CLA 1001, Learning Community Integrative Seminar
Section 3--Fall 2009
University of Minnesota, Duluth
1 credit
| Instructor: Bruce Mork (bmork) | Office: Cina 104C | Office hours:11-12, MWF |
| Phone: 726-6369 | E-mail: bmork@d.umn.edu | Teaching assistant: Hannah Alley (alley016) |
This seminar meets for eight weeks Tuesday and Thursday from 12.00 to 12.50 in MontH 108, beginning September 9, with two follow-up meetings later in the semester. We may also plan some activities outside class time/
Text: None
Course Objectives:
1. To facilitate your successful transition to college learning at UMD.
2. To foster friendship and mutual support in a learning community (beginning with learning each other's names) .
3. To share with each other your discoveries about the college and the community.
4. To understand the student role from a sociological perspective (after all, your instructor is a sociologist, so you can't avoid that).
5. To promote effective study skills.
6. To help you initiate a process that will lead to a well-considered choice of major and eventually of career.
7. To examine the role of the liberal arts in terms of your development as a person and a citizen, as well as how they relate to work and career.
8. You tell me what else you'd like from this course.
Course Description: This course meets twice a week, Tuesdays with your instructor and your ta and Thursdays with your teaching assistant. Those in attendance are part of a freshman learning community, meaning that they are enrolled in a series of shared courses with other members. The purpose of the course is to facilitate a successful adaptation to college life at UMD and prepare students to make good decisions as they proceed with their college careers.
Grading: Your grade will reflect your attendance as well as your successful completion of projects. . . Assignments that you do for the ta-led sessions will also count toward your grade.
Journals: 2 weekly journal assignments as follows: 1. One entry each week must be a reflection on classes (likes, dislikes, concerns, etc.) 2. One entry on anything students want to journal about (family, roommates, highs, lows, things looking forward to, etc.). Journal entries must be a minimum of one page in length. Journals are graded on effort put into writing the journal now what the journal says. Journals will be collected every other Thursday, with your each two entries worth five points.
The assignments below are a work in progress. I will have a final version for you the second week.
Assignment |
Points |
Due date |
| Attendance: 2 points per session | 35 points | |
| Personal style inventory | 5 points | |
| Reaction paper: small groups | 5 points | |
| Reaction paper: the purpose of a liberal education | 5 points | |
| Email assignment | 5 points | |
| E-mail exchange, college drinking | 5 points | |
| Academic progress report and goals | 5 points | |
| Journals: | 160 points | |
| Time management assignment | 5 points | |
| In-class study group assignment | 5 points | |
| Out of class study group assignment | 5 points | |
| Majors/careers assignment | 30 points | |
| Totals |
Grading standards : A, 93-100; A-, 90-92; B+, 87-89; B, 83-87; B-, 80-82; C+, 77-79; C, 73-77; C-, 70-72; D+, 67-69; D, 63-67; D-, 60-62; F, below 60.
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS/FACILITIES: If you have a physical or cultural condition, either permanent or temporary, which you believe makes it difficult for you to participate in and/or complete the requirements of this course in the time and manner prescribed, please let me know by the end of the first week of instruction. Adaptation of methods, materials, or testing may be made as required. It is your responsibility to contact Disability Services and Resources for advice regarding adaptations. (This is also a chance for me to make a pitch for Disability Services and Resources, located on the second floor of Kirby Student Center.)