Syllabus for Psychology 2020 syllabus PDF

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General psychology syllabus for the year 2020. Includes information about the psychology syllabus for the year 2020....

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Psychology 110 Fall 2020 University of Tennessee, Knoxville Course Section: 004 Meeting Time and Place: Online Course Credit Hours: 3

Faculty Contact Information Instructor: Andrew S. Heim TA: Erin McConocha Emails: [email protected]; [email protected] Office: Online Office Hours: By Appointment Class Location: Online

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Course Description/Information: This course is designed to introduce many of the major topics and theories of psychology. Both historical perspectives and current research are included. Application of psychology to various aspects of everyday life, investigation of the impact of culture on psychological processes, and critical thinking about how psychological research and theory inform contemporary issues will be emphasized. This course serves as a prerequisite to most other Psychology courses offered through the department, which tend to offer a more in-depth analysis of specific topics introduced in this course. Value Proposition: The field of psychology is, at its heart the study of our minds and how they interact with our world and each other. Given this, it is important that we all have a basic understanding of the science of psychology. This understanding enables us to be more conscientious and informed in the way we see and experience the world. Through this, we are able to become better students, community members, and people. General Education Course Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes: Why do people – individually and collectively – do what they do? Answering this question allows us to better understand ourselves, make better decisions, and promote the health and success of individuals and groups. The ability to answer this question requires gaining knowledge about individual and group behavior and political and social systems, as well as understanding the methods by which social scientists collect, create, and evaluate such knowledge. Courses in this area are expected to produce the following outcomes for students: 1. Students will identify and critique claims about human behavior and the dynamics of individual, political, and social issues. 2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of appropriate and ethical methods, technologies, and data that social scientists use to investigate and describe the human condition.

These General Education Learning outcomes are assessed through performance on exams, online departmental pre-and post-tests, and class activities, as well as contributions to in-class discussions surrounding projects and presentations.

Course-Specific Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes: 2

The American Psychological Association has identified 3 learning goals for all General Psychology Courses: 1. Psychology Content: Identify basic concepts and research findings. More specifically, by the end of this course, students should be able to:  Define and explain basic psychological concepts.  Interpret research findings related to psychological concepts.  Apply psychological principles to personal growth and other aspects of everyday life. 2. Scientific Thinking: Conduct, analyze, or evaluate scientific investigations. More specifically, by the end of this course, students should be able to:  Draw logical and objective conclusions about behavior and mental processes from empirical evidence.  Describe the advantages and limitations of various research strategies.  Design, conduct, or evaluate psychological research.  Evaluate how psychological science can be used to counter unsubstantiated statements, opinions, or beliefs. 3. Key Themes: Provide examples of psychology's integrative themes. More specifically, but the end of this course, students should be able to provide examples of ways that:  Psychological science relies on empirical evidence and adapts as new data develop.  Psychology explains general principles that govern behavior, while recognizing individual differences.  Psychological, biological, social, and cultural factors influence mental processes and behavior.  Our perceptions filter our experiences of the world through an imperfect personal lens.  Applying psychological principles can change our lives and communities in positive ways.  Ethical principles guide psychology research and practice.  Psychologists strive to foster respect for human diversity in its many forms

These General Education Learning outcomes are assessed through performance on exams, online departmental pre-and post-tests, and class activities, as well as contributions to in class discussions surrounding projects and presentations. 4. Reflective Learning. Students will engage in reflective activities on a regular basis in this course not only to grapple with the major ideas of the course, but with the question of what these ideas mean to them. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate the ability to: o draw connections between the course subject matter and their own experience, to concepts from other classes, to ethical or social issues raised by the subject matter, or to the larger significance of the materials. o reflect on their own thinking, learning, understanding, and competencies. These course outcomes are assessed through performance on unit projects and participation in discussion of classmate’s projects.

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Learning Environment: When you registered for the class you were automatically enrolled in a Canvas course for this section of Psychology 110. Important announcements, supplemental resources, and daily graded assignments will be available through Canvas. Students are responsible for all announcements and information posted in Canvas, and thus all students are expected to have an active NetID account and to access Canvas at least once before each class session. Course Communications: For this course, we will utilize Piazza (can be accessed through Canvas) for any and all questions you may have. Through Piazza, your assignments will each be listed for questions/comments. This is to help us quickly respond to your questions about content/assignments and to ensure that they do not get lost in our emails! For technical issues, contact the OIT HelpDesk via phone (865) 974-9900 or online at http://help.utk.edu/. How to Be Successful in This Course: For this course, you should work hard to complete your assignments in a timely manner. Give it your all on the projects. The goal of this course is for you to learn about the broad field of psychology as a science, so keeping this in mind will be helpful when figuring out exactly what you want to get out of and put in to the course. Student’s Responsibility:  Be prepared for all classes  Be respectful of others  Actively contribute to the learning activities in class  Abide by the UT Honor Code Instructor’s Responsibility:  Be prepared for all classes  Evaluate all fairly and equally  Be respectful of all students  Create and facilitate meaningful learning activities  Behave according to University codes of conduct Required Textbook: Essentials of Psychology, 7th Edition by Douglas A. Bernstein. This book is available online through Canvas. See information in Canvas about options for accessing the eBook and hard copies of the text. This text covers core topics in psychology (e.g., research methods, human development, learning and memory) and is designed to give you a basic foundation for the topics we will be covering in more depth in class.

MindTap:

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Your access to the textbook comes with access to Cengage’s MindTap, an online collection of activities and study resources. You will be assigned graded MindTap activities to accompany readings from each textbook chapter. Some activities, called “Check Your Mastery” require you to space out your studying by returning to the activities more than once. So, please do not wait until the last minute to complete them or you may not be able to fully finish the activity and get full credit. You are required to purchase access to the textbook and MindTap program. Please let me know if this creates a financial hardship for you and I will work with you to find a solution. Required Equipment: For this course, you will need a device access to the internet so that you can access the course in Canvas and the Zoom meetings. You will also need some sort of word processing or presentation software in order to complete your projects. Course Requirements, Assessments, and Evaluations: Make-up Exams: All exams are due on 11/23, so we will not be doing make-up exams this semester. You have the entire semester, so there is no reason why an exam should not be complete by 11/23. Late Assignments: Any assignment that is turned in after the designated time will receive a 10% deduction on total points for every 24 hours that it is late. I will not accept assignments that are more than one week late, except in extreme or pre-approved cases. Unless otherwise noted on the course schedule, all assignments are due at 11:59 pm EST on the due date. Post important deadlines in your calendar and planner, anticipate inevitable technology and other issues, and work on assignments well ahead of time. Attendance: Online attendance is strongly encouraged, but not required. However, it is unlikely that you will do well on exams and projects if you do not attend regularly. If you miss a lecture for any reason, you will be responsible for all material covered and any announcements made in your absence. In most cases, materials and lectures will be available online, so if you miss class you can still access them. Grade Disputes: I welcome the opportunity to discuss with you any grade you receive in the course. If you simply seek clarification about the grade (e.g., “Why did we lose points on this answer?”), you may discuss the grade with us after class or during office hours, but you must wait at least 24 hours after receiving the grade before talking with us. This is to allow you time to consider thoughtfully the feedback I have already provided. If you disagree with a grade, however, you must present your rationale in writing to us. This rationale must include reference either to a specific page in the textbook or your class notes from a specific date. In addition, you must follow the 24/7 rule: You must wait 24 hours after receiving the grade to present your written rationale to us, and you must present the rationale to us within 7 days of receiving the grade. I will then carefully consider whether to adjust your grade or not.

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Grade Adjustments: I intentionally designed the course so that there are multiple assignments that require varying types of skills and multiple opportunities to compensate for the occasional bad day. Unfortunately, students sometimes still earn grades that are lower than they would like. Occasionally, such students ask me to bump their grades up after grades have been posted. Please understand that I cannot help you after grades are submitted. No matter how close you are to the next higher grade, I will not bump up any student’s grade at the end of the semester. If you want a good grade in the class, you must do well on the assignments. If you are not doing well on the assignments, you should come to office hours regularly, and/or schedule regular appointments during the semester, rather than ask us what you can do after the semester. Classroom Behavior: I encourage you to actively participate in class and to share your relevant comments, questions, and ideas. It is our expectation that your behavior at all times will be respectful--of your classmates, yourself, and me. Language that is disrespectful based on race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, gender or gender expression, religion, ability, social class, or size will not be tolerated. I will always end and begin class on time, so you are also encouraged to arrive on time if you plan on participating in the course. Respect for Diversity: It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups. In addition, if any of our class meetings conflict with your religious events, please let me know so that I can make arrangements for you. Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices: If you have a cell phone or other noisy electronic devices, I ask that you respect the learning environment of the class and silence those devices.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS, ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION METHODS: There are 9 ways you can earn points toward your course grade: (1) Pop Article, (2) Unit Exams, (3) Final Exam, (4) Unit Project, (5) Project Presentation and Feedback, (6) MindTap Quizzes, (7) Research Experiences, (8) Assessment, (9) Syllabus Quiz. These are explained below; more detailed information about each will be available in Canvas: Pop Article (8% of grade): To assess your understanding of research design and critical thinking skills, you will critique a popular science article of your choice. You will compare and contrast the popular science news article and the primary source article that is being cited. Unit Exams (30% of grade): There will be six of these traditional multiple-choice examinations. For each, you will have the entire last day of class time and the weekend to take this assessment. It will consist of questions from material covered during the unit. The assessments will be worth 6

300 points total/50 points each. I will hold a review session the day before the assessment to go over any questions you may have. Final Exam (6% of grade): This assessment will be a comprehensive traditional multiple-choice examination. It will cover material from all previously covered units. Unit Project (20% of grade): You will complete one application-based projects for this class worth 200 points. The project will be assigned to you for completion and presentation in the discussion tab on Canvas. For presentations, you should come up with a creative method for showing off your project to your classmates in the discussion tab on Canvas. More information on these projects will be available on Canvas. They will each deal with a topic from that particular unit. Project Presentation and Feedback (10% of grade): You will create and record a brief presentation of your assigned project. These will be uploaded in the discussion section for the class to watch and discuss. You will also be responsible for responding to/critiquing at least one of your classmates' projects per unit if you are not presenting. Your presentation counts for 60 points of this grade while your comments and discussion count for 10 points for the four units in which you are not presenting. Mind Tap Quizzes (20 % of grade): You will take quizzes on the assigned textbook readings through MindTap. There will be a quiz for each chapter and altogether they are worth 200 points or 20% of your course grade. There are other resources in the textbook that are encouraged, but not mandatory. Research Experience (5.5% of grade): Psychology is a science, which means it relies on research using the scientific method to gain new knowledge. Given how important research is to psychology, you are required to gain experience with and exposure to psychological research. You have two options for fulfilling this requirement: the research participation option or the research paper option. You will earn 1 credit (10 points, or 1% of your course grade) for each hour of research you participate in and paper you write. Note that you must be at least 18 years old to participate in research. If you are under 18, then you must earn your credits through the research paper option. There are also opportunities to earn up to 10 extra credit points for keeping up with your research experience opportunities throughout the semester and/or participating in extra research experiences. More information is available here: https://tiny.utk.edu/SonaInfo Assessment (0.5% of grade): At the beginning and end of the semester you will complete a brief (20-30 minute) online survey about your learning and experience in PSYC 110 this semester. This survey is part of the Department of Psychology’s regular assessments of its courses and – because PSYC 110/117 is a University General Education course – will also contain questions pertaining to the University’s accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Each time you complete the assessment, you will earn 5 points (0.5% of your course grade). A link to the assessments will be posted as an assignment in Canvas

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Syllabus Quiz (2% Extra Credit): To ensure your understanding of the syllabus and what is expected of you in this course, there will be a short syllabus quiz in the “START HERE” section of canvas.

Below is a table and pie chart detailing the grading structure of the class.

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Assignments

Possible Points

Pop Article

80

Unit Exams (6 @ 50 Each)

300

Final Exam

60

Unit Project

200

Project Presentation and Feedback

100

MindTap Quizzes

200

Research Experience (5.5 hours)

55

Assessments

5

Syllabus Quiz (Extra Credit)

20

TOTAL

1020

FINAL GRADE

TOTAL POINTS

A

930-1000

A-

900-929

B+

870-899

B

820-869

B-

800-819

C

700-799

D

600-699

F

0-599

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Course Feedback: You will provide feedback for the course at both the beginning and the end of the semester. This feedback will help to improve the course in the future and will be anonymous through the TN Voice.

University Policies: Academic Integrity: “An essential feature of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of intellectual integrity and academic honesty. As a student of the university, I pledge that I will neither knowingly give nor receive any inappropriate assistance in academic work, thus affirming my own personal commitment to honor and integrity.” Evidence of academic misconduct will result in a failing grade for that assignment or a oneletter grade reduction in final course grade, whichever is larger, for any student(s) involved and will be formally reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSCCS). A second offense will result in a failing grade for the entire course and a second report to the OSCCS

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University Civility Statement: Civility is genuine respect and regard for others: politeness, consideration, tact, good manners, graciousness, cordiality, affability, amiability, and courteousness. Civility enhances academic freedom and integrity and is a prerequisite to the free exchange of ideas and knowledge in the learning community. Our community consists of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and campus visitors. Community members affect each other’s well-being and have a shared interest in creating and sustaining an environment where all community members and their points of view are valued and respected. Affirming the value of each member of the university community, the campus asks that all its members adhere to the principles of civility and community adopted by the campus: http://civility.utk.edu/. Disability Services: “Any student who feels they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Student Disability Services in Dunford Hall, at 865-974-6087, or by video...