Life Skills for Higher Education

(Guidance 6)

Summer Session, 2008

June 16 - July 25

Units:   2 UC and CSU transferable units.  This course satisfies area E2 on the CSU Breadth and Gavilan College AA/AS patterns of general education.

Instructor:  Celia Marquez  Phone: 848-4807  email: cmarquez@gavilan.edu

NOTE:  The best way to contact me is on our classroom site. In the upper right hand corner there is a Message Center.  Click on that, do a search for my name and you can then send me a message.

The second best way to reach me (if you are having difficulty logging into our classroom) is via email. I am not on campus every day, and do not check voicemail regularly.

Course Description:  Evaluation and application of academic study methods, development of critical thinking skills, and exploration of personal lifestyles.  Students will also evaluate academic and career goals and develop an education plan.  Additional topics include goal setting, time management, and library and internet use.

Advisory: Eligible for English 250 and 260.

Objectives:  Throughout the course of the semester, students will demonstrate the following:

• knowledge of personal lifestyle, including  health habits (including diet, sleep, exercise, etc.), culture, and gender and how lifestyle affects academic success
• knowledge of personal learning style and how this affects class success and study habits,
• the ability to effectively utilize memory, note taking, and test-taking strategies.
• the ability to apply critical thinking, reading and writing processes to gain a comprehensive understanding of academic subjects
• the application of learning techniques to reduce math and science anxiety.
• the ability to research educational and career options
• identification of campus resources

Course requirements and grade determination:

Regular attendance and participation in forums*               120 points (25%)

Journals and assignments**                                          120 points (25%)

Quizzes**                                                                  120 points (25%)

Midterm and Final Exams**                                           120 points (25%)

*Class attendance and participation will be determined by regular log in to the classroom as well as active participation via forum postings.

**Due to the short period of time for this course, it is critical that students stay up to date with all assignments.  Assignments that are completed after the due date will not be accepted. 

Grades will be based on the following percentage scores:

A           95-100%

A-          90-94%

B+         87-89%

B           84-86%

B-          80-83%

C+         77-79%

C           70-76%

D           60-69%

F            Below 60%

Required Text:

The Community College Experience, Amy Baldwin, 2005

Additional Required Material: Gavilan College Catalog, 2007-2009, Gavilan Spring 2008 Course Schedule

Important dates:   

"NRS" (No Record Shown) Deadline: Tues., Jan 8 at 10:00 pm

"W" Deadline: Fri., Jan 18 at 10:00 pm

ADA Accommodation: Students requiring special services or arrangements because of hearing, visual, or other disability should contact their instructor, counselor, or the Disability Resource Center at 848-4865.

Student Honesty: Students are expected to exercise academic honest and integrity.  Violations such as cheating and plagiarism will result in disciplinary action, which may include a recommendation for dismissal.  Please refer to the Academic Honesty policy in the Student Handbook and the Gavilan College for additional information.