COURSE INFORMATION

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course explores various aspects of human sexual behavior, including the biology of sex, female and male sexuality, sex roles, the psychology of sex differences, and sexually transmitted diseases.

• Credit Hours: 3
• Classroom Contact Hours per week: 3

Instructor: Herb Coleman, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Student Development
                   hcoleman@austincc.edu (Dr. Coleman or Professor Coleman)

COURSE RATIONALE

This course is an introductory course in the psychology of human sexuality.  Because it is a survey course, we will learn a little about a lot different topics dealing with the study of human sexuality. Some of the topics may seem controversial or of a sensitive nature. This will include but not be limited to topics such as:

Many of the topics may be considered "controversial" or "taboo" subjects for public discussion by some.  This course will involve frank discussions of sexual issues and when appropriate, visual aids will be used.  All subjects will be approached in a mature but frank manner.  Due to discomfort and the atypical public discussion of some of the topics, it is not uncommon for some to laugh, giggle, or chuckle at some of the phrasing or comments.  We will work through this.  If you are easily offended by issues of this nature or if you do not feel that you will be comfortable discussing them, then this may not be the course for you. Previewing the textbook will give you a more complete idea of the nature of this course. This is not a "how-to" course; although sexual techniques will be discussed and images of the human body will be shared. Even though this is a psychology course, we will also look at human sexuality through biological, historical, sociological, religious, legal, and cross-cultural perspectives.

Purpose:
The purpose of this course is to provide you with scientific, factual knowledge along with cultural, historical, religious, psychological, and sociological background references for examining human sexuality. In presenting many views on the subject of human sexuality, it is my hope to empower you with the knowledge and information to help you make better decisions about your own sexuality as well as to better understand the sexuality of others. Through the discussions, I hope that you will examine the issues discussed and reflect on what they mean for you. It is not my intention to change anyone's beliefs in a specific direction. Rather, I hope to provide you with enough information and give you the opportunity to examine your own beliefs and actions so that you may make informed choices about your life in the future.  This syllabus is provided to you to help you know what's expected and in compliance with Texas House Bill 2504.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY

This is an in-person face-to-face course with class meetings taking place on an ACC campus. Additional course support is provided through Google Classroom. Blackboard will only be used for attendance, journals, and course evaluation. There will also be third-party sites for specific assignments as well as research assignments.  

Textbook

The textbook is a $25 online textbook with interactive study materials and instructor notations. You may pay additional for a hard copy, but it will not have the instructor's notes. You will need to login into your lab book using a web browser.  Your login code will be provided in Google Classroom. 

Human Sexuality Making Informed Decisions; Revised 6th edition, Lab Book Plus Knox & Milstein, BVT Publishing 2021 ISBN: 978-1-5178-0968-3

Class Resources: Google Classroom http://classroom.google.com   

Along with email, your ACC Gmail gives you access to Google Workspace, including Google Classroom.  We will be using these tools to make announcements, as well as assign, complete, submit, and grade homework. An email will be sent to your ACC Gmail with a code to join the class.   You must be logged in with ONLY your ACC Gmail to access and use Google Classroom (log out of all other Gmail accounts).  It's best to open a new incognito or private browsing window and log in with your ACC Gmail before logging in to Google Classroom.

ACC EID-

All current ACC students will have an Online Services User ID. If you are not sure what your User ID is, you can click the “What’s my User ID” link located just above the User ID and Password boxes. Your User ID cannot be changed.

http://www.austincc.edu/help/acceid

ACC Gmail-

All ACC students are provided with an ACC Gmail account. This is the College's official way of communicating with you through email.  Please be sure to activate your account and check it before each class meeting. I can only communicate information about your class performance to your official ACC email. If you haven't already please activate your ACC Gmail. You will need this to access the homework and your grade through Google Classroom. For this class, you should check your email daily.

When sending an email please put "PSYC 2306" in the subject line.  This will prevent it from being filtered out as spam.  Also, if you ever use another email, within the body of the email please include your email address and your name (it's not always clear to me who "lovepuppy127@hotmail.com" is).

Finally, when documents are provided in assignments please use them.  This allows me to comment and highlight areas.  If you compose in Word, Pages, or some other word processor copy and paste your final submission into the document provided. 

Do not use the Blackboard Dropbox.  The Blackboard Dropbox does not notify me when you place documents in there.  Items left in the Dropbox may go ungraded. Blackboard will only be used in this course for journals, class attendance, and testing. 

Blackboard

Blackboard will only be used for attendance, journals, and course evaluation. 

THIS COURSE WILL BE TAUGHT USING THE TEAM-BASED LEARNING STRATEGY.  ALL STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO WORK IN AND PARTICIPATE IN LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITH THEIR ASSIGNED TEAMS.

The class will determine the weight of the grades for the class. During the first two weeks of class, students working in teams will determine what percentage of the grade is determined by individual performance, team performance, and comprehensive assessment activities.

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
    •    Identify various research methods and their characteristics used in the scientific study of psychology.
    •    Describe the historical influences and early schools of thought that shaped the field of psychology.
    •    Describe some of the prominent perspectives and approaches used in the study of psychology.
    •    Use terminology unique to the study of psychology.
    •    Describe accepted approaches and standards in psychological assessment and evaluation.
    •    Identify factors in physiological and psychological processes involved in human behavior.
 
Program Level Student Learning Outcomes:
    •    Understand psychological concepts and be able to recognize them in real-world contexts.
    •    Acquire a basic understanding of major perspectives in the field.
    •    Gain an awareness of the breadth of the academic discipline of psychology.
    •    Understand the various research methods psychologists use and critically evaluate evidence.


General Education Student Learning Outcomes for PSYC 2306:

• Critical Thinking Skills
• Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking.
• Communication Skills
• Develop, interpret, and express ideas and information through written, oral and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.
• Empirical and Quantitative Skills
• Apply mathematical, logical, and scientific principles and methods through the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
• Personal Responsibility
• Identify and apply ethical principles and practices to decision-making by connecting choices, actions and consequences.
• Social Responsibility (Civic and Cultural Awareness)
• Analyze differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
• Teamwork
• Consider different points of view to work collaboratively and effectively in pursuit of a shared purpose or goal.

Course Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1--During this course, students will recommend the components of an adult sexual education program, including content, methods, and setting.

Objective 1A: Given a Google form the student will match each vocabulary term related to sex research and sex education, to its definition in multiple-choice and escape room fashion according to the textbook. (Voc 1)

Objective 1B: Without the use of resources, working alone then in teams the student will answer multiple choice questions on the perspectives, theoretical and research, and issues related to sexual education according to the model discussed in class and covered in the text. (IRQ 1, TRQ 1)

 Goal 2-- During this course, students will be able to discuss the scientific, psychological, and cultural issues associated with human reproduction.

Objective 2A: Given a Google form the student will match each vocabulary term associated with human reproduction, to its definition in multiple-choice and escape room fashion according to the textbook. (Voc 2)

Objective 2B: Without the use of resources, working alone then in teams the student will answer multiple choice questions associated with human reproduction, according to the model discussed in class and covered in the text. (IRQ 2, TRQ 2)

Goal 3-- During this course, students will be able to apply knowledge of human sexual development, gender, and sexual orientation.

Objective 3A:  Given a Google form the student will match each vocabulary term associated with human sexual development, to its definition in multiple-choice and escape room fashion according to the textbook.  (Voc 3)

Objective 3B: Without the use of resources, working alone then in teams the student will answer multiple choice questions about human sexual development, gender, and sexual orientation according to the model covered in class discussions. (IRQ 3, TRQ 3)

Goal 4--During this course, students will discuss various issues related to sexual arousal, love and attraction, and sex work.

Objective 4A:  Given a Google form the student will match each vocabulary term related to sexual arousal. love and attraction, pornography, and sex work to its definition in multiple-choice and escape room fashion according to the textbook. (Voc 4)

Objective 4B: Without the use of resources, working alone then in teams the student will answer multiple choice questions on sexual arousal. love and attraction, sexual variations, and commercial sex according to the text and as covered in class (IRQ 4, TRQ 4)

Goal 5--During this course, students will discuss issues associated with consent, sexual coercion, disorders, and diseases.

Objective 5A: Given a Google form the student will match each vocabulary term associated with sexual coercion, disorders, and diseases to its definition in multiple-choice and escape room fashion according to the textbook. (Voc 5)

Objective 5B: Without the use of resources, working alone then in teams the student will answer multiple choice questions associated with sexual coercion, disorders, and diseases,  according to the model discussed in class and covered in the text.(IRQ 5, TRQ 5)

Goal 6--During this course, students will demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the issues related to human sexuality covered in class.

Objective 6A: Without the use of resources, working alone, students will complete a final exam covering the basic principles and theories of human sexuality.

Objective 6B: Allowed the use of resources, students will complete journals on topics related to human sexuality using information from the research and citing sources.

Objective 6C: After each unit, students will complete a self-evaluation of their own and their team's performance identifying their contributions and areas for improvement and citing sources.

Objective 6D: After each unit, students will complete a performance rating of each of their teammates' performance during the unit according to the model presented in class.

Semester Plan:

The course is planned in 5 units. Each unit consists of 3-6 chapters of textbook material. Within each unit, there will be

• Homework: vocabulary, journal, individual decision
• Readiness Assessment:  IRQs and TRQs,
• Application Exercise: Mini Apps and Team Decision,
• Evaluation: self-evaluation and a peer performance rating.
• Exit tickets and Retrieval Practice:  Via Google Forms, Mentimeter, and Plickers eLearning

There will also be a Comprehensive Assessment:  Final

The course calendar will be provided through the Google Classroom. 

This is the planned order of approach. However, if current events dictate, we may change the order of topics in order to deal with contemporary issues as they occur. The units covered will be:

The schedule of assignments can be found in Google Classroom. 

Grading Procedure--

Although they do not reflect your intrinsic value as a human being, grades in this course do serve several functions:

1). For my class, grades reflect your individual progress and achievement according to the class syllabus. This is established by a point system that will be explained later.

2). For this course, grades are interpreted into the standard A, B, C, D, F interval scale. They communicate to the department and others outside of this class the summation of your progress in my class.

3). For the college, grades are further interpreted into a 4-point ratio scale with 4.00 representing the highest possible score. This number is used to determine your cumulative grade-point average as well as indicate your academic progress in a way that can be interpreted by most American institutions of higher education.

Grade Determination--

I do not give grades; you earn them (I merely record them according to my assessment of your individual performance). There will be several different ways in which students' progress in this course will be monitored.

Team-Based Learning (Michaelsen, Knight, and Fink, 2004)  is not a typical "read, lecture, regurgitate" model.  It is more of a read, work, quiz, discuss, lecture, research, and apply model.  I will be less of a "sage on the stage" and more of a "guide on the side" type of instructor. 

The team-based learning model begins with the readiness assurance process.  In this process:

• Students read the assigned materials and complete preliminary assignments (vocabulary).
• Students take a formative assessment consisting of a multiple-choice quiz (IRQ). 
• Students then immediately take the same quiz in their teams (TRQ).  The team quiz is in mastery format where teams are rather quickly notified if their answer is correct.  They are given the opportunity to keep answering until they get the correct answer (with diminishing points). 
• At the end of the process, teams can appeal to fix item that they felt was too ambiguous (where the answer wasn't clear) or disagreed with the readings. They fix the item by re-wording the item to be more clear or more in line with the readings. 
• The professor then lectures over the items and provides any enhancements. 
• Working in teams, students complete a mini-application exercise researching a forced-choice question in a short time. Their answers are shared and discussed.
• In most units, we repeat this twice before addressing the main Unit Application Exercise.

Students next participate in the Unit Application Exercise.  They are given a forced-choice decision on a controversial or challenging topic.  They research the topic and complete an individual decision.  The individual decisions are compiled and used in consultation with team members to complete the team decision. The team decisions are presented in class and discussed. 

The final part of TBL is the self and peer evaluation of their performance during the unit. Self-evaluations give the student the chance to reflect on their learning,  efforts, and team participation.  Peer evaluations aid in accountability and help team members reflect on and improve their performance.

Individual Readiness Quizzes (IRQs): After reading the assigned material, students will answer multiple-choice questions related to the assigned readings (For IRQs attainment of 80% = full credit, 60%= 75% credit, 50% = 60% credit, < 50% earns that score).  Anyone arriving after the IRQ begins will be given a maximum of 2 minutes after the last student has completed their IRQ to submit theirs. 

Team Readiness Quizzes (TRQs): After reading the assigned material, students will answer with their team multiple-choice questions related to the assigned readings. Because the ability to assist with the TRQ is related to information on the IRQ, those who score less than 50% on the IRQ will only earn 80% on the TRQ. The only way to make up for missing an IRQ/T­RQ is through extra credit (SEE below).

Individual Decision: Before each team decision each member will have to address complex or controversial questions related to this area of human sexuality. The student will have to support their answer using information from the text and research according to the criteria given in class.

Team Decision: Each team will have to address complex or controversial questions related to psychology.  The team will have to support their answer using information from the text and research according to the criteria given in class.  Students with excessive absences during a unit or who do not participate in the team decision will not receive credit for the team's work. Since contributing to the team effort is based on both the on-time submission of the individual decision and participation in the team discussion, grading for the team decision will go as follows:

• If the student does not get their individual decision in on time to be included in the team slides but is there for the discussion, they can earn 70% of the team decision grade. 
• If they get their slides in on time but are not there or do not participate in the discussion they can earn 80% of the team decision grade.
• If the student does not submit their individual decision in time to be included in the team slides but does submit them before the start of class AND they participate in the discussion, then they can earn up to 90% of the team decision score. 

Self Evaluation: As part of the team-based learning process, each member of the team will evaluate their own performance on their preparedness, contribution, quality of work, cooperation, and overall impact on team success.

Peer Evaluation: As part of the team-based learning process, each member of the team will evaluate each other on their preparedness, contribution, quality of work, cooperation, and overall impact on team success.  Failure to submit peer ratings results in your not earning points for peer ratings (although you may still receive comments from teammates). 

All homework will be assigned and collected through Google Classroom.  Homework is due no later than 11:00 pm on the due date. After homework is graded students will have one week to correct it for full credit.  Homework turned in late can earn a maximum of 70% credit.  No homework will be accepted more than one week after it's graded and returned.

Exit tickets: Exit tickets are due within 1 hour of the end of class. Late exit tickets will not earn points.  There are no make-ups for missed exit tickets, mini-application exercises,  or retrieval practice exercises.

Final: Students will be expected to successfully complete a comprehensive final exam. The final is comprised of the items that 40% or more of the class misses on the individual readiness quizzes (IRQ). 

Attendance & Class Participation: Attendance is essential to the success of team goals. Missing class not only affects you but affects the entire team. Students with no absences and 80% of the homework are exempt from the final exam and are awarded the full points.  Students may be dropped for excessive absences. However, do not rely on this, if you intend to withdraw from the course, you must do so by the published deadline. I rarely, if ever withdraw a student.  Students who just stop coming to class without any further communication will receive the grade based on the total accumulated points they earned on the work submitted.  As noted below students must have accumulated at least 700 points to earn a passing grade.

Being on time is equally important. If a student is late or leaves early that is considered tardy. Three tardies (failure to check in) equal an absence.

Incompletes are rarely given and are only given on an individual basis under extreme circumstances.

Extra Credit

To make up for missing an IRQ or TRQ students must complete the Recompense for Absence form and share it in their team folder. Students must also adequately address all the items on the next quiz study guide and share them in their team folder.  Students who wish to make up for missing IRQ/TRQ 5 must complete the study guide for the final and share it in their team folder. Students completing these requirements before the next IRQ/TRQ will earn 80% of their team's IRQ average and TRQ grade. This is also the only makeup for missing an IRQ/TRQ assessment. 

The Clubhouse

We will have weekly discussions in the Clubhouse social audio app. You may find more information here https://www.joinclubhouse.com/  (we will go over this in class).  After a Clubhouse session, you may earn extra credit by completing the review form. 

Other opportunities for extra credit will be posted in Google Classroom as they arise. 

Academic Integrity

Students will receive no credit (zero, 0, F) on ANY work that violates ACC’s Academic Integrity Policy, and the instance may be reported as a case of Academic Misconduct in accordance with ACC’s Disciplinary Process. Possible additional disciplinary sanctions include but are not limited to an F in the course. For more information, see the College Policies section later in this syllabus or go to: https://www.austincc.edu/about-acc/academic-integrity-and-disciplinary-process

Academic Integrity and AI (Artificial Intelligence such as ChatGPT, etc.): All students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity in this course. This includes submitting original work that is solely their own and avoiding any form of plagiarism or cheating. The use of AI tools such as ChatGPT or other language processing AI is strictly prohibited in the creation of assignments and assessments. Students are explicitly prohibited from submitting work generated entirely or partially by AI, including but not limited to using AI to write journals, discussion boards, essays, presentations, assignments, or exams.

In any instances where the use of language processing AI has been instructor approved or is included as part of an assignment, students are expected to appropriately cite it as a source in accordance with the guidelines provided for citations and references in this course (https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt)

Students earn points for completion in each of the categories listed above. A detailed breakdown of the points follows:

 Points Grade
           900+ =  A*
 800-899.99 =  B*
 700-799.99 =  C
 600-699.99 =  D
          < 600 =  F

*Note: You must complete all of the homework assignments in order to qualify for an “A” or at least 80% of the homework assignments in order to qualify for a “B”. In addition, you must earn at least 50% of the points for a homework assignment area to get ANY credit for those assignments.

Withdrawal Policy

Please talk with me before you withdraw.  I've had students withdraw under the assumption they were failing when in fact they were passing. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the rolls should they decide to withdraw from the class.  The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary.  If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date.  The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester is NOV. 21, 2024.  The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status.  Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a W) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.”

Incompletes: Incompletes are rarely given and are only given on an individual basis under extreme circumstances. Students must have completed 3/4 of the course to even be considered an incomplete.