Course Syllabus

Fall 2025 | INT-1050-VO19 - Dimensions of Self & Society

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Darcy Oakes
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Jennifer Gundy

General Education Requirements

First 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 computer recommendations Support page.

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 no cost textbook or resource class. ***

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

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Integrated: This course's generative AI policy acknowledges the use of AI is an essential skill in today's world. By using genAI for specific purposes, students become equipped with relevant skills and tools necessary to thrive in a technology-driven society. Emphasizing the mastery of generative AI should empower you to harness its potential, enhancing your problem-solving abilities and preparing you for future challenges and opportunities. Be aware, however, that any time generative AI is used at any point in the assignment without attribution it may be considered a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

Methods:

· Regular writing assignments

· Activities to promote creative thinking

· Introduction to CCV online resources

· Self assessments of study skills and areas of strength in multiple intelligences

· Reflections and writings on assigned readings

· Self reflections on personal growth

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria:

Your final grade is made up of the following:

Class Participation (Discussion Forums): 20%
Discussion forums are a vital and required component of this course; this is the place where you learn and practice skills while building community with your classmates. It is expected that you engage with each week’s topics and skills-building activities as well as connect positively to your peers and me. Students who regularly participate in discussions perform better on the major weight-bearing assignments associated with that unit. Please see course policies for more information about online discussion forums and how they impact your class participation grade; discussion forum grading criteria can be found on our course site in the "Start Here" module.

Weekly Journal Assignments: 20%
Journals are scaffolding assignments that enable you to practice the skills needed to pass each of the major assignments. Students who complete these weekly journal assignments not only receive a higher grade in the class, they also perform better on the major weight-bearing assignments associated with that unit. Journal assignment grading criteria can be found in the "Start Here" module.

Working, Learning & Living Project: 10%
This project invites you to explore your interests, discover some of your qualities and skills (i.e. the strengths you offer the world), and engage in some focused thinking about your future.

Beyond the Single Story Project: 15%
In herDanger of a Single Storylecture, Chimamanda Adiche argues that single stories “flatten” our experiences; moreover, they foster “incomplete” truths and “rob people of their dignity” because they present a singular view or perspective of a person, group of people, place, or even a complex topic. This project invites you to think reflectively about “single social/political stories,” deconstruct them, and then build more “complete” narratives/truths. You will share your findings with your peers in an interactive project.

Information Literacy Quizzes: 5%

These brief quizzes created by our librarians will help you develop your ability to select appropriate, valid and authoritative information and to read with a discerning mind.

Final Project: 20%
Your instructor will select a final project that allows you to apply critical thinking skills to synthesize what you have learned in the course.

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

Attendance

The classroom is the heart of the educational experience at CCV because it provides a formal setting for important exchanges among faculty and students. Regular and punctual attendance at all classes, essential for maximum academic achievement, is a major responsibility of students. Absences affect the contributions one can make in the classroom, and they significantly and demonstrably reduce the quality of the educational experience for everyone in the course. As a result, absence almost always affects the quality of performance.

As part of its commitment to a quality educational experience for all members of the CCV community, the College formally requires specific attendance policies to be developed by its professors. It is the student’s responsibility to adhere to each professor’s course attendance policy and to be in ongoing communication with their professors regarding attendance concerns and issues. The attendance policy for this class is as follows:

Attendance is mandatory.Please work to engage in the discussion early and often each week.

Attendance Policy:Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential components of a student's success in college and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. Please be aware that missing more than three (3) classes will result in a non-satisfactory grade.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Late Work

We all lead busy lives, and time management is important. Late work will not be accepted without express permission in advance – don’t count on it. Instead, plan for on time.

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

Apply Now for this semester.