Course Syllabus

Syllabus: Introduction to Psychology

 

 

 

Course Information

 

Course Title:  Introduction to Psychology  

Room:  Virtual 

Course Prefix/Number:  PSY 101.5

Semester:  Spring 2024

Class Days/Times:   Asynchronous

Credit Hours:  3.0

 

Instructor Information

 

Name: Sandra Knight, Psy.D.

Phone/Voice Mail: 480-599-2786

E-mail: sknight@tocc.edu or sknightpsyd@gmail.com

Office location:  Virtual

Office hours: By video conference, please email me for an appointment 

 

Course Description

Survey of general psychology. Includes a definition of psychology, history of psychology, research methods and critical thinking, biological basis of behavior, sensory process, receiving the world, states of consciousness, conditioning and learning, memory process, motivation and emotions, role of health psychologists, role of stress in our lives, major stages in child and life span development, gender identity and sexuality, intelligence, personality theories, psychological disorders, therapeutic approaches, social psychology research.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

 

  1. Describe the history of psychology, including psychological perspectives and research methods.
  2. Explain how the nervous system and other biological systems influence behavior.
  3. Summarize the stages and major theories of life span development.
  4. Describe the processes of perceptual organization and interpretation.
  5. Compare and contrast the major learning theories.
  6. Discuss memory formation, retention and loss. Explain how memory can be improved.
  7. Elucidate the connections between thinking, language, and intelligent behavior.
  8. Summarize the major concepts of motivation and emotion and how they relate to behavior.
  9. Compare and contrast the major personality theories.
  10. Describe the characteristics and causal factors associated with major psychological disorders.
  11. Identify and discuss the theoretical underpinnings of approaches to psychotherapy.
  12. Describe the stress process and explain the interaction between stress and health.
  13. Appraise social psychology research findings related to social thought, behavior, and relations.

 

Course Structure

This course will include weekly readings, lectures, discussion posts, one writing assignment, and two exams (midterm and final; multiple choice).

 

Class participation and attendance are crucial for academic success. Please come prepared to discuss issues raised in the course.

 

Introduction Post (1 post x 10 = 10 points)

 

Introduce yourself to the class.

 

Discussion Posts (13 in total x 10 points each= 130 points)

 

You will be given a discussion prompt for a particular week. You will be expected to respond using information from your notes, lectures, textbook, and personal experience. In order to get full points you will also be expected to respond to the discussion question and at least 1 other classmate’s post. Generally, a Discussion Post that gets full points is a minimum of 175 points and clearly answers the questions.

 

Writing Assignment (50 points)

There will be three different prompts regarding information you learned during the course of the class. You may use your notes, lectures, the textbook, and external sources to formulate your answer. You will have 3 options to choose from and you only need to complete 1.

Length: 300-500 words

 

Exams (30 points each x 2=60 points)

 

You will have two exams: a midterm and final. They will each be worth 30 points

 

 

Course Learning Materials and Textbook Information

Psychology 2e By Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, and Marilyn D. Lovett. This is an open source textbook which you can access at the link below

 

https://openstax.org/details/books/psychology-2e

 

 

Courses Outline and Important Dates

 

Course Schedule

     READING                  ASSIGNMENT                        DUE DATE

 

Week 1

Jan. 16th– Jan. 21st

 

Chapters 1 & 2

 

Discussion Post #1

 

Sunday, Jan. 21st

@ 11:50 PM

 

Week 2

Jan. 22nd– Jan. 28th

Chapter 3

 

Discussion Post #2

Sunday, Jan. 28th

@ 11:50 PM

 

Week 3

        Jan. 29th –Feb. 4th

Chapters 4

 

Discussion Post #3

Sunday, Feb. 4th

@ 11:50 PM

 

Week 4

        Feb. 5th –Feb. 11th

Chapter 5

   

Discussion Post #4

 

Sunday, Feb. 11th

@ 11:50 PM

Week 5

        Feb. 12th – Feb. 18th

 

Chapter 6

Discussion #5

 

 

Sunday, Feb. 18th

@ 11:50 PM

Week 6

        Feb. 19th – Feb. 25th

 

Chapter 7

Discussion Post # 6

Sunday, Feb. 25th @11:50pm

Week 7

        Feb. 26th – Mar. 3rd

 

Chapter 8

Discussion Post # 7

Sunday, Mar. 3rd @ 11:50pm

Week 8

        Mar. 4th – Mar. 10th

 

No Classes

Spring Break

 

Week 9

        Mar.11th –Mar. 17th

 

Chapter 9

MIDTERM

No Discussion

Sunday, Mar. 17th

@ 11:50 PM

Week 10

        Mar.18th –Mar. 24th

 

Chapter 10

Discussion Post #8

Sunday, Mar. 24th @ 11:50 PM

Week 11

       Mar. 25th – Mar. 31st 

 

Chapter 11

Discussion Post #9

Sunday, Mar. 31st

@ 11:50 PM

Week 12

        April 1st – April 7th 

 

Chapter 12 & 13

Discussion Post #10

Sunday, April 7th

@ 11:50 PM

Week 13

        April 8th – April 14th 

 

Chapter 14

Discussion Post #11

Sunday, April 14th

@ 11:50 PM

Week 14

        April 15th – April 21st 

 

Chapter 15

Case Study Writing Assignment

 

Discussion Post #12

Sunday, April 21st

@ 11:50 PM

Week 15

        April 22nd– April 28th 

 

Chapter 16

Discussion Post #13

Sunday, April 28th @ 11:50pm

Week 16

April 29th – May 3rd

 

No chapter. Study for Final

 

Final Exam

Friday, May 3rd

@ 11:50 PM

 

 

Evaluations and Grading & Assignments:

Evaluations and Grading & Assignments:

Points/Grade

Learning Behaviors/Knowledge Guide

90 and above is an A                   

 

Excellent consistent attendance and participation.  Extensive knowledge and understanding of concepts and processes.  Creative linkage in tests, discussions, and papers of class content to information gained outside class.  Regular contribution to individual and group efforts.

80 - 89 is a B

 

Good attendance and participation.  Adequate knowledge and understanding of concepts and processes.  Linkage in tests, class discussions, and papers of class content to information gained outside class.  Frequent contribution to individual and group efforts.

70 - 79 is a C

 

Inconsistent attendance and participation.  Basic knowledge and understanding of concepts and processes.  Summarizes and paraphrases assigned material accurately in tests, discussions, and papers.  Inconsistent contribution to individual and group efforts.

60 - 69 is a D

 

Limited attendance and participation.  Marginal knowledge and understanding of concepts and processes.  Limited ability to summarize and paraphrase assigned material in tests, discussions, and practice notebook.  Limited contribution to individual and group efforts.

Under 60 is Failing

 

 

Your grade will be determined by the following:

 

Introduction Post (1 x 10 = 10 points)

 

Discussion Posts (13 in total x 10 points each= 130 points)

Writing Assignment (50 points)

Exams (30 points each x 2=60 points)

 

Total= 250 points

 

Himdag Cultural Component 

 

Tohono O’odham traditions and cultural beliefs will be discussed and documented through the lens of children literacy.  Diverse cultural beliefs will be discussed in regard to typical communication and language development.  Tohono O’odham family values and traditions will guide the development of an event designed to meet the need of families. 

 

Policies and Expectations

 

Attendance Policy (Re: asynchronous online classes)

  • You are expected to log into your Canvas shell and do the first activity during the first week of classes. Failure to do so may result in you being withdrawn from the course.
  • You are expected to complete all learning activities, participation in class, assignments and quiz by the due dates listed in the course syllabus.
  • Four consecutive missed due dates may result in a withdrawal.
  • You may request to be excused from class for religious observances and practices, for illness, for school or work-related travel or for personal or family emergency. If you will be absent, please notify the instructor as soon as possible. Be prepared to submit evidence to support your absence.

 

Cell Phone Use:

No cell phone use is allowed during class. Use of cell phones during class, unless permitted by instructor, is a violation of the T-So:son. Also, it is prohibited to attend a Zoom class using a cell phone while driving. Please park your car by the side of the road so you can attend class.

 

Make-up policy:

It is up to the faculty to accept late assignments. Please state your own make-up policy if you want to have one. [Some examples of make-up policy are:

  • Reduce the grade by certain percentage
  • Provide one or two “free passes” for the semester. A free pass enables the student to submit one assignment one week late without penalty. Please delete the bullet list once you have your own policy.]

Please note that board discussions and laboratories cannot be made up except in the case of college closure. At the instructor’s discretion, extra credit opportunities and optional activities may be provided.

 

Academic Integrity:

Academic integrity refers to honest and ethical conduct in all aspects of academic life. The primary attributes of academic integrity are honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, and responsibility. Integrity entails a firm adherence to a set of values; the values most essential to an academic community are grounded in honesty with respect to all intellectual efforts of oneself and others.

 

All forms of academic deceit, such as plagiarism, cheating, the use of Artificial Intelligence without disclosure, collusion, falsification or fabrication of results or records; permitting work to be submitted by another; or inappropriately recycling work from one class to another constitutes academic misconduct that may result in serious disciplinary consequences. All students and faculty members are responsible for reporting suspected instances of academic misconduct. 

Find the complete Academic Integrity Policy on p. 39 of the Academic Catalog.

 

Course Feedback:

All assignments will be graded and returned to the students promptly, typically within a week after the assignment is closed for handing in.  E-mail and phone messages will be returned within two days.  A student or the instructor may request a student conference at any time during the semester. You can agree to meet with your instructor during established Office Hours.

 

Incomplete Policy

Incomplete (I) grades are not awarded automatically. The student must request an "I" from the instructor, who can choose to award an Incomplete only if all three of the following conditions are met:

  1. The student must be in compliance with the attendance policy.
  2. The student must have unavoidable circumstance that would prohibit the student from completing the course.
  3. The student must have completed over 75% of the course requirements with at least a “C” grade.

Incompletes are not a substitute for incomplete work due to frequent absences or poor academic performance. If the agreed upon work, as stipulated on the written contract signed by the instructor and the student when the I grade is awarded, is not completed by the end of the ninth week of the following semester, the grade will be automatically changed to an F.

 

Withdrawals within First Two Weeks of Semester

At the Drop/Full Refund deadline of the semester (refer to the Academic Calendar), faculty may withdraw students from class for the following reasons: student has not logged into Canvas; has not submitted any work; and/or has not attended class (for virtual and/or in-person classes). Refer to the Academic Catalog, p. 38, for the entire policy.

 

 

Withdrawal during the Semester up to the Withdrawal Deadline (Asynchronous online classes)

In an asynchronous online class, the TOCC Attendance Policy “Four unexcused absences may result in a withdrawal…” translates into “Missing four (4) consecutive course due dates for learning activities, participation, assignments, quizzes, exams, etc. indicates a student is NOT participating in the class and they may be withdrawn at the faculty’s discretion.” If a student needs to stop attending a course, they must withdraw from the course. Failure to withdraw from the course will result in a failing grade (F).

 

Student Withdrawal Policy “W”

Students may withdraw from class at any time during the first two-thirds of the semester without instructor permission and without incurring any grade penalty, although a withdrawal may have Financial Aid consequences. Consult the Academic Catalog for more information.  Please be sure to withdraw yourself by [withdrawal deadline date found in Academic Calendar on TOCC website] if you do not expect to complete the class, otherwise you may receive an "F" letter grade for the course. For more information on the student withdraw process, email admissions@tocc.edu.

 

Equal Access Statement/Disability Accommodations

Tohono O’odham Community College seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. The College will comply with all applicable regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to ensure an equal educational opportunity. This process includes self-identifying as a student with a disability, providing supporting documentation of their disability, and being approved for services through the Disability Resources Office (DRO). It is the student's responsibility to make known to the Counselor or Disability Resource Coordinator the student’s specific needs within the context of each class in order to receive appropriate accommodations. Counselor and student will work together in order to develop an accommodation plan specifically designed to meet the individual student's requirements.

 

For more information or to request academic accommodations, please contact: Anthony Osborn, TOCC Disabilities Resource Coordinator, aosborn@tocc.edu for additional information and assistance.

 

Title IX   

Tohono O'odham Community College encourages each student to have the knowledge and skills to be an active bystander who intervenes when anyone is observed or being harassed or endangered by sexual violence.  Sexual discrimination and sexual violence can undermine students’ academic success and quality of life on campus and beyond. We encourage students who have experienced or witnessed any form of sexual misconduct to talk about their experience and seek the support they need.

 

Confidential support and academic advocacy can be found with: Student Services Title IX Coordinator/Counselor, Alberta Espinoza, M.Ed. located in I-We:mta Ki: Room 18. Phone 520-479-2300 Ext. 1210 email: aespinoza@tocc.edu  

 

Conduct: Bias, Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment

Tohono O’odham Community College faculty and staff are dedicated to creating a safe and supportive campus environment as a core value.  Harassment based on age, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, political ideology, race, religion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status will not be tolerated.

 

AI Policy Determine which AI policy you will be using in your class and delete the rest.

 

Prohibitive statement/philosophy/policy

 

  • This course has a generative AI policy because I believe in the value of your active

participation in the learning process. By prohibiting the use of generative AI, I aim to ensure that you fully immerse yourself in critical thinking, research, and original content creation.

 

  • It is important to understand that generative AIs, while powerful, is often susceptible to

inaccuracies and bias in the information it produces. AI systems can generate content that is

factually incorrect or lacks context. As a result, I want you to avoid relying on AI-generated

content, and instead, engage with the course material by presenting your original ideas and

insights.

 

  • If there is a concern about a student’s use of AI in this course, I will conduct a thorough

investigation to understand the situation. Adhering to the course policies regarding AI is crucial

to maintain fairness and equality for everyone in the learning environment.

 

Flexible statement/philosophy/policy

 

  • Generative AI can play a supportive role in the learning process. While it is not a requirement, I recognize that AI can serve as a useful tool to support your learning experience. The goal is to encourage you to explore various learning aids, including generative AI powered tools, while still maintaining academic integrity. Remember to give credit where Additionally, exercise critical thinking to identify and address any inaccuracies that might arise.
  • It is essential for students to be open and honest about their use of AI in assignments. My goal is to help students understand the importance of academic integrity and the responsible use of AI. Adhering to the course policies regarding AI is crucial to maintain fairness and equality for everyone in the learning environment.

 

Required statement/philosophy/policy

  • The use of generative AI is required in this course. Mastering generative AI is essential for

staying relevant in an AI-driven world. Throughout the course, you will learn to effectively

leverage AI technologies to enhance your problem-solving capabilities and creativity. Embracing generative AI will prepare you for the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, giving you a competitive edge.

  • For assignments where generative AI use is required, it is imperative to disclose the use of AI

throughout your work. Clearly indicate which parts of the assignment were generated with the help of AI tools. Proper disclosure showcases your transparency and demonstrates your

proficiency in using AI to augment your work. This practice also aligns with professional

standards in an AI-driven world. Always remember to provide accurate citations for the AI-

generated content to avoid any potential issues with plagiarism. In your disclosure, you must

also provide the link to your AI sessions with the chatbot.

  • As the use of AI is a required skill in this class, any misuse or lack of transparency is taken

seriously. The priority is to uphold academic integrity and ensure that all students have a fair

and equal opportunity to develop their AI-related skills.

  • As generative AI is a required skill in this course, it’s essential to recognize that AI outputs may

not always be perfect. When using AI-generated content, think critically and apply fact-checking

techniques to ensure accuracy. You must be aware of potential errors or biases in the AI outputs

and take steps to verify information from reliable sources. As you advance your skills in using

generative AI, consider regular auditing to ensure its performance meets your academic needs

and standards.

 

How students disclose the use of generative AI:

            ‘Generative AI Disclosure’; - Make sure to link the chat history

 

  • Generative AI Disclosure: This assignment was supported by the use of the AI platform,

ChatGPT. Specifically, I used GPT 3.5 to assist in the title creation (link here), although the

final title was modified slightly. I also used ChatGPT to give me grammar feedback (link

here). I implemented the chatbot’s recommendations.

 

How to Reference AI using APA format:

 

Reference

 

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (July 30 version) [Large language model].

https://chat.openai.com/chat

Parenthetical Citation: (OpenAI, 2023)

*This citation includes the name of the organization (OpenAI), the year of publication (2023), the specific name of the model (ChatGPT), the version date (July 30), and the type of model in square brackets (Large language model). Additionally, the citation provides the URL where the model can be accessed.

 

Example of an AI Disclosure:

Claude.AI & ChatGPT

AI disclosure: This guide was written with the help of Claude.AI and ChatGPT AI, generative AI platforms. Claude was used to generate an idea to this generative AI policy outline, and the human author edited and modified the provided outline. ChatGPT was used to edit the policy outline. Claude provided the first draft of the example policy language, which was reviewed and edited by the human author