Academic Adviser, DUS Junior, Dance Major 113 Curtis Hall phone number optional

215-204-1937 Rachel@email

josi@email Mondays before class, by appt. Office hours: M-F 8:30 – 5:00, by appointment

Freshman Seminar is one-credit course that introduces first- year students to the purposes of higher education and to the skills needed to use information technology and academic resources successfully in college and also the workplace. Many of the topics covered in this course not only apply to your growth as student, but also to your social and professional development. There are no pre-requisites or co-requisites for this course.

This course takes students at the point they are at in terms of their self-awareness and study skills and helps them discover and practice the knowledge and tools necessary to grow academically and socially. There are four categories of knowledge in the course:

1. Self-knowledge
2. Academic and career knowledge
3. Skill and resource knowledge
4. Interpersonal knowledge

The Freshman Seminar course goals are to:

• Promote collaborative learning and group work
  • Practice collaborative learning through in-class small group work
  • Assess students’ "group personalities" and their strengths and weaknesses as team members
  • Participate in a group project
• Practice technology applications and retrieval of information
  • Promote library skills and information retrieval
  • Access web resources, including, but not limited to, Temple University web resources
  • Familiarize students with Temple systems (i.e. Temple e-mail, OWLnet, Temple website)

Students are expected to attend all class meetings. You are allowed one excused absence and one unexcused absence. With a third and additional absences 2 points per absence will be deducted from your grade. You are expected to have read the assigned material before class and be ready to participate in discussions and activities. Assignments are to be turned in on time. Students coming to class more than 10 minutes late may be denied participation for that day.

The course text is The Elements of Learning by James M. Banner and Harold C. Cannon. The text is available through the Temple University Bookstore (Student Center) and can be found under the department heading "Learning Communities Freshman Seminar." Cost to students is $12.95. Instructors are welcome to supplement the assigned text with additional assigned readings. If your section is linked to a learning community, consider ways to incorporate readings from the other courses in the community.

Other required texts/resources:

• Lies My Teacher Told Me (summer reading selection)
• Student Handbook (provided to all students during New Student Orientation)
• Temple University 2003-04 Undergraduate Bulletin (available from advising centers in October)

Due: Every Monday, 5 points each (50 points total, 50% of grade)

• Library Skills Workbook

Due: September 30, 10 points (10% of grade)

• Research Team Project: Research an office/department/service at Temple University and communicate information to class in a 10 minute, oral presentation. Provide appropriate handouts for the class (asked instructors for assistance with copying).

Due: October 29 and 31, 20 points total (20% of grade)

Due: October 15, 10 points (10% of grade)

• Participation: Participation is 10% of your grade. Attendance will be taken each class. See the course policy on attendance, lateness and participation.

Week 1 Getting Acquainted; Course Overview and Goals; Discussion of Summer Reading

Elements of Learning, Chapter 1

Week 2 Elements of Learning: Industry and Enthusiasm (Chapters 2 and 3)

• Assessing your strengths and weaknesses
• Understanding your teachers’ expectations
• Getting motivated
• Learning to Learn

Week 3 Elements of Learning: Pleasure (Chapter 4) and Self-Discipline (Chapter 8)

*Students must also read the Student Code of Conduct (Student Handbook)

• Time Management
• Personal and Social Responsibility (Eating healthy, developing positive relationships, stress management, alcohol and drug awareness, and safety)

SEPTEMBER 23 Lies My Teacher Told Me author visit: James Loewen

Great Court, Mitten Hall

Book signing: 1:15 – 2:15

Discussion: 2:30 – 4:00

Week 4 Discussion of Lies My Teacher Told Me

Library skills and Information retrieval; Support Resources

Library skills workbook due.

Week 5 Elements of Learning: Curiosity, Cooperation, Honesty, and How You Learn (Chapters 5, 10, 11, 15)

• Study Skills (Note taking, reading textbooks, test taking)
• Working in groups
• Academic honesty and plagiarism
• Assessing your progress (grades)

Lies paper due.

Week 6 Study skills continued. See assignments for week 5

Week 7 Elements of Learning: Aspiration, Imagination, and What You Learn (Chapters 6, 7, 14)

*Students should bring a copy of the 2003-04 Undergraduate Bulletin to class.

• Academic planning (curricular choices, registration processes and policies)
• Career decision making (goals, values, and aptitudes)

Week 8 Elements of Learning: Civility (Chapter 9)

• Campus and civic responsibility (getting involved, participating in a democratic society, dealing with others, conflict resolution)

Week 9 Group Dynamics, Presentation Skills, and Effective Communication (discussion skills, interacting with faculty and staff, resume writing, basic interviewing skills)

Week 10 Group Presentations

Week 11 Students’ Choice: Students to select a topic of interest/concern

• Course evaluations
• Closing discussions