Course Syllabus

Summer 2023 | PSY-2280-VO01 - Positive Psychology

Online Class

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

Faculty

Patricia Cook
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Kate Hughes

General Education Requirements

Social Sciences

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

This course examines factors under which humans are best able to thrive, providing tools and practices for healthy living. Positive psychology focuses on helping people understand and enhance their strengths and virtues so that they may lead fulfilling lives. Rather than emphasizing mental disorders and problems, positive psychology focuses on how individuals cultivate grounded optimism. Students will research, explore, and demonstrate how positive psychology correlates with increased academic achievement, goal setting, creativity, leadership, resilience, and overall wellness of individuals and communities.

Essential Objectives

1. Understand the aim and scope of positive psychology, including the distinction between principles of positive psychology and other theoretical principles of psychology.
2. Illustrate an understanding of positive psychology research, including findings from psychiatry, neuroscience, and behavioral research.
3. Demonstrate understanding of the physiology of positive emotion including neural circuitry, neurotransmitters, and chemical substances (natural and foreign).
4. Examine the value of work, family and community relationships and their impact on resilience, motivation and wellbeing.
5. Utilize teachings of positive psychology to better understand the importance of optimism, gratitude, and altruism.
6. Explore how positive psychology can contribute to the art and science of leadership and bring lasting change to individuals and organizations.
7. Apply interventions and/or techniques proven to enhance wellbeing, including recognizing and utilizing personal strengths.
8. Integrate and apply new learning to create a project aiming to improve mental health awareness.
9. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding the scientific method and evaluating quantitative data as applied to human behavior.

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 no cost textbook or resource class ***

PSY-2280-VO01 Link to Textbooks/Resources Information for this course in eCampus.

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

Positive Psychology–Summer 2023

Instructor:Patricia Cook, Ed.D

Patricia.cook@ccv.edu

Intro: Positive Psychology is not a spectator sport. It requires an active online community of supportive classmates.Students have called this class life-changing. I hope it is for you. I hope at the end of the semester, you’ll be able to say what you learned helped develop and increase your sense of well-being, optimism, and flourishing. However, it is important to know that this is an upper-level psychology class, and I have high standards. This will not be an easy A where we talk about being happy (although we do learn about happiness research-grin).

CCV Course Description: This course examines are best factors under which humans able to thrive, providing tools and practices for healthy living. Positive psychology focuses on helping people understand and enhance their strengths and virtues so that they may lead fulfilling lives. Rather than emphasizing mental disorders and problems, positive psychology focuses on how individuals cultivate grounded optimism. Students will research, explore, and demonstrate how positive psychology correlates with increased academic achievement, goal setting, creativity, leadership, resilience, and overall wellness of individuals and communities.

CCV Essential Objectives:

1. Understand the aim and scope of positive psychology, including the distinction between principles of positive psychology and other theoretical principles of psychology.
2. Illustrate an understanding of positive psychology research, including findings from psychiatry, neuroscience, and behavioral research.
3. Demonstrate understanding of the physiology of positive emotion including neural circuitry, neurotransmitters, and chemical substances (natural and foreign).
4. Examine the value of work, family and community relationships and their impact on resilience, motivation and wellbeing.
5. Utilize teachings of positive psychology to better understand the importance of optimism, gratitude, and altruism.
6. Explore how positive psychology can contribute to the art and science of leadership and bring lasting change to individuals and organizations.
7. Apply interventions and/or techniques proven to enhance wellbeing, including recognizing and utilizing personal strengths.
8. Integrate and apply new learning to create a project aiming to improve mental health awareness.
9. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding the scientific method and evaluating quantitative data as applied to human behavior.

Books & Other Course Material Information: We have 2 primary textbooks for this class; both will be available through the Canvas site so you don’t have to buy them. However, I know some students like to have an actual book especially since we read all the books. I know students also buy them to have a break from screen time. You can find both books for reasonable price. If you do want to order, here is info:

· Positive Psychology in a Nutshell: The science of happiness (3^rd edition) by Ilona Boniwell (McGraw Hill: Open University Press, 2012)

· The Strengths-Based Workbook for Stress Relief: A Character Strengths Approach to Finding Calm in the Chaos of Daily Life by Ryan Niemiec (New Harbinger Publications, 2019)

Additional required activities, readings, videos and podcasts will be posted in Canvas and are also an important part of the class. Having good access to internet is important to access the course materials and resources. I know students often do class on their phones, but I believe that a computer makes it easier and more effective.

Time Investment: The course lasts 12 weeks. Your time will include reading chapters from the texts and additional articles, watching instructor and other videos, listening to podcasts, participating in discussion forums, completing rotating assignments, and completing surveys or questionnaires. You can expect to devote a total of about 6-10 hours per week to this class.

Very Important:

· I always give you feedback on all your assignments. Make sure to read and/or listen to my feedback and use it to improve your work

· Pay attention to details, due dates, and instructions (many assignments have a specific format and multiple parts)

· Take the time you need to do your best work

· Take notes on the readings, videos and podcasts—THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT

· Use proper netiquette when interacting with me and your classmates

· Ask questions

· Don't wait until the last minute to alert me to a problem you're having

· Read all emails or Canvas messages that I or the college send you

When doing any writing always adhere to the following guidelines:

· Use proper spelling, grammar, syntax, and punctuation

· Write using complete sentences and well-crafted paragraphs

· Proofread all written work for errors

· Don't use text-speak or spelling when writing. It'sI,not i.Youroryou're, not ur.

· You'll get a better grade and increase your career skills if you take time to write well

· Use APA guidelines to cite work. I will teach you and work with you about correct citations, and I expect that you will be correctly following APA citation format by the 3^rd week.

· There's one more element that's essential for this class to be fun, useful, and fulfilling for all of us: we must make connections. We must quickly become a trusting community of learners; a small group of people walking in the same direction to achieve a common goal: a more complete understanding of and approach to Positive Psychology and the science of well-being.

And of course, get an A for doing it and have our well-being flourish! ;-)

Flow & Organization of Class:

*For class to be a successful learning environment, it’s important to check-in on the Canvas site regularly throughout the week.

Class runs Tuesday to Monday. I open the next week’s class on Monday afternoon, the day before the week starts. I do it this way because I include review and feedback audio and video messages (that I record early Monday morning!) in the week’s course materials. These messages highlight the key ideas from the week and transition us to the next week’s topics.

The flow of class is the same every week: Tuesday through Thursday, you review the week, read/watch/listen to overview and introductory messages, complete the reading (articles, blogs &/or textbook), watch the video(s), begin assignments, listen to a podcast, and sometimes complete a survey(s).

Then…do your discussion forum assignment (due by end of Friday) and engage in discussion (responses due by end of Sunday with additional on Monday). Finally, finish up the week by completing whatever the rotating assignment is that is due by Monday.

To summarize:

Tuesday through Thursday: review, read, watch, listen to course materials

By Friday: Post in Discussion Forum

By Sunday: Engagement and at least 3-5+ required responses in Discussion Forum

By Monday: Rotating assignment (such as journals, choice assignments, mini-experiments or other learning activity).

*Of course, you can always complete tasks ahead of time which helps your classmates by giving them more time to respond.

EVALUATION AND GRADING:

70% Discussion Forums / 30% Rotating Assignments

Course Requirements: Throughout the class, there are a variety of assignments to help assess students’ knowledge and skill levels in relation to learning. The goal is to reflect on and apply course concepts in meaningful ways. Positive Psychology is definitely not a spectator sport.

Discussion Forums-Posts AND Responses: 70%

· The Discussion Forum every week is based on an assignment that uses what we’re learning about that week through the readings, videos, and podcasts.

· The Discussion Forum is a big % of your grade…it is where a lot of the learning happens.

· I break the 70% down as follows: 70% your post and 30% your responses to others’ posts.

· You’re required to reply to at least 3-5 others’ posts. If you’re aiming for an A, you should strive most weeks to respond to 4/5+ posts from classmates.

· Connecting with your classmates is essential to supporting a strong online learning community.

· Your contributions to these discussion forums should be specific and constructive. That is, comments will: 1) show that you have read the class materials and your classmates’ posts, and 2) support your classmate’s work in a substantive way. Ultimately, the discussion forum experiences become real conversations in which questions and ideas are connected to one another and the course materials.

· You are expected toread and reply to all commentsand questions directed toward your posts. It's the polite thing to do.

· You must post before you're able to read and respond to other posts in the discussion forum.

· I close Discussion Forums for comments the start of the following week. Class runs Tuesday-Monday, so on first day of the new week (Tuesday), I close Discussion Forums for week we just finished. My reasoning is that I want you to be looking ahead at the start of every week and keep up. If you have issues with deadlines, reach out to me; if you contact me ahead, I’m almost always willing to work something out with you.

Rotating Assignments: 30%

Most weeks there is what I call the rotating assignment. The rotating assignments include learning activities such as journals, choice assignments, mini-experiments, or other learning activities.

Notes about Grading / I’m looking for:

· timely and thoughtful completion of assignments

· careful reading, watching and listening (I trust you to do the reading, watch all videos, and listen to all audios and podcasts; your incorporation of that information into your writing will provide evidence of your compliance and comprehension)

· integration of course materials and what we’re learning in your assignments.

· online decorum and thoughtful connections with others ideas

· effort and thoroughness(if everyone is writing three in-depth and thoughtful paragraphs and you write one casual paragraph because you're in hurry, I'll notice.)

· overall progress especially in terms of utilizing my feedback.

Attendance Policy: You must check in to Canvas every week. You must also do your assignments. If you are going to miss a due date, please email me to let me know what's going on. (The downside of an online class is there are no sick days!) Missing two or more weeks of class (and assignments) will likely constitute failure EVEN IF YOUR GRADE IS PASSING.When you submit late work you will lose points unless we have connected and come up with a plan.

NOTE: Going online and reading the assignments but not doing any of the writing is considered an absence. Again-I submit attendance for the week just completed on Tuesday morning of the new week.

Policy on Submission Timing and Lateness: As a rule, all work is due before midnight (i.e., by 11:59pm) EST on assigned date. In the rare case that a student is unable to submit an assignment on time, she/he/they should email me as soon as reasonably possible, and no later than the time at which the assignment is due. Students who do not submit an assignment by the time due and do not communicate with me prior to the time of the assignment due date will have points deducted.

Final letter Grade %s:

A+ = Teacher Discretion A = 94-100 A- = 90-93.99

B+ = 87-89.99 B = 84-86.99 B- = 80-83.99

C+ = 77-79.99 C = 74-76.99 C- = 70-73.99

D+ = 67-69.99 D=60-66.99 F=below 60

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A+ through A-: The student has exhibited progress in all areas of study and displayed the eagerness to learn and excel. For work to receive an "A" it must be excellent to exceptional. It must not only reflect a full understanding of the topic or issues addressed, it must also demonstrate the ability toconnecttopics, issues, and ideas. An "A" reflects the ability to clearly and thoughtfully articulate learning in writing; it also indicates the student has completed assignments according to instructions, contributed thoughtfully and kindly to online discussions, and incorporated teacher and peer feedback as the semester went on.

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B+ through B-: The student has exhibited progress and displayed the ability to learn and excel.

For any work to receive a "B" it must be very good to excellent work. The student's work will demonstrate above-average comprehension thorough preparation and attention to detail. A grade of "B" also reflects a student's ability to clearly articulate his or her learning when writing, that the student has completed virtually all assignments, and contributed thoughtfully and enthusiastically to online discussions. The student exhibits progress in most areas and incorporated teacher and peer feedback.

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C+ through C-:A "C" means that the student has not committed to themselves getting a top grade in this class. The student will not have completed or done all assignments to the best of their ability.

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D+ through D-: For any work to receive a "D," it only marginally meets the expectations of the assignment. It demonstrates minimal comprehension or preparation; few critical thinking skills; and/or a lack of effort or desire to get a better grade. NOTE: a "D" may reflect a student's lack of class participation, a consistently negative attitude, an inability to incorporate correction, seek outside help or work diligently toward the improvement of academic skills.

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F: An F indicates one of the following scenarios:

Student doesn't do classwork / missed class / plagiarizes

Important:I do my very best to be understanding, encouraging, flexible and discreet. Still,I am not a mind reader and I have to be fair to all students. If you're having problems and they are affecting your ability to focus and succeed, you need to contact me sooner rather than later. I repeat--If you are having any trouble, please contact me asap. Patricia.cook@ccv.edu or via Canvas message (preferred way). I prefer that you use email or Canvas message because I get it right away. I always try to get back to you that day as soon as possible, I commit that I’ll get back to you within 24 hours at the latest. I also encourage you to access your advisor for assistance and guidance.

Academic Honesty:CCV has a commitment to honesty and excellence in academic work and expects the same from all students. Academic dishonesty, or cheating, can occur whenever you present -as your own work- something that you did not do. You can also be guilty of cheating if you help someone else cheat. Being unaware of what constitutes academic dishonesty (such as knowing what plagiarism is) does not absolve a student of the responsibility to be honest in his/her academic work. Academic dishonesty is taken very seriously and may lead to dismissal from the College.

Please note:In order to receive accommodations for disabilities in this course, students must make an appointment to see the Americans with Disabilities Coordinator in their site and bring documentation with them.

COURSE SCHEDULE: adjustments may be made

Please see Canvas for full instructions for each week’s activities and assignments.

WEEK 1: Introduction to our Class, Positive Psychology and Character Strengths

WEEK 2: What Positive Psychology Is & Isn’t AND Importance of APA Citation Formatting

WEEK 3: Character Strengths and Positive Psychology Interventions

WEEK 4: Traveling to the Blue Zones

WEEK 5: Positive Psychology Research and Mindfulness

WEEK 6: Growth Mindset

WEEK 7: PERMA Theory of Well-Being, Part 1: Positive Emotions & Engagement/Flow

WEEK 8: PERMA Theory of Well-Being, Part 2: Relationships

WEEK 9: PERMA Theory of Well-Being, Part 3: Meaning & Accomplishment & Grit

Week 10: Resilience, Post Traumatic Growth & Living a Resilient Life

Week 11: Happiness

WEEK 12: The Future of Positive Psychology and Our Futures Too

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

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.

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