PSY 103 AND SOC 10 1 TANDEM – Spring, 2001

I. Service Learning, Requirement
All students will be expected to complete 20 hours of volunteer service over the course of the semester. This will involve a commitment of spending approximately 2 hours a week volunteering in a community organization or agency. Students and professors will work together to arrange a placement.

II. Community Investigations
There are a minimum of six reports based on community experiences that will be staged throughout the semester. Details of the reports will be discussed in class.

Assignments:
Being an Outsider Friday, Friday, 2/2
Public Meetings Friday, 2/23
Election Forums Friday, 3/30
Being Disabled Friday, 4/13
Communities on the Web 4/20
Their Church Friday, 5/4

III. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
A. In addition to the six reports mentioned above, students will be given a take-home essay test as a final exam. Students will receive the test questions on May 4, 2001 one week in advance of its due date which is May 11, 2001. In responding to the questions, you will be expected to integrate information from both disciplines.

B. Students will be expected to complete a written assignment related to your volunteer activities. This paper will be due on May 4, 2001. The nature of the assignment is to be reflective about the specific service activity and how it relates to the course material.

C: Throughout the semester students will be expected to complete assignments during class time, and to do homework related to materials covered during class period.

D. Late Assignments: Students will be allowed to hand in two assignments late (excluding the final exam), with no questions asked — beyond that, no late assignments will be accepted.

Course Evaluation
Final Exam 20%
Community Investigations 50%
Non-graded class/homework activities 10%
Service project . 20%
Total 100%

Final Course Grade
A …..90-100%
B ..80-89%
C ..70-79%
D …60-69%
F… below 60%

IV. Other Course Information:
A. Because our class time is limited, we do not cover all the material that is assigned and on which you win be tested. Therefore, if there is any material in the text that you do not understand, please see us so that we can talk about it. You may also want to form student study groups to help you in your studying.

B. Students are strongly encouraged to use the full range of student support facilities available at Oakton. The College's Instructional Support Services offers a wide variety of instructional support services for students.

C. If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability you may be entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services. To request accommodations or services, contact the ASSIST office in Instructional Support Services. All students are expected to fulfill essential course requirements. The College will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course or degree program.

V. Classroom norms:
In this class you will learn about the power of social norms and how they impact on our behavior. Every social group establishes "rules" concerning expectations about appropriate behavior. The following are the norms that we would like to see observed in this class:

A. LATE ARRIVALS: Every effort should be made to get to class on time. Students can expect us to be in the classroom, ready to begin class at the start of the period; likewise, we expect students to be in the classroom at the beginning of the period. If you are late, you should make every effort to find a seat quietly, without disturbing the class in progress.

B. EARLY DEPARTURES: Occasionally it is necessary to leave class early. If for. some reason you know you win be leaving class before the end of the hour, please notify us at the beginning of class, try to find a seat in the back, and slip out quietly when the time comes. Like late arrivals, early departures are distracting both for us and for other students.

C. PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS: By this point in your educational career you should know that "talking in class" is inappropriate behavior. Yet some students continue to treat class time as an opportunity to catch up on news with friends they have not seen the in the last several hours, days, or weeks. These private conversations are disturbing; they make it difficult for other students to hear what is going on, and they distract us from teaching the class. Students who find it necessary to carry on such private discussions will be asked to leave class.

D. WATCH ALARMS, CELL PHONES, AND BEEPERS: Increasingly, students have watches with alarms that ring on the hour; likewise, students carry cell phones and beepers around with them. If you have any of these items, please turn them off before the beginning of class. If someone is trying to reach you, please inform them of your class schedule and ask them to call you before the class begins or after it ends–not while it is going on. These electronic devices are not only distracting when they go off during class, but also represent a significant disruption.

E. ATTENDANCE: The classroom is a social group in which both students and professor are expected to participate. You will not learn, and we cannot teach, if you do not attend class regularly. While points are not awarded for class attendance, points are awarded for participation in class activities–if you miss too many classes, it may be difficult for you to make up those lost points.