Course Syllabus • Summer 2012
Instructor: Sandra Eames, Ed.D
Office: RGC 223, 1212 Rio Grande Austin TX 78701
Phone: 512-444-0530
Email: seames@austin.rr.com
Website: www.sandraeames.com
Office Hours: TBA
Course Data: PSYT-2339. Synonym50562, Section 301.
Course Purpose: This course is designed to help students gain a general knowledge of several current and classical counseling theories. The course will cover the key concepts, practical applications, and techniques associated with the theories. This course will also give you the opportunity to clarify your own theoretical stance and begin to develop your style as a counselor.
Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course students will:
1. Identify the significant components of 10 theories.
2. Create and explain a personal theoretical stance of counseling.
3. Demonstrate active listening skills.
4. Integrate the various theories and demonstrate, through a written paper, an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches.
Course Rationale: This course is designed to give students an understanding of counseling theories to prepare them for working as an entry-level counselor.
Course Access: The course is accessed through the ACC distance learning web site at http://acconline.austincc.edu. To access the course, you will need a user name and password. For further instructions go to http://itdl.austincc.edu/blackboard/stlogin.htm . If you are taking this course through another college (Virtual College of Texas), your user name and password will be provided by VCT.
All students must complete an online orientation for the course before starting the assignments. The orientation is located in the Course Information section of the course on the Blackboard page.
Course Structure: This course is taught online, via the Internet. Students must have basic computer skills and Internet access/skills. A personal, not shared, e-mail address is required. The use of the most current web browser(s) is essential for proper transmission of course materials. Students must have a media player downloaded on their computers. To find out how to download the proper player, follow this link: http://itdl.austincc.edu/streaming/students
Lessons: There are 11 lessons for this course. Lessons consist of reading assignments in the textbook, online reading and research, completion of assignments from the Student Manual, quizzes, and a discussion board. Students should read the lesson objectives and complete the reading assignments and Student Manual assignments prior to answering the quizzes and discussion boards for each lesson.
Textbooks:
- Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy; 8th edition; Gerald Corey.
- Student Manual for Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 8th edition; Gerald Corey
- Man’s Search for Meaning; Viktor Frankl
- Counseling with Choice Theory; William Glasser
It is essential that you purchase the correct edition of the Corey books. The books by Frankl and Glasser can often be found in college and public libraries.
Grading:
Your grade will be based on an accumulation of points earned through the following measures:
Quizzes
Each lesson has a quiz worth 20 points. Total possible points for quizzes are 220. Late quizzes (those posted after the deadline) will be worth half the scored value (maximum of 10 points).
Discussion board postings: Students are required to participate in each lesson’s discussion board during the semester. The topics for discussion boards vary depending on the lesson. Students are required to post their comments on the discussion topic, as well as to respond to comments posted by at least 2 other students. Discussion boards are designed like an online bulletin board or “chat room”, although they are only accessible to students in this class and can be accessed at any time. The discussion boards are located under the Communications button of the course web page. Each Discussion Board counts for up to 10 points. Students should use spell check on all postings– points are lost for misspelled words and poor grammar. While you are welcome to continue posting comments past the deadline (you may have an interesting discussion going), only postings made by the deadline will be counted for points. Total possible points for Discussion Board are 110 points.
Discussion guidelines:
• You are expected to actively participate in the discussion with postings submitted in a timely fashion while that discussion is in progress.
• You are expected to post a minimum of 3 times in each lesson (don’t wait until the deadline to post all 3 of your comments). You want to give and receive feedback in a timely manner. One posting should be a substantive response to each of the discussion questions and two postings should be a substantive response to other classmates.
• Your comments are expected to be substantive in nature and to reference the assigned readings or professional literature as appropriate. When responding to other classmates’ comments, it may not be as relevant to support your comments with references from your readings, especially if you are offering a personal opinion. What is important, however, is that comments are more than “me too” or “I agree”.
• If you expect to be away from a computer for a week or more, you should contact me.
• Never post, transmit, promote, or distribute information that is known to be illegal.
• Never post harassing, threatening, or embarrassing comments. If you disagree with someone, respond to the subject, not the person.
• Never post content that is harmful, abusive; racially ethnically, or religiously offensive, vulgar; sexually explicit; or otherwise potentially offensive.
• Do not use all capital letters in your postings – this is the equivalent to shouting.
• Spell and grammar check your postings
• Never share anything that you are concerned about becoming public knowledge. The College does not guarantee the confidentiality of information shared by participants in the course environment
• The instructor reserves the right to remove any postings that are deemed inappropriate for the classroom environment. Postings that are removed are not given any grade points.
Student Manual Assignments:
While it is important to complete all Student Manual Assignments for your own understanding of the material, only 4 of the assignments will be turned in for grades. The following are the assignments that must be received by the Lesson deadline:
Lesson 4: Will We Really Change? (Student Manual pp. 74-75)
Lesson 7: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Self Help Form (Student Manual p. 130)
Lesson 8: Practical Applications of Choice Theory and Reality Therapy (Student Manual, pp 144-147)
Lesson 10: Understanding your Family Structure (Student Manual, p. 188)
The assignments may be copied and sent either as a hard copy or via scanning, but must be received by the deadline for that lesson. Each assignment is worth 25 points for a total of 100 points. Late assignments/papers are worth half points
Final Paper
The paper must be 3-5 pages in length (typed, standard formatting) written in your own words, describing your personal counseling philosophy. Specific instructions for the paper are located in Lesson 11. The paper is worth 100 points. No late papers will be accepted. Papers that do not contain at least 95% of the author’s own words or provide citations for words that are not their own, will receive a grade of zero. See Course Policies.
Total possible points for the course: 530
Grading system:
477-530 = A
423-529 = B
369-422 = C
315-368 = D
Below 315 = F
Course Policies:
Academic Freedom: Each student is expected to participate in classroom discussion boards. In any discussion there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructors alike will be encouraged to think and learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor. It is expected and faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed in online classroom discussions. Postings that contain language or content inappropriate for the classroom environment will be removed by the instructor and the student will not be given credit for that posting. Disciplinary proceedings may be initiated. This same policy applies to email exchanges among students related to the course.
Incomplete grade: Students are expected to complete this course within the semester. An incomplete (I) will only be given in cases of emergencies after the last day to withdraw has passed and if the student has completed at least 2/3 of the lessons and has a C average.
Withdrawals: Students are expected to withdraw themselves from the class if they choose to no longer participate. Withdrawing requires completing a form in the Admissions and Records office by the College deadline. Failure to withdraw from the course will result in a performance grade (A-F) being assigned. Students who fail to complete the online orientation by the second week of the semester in which they are enrolled will be withdrawn by the instructor and removed from the Blackboard course access.
Scholastic Dishonesty: Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework. (Student Handbook) The penalty for violating the policy will be a withdrawal from the course and assigned a grade of F.
Office for Students with Disabilities: Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester. (Student Handbook)