Course Syllabus

                                                                                              

 

                                                                                                           

 

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

 

Please read the following course syllabus carefully, especially the course dates, times and location. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to communicate with the IDEAL Program office, your academic advisor, or the instructor.

 

The IDEAL degree-completion program is designed with the adult learner in mind. Adult learners approach learning with specific goals, want to be able to directly apply new learning to their work and personal lives, and tend to learn best when the coursework is problem-centered so that they are actively engaged in the learning process. In addition, adults bring rich and varied experience to the classroom, which becomes a valuable learning resource for other students.

 

The IDEAL Program assumes joint responsibility in the learning process. The activities and assignments in the courses build on the shared experience of all learners in each class. This is why each student’s preparation, participation and interaction in class activities and discussions are critical to the success of each course. The accelerated format of each course requires a significant amount your time outside the classroom to prepare for and complete the course assignments. This varies between students and courses; however, students typically spend nine-twelve hours per week on course material.

 

To participate in the IDEAL Program, it is expected that you will do the following:

1. Attend every class session. Be on time.
2. Obtain the required course materials prior to the first class session.
3. Complete the first assignment prior to the first class session and all subsequent assignments to the best of your ability.
4. Participate in the class discussions and demonstrate respect and consideration to the instructor and other students when they express themselves in discussion.

 

If you cannot perform these four expectations, it is recommended that you drop the course. We look forward to your academic success in each course and the ultimate completion of your degree.

 

 

 

Course No. & Title:    HUSV 331 ID1, Process of Living and Dying

Semester and Term:   Summer 2015

Day and Dates:  Thursdays 5/7/2015 – 6/4/2015

Time:  6pm – 10pm

Campus Location: Bridgeport

 

 

Course Description:

A seminar based on the premise that death and dying are closely related to life and living. This course explores the processes of death and dying, its effect on family members, cultural attitudes toward death, and various professional and paraprofessional roles available to deal with these issues. (Cross-listed as GERO 331)

Prerequisite Course: GERO 101

Course Code: GER-C, HS-PE, PSY-PE

 

 

Instructor & contact information: 

Barbara Howard

bahoward@bridgeport.edu, bhoward196@snet.net

(203) 733-8320

 

Required Textbook: 

Death & Dying, Life & Living, 7th Edition  By Charles A. Corr Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville and Donna M. Corr Saint Louis Community College at Forest Park   ISBN-13: 9781111840617

 

To order textbooks, go to the bookstore website at  http://bridgeport.textbooktech.com/

Select IDEAL Campus and login to the bookstore. Select the course and follow instructions.

 

 

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:

1.) Phases of living.

2.) Phases of aging and dying.

3.) Nontraditional obstacles in life

4.) Approaches and tools for living and dying.

 

Grading Criteria:

 

10 points – Class Participation --  Learning is a participative process, and your active participation in class serves as a tool for peer learning and professional development.  Students may be asked to speak on a topic from the text.

 

30 points- Discussion Board Postings - Respond to three discussion board questions on Canvas and provide feedback to two classmate’s postings.  See due dates below.  Your posting should be 1-2 paragraphs long and you must provide feedback  to two classmate’s postings.  (10 points per discussion posting)

 

20 points - Reaction Papers – There are 2 reaction papers due for this class.  Reaction papers are meant to be a thoughtful integration of text readings, your reaction to such, including your own experiences. Clear, grammatically correct, typed work is expected in Times New Roman font size 12 and double-spaced. Reaction papers should be approximately 3 pages long.  Instructions for these papers will be provided in class.

 

20 points- each Quiz – There will be a quiz during both Class 2 and Class 5.  Quiz questions are derived from required readings and classroom discussions. (It is important to take notes in class.)

 

Course Value = 100 points

 

 

Letter Grading Scale:

 

 

 

Description of Weekly Sessions:

 

Class Schedule

  

Class	Topic	Reading Due prior to class	Assignment Due
1 May 7	Learning about Death Dying and Bereavement; Death	Text : Part 1 and 2 Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5	Discussion Posting #1 Due Describe your family’s cultural patterns dealing with death.
2 May 14	Dying	Text: Part 3 Chapters  6, 7, 8	Discussion Posting #2 Due Describe what would be your good death.
3 May 21	Bereavement	Text: Part 4 Chapters 9, 10, 11	Quiz on class 1 and 2 Reaction Paper # 1 on the reading.  In what ways in the past have you coped with stressful situations, especially death-related situations? .
4 May 28	Developmental Perspectives	Text: Part 5 Chapters 12, 13, 14, 15	Discussion Posting #3 Due Please write your own obituary.
5 June 4	Legal, Conceptual, and Moral Issues	Text: Part 6 and 7 Chapters 16, 17, 18, 19, 20	Final Reaction Paper #2 on the reading.    Have you thought about the disposition of your body and/or property if you should die? What have you done about these matters, what do you think you should or might do, or why have you done nothing? Quiz material from classes 3-5

 

 

ACADEMIC POLICIES

 

Attendance Policy

Classroom attendance is an integral part of the academic experience; therefore, students are expected to attend all class sessions.  If an absence is unavoidable, the student, prior to class, should communicate with the instructor.  Arrangements should be made at that time for submission of any missed assignments. It is also expected that students arrive on time and not leave until the class is dismissed. Tardiness will result in a reduced grade for the course. If you cannot attend every class session you should consider dropping the course.

 

IMPORTANT:

• Missing one class session will drop the final grade by one letter grade (for example if a student earns a grade of “B” in the course, the final grade would be a “C”).
• Missing two or more class sessions will be cause for a failing grade.
• Note: For 15-week courses; missing two class sessions will result in a letter grade drop and three or more will cause a failing grade.

Drop Procedures

To drop a course, you must complete and submit a Schedule Change Request Form. The form can be accessed at the IDEAL Course Schedule webpage: http://www.bridgeport.edu/academics/continuinged/ideal-academic-degree-programs-and-certificates/ideal-course-schedule.

 

Please print and complete the form and fax the form to the IDEAL Office: 203-576-4537. Prior to dropping a course, the student should contact their IDEAL Academic Advisor to understand the implications to financial aid and/or degree plan progress.

 

Please review the drop fees and tuition refunds at the Academic Calendar; accessed at the IDEAL Course Schedule webpage (same link above).

 

Cell Phones

Cell phones must be turned off (or placed on “vibrate”) while in the classroom. A cell phone call is disruptive and disrespectful to the other students in the class.

 

Academic Dishonesty

The IDEAL program prohibits all forms of academic dishonesty.  Academic dishonesty is normally defined as, but not limited to, the following two categories:

 

Cheating – Using inappropriate sources of information in an assignment or on a test.  The following are examples of cheating taken from real student experiences:

 

Case #1:  A student is enrolled in an introductory psychology course. He has co-workers who have taken the same course. As the end of the course approaches, he wonders how he will find the time to get the research paper finished, and asks one of his co-workers for help.  His co-worker hands him a research paper that he submitted in a similar course.  The student makes minor modifications to the paper, and submits it under his own name.

 

Case #2:  A student enrolled in a humanities course is unsure about how to structure an essay. She is doing research on the World Wide Web, and comes across an essay written by a student from another university.  Using her computer mouse, she copies and pastes the essay into her word processor.  She goes to great lengths to re-word the paper in her own style, but essentially leaves the content and organization the same.

 

Plagiarism – Intentional as well as unintentional failure to acknowledge sources as well as the use of commercially available so-called “research papers” without full recognition of the source. Presenting as one’s own, the ideas, words, or products of another.  The following are examples of plagiarism taken from real student experiences:

 

Case #3:  A student is conducting research for a Civil War research paper.  He has reviewed work on the Internet. Finding helpful information, he has summarized his findings without citing his sources. He believes that minor paraphrasing is all that is necessary.

 

Case #4:  A student is writing a paper that requires her to address specific topics and problems in the assigned course textbook.  She takes the information directly from the textbook with slight modification, without giving any citation. She thinks that since it is the course textbook, she doesn’t have to use quotations or citations.

 

Academic dishonesty applies to all courses, assignments or exams completed by students and submitted as their own original work, whether in person or by electronic means.  The University does not tolerate cheating in any form. It is a serious breach of conduct with serious consequences. Instructors have the right to determine the appropriate penalty for academic dishonesty in their own courses; generally, however, such acts will result in a failing grade for the assignment and/or the course. The penalty for subsequent acts of academic dishonesty may include expulsion.

 

More information on how to recognize plagiarism can be found at this site: http://www.indiana.edu/~istd/plagiarism_test.html

 

Ethics Statement of Confidentiality

An integral component of an IDEAL course is student and faculty expression of personal experiences for the purpose of facilitating coursework.  Students enrolled in the program are expected to honor confidentiality as it pertains to student disclosure.  Shared information, comments, or opinions expressed by another student or the faculty member during the course of classroom discussion should never be used in a manner which is intended to humiliate, embarrass, harass, damage, or otherwise injure other students in their personal, public, or business lives.  In addition, confidentiality must be upheld by not disclosing any information that would identify any particular individual.

ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER

 

The Academic Resource Center is available for IDEAL students seeking help in their studies. The Center is staffed by writing professionals and peer tutors. More information can be found at: http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/2209.asp  The Center is located on the 5^th Floor of the Wahlstrom Library. Make an appointment or walk-in: Telephone: 203-576-4290. Online Tutoring is available at: www.etutoring.org. To use this free service you must have a UBNet account.

 

Obtaining a UBNet Account

Every registered student should obtain a UBNet Account. The account allows you to access MyUB; the portal for grades, library services, Canvas online learning system. Also, the account allows you access to computers in the Library and computer labs, and provides an email account in which the University sends out information. Go to: http://www.bridgeport.edu/ubnet - Click on “New UBNet Account” and follow the instructions.

 

The @bridgeport.edu email address is the official email the University uses to send information to you. You can have your bridgeport.edu email forwarded to any other private email account you use. Following the activation of your UBNet account (takes 24 hours), login at:

http://www.bridgeport.edu/email and click on “forwards” at the top of the page. Follow the directions to forward email messages to your other account.

 

Learning Management System (LMS) - Canvas

For all courses that use Canvas, you can access Canvas through the portal by using the myUB link.  Faculty post class documents on Canvas e.g. syllabus, power points, discussion questions, case studies, current event articles, papers, reports etc. (save some trees). All students have access, and can download and copy the documents. 

Canvas Tutorial For Students:    https://bridgeport.instructure.com/courses/985903

For assistance contact the UB Help Desk at 203-576-4606 or email helpdesk@bridgeport.edu  https://bridgeport.instructure.com/courses/829447

 

 

Accessing Your Grades & Schedule Online

The WebAdvisor online information system allows students to search for available classes, check grades, view semester class schedule and verify your personal profile. Grades are generally posted 2-3 weeks following the end of a course. To access WebAdvisor, login in to MyUB and follow the WebAdvisor menu on the right. If you are carrying a financial balance, access to WebAdvisor will be restricted.

 

Using the Library

Access to the Digital Library is through MyUB. On the MyUB home, in the central column, click on “myEureka Digital Library.” Research tools available:

• Search for books held at the library.
• Search the online databases for your academic field; business, counseling, human services, psychology, etc.
• Send questions to the Reference Librarian for assistance in research topics and searching strategy.

 

Using Computers

Open access computer labs are available at three locations:

• Bridgeport – 1^st floor of the Wahlstrom library. Check library hours of operation at:
  http://www.bridgeport.edu/library.
• Stamford – Room D; Check open hours at:
  http://www.bridgeport.edu/stamford
• Waterbury – Computer Lab; Check open hours at:
  http://www.bridgeport.edu/waterbury

 

Course Cancellations

Any emergency necessitating the canceling of courses will be announced by the University through the Emergency Notification Telephone Line, (203) 576-4159. Please call this number for information on course cancellations. Also, information will be posted under “Latest News” on the UB home page, (www.bridgeport.edu). Canceled classes will be made up either the week following the end of the course or in consultation between the instructor and the students as to day and time availability. Course cancellations are also announced on television and radio stations.

 

IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION

 

Office	Telephone	Email
Bridgeport Campus Security	(203) 576-4911	ubsecurity@bridgeport.edu
Bursar	(203) 576-4692	sfs@bridgeport.edu
Cashier	(203) 576-4682	sfs@bridgeport.edu
Financial Aid	(203) 576-4568	sfs@bridgeport.edu
Registrar	(203) 576-4635	registrar@bridgeport.edu
Emergency Notification Phone	(203) 576-4159
IDEAL Office	(203) 576-4800	idealinfo@bridgeport.edu

 

 

CAMPUS CONTACT INFORMATION

 

Campus	Address	Telephone	Email
Bridgeport	126 Park Avenue Bridgeport, CT 06604	(203) 576-4800	idealinfo@bridgeport.edu
Stamford	5 Riverbend Drive Stamford, CT 06750	(203) 358-0700	ubstamford@bridgeport.edu
Waterbury	84 Progress Lane Waterbury, CT 06705	(203) 573-8501	ubwaterbury@bridgeport.edu

 

Directions to IDEAL Campus locations

http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/2260.asp

 

 

To fill out your financial aid report to the Federal Government, please go online to www.fafsa.ed.gov. The school code for the University of Bridgeport is 001416.

Federal Student Aid Information: 1-800-433-3243