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Instructor

Tria Skirko, MLIS, WVC Faculty, Librarian

Phone

Library 509.422.7830, Office 509.422.7832

Email

tskirko@wvc.edu

Office Location

Library (Room 306), Office (Room 306B)

Zoom Meeting Room

Visit Zoom.us -> Join -> Meeting ID: 509 422 7832 or https://wvc.zoom.us/my/triaskirko

Office Hours

I will hold office hours through Zoom after class each Wednesday from 9am-10am.  You can also use my booking calendar to schedule time with me over the phone or through Zoom during the week.  Please take advantage of office hours if you have any questions, I’m really waiting around for you to talk with me and I appreciate all student questions!!

Course Days & Times

This is a hybrid zoom course, which means that we complete much of our work through Canvas but also have required meetings each  Wednesday from 8am-9am (with the exception of Veterans Day, Nov. 11 & Thanksgiving Holiday, Nov 25-27).  This is a 5 credit course, which means if we were meeting face to face we would meet for 5 hrs/week.  Because it is hybrid you can expect to spend about 4 hrs/week on Canvas, 1hr/week on Zoom, and 10-15 hours/week on homework.  College courses typically require 2-3 times the total number of credits on outside homework/week (15 credits/quarter = 30-45 hrs of homework/week).

Course Overview

This course provides students with an opportunity to cultivate the skills, values, attitudes and techniques necessary to enrich them academically, professionally and personally. The course covers college-level study skills, including time management, goal setting, classroom etiquette, learning styles, math study kills, note-taking, textbook reading and comprehension, exam preparation and test taking, introductory research skills and beginning presentation skills.   

Required Materials

• Success in College* We are using an OER textbook in this course, it is available FREE to you in many formats, including as a pdf file in our Canvas course shell. If you prefer reading a physical version of the book you can either print off specific readings, use the reserve copy in the library, or purchase a bound version here.
• You will also be watching a film based on a biography or memoir of your choosing, we will select this the first or second week of class.

Course Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, successful students will:

• Use college-level study skills, including taking notes, using test preparation and test-taking strategies, and using college resources.
• Manage their time, set priorities for studying, use their learning style strengths, and demonstrate an awareness of college expectations and classroom decorum.
• Use strong reading comprehension skills.
• Apply critical and analytical thinking skills related to college and life.
• Understand their responsibility for creating a successful experience in college.

Keys to Success

• Be engaged in all aspects of the course (readings, lectures, extra materials, discussions, etc)!
• Regular attendance and class participation are significant factors which promote success in college. Tardiness is disruptive to the class. Please make every effort to be here on time.
• Plan a consistent time to do your work and have a backup plan for doing online assignments.
• Use the assistance available to you, either from Technology, the Library, Tutoring, or Counseling.

ADA Statement / Accommodations

The College has support services for students with diagnosed disabilities.  If you require academic accommodations, please provide your “Instructor Correspondence Form” as soon as possible so we can discuss meeting your needs.  You will have this form after meeting with Lisa Foster (lfoster@wvc.edu).  These services are voluntary and confidential.  If you do not have a documented disability, but believe you may need testing for one, please contact Lisa Foster.  I’m happy to help you contact her, following through on these services can help you be more successful at WVC.  If you have any other special needs, please let me know.

Safety and Emergency Information

For your safety it is important to be aware of general security and/or emergency information. Please take a minute to locate all exits in your room. Doors may be closed and/or locked once class starts to minimize distraction and the possibility of intrusion. If you need to leave the classroom to take a call or go to the bathroom, please know you may need to knock on the door to re-enter. It is recommended to take care of restroom breaks and/or phone calls before class starts. However I understand that there may be reasons to leave and re-enter the room.

In case of EMERGENCY: There is a classroom phone located at the front of the room. If I am unable to get to it, please use it to dial 911. Rivercom will know immediately what room the call is coming from (you don’t have to try to remember) and the emergency alert will automatically go out to designated college personnel. You may use your cell phone to call 911 but Rivercom will not be able to locate your exact position, so it’s best to know your room number. However even the building name would help. Depending on the nature of the emergency please sit quietly and make room for ambulance/police personnel, head to the nearest exit if evacuation is necessary or shelter in place if there is a lockdown situation.

In case of FIRE/EVACUATION: Locate the nearest exit and proceed to the designated meeting place (your instructor should tell you). Please take yourself to safety first. Do no wait on classmates. I will make sure anyone who needs help exiting gets it. Emergency exits are in the rear of the building. Please take a minute to locate the fire extinguishers and alarms.

In case of LOCK DOWN/SHELTER IN PLACE: If there is a lock down of a building on campus or a shelter in place order, we will be alerted through the RAVE alert system and/or the phones in the classrooms. If you receive a RAVE alert during class, please don’t hesitate to interrupt me and let me know. I may not see it on my phone if I’m talking. During a lockdown (drill or otherwise) I will ensure that all doors are locked and blinds pulled (if necessary). We will then stay in the classroom until we are given permission from administration to leave our room. This permission will come through the phone system in the room (it can be used to deliver information through the speaker). We may receive updates on the situation through the RAVE system or the phone system, but depending on the nature of the emergency we may receive no information as resources are needed in other places. I will request that all students stay in the classroom, but I cannot force students to stay in a lock down situation. However please know that if you leave the class you will not be able to re-enter. It is imperative that we keep everyone as safe as possible. Knocking on the door will not gain you entry if you have left the room after a lock down has been issued.

Sign up for RAVE alerts by texting CAMPUSALERTS to 67283.  Anyone can sign up for these, so if you have loved ones/babysitters/parents/etc that might also like to see these alerts encourage them to sign up.

Student Code of Conduct

By enrolling in WVC courses you are agreeing to abide by the Code of Student Conduct.  In the event that a student violates this code of conduct the actions prescribed by the code will be taken.

Both WVC and your instructor are committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment which promotes personal growth and fosters positive self-esteem for all. Therefore, bullying or harassment is not accepted in any form.  We aim to maintain a setting in which everyone feels valued and respected and where individual differences are appreciated, understood and accepted.

Academic Honesty is expected at all times.  Plagiarism (representing someone else’s work as your own) will result in a zero grade for that assignment/quiz/activity and will be reported to the Academic Regulations Committee.

Grading

Activity	Points
Assignments – 8 x 50 points	400
Final Film Presentation – 1 x 100 points	100
Quizzes & Discussion Boards –  20 x 10 points	200
Participation in Zoom Discussions – 10 x 10 points	100
Total	800 points

 

Points	Grade		Points	Grade		Points	Grade		Points	Grade
≥ 95% +	A		≥ 90%	B+		≥ 78%	C+		≥ 60%	D
≥ 92%	A-		≥ 85%	B		≥ 75%	C		≤ 59%	F
			≥ 80%	B-		≥ 70%	C-

 

Homework Policy

Late or missed assignments and exams earn zero points.  The fine print:  In the case of an unavoidable
emergency, it may be possible for a student - who takes the initiative to contact the instructor prior to or immediately after (within hours, not days) - to earn partial credit, up to 75 percent of the total earned.