Course Syllabus

Fall 2024 | INT-1050-VJ01 - Dimensions of Self & Society

In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Faculty

Eva Zimet
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Jennifer Gundy

General Education Requirements

CCV 1st Semester Seminar

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

In this interdisciplinary first-semester seminar, students make the transition to college-level academic culture. This seminar is designed to help students develop the learning skills and habits of success that will support them throughout their college experience and as they consider career pathways. Reading, writing, and discussion are central to developing an understanding of academic and societal responsibility. Students critically examine the relationship between societal values, individual beliefs, ways of knowing, and cultural worldviews.

Essential Objectives

1. Interpret, analyze, and evaluate a text and its sources.
2. Demonstrate foundational information literacy, research skills, and academic honesty necessary for academic writing.
3. Demonstrate effective written communication skills, including active engagement in asynchronous online discussion.
4. Apply effective strategies for building new knowledge and skills through reflection on learning preferences, challenges, and goals.
5. Identify possible career goals and educational pathways.
6. Examine social issues through the lens of the individual and society.
7. Examine personal assumptions and biases, and ethical impacts of decision making and participation in society.
8. Consider issues from multiple perspectives and discuss, debate, and defend ideas with clarity and reason as part of a respectful learning community.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a low cost ($50 or less) textbook or resource class. ***

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations, along with free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials.

Fall 2024 textbook/book details will be available on 2024-05-20. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

INT-1050-VJ01 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

For Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

Via the following structure, we will explore and practice how to handle information, assumptions, academic expectations, your own self and the future.

• Forums (in-class discussions) and Workshops (in-class generative writing sessions) 30% of final grade
• Weekly Writing Assignments 30% of final grade
• Quizzes 10% of final grade
• Final Project 30% of final grade

Evaluation Criteria

Your final grade is made up of the following:

Participation 30%

• show up for class on time, stay for the whole thing, and speak up
• asynchronous online submissions
• in-class writing submissions

Weekly Assignments: 30%

Writing practice is a process of discovery. No amount of intellect, imagination, thought, charm or chatgpt is a substitute. What brought you here, and what do you bring here? How does it all apply? Weekly assignments are an invitation to explore your personal interface with the world around you.

Final Project/Beyond the Single Story: 30%

Your final project will be a paper that includes

• a thesis (what's your pitch?)
• 4+ resources that inform and back up your argument
• a beginning, middle and end, because story is important

Use this assignment to explore and articulate the relevance of information and the importance, the danger and the potential of context. Watch the filters! WTF for short! Recognize and relate the power of the filters we and others use.

Information Literacy Quizzes: 10%

These brief quizzes, some by me, your instructor, and some created by our librarians, will develop your ability to select appropriate, valid and authoritative information and to read with a discerning mind. We will also learn and practice research and citation.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Your participation includes:

• show up – attend class regularly, on-time and for the full session
• pay attention to others in class and practice dignity
• complete all of the week's assignments before the start of class
• AI is not the flex you might think it is; more later
• take care of yourself – ask questions + get help when you need it
• don't be afraid to be seen trying

My participation as instructor includes:

• providing content, context, examples, feedback and encouragement
• providing welcoming practice space
• being available for questions, comments and relevant help exz12290@vsc.edu

Missing & Late Work Policy

• Assignments are due by the deadline noted on the syllabus, even when you need to be absent. Your work can be submitted via Canvas, emailed, or dropped off at the front desk.
• You are responsible for checking Canvas and getting any notes, materials and assignments for the class you missed. Please ask if anything is unclear.
• Plan to complete homework for the next class meeting on time. Being absent is not an excuse for not completing any homework assigned for that day.
• Late work in not accepted, except in emergency situations, in which case, contact me as early as you can so we can set up an alternative.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity