Learning & Technology
GT 103 U2
Fall 2023 Syllabus
PROFESSOR: Terrill J. Gilley, Ph.D.
Office Location: Deeds 203-C
Office Hours: By appointment via Teams
Phone: 336.714.7984
Email Address: gilleyt@carolinau.edu
Carolina University Mission Statement
Carolina University is a Christ-centered University committed to educating aspiring leaders worldwide through exceptional teaching, scholarly research, creative innovation, and professional collaboration.
Course Information
Course Prerequisites
None.
Course Description
This course will equip students with critical learning tools to enhance their college experience. Content in this course is designed to implement life management principles, including best practices for managing time and stress in the specific context of the academic environment, as well as technologies specific to the institution. This course will cover the topics of digital citizenship, digital fluency, and self-awareness to ensure success in and beyond the classroom.
Course Delivery and Methods
This one-week module includes recorded lectures and discussions to cover this course's topics and learning outcomes. Assignments will include readings from textbooks and articles, or other assigned media designed to reinforce topics covered in the course. Assigned coursework will facilitate a comprehensive instructional design to assess learning objectives accurately.
Students may elect to complete the work in this course synchronously, asynchronously, or any combination so long as the work is completed by the provided deadlines. The course schedule will detail assignment deadlines and instructions.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Describe learning styles and articulate their relevance to the learning environment.
- Prioritize and manage personal and professional obligations.
- Steward digital tools and resources pertinent to college success.
- Recognize the value of self-awareness and its benefit to life-long success.
- Evaluate and scrutinize the effects of using various technologies.
.
Course Resources
Required Texts:
Baldwin, A. (2023). College Success. OpenStax.
https://openstax.org/details/books/college-success
Schwartz, M. (2020). Digital Citizenship Toolkit. Ryerson University.
https://pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca/digcit/
Required Resources:
Computer (Mac/PC) with administrative rights to install and manage software.
Recommended Resources:
N/A
Course Requirements and Assignments
Quizzes
This course will implement daily quizzes based on presentations, assigned readings, and media. They will all be completed within the Learning Management System (LMS) and are designed to assess learning outcomes comprehensively. Quizzes not completed by the deadline will automatically receive a score of zero.
Journal Entries
Students will complete a daily journal entry of 250+ words in a private forum. Only the student and the professor will have the ability to see the content for each post. Special attention should be given to mindful self-awareness and spiritual growth, considering their personal context and background. Prompts will be provided in the LMS.
Discussion Forums
There will be discussion forums assigned daily. Students will be asked to add a primary post of 150+ words and reply to at least (2) other students’ posts with 100+ words each. Students will maintain proper discussion forum etiquette while interacting with the provided prompts.
There will be opportunities daily to join a synchronous conversation in lieu of writing the discussion board post and replies. Students who choose this option must be present for the entirety of the session, engage in discussion, and raise their points and counterpoints with classmates. This option may be exercised daily (e.g., if you choose to attend the session on Monday, you may elect the discussion forum on Tuesday, etc.). Any combination of synchronous or asynchronous participation is acceptable. Refer to the course schedule for the days and times for the synchronous sessions.
Final Exam
Students will complete a cumulative final exam to assess their understanding of this course's key elements (CLOs). Questions will derive from the classroom presentations and assigned readings and media.
Participation
In this class, students will view videos daily via EdPuzzle. Students will be responsible to login with their CU email address and view videos every day before 11:30pm. Some videos will include questions that require interaction. Daily completion of the videos will constitute the participation grade for this class.
Course Schedule
Day
|
Date/Time
|
Textbook Readings
|
Topics
|
Assignments**
|
1
|
27-Nov 11a-1p ET*
|
● College Success, Chapter 2
|
Syllabus
|
Syllabus Quiz (5:00p)
|
● College Success, Chapter 3
|
CU Technology Overview
|
Discussion Forum (11:30p)
|
|
Google Workspace
|
Journal Entry (11:30p)
|
|
Learning Styles
|
Quiz 1 (11:30p)
|
2
|
28-Nov 1p-3p ET*
|
● College Success, Chapter 5
|
Note Taking & Tools
|
Discussion Forum (11:30p)
|
● College Success, Chapter 6
|
Time/Priority Management
|
Journal Entry (11:30p)
|
|
Microsoft Suite
|
Quiz 2 (11:30p)
|
3
|
29-Nov 9a-11a ET*
|
● College Success, Chapter 7
|
Thinking
|
Discussion Forum (11:30p)
|
● Digital Citizenship Toolkit, Chapter 1
|
Digital Literacy, Ethics, & Addiction
|
Journal Entry (11:30p)
|
● Washington Post Article
|
Social Media & Persuasive Technology
|
Quiz 3 (11:30p)
|
4
|
30-Nov
8p-10p ET*
|
● College Success, Chapter 8
|
Communicating & Etiquette
|
Discussion Forum (11:30p)
|
● Digital Citizenship Toolkit, Chapter 2
|
Modes of Digital Communication
|
Journal Entry (11:30p)
|
● Digital Citizenship Toolkit, Chapter 3
|
Understanding Digital Citizenship
|
Quiz 4 (11:30p)
|
5
|
1-Dec 2p-4p ET*
|
● College Success, Appendix A
|
Conducting & Presenting Research
|
Discussion Forum (11:30p)
|
● Digital Citizenship Toolkit, Chapter 4
|
Critical Approaches to Digital Literacy
|
Journal Entry (11:30p)
|
● Digital Citizenship Toolkit, Chapter 5
|
Personal Finances
|
Quiz 5 (5:00p)
|
● Digital Citizenship Toolkit, Chapter 6
|
Digital self-awareness
|
Final Exam (11:30p)
|
● College Success, Chapter 10
|
|
|
*Students may elect to complete the daily discussion forum if unable to join synchronously.
**Participation is gauged by viewing assigned videos in EdPuzzle. Students will receive a daily participation grade based on completion of videos by 11:30pm each day. No additional submission is required in eLearning.
Course Specific Policies
Late work will not be accepted. Because this is a one-week course, there is no time to make it up. Given that among the goals in this course are time management and prioritization, it is imperative to effectively plan for certain scenarios that arise that may be outside of the student’s control. The course schedule outlines specific deadlines for each assignment and students are encouraged to work ahead whenever possible. The LMS will provide the time for submissions; plan accordingly.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
The use of generative AI tools is permitted in this course for the following activities:
- Brainstorming and refining ideas
- Fine-tuning research questions
- Finding information on a topic
- Drafting an outline
- Checking grammar and style
- AI-specific assignments (per the provided instructions)
The use of generative AI tools is not permitted in this course for the following activities:
- Impersonation in classroom context (e.g. composing discussion board posts)
- Completing group work
- Writing a draft of a writing assignment
- Writing entire sentences, paragraphs, or papers to complete class assignments
Grading Attendance
The course will adhere to the attendance policy as set forth by the university and notify pertinent individuals and offices for instances of absence and course abandonment. In this course, there are (5) daily quizzes which will be used to grade attendance. Your completion of the quiz for the corresponding day will be used to grade attendance as “Present” or “Absent”. Points are not assigned for attendance in this course and no late submissions of the quiz (if permitted) will contribute toward the attendance grading as it will be considered final upon entry.
Course Grading
Assignment Type
|
Weight (points or percentage)
|
Quizzes
|
30%
|
Journal Entries
|
10%
|
Discussion Forums
|
15%
|
Final Exam
|
20%
|
Participation
|
25%
|
Total
|
100%
|
Course Assessment Mapping
Assessment
|
Objective(s) Met
|
Quizzes
|
1,2,3,4,5
|
Journal Entries
|
2,4
|
Discussion Forums
|
1,3,5
|
Final Exam
|
1, 2,3,4,5
|
University Policies
Late Assignment Policy
- Students are expected to inform professors prior to a scheduled absence and understand work may be made up at the professor’s discretion to ensure full credit.
- Upon an unexpected absence from class, the student should contact the professor immediately to discuss make-up work and submit such work in a timely manner.
- Students should not wait until the end of the session to deal with concerns about absences.
Grading Scale
Grade
|
Point Value
|
Range
|
|
|
|
Undergraduate
|
Graduate
|
|
A
|
4
|
94-100
|
96-100
|
|
A-
|
3.7
|
90-93
|
93-95
|
|
B+
|
3.3
|
87-89
|
90-92
|
|
B
|
3
|
83-86
|
87-89
|
|
B-
|
2.7
|
80-82
|
85-86
|
|
C+
|
2.3
|
77-79
|
82-84
|
|
C
|
2
|
73-76
|
79-81
|
|
C-
|
1.7
|
70-72
|
77-78
|
|
D+
|
1.3
|
67-69
|
74-76
|
|
D
|
1
|
60-66
|
70-73
|
|
F
|
0
|
<60
|
<70
|
|
Instructor Student Interaction & Communication
- Please use email whenever possible.
- Faculty should respond to all emails and voicemail messages within 1 day.
- Grading of assignments is to be done within 3 days for regular assignments (this includes attendance) and 7 days for larger assignments.
- Some assignments may require additional time to grade due to the length of the project and the directive to provide substantive feedback that will assist you throughout the learning process. In cases where the assignment is not returned with feedback within the stated period, refer to communication from your professor to facilitate expectations on subsequent assignments. Students are not expected to apply adjustments on subsequent assignments in advance of returned grading and feedback.
All CU faculty and students are provided means of electronic communication (e.g. email, video conferencing, chat features, discussion boards, etc.) All employees and students are required to use official university electronic accounts for official university correspondence. This policy is meant to include both synchronous and asynchronous communication. Faculty and staff are not obligated to read, receive, or respond to communications where these guidelines are not followed. Email must be checked regularly, especially when enrolled in an active course. Adhere to the following guidelines when communicating online with professors, university employees, and other students.
- Accounts: Only university email and related systems should be used for institutional communications. Do not use personal email or video conferencing accounts.
- Names: Refer to professors and CU employees by their last names with appropriate honorifics (e.g., “Dr.” or “Prof.”). For professors, if you cannot easily verify their degree or status, “Prof.” is most appropriate—not “Ms.” or “Mr.” Under no circumstance should you use first names unless given explicit permission.
- Introductions: Use subject lines appropriately and begin any course-specific email with your first and last name, the course number, and your exact section number or meeting time (e.g., “101-05,” “9 am MW,” but not “this morning”).
- Grammar and Style: All written communications must conform to standard English. Emails and discussion board posts should not resemble text message, chat, or social media posts. Use complete sentences with correct capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
- Coordination: All members of a synchronous, online interaction should participate by the same mode of interaction when possible. For example, join video conferences with video. This is especially true for one-on-one meetings with your professor and small group video discussions in or outside of class.
- “Class” Conduct: When participating in synchronous classes or meetings (especially when using video), conduct yourself as if in the classroom. Be on-time and mentally present. Be seated at a desk or table. Dress according to classroom standards. Do not introduce distractions into the interactions and be prepared to stay for the duration of the session per normal classroom behavior.
- Complexity: In general, asynchronous communication is appropriate for simple questions and activities. Complex questions that require more than one simple response should be addressed synchronously—during class is often best. If you are unable to ask your question during class, or it is too personal to do so, use an asynchronous method to arrange a synchronous meeting.
- Boundaries: Synchronous communication is less formal than asynchronous. However, the appropriate use of names, language, acronyms, and emojis must still conform to classroom standards. Since we do not all share the same online culture, be prepared to explain yourself if your acronym or emoji is not understood. Be polite and respectful when asking for clarification, and gracious when misunderstandings occur.
Student Complaints
Informal Resolution
Carolina University seeks to provide an excellent educational experience for all students. If a student wishes to make a complaint of an academic nature, in the first instance, they should seek to resolve the matter by informal discussion with the faculty member.
If the discussion is in person, it is recommended that the student follow up with an email summarizing the discussion (complaint and resolution if one is reached).
If the discussion with the faculty member does not resolve the issue, the student may also contact the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at kernr@carolinau.edu.
Filing a Formal Complaint
If informal discussions do not resolve the complaint, a student may file a formal complaint. No student shall suffer retaliation or other punitive action for the sole reason of filing a complaint or participating in a related process. A student must be enrolled at the institution to file a complaint under this policy. A student may file a complaint about a matter related to teaching, learning, assessment, grading, or student performance in a course.
A student must complete and submit the Student Academic Complaint Form to the Registrar's Office no later than 7 days after the events that are alleged to have caused the complaint. Any supporting evidence must be attached to the form. A vague complaint stating unsupported allegations, obvious falsehoods, based on differences of opinion about academic content or faculty expertise, or is unrelated to academic matters is liable to be dismissed summarily.
For the full text and a thorough explanation of the university’s complaint policy, visit: https://catalog.carolinau.edu/student-academic-complaints
Course Attendance and Participation
All courses follow specific attendance policies found in the Academic Catalog for that course level and format. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with these policies and to keep track of their own attendance. Per the university attendance policy, accrued absences may contribute negatively toward a student’s final grade.
Carolina University faculty will assess course participation and may assign grade points as deemed appropriate for the course and subject matter. Participation may be gauged by attending online or in-person classes, lectures, or labs, submitting coursework, engaging in workshops or other interactive computer-assisted teaching activities, engaging in group study or online discussions curated by the instructor, or otherwise interacting with an instructor about academic matters by Zoom or other means. Students should refer to the assignment weighting table and course specific policies for details on participation assessments.
Disability Assistance
Carolina University welcomes students, faculty, staff and visitors with disabilities to our campus and to our programs. Our goal at CU is to ensure an accessible, inclusive welcoming learning and working environment for individuals with disabilities while complying with federal and state regulations.
Students with disabilities are encouraged to reach out to University Accessibility Services (UAS) as soon as possible to explore possible accommodations. UAS serves as a central resource on disability-related information, procedures and services for the university community and partners will work with the student and any other campus partners to identify barriers and implement plans for access. More information about UAS can be found at https://carolinau.edu/university-accessibility-services
Academic Integrity and Misconduct
The Student Handbook has a detailed list of different ways students show a lack of academic integrity, including academic technology misuse, cheating, complicity, fabrication or invention, falsification, forgery, multiple submissions, plagiarism, and sabotage.
Academic integrity is the honest and responsible conduct of studies, scholarship, research, information collection, and presentation. The university expects students to submit assignments that are original to them and to properly cite and reference other peoples’ ideas using the prescribed style guide. The very foundation of a good university education is academic integrity. Learning how to express original ideas, cite sources, work independently, and report results accurately and honestly are skills that carry students beyond their academic careers. If a student is uncertain about an issue of academic honesty, they should consult the faculty member to resolve questions in any situation prior to the submission of the academic exercise.
Maintaining your academic integrity involves:
- Creating and expressing your own ideas in course work.
- Acknowledging all sources of information including verbal, written, digital, and graphic.
- Completing assignments independently or acknowledging collaboration.
- Attending classes, exams, and required academic events.
- Accurately reporting results when conducting your own research.
- Honesty during examinations.
- Not tampering with or misusing technology.
- Not aiding or abetting other students in violating any academic rules or policies.
Courses at Carolina University will utilize proctoring for select exams to ensure exam integrity. Per Carolina University directives, all exams that represent 25% or more of a course grade are required to be proctored. Instances of cheating or inappropriate behavior will be considered violations of the Academic Integrity policy and will result in disciplinary action.
Plagiarism is the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without acknowledgment. All researchers are expected to acknowledge the use of another author’s words by the use of quotation marks around those words in the text of a paper and by appropriate citations. Plagiarism can occur in an oral, written, or media project submitted for academic credit or for some other benefit. Examples of plagiarism include (but are not limited to), the following:
- Word-for-word copying of another person’s ideas or words;
- Mosaic (interspersing of one’s own words here and there while, in essence, copying another’s work);
- Paraphrasing without citation (the rewriting of another’s work, yet still using their fundamental idea or theory);
- Submission of another’s work as one’s own;
- Having another person write a paper;
- Buying or procuring a ready-made paper from a research paper “service” on the Internet or from another such service;
- Neglecting quotation marks on material that is otherwise acknowledged;
- Fabrication of references (inventing or counterfeiting sources)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Blackaby, H. T., & Blackaby, T. (1999). The Man God Uses. B&H Publishing Group.
Bradberry, T., & Greaves, J. (2009). Emotional intelligence 2.0. TalentSmart.
Bridges, J. (2016). The Practice of Godliness. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Challies, T. (2016). Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity. Cruciform Press.
Covey, S. R. (2013). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal
Change. Simon and Schuster.
Duckworth, A. (2018). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (Reprint edition). Scribner.
Five Minutes in the Morning: A Focus Journal. (2017). United Kingdom: Octopus.
Gallup. (2017). CliftonStrengths for Students (Har/Psc edition). Gallup Press.
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. E., & McKee, A. (2013). Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of
Emotional Intelligence. Harvard Business Press.
Keller, W. P. (1980). Walking with God: Wholeness and Holiness for Common Christians.
Kregel Publications.
Mathis, D. (2016). Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines. Crossway.
Sanders, J. O. (2017). Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer (Reissue
edition). Moody Publishers.
Tripp, P.D. (2022). Reactivity: How the Gospel Transforms our Actions and Reactions.
Crossway.
Whitney, D. (2014). Simplify Your Spiritual Life: Spiritual Disciplines for the Overwhelmed.
Tyndale House.