COURSES

Individual Learning and Motivation
Strategies for Success in College

Note: There are no prerequisites for EPL 159,  259, or 359. Courses may be taken in any order.

This 5-credit course teaches "study skills,"  which are abilities to use specific techniques and approaches to enable better learning, better understanding and better retention of what is taught.  EPL 259 also addresses time and life management issues that are pertinent in a college environment. Using the ADAPT instructional model, the course introduces four key strategies for achievement: Take Reasonable Risk, Take Responsibility for your Outcomes, Search the Environment, and Use Feedback. These strategies are applied to enhancing skills and processes such as learning from lecture and text, preparing for exams, researching and writing papers, managing tasks, making career decisions, and managing oneself and one’s life at college.  EPL 259 uses Learning and Motivation Strategies: Your Guide to Success (2nd Ed.) by Tuckman, Abry, and Smith, 2008, as the primary textbook.  A Hope in the Unseen by Ron Suskind is a supplementary reading.

The following topics are covered:

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 Module 1: Introduction...

...describes the purpose and format of the course.

Module 2: The Keys to Achievement...

...introduces general overall strategies that enable people to be successful achievers.

Module 3: Procrastination - The Thief of Time...

...describes strategies and approaches that reduce or eliminate procrastination.

Module 4: Believing in Yourself - Self-Confidence...

...introduces methods that increase self-confidence.

Module 5: Taking Responsibility - It's Up to You...

...presents methods that increase one's sense of control over life.

Module 6: Active Listening - Learning from Lecture...

...describes methods for taking notes and processing the material from notes.

Module 7: Active Reading - Learning from Text...

...introduces methods for reading and understanding text materials.

Module 8: Preparing for Exams...

...describes methods for organizing class information to successfully prepare for exams.

Module 9: Preparing Papers and Speeches...

...covers methods for writing papers and giving speeches.

Module 10: Managing Your Life in School...

...presents methods for successful adjustment to college life.

See a slideshow on the EPL259 - LMS course (Printable PDF handout file here).

 

Technology Enhanced Learning Strategies

EDU P&L 359 is a 5 credit hour course dedicated to exploring communication media and other technology that help students achieve success in college. Subject and content include search strategies, organization, use of evidence in argumentation, public presentations, and self-assessment. Students learn about plagiarism and copyright, employ Boolean logic to search for sources, write and edit collaboratively, use blogs and wikis, build charts and graphs from data, and produce podcasts and digital stories.

The following topics are covered:

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The first third of the quarter covers...

...tools (Carmen, email, calendars), libraries, search strategies, topic selection, and general writing guidelines.

The middle third of the quarter covers...

...editing, argumentation, organization, outlining, producing graphs and charts as evidence, using visual models, resource credibility, plagiarism, and copyright.

The final third of the quarter covers...

...reflection and self-assessment about learning and technology, and presenting academic content in with various media.