PSYCHOLOGY 100 Online (Laulima) Summer 2010

Lucy L Jones, PhD, CSAC lucyj@hawaii.edu

Required Text:

Psychology by Stephen F. Davis and Joseph J. Palladino (5^th edition) In addition, there will be quizzes and projects

Class Description:

This is an introductory course, designed to provide you with an overview of the various disciplines within the field of psychology. We will explore research, and look at the basic psychological processes involved in learning, memory, thinking and language. The development of the Self, which includes our gender and sexuality, our personality, and overall development will be studied. We will discuss who we are in a social context. Finally, we will see what factors influence our mental health.

Computer Requirements:

· You need a computer with access to the Internet using Netscape 6.x or higher, Internet Explorer 5.x or higher, or Mozilla Firefox as your browser. If you use AOL, it is recommended that you get a stand-alone version of Netscape, Internet Explorer, or Firefox.

· You need an e-mail address. You may get an e-mail address from your campus for free. I need to correspond with you on your college email.

· You must have a virus check program. As a student, you may download the McAfee Virus scan for free from UH Technology if you don’t have one already. You should update your virus definitions daily.

Class Requirements:

· Participate in group discussions online.

· Read the chapters ahead of time so you are prepared to discuss them.

· Share any articles or information you find regarding the class topic with the class.

· Various individual presentations and exercises will be assigned throughout the session.

Talking with Classmates:

You should use the internal Laulima “private message” system to correspond between yourself and other classmates. You can use it to correspond with me as well. There is a Students’ Question section on the Discussion Board where you can ask questions that are general in nature or for which other students in the class may be able to provide assistance for you. You should read these questions frequently as well.

Submitting Your Work:

I prefer that your work NOT be an attachment, but rather inserted into the body of your post or e-mail. If for some reason, you must submit your paper as an attachment, please use either MS Word, WordPerfect, or a text file (rtf or txt). Be sure your name is on the paper as well on the post to which you have attached it. Otherwise, I may have no way of knowing to whom a paper belongs if it becomes separated from the e-mail.

Suggestion:

Since this is an online class, it is easy to forget that there is limited time to complete the course. You might plan to set aside a certain time everyday to check in, contribute to discussion, turn in assignments, ask questions, email the instructor, and more. This way it will become a habit and you will finish in a timely manner.

Chat:

We may want to establish a chat from time to time. Laulima has a special chat room. Look for the speaker icon beside someone’s name to know if they are in the chat room.

Modules:

There are 6 modules for this summer session course. Each week, you will be reading the assigned modules, completing assignments, answering questions to check your learning and posting to the Discussion Board regarding a topic from each module. You also will be expected to respond to what others have written. There are specific due dates listed later in this syllabus. You will be graded on the content of your weekly papers and how well you write the paper. Thus, grammar and spelling will be important so plan to proofread your papers thoroughly before you submit them. The due dates are firm. No late papers will be accepted unless you okay it with me.

Cyber-class:

Sometimes assignments are lost in cyberspace. Make sure that you make electronic

copies of everything you send in case you have to verify that you sent an assignment

by the due date. The time an item is sent shows up on electronic submissions. With

electronic copies sent to yourself, you can forward lost assignments to me to receive

credit for the module. Invariably your computer will decide to be difficult or crash just the

very moment before midnight that you were going to send in your assignment.

Technical difficulties do not alter the deadlines. Have a backup plan. Please plan ahead

so you don’t get caught by a troublesome computer problem at the last minute.

Participation:

The most effective way to learn and grow is to share ideas, information, and inspiration with the rest of the class. With an online class, we do not have the same opportunity for class interaction and discussion that we would have if this were a traditional in-class format. Thus, the Discussion Board and “Private Messages” become our vehicle for class participation and communication.

Participation in our class will be in the form of your reaction to what other students have posted on the Discussion Board regarding an assigned topic. Like a regular job, if you miss too much work you would be dismissed, so it is with this class. If you do not participate and contribute to the discussions, you will be required to choose between withdrawal or a failing grade.

Within one week of the due date, you are required to react to a minimum of TWO of your classmates for each of the Discussion Board posts. These reaction posts will constitute your participation grade. Of course, you may post more if you wish. To post a response to another student’s post, click on reply, then write your response. Don’t forget to click “submit.”

You should check into our Laulima classroom at least two (2) times per week, just as you would if you were attending a traditionally formatted class. Always check the Instructor’s Announcements for new information.

Regardless of the reason you are taking this class, as a student in psychology, you will

gain some meaningful insights about your behavior and mental processes. Think

carefully about the class discussions, reading and your work during the preceding week.

Quizzes and exams:

By reading your weekly papers, observing your class presentations and discussions, I will know what you are learning in this course. I reserve the right to have a quiz periodically in order to augment my evaluation of your knowledge and understanding of the basics of psychology.

Students With Verified Disabilities:

If you have a verified disability with verification on file with your college’s Office of Students with Disabilities, please let me know if you think you will need accommodation. I will be glad to provide accommodations as needed. I think you will find that because of the online format of this course and the types of assignments that you may not need additional accommodations, but please let me know and I will be glad to discuss it with you and with your Disabled Students’ Office.

Grades will be based on the following:	Grading System:
72 points on weekly papers and other written assignments (12 points per week)	90-100 A
Up to 28 points on active participation in discussions	80-89 B
	70-79 C
	60-69 D
	0 – 59 F

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS	NOTE: Because of time restraints, we will cover some chapters in depth, and others we will skim over quickly. If you have specific questions about certain areas, please feel free to ask!
WEEK 1	Welcome and Introductions Chapter 1 Psychology, Research, and You Chapter 2 Behavioral Neuroscience
WEEK 2	Chapter 3 Sensation and Perception Chapter 4 States of Consciousness Chapter 5 Learning
WEEK 3	Chapter 6 Motivation and Emotion Chapter 7 Memory Chapter 8 Thinking, Language, and Intelligence
WEEK 4	Chapter 9 Development Across the Lifespan Chapter 10 Sex and Gender
WEEK 5	Chapter 11 Personality Chapter 12 Psychological Disorders Chapter 13 Therapy
WEEK 6	Chapter 14 Health Psychology Chapter 15 Social Psychology Chapter 16 Industrial, Organizational, and Other Applications of Psychology