Welcome to Learning!

In this class, you have the opportunity to practice and  hone your learning skills.

You will collaborate with a fellow student on a research project, which is fun. 

You may discover various things about yourself....

What you get out of this class and any other course you take is up to you.

Showing up to class and participation is crucial to succeeding both in college and beyond.

If you look at any of the ACC course syllabi, you will find learning outcomes that you are expected to demonstrate to pass the course(s) that you are taking. I suggest that you read the learning outcomes for this course and consider the reasoning behind each learning outcome. 

Below are the assignments for this course:

1. Research project-You have the opportunity to complete a research project that relates in some key aspect of your academic experience. We will begin the project before mid-course and it will last for several weeks.
Students will write a paper and make a brief class presentation about their project. Topic options: mental health/anxiety; procrastination; motivation; responsibility; learning methods to use in college. (paper/self-grade 100 points each, presentation 50 points) This assignment is your opportunity to demonstrate many of the learning outcomes required of the course. Please take time to read the information under the Research Project tab in blackboard.
2. Time Management- This is a 2-part assignment. Part 1: You will track
how you spend your time for 1 week. Review how you spent your time & reflect on your time use after you have monitored your time use. Part 2: Look at part 1 and choose an area of how you spend your time to focus on. Examples include class preparation time and time wasters. Think about how to improve your use of your time in this area and make an action plan. You will again spend 1week following your action plan by logging how you use your time. After that week you will reflect on how well your plan went. Consider using ChatGPT or some AI tool to help you focus on your goal. Include this information as part of your paper to earn up to an additional 3 points. (40 points each part) Consider how you can use time management to more
effectively use your time to succeed in your other classes as well as to
achieve your long-term career plans.
4. Career exploration/ planning activities – You will complete two
sections (career readiness and self-assessment) of the FOCUS2 online career assessment and identify your top career matches. You will write a paper regarding two selected careers as well as your original choice from the 1st week of class. (100 points)
5. Weekly Assignment- Each weekly you will be given the opportunity to expand your knowledge on material covered in this class. Each week isworth 10 points. The first & last week assignment are required. For weeks 2-7, you will be creating an infographic. I have added a tab in blackboard to help you.
Infographic- You will use AI to create an infographic on something that you learned in class that week. You will post the infographic in the discussion board as well as an assignment.
Besides posting your infographic on blackboard, you will comment on 3
other infographics stating what you have learned from their infographic.
You will earn additional points for this.
7. Quizzes- Four quizzes will be given during the semester covering material, You have the option to skip 1 quiz. 

Course Student Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Skill: Refers to the learner’s knowledge of and ability to utilize effective learning strategies and skills in order to learn information effectively, efficiently, and actively. It also includes knowledge of oneself as a learner, including strengths, weaknesses, and previous content knowledge. 

Identify and apply effective learning strategies and skills: 

1. Explain how theoretical models of learning including metacognition, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and the Model of Strategic Learning influence the learning process.
2. Develop and apply critical and creative thinking skills to problem-solving, decision-making, and evaluating information.
3. Identify personal strengths and areas for growth related to the learning process including the theory of multiple intelligences, successful intelligence, and multimodal learning. 
4. Explore and implement specific learning strategies for student success.

2. Will: Refers to the learner’s beliefs, attitudes, and emotions about learning. This includes motivation, beliefs about abilities, level of commitment to goals, and a range of emotions from fear and anxiety to excitement and joy toward learning.

Demonstrate knowledge and application of the beliefs, attitudes, motivations, and emotions that affect learning:

1. Reflect on previous educational experiences and how they influence current attitudes and beliefs toward college.
2. Assess personal patterns, habits, and potential barriers which affect learning.
3. Implement goal-setting strategies and goal-attainment behaviors.
4. Identify the characteristics of a growth mindset and reflect on their own mindset. 
5. Reflect on personal behaviors and choices as they relate to increasing self-efficacy and strengthening emotional regulation. 

3. Self-Regulation: Refers to the learner's ability to combine skill and will to self-manage, be self-aware, and hold themselves accountable within the learning environment.

Develop awareness of and practice strategies for effective self-regulation:

1. Develop and practice sustainable time management and organizational skills.
2. Identify and practice executive skills to regulate cognition.
3. Demonstrate ability to monitor the learning progress and adjust as needed for success.
4. Develop skills to manage and cope with stress and anxiety that impact learning and goal attainment.
5. Identify when additional support is needed and utilize available resources to support their success.
6. Identify and implement effective motivational strategies to achieve goals.

4. Academic Environment: Refers to the learning contexts and the learner’s understanding of the expectations for successful performance, as well as the types of resources available.

Understand, analyze, and use resources to manage the academic environment:

1. Determine how college and instructor policies define expected student behaviors.
2. Identify requirements and expectations for learning activities for the purpose of managing responsibilities.
3. Identify and use services and resources to support learning and academic success. 
4. Identify and develop social support networks that encourage and strengthen academic achievement. 

As a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:
1. Civic and Cultural Awareness
Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices
2. Critical Thinking
Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating, and applying information.
3. Personal Responsibility
Identifying and applying ethical principles and practices; demonstrating effective learning, creative thinking, and personal responsibility.
4. Written, Oral and Visual Communication
Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.
You are expected to demonstrate your capabilities in both the course & department learning objectives by the end of the class.
Instructor learning outcomes:
1. The relationship between learning outcomes and course material:
Staying motivated during any course can be challenging but knowing how to relate why
something is done can help you stay on track. The following website provides additional
information as to the purpose of learning objectives:
https://resources.depaul.edu/teaching-commons/teaching-guides/course-
design/Pages/course-objectives-learning-outcomes.aspx
2. Questions-Knowing how to ask the questions gives you power.
3. Understanding your thinking process-Consider what you are capable of doing.
 

Learning Framework: Effective Strategies for College Success 
Syrett, Heather, Assistant Department Chair 
This course uses OER Commons for text material. This text is available through: 
https://oercommons.org/courseware/8434
This is free.
Additional learning material will be posted in Blackboard.

Notice: additional topics are covered in your required readings & will be demonstrated in your weekly infographics
Week 1:     January 21: 
Meet your classmates
Syllabus
Goals/values
Week 2:     January 26 & 28
Time & where it goes
AI & you
Set up research groups, topics,discuss research topic
Week 3    February 2 & 4
Librarian talk
Critical thinking
Week 4   February 9 & 11

ACCelerator 1
Reading & writing
Week 5   February 16 & 18
Memory
Listening
Week 6   February 23 & 25
Careers
ACCelerator 2
Week 7     March 2 & 4
Wellness & creating
your stress monster
Money
Week 8

Presentations Reflections on what you have learned in this course & discussion on how to use what you have learned in your future classes.

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