Phone: 408-741-2411

E-mail: E-mail through ANGEL communication ONLY.

(My West Valley e-mail is problematic and I do not always receive mail in a timely manner)

Required Text:

Peak Performance: Success in College and Beyond*

Seventh Edition, by Sharon K. Ferrett

Required Assessment: Myers Briggs Type Indicator - covered by class fee.

Let me know if you have taken this assessment recently in another class.

Course Description: 3.0 Units.

Acceptable for Credit: California State University, and University of California.

Meets Area E: General Education Requirement for AA/S Degree and CSU General Education Pattern

The course focuses on the following topics: college expectations and opportunities, campus resources, learning styles and strategies including lecture note-taking, test taking, memory and concentration; life management, goal setting, career decision making, educational planning, stress management and health maintenance, cultural diversity and instructor/student relationships. The course integrates personal growth, academic and career success with problem solving, critical and creative thinking.

Course Purpose: Congratulations! You have selected a course that is one of the most important classes you will take in college. Starting your college career with a focus on developing the skills you need in order to succeed in college and beyond is a wise choice. This class will help you to increase your confidence and understanding of the skills and competencies required for college and job success. It will also help you adjust to various transitions from high school to college, and from college to the world of work.

Course Objectives:

· learning how to learn through assessment of your learning styles, personality characteristics and interests

· creating a positive and motivated state of mind

· developing emotional maturity and self- control

· learning how to manage time and money

· learning academic and basic study skills

· learning how to write and speak effectively

· learning how to conduct effective library research on the web

· respecting and appreciating diversity in others

· reducing stress and increasing health and energy

· developing the ability to work in cooperative teams

· taking responsibility for school and job success

· creating positive habits and commitment

· developing a Career Portfolio through self-assessment and research

· making connections between college classes and job success

Learning Climate:

Cooperative and experiential learning are based on two key concepts:

· You are responsible for your learning.

· You are expected to read all course material, participate in class exercises, critically analyze course content, reflect on your awareness through your writing assignments, and apply the concepts to your own personal experiences.

· If you have a documented Learning Disability I am happy to arrange extra test time, or any other accommodation that you require, if your DESP counselor recommends it. If you suspect that you might have a learning problem, please let me know as soon as possible, and I will help you to arrange for assessment through our DESP program

Requirements and Expectations for the Course:

· Attendance: Your attendance in an online class is measured by the submission of required assignments in a timely manner. You are expected to attend each class by carefully reading and preparing the required assignments, submitting them on time, and by successfully completing the weekly quizzes. Submitting responses to discussion questions given, as well as responding to e-mail correspondence from me in a timely manner, is expected. Your success depends on your involvement and participation.

Please read the college Attendance policy in the West Valley College catalog*. If you fail to submit assignments (* “reasonably participating in the activities and requirements of the course”), as required according to the stated attendance policy, you will be dropped from the class. I do not “carry” students in this class who do not actively participate in the class.

In addition, if you request a Pass/No Pass option for the course, it will not remain a viable option unless you are actively participating in the course. You will be dropped from the course as stated above.

Plan to spend a minimum of 3-6 hours on your homework/quizzes per Lesson. You will need additional time for research papers and your FINAL project.

· Critical Thinking: You are expected to use critical thinking and creative problem solving to complete workbook exercises and other assignments, and to apply these concepts to your school, job and life experiences

· Group Discussion: You will be given a topic in which to respond to a group discussion. You will be required to respond to at least two other class members. You are expected to do your share of the work required, to respect other class members and to work cooperatively with them.

· Assignments: You are expected to do all reading assignments and to complete all written assignments. Every workbook exercise, power point presentation, career focus exercise, project, case study and quiz is designed with the course purpose in mind – to help you to gain the skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond. You may work ahead in your assignments, but late work will not be accepted except under special arrangement.

· Submitting Your Assignments: If you receive a message that I cannot open your written assignments, please submit them in “rich text format”.rtf is a universal program that allows any operating system to open the file. Look at the file type under the name of the file that you are saving. It should include rich text format. You may also submit in doc. or docx formats

· Classroom Decorum: Inappropriate language will not be tolerated. This class follows the standards set in the Student Code of conduct, Board Policy 5.19, found in the West Valley College Catalog. Students are subject to disciplinary action for violation of that code.

Final Project: Your final exam will consist of the submission of your Career Research Project to the Final Drop Box found in Lesson 14. Instructions for the Final are found in Lesson 13.

Your grades are the result of the choices that you make. Building good work habits is critical for success in your career, and in your life. Assignments, quizzes, and projects are worth the specific point values indicated below. Final grades are based on your total points at the end of the semester

Questionnaire	20
Study Planner	20
Homework Assignments: 12 @ 40 points each, 1 @ 20 points	500
Myers-Briggs Reaction Paper	20
Chapter Quizzes – 13 @30 points each	390
Library Research Paper	100
Campus Services Assignment	20
Career Development Portfolio Project	200
Evaluation	20
Discussion – 3 assignments	60

Total Points	1350

Grading Scale:

A=1229-1350

B=1094-1228

C or Pass =959-1093

D=822-958

F or No Credit (NC)=Below 821