CLASS III)
I.
Administration
*Comments and questions from last week’s class
and/or assignments
II.
Academic Advising and Career
Development Tour
*Turn in
Scavenger Hunt Project
III.
Test-taking
*Bound
Packet: “It’s Exam Time, “Preparing for the Exam”, Types of Exams and How to
Tackle Them”, “True/False and Multiple
Choice Tests”, Summary Hints for Test-Taking”
Exercises: “Test Preparation Worksheet”
“Self-Help
Checklist
“Testing
Exercises”
VERBALIZE
THESE HINTS:
-Panic is contagious, stay away from the
source – other students!
-You
may carry notebook to class, but don’t open it.
-You
won’t know all of the answers.
-Don’t
cram, use study groups and time wisely.
-Continue
your daily routine.
IV.
Goal Setting
Introduction:
What is a goal?
-
something
you work toward
-
something
you attain
-
an
endpoint you want to reach
-
provides
direction for your energy and effort
-
EXAMPLES:
*Academics - What
do you want to accomplish academically?
GOAL: Earn a 3.3 GPA, graduate in four years,
etc.
*Community - How do you want to be involved in
your community?
Service GOAL:
Go to elementary school to talk on drugs
*Personal
- These focus on you and your
relationships and life.
GOAL:
Find more time to spend with boy or girlfriend
*Career
- What do you want to achieve
at work or in your career?
GOAL:
Complete a project by the end of the day
*Financial - How you currently spend and save
money and what you want to attain financially throughout your life.
GOAL: Be financially secure so I can retire
at age 50.
Page 2 – Class III – Lesson
Plan
Guidelines for
Setting Goals: SMARTEST Acronym
Short and Long Term Goals
Measurable Goals
Achievement Strategies
Realistic Goals
Time-bound Goals
Exhibit Your Goals
Seek Support for Your Goals
Target Obstacles to Achieving
Your Goals
Exercises: “Goal-Setting Self-Assessment”
“What Are Your Goals?”
VII.
Introduction to the Next
Class
*Written
Assignments: (1) Goals Project Due Next
Week (two to three page paper)
*What is
important in your life (academic, professional, and personal)
*Using the
SMARTEST System, communicate the goals you need to fulfill this philosophy
*MUST BE
TYPED!
(February 4 – CLASS IV)
I. Administration
*Comments and questions from last week’s class, text
readings, and assignments
Collect
Goals Projects
II.
Wellness
*Presentations on fitness, nutrition, stress, and
depression will be made by members of the JMU UREC staff. Any pertinent information sheets will be
available for hand-outs.
III.
Personal Finance
Bound Packet:
Excersises: Financial
Responsibility
Identifying Your Financial Goals
Creating Your Budget
VIII.
Introduction to the Next
Class
*Written Assignments: (1) Diversity Paper Due (One to two page
paper)
*Describe your first experience in being discriminated against and how
it made you feel. Why is diversity
important?
(2) Wellness Plan Due
*Prepare a week-long food and
exercise budget that includes your nutritional and fitness goals.
(February 11 – CLASS V)
I. Administration
*Comments and questions from last week’s class, text
readings, and assignments
*Collect Diversity Paper and Wellness Plan
II. Exercises – Personal Values Inventory
*Questions from video
IV. Communication
*Verbal, Tone, and Nonverbal
In packet: Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal
Communication Summary
Exercise – Nonverbal Communication