Lamar State College - Port Arthur

House Bill 2504

Fall 2017 Course Syllabus

SOCI-1306-30 - Social Problems

 
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Faculty Information
SemesterFall 2017
InstructorClark, Kristi Bratton
Phone(409) 382-3248
E-mailclarkkb@lamarpa.edu
Department
General Education and Developmental Studies
Chair:Michelle Davis
Phone:(409) 984-6341
E-mail:davisml1@lamarpa.edu
Office
Hours:Upon Request
Building:N/A
Room:N/A
MyLamarPA Be sure to check your campus E-mail and Course Homepage using MyLamarPA campus web portal (My.LamarPA.edu). When you’ve logged in, click the email icon in the upper right-hand corner to check email, or click on the “My Courses” tab to get to your Course Homepage. Click the link to your course and review the information presented. It is important that you check your email and Course Homepage regularly. You can also access your grades, transcripts, and determine who your academic advisor is by using MyLamarPA.
Course Information
Course Number91715
Course Description Application of sociological principles and theoretical perspectives to major social problems in contemporary society such as inequality, crime and violence, substance abuse, environmental issues, deviance, or family problems.
Course Prerequisites None
Required Textbooks Text: Social Problems and the Quality of Life, 13th Edition, 2014, McGraw
Hill. ISBN# 978-0-07-802686-7
Attendance Policy Research has shown a cause and effect relationship between attendance
and college success. A student with three absences may be dropped from
class.
Consistent and punctual attendance is mandatory. Students who leave
class early or habitually come to class late (over 10 minutes) will be
counted as absent. A student may be dropped after three consecutive or
five cumulative absences. It is the students responsibility to initiate a drop
form if wishing to withdraw. Students should not assume that they will
automatically be dropped by the instructor. Students failing to initiate
appropriate action for withdrawing from the course through the Admissions
office could risk receiving the grade of F. If class is an online class, the
student must log in at least two times per week.
Course Grading Scale 765-850=A
680-764=B
595-679=C
510-594=D
509 and below =F
1. Journals are worth 10 points each totaling 100 points.
2. Chapter Discussions are worth a total of 150 points.
3. Academic Research Paper is worth 200 points.
4. Assessments/Exams-4 exams worth 100 points each equally 400 total
Determination of Final Grade 1. Journals are worth 10 points each totaling 100 points.
2. Chapter Discussions are worth a total of 150 points.
3. Academic Research Paper is worth 200 points.
4. Assessments/Exams-4 exams worth 100 points each equally 400 total
Final Exam Date December 13, 2017 - 8:00 AM   Through  December 13, 2017 - 11:59 PM
Major Assignments 1). Chapter discussions: I will post these discussions under the
DISCUSSION link. The chapter discussions will be similar to guided
reading, which means to help you as you read the chapters. They will be
graded. There will 15 chapter discussions and will be worth 10 points each
totaling 150 points.
The Semester Project is a very important assignment. For the Semester
Project, students will have an Academic Research Paper.
2) Academic Paper - Students will follow a standard research format
(taught in Eng 1302; MLA or APA) which will include a cover sheet, outline,
some form of citation or footnoting, and a works cited page. The paper
will require research on a social problem related topic such as moral
decline, racial injustice, family disorganization, poverty, globalization,
social change, marriage and divorce, or any issue raised by the assigned
text. The paper will be a MINIMUM OF 4 TO 6 PAGES in length, word
processed, double-spaced, standard font size (12), Courier or Times
Roman, default margins, and otherwise professional in form and
appearance. There are to be at least FIVE resources (educational
resources) NO WIKIPEDIA OR SUCH. Topics for THE RESEARCH
PAPER will have to be approved by the instructor. The completed
Academic Semester Paper will have a due date posted on the
CALENDAR LINK as well. A complete outline for the research paper will
be posted on the homepage at a later date.
3) Journals- There will be 10 journal entries for this course. The Journals
will be posted on the homepage. A detailed instructions sheet will also be
posted on the homepage. There will be a current social problem topic
assigned. Students will retrieve an article from the internet regarding this
social problem topic. Once located, there is a specific outline for the
students to complete. Each journal entry is worth 10 points.
4) Assessments/Exams- Unit assessments/exams will be posted with
more details later on in the semester.
Extra Credit- There will be an opportunity for extra credit (10pts and
20pts) which will be posted on the homepage at a later date.
Calendar of Lecture Topics and Major Assignment Due Dates Week 1 The Foundations
Week 2 Alcohol and Other Drugs
Week 3 Crime and Delinquency
Week 4 Violence
Week 5 Sexual Deviance
Week 6 Poverty
Week 7 Gender and Sexual Orientation
Week 8 Race, Ethnic Groups, and Racism
Week 9 Government and Politics
Week 10 Work and Economy
Week 11 Education and Family Problems
Week 12 Health Care and Illness: Physical and Mental
Week 13 War and Terrorism
Week 14 The Environment

Course Calendar and Due Dates
Fall 2017
September 18, 2017
Orientation, Introduction, Syllabus review
Pre-Test

September 25, 2017 Alcohol and Other Drugs: Chapter Discussion and Journal 1

October 2, 2017 Crime and Delinquency: Chapter Discussion

October 9, 2017 Chapter 4 Violence Discussion and Journal 2

October 16, 2017 Chapter 5 Sexual Deviance discussion and Journal 3 Exam 1

October 23, 2017 Chapter 6-Poverty: Chapter Discussion due

October 30, 2017 Chapter 7 Gender and Sexual Orientation Chapter Discussion and Journal Due
November 6, 2017 Chapter 8 Race, Ethnic Groups, and Racism: Chapter Discussion
EXAM 2 Available

November 13, 2017 Chapter 9 Government and Politics: Chapter Discussion due
Chapter 10, 2017 Work and the Economy: Chapter Discussion due Journal 6
November 20, 2017 Chapter 11-Education: Chapter Discussion and Journal 7 EXAM 3
November 27, 2017 Chapter 12- Family Problems: Chapter discussion and Journal 8
December 4, 2017 Chapter 13- Health Care Illness: Chapter discussion and Journal 9
Chapter 14- War and Terrorism: Chapter Discussion and Journal 10
Chapter 15- The Environment: Chapter Discussion

December 13, 2017 Research Paper Due
General Education/Core Curriculum Student Learning Outcomes
Communication skills:Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication.

Critical Thinking Skills:Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions.

Empirical and Quantitative Skills:Students will demonstrate applications of scientific and mathematical concepts.

Teamwork:Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view.

Social Responsibility:Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities.

Personal Responsibility:Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.

Program Student Learning Outcomes Social Responsibility Skills - Expresses intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Identifies cultural characteristics (including beliefs, values, perspectives and/or practices); demonstrates knowledge of civic responsibility; provides evidence of experience in civic- engagement activities; and describes what she/ he has learned as it relates to a reinforced and clarified sense of civic identity in local, regional, national, or global communities; and shows awareness of ones own culture in relation to others.
Course Student Learning Outcomes Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
1. Demonstrate comprehension of content-area reading material. measured by PSLO Alpha Pre & Post Test.
2.Describe how the sociological imagination can be used to explain the emergence and implications of contemporary social problems. ( PSLO 1, 2, 3) measured by: exams, assignments, video assignments and/or research/proposal assignment.
3. Explain the nature of social problems from at least one sociological perspective, e.g., critical, functional, interpretive, etc.( PSLO 1.2,3, 5 ) measured by: discussions, assignments, video assignments and/or research/proposal assignment.
4. Identify multidimensional aspects of social problems including the global, political, economic, and cultural dimensions of social problems.( PSLO 1,2,3,5 ) measured by discussions, assignments, video assignments and/or research/proposal assignment.
Academic Honesty Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSC-PA policies (Section IX, subsection A, in the Faculty Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
Facility Policies
  • No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom.

  • Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission.

  • Electronic devices (including but not restricted to cell phones, MP3 players, and laptop computers) shall not be used during examinations unless specifically allowed by the instructor.

  • Use of electronic devices during normal class hours distracts other students, disrupts the class, and wastes valuable time. Instructors have an obligation to reduce such disruptions.

  • Turn your cellphones to vibrate when you enter the classroom.
Additional Information
Important Information
ADA Considerations The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
Copyright Violations Some material in this course may be copyrighted. They may be used only for instructional purposes this semester, by students enrolled in this course. These materials are being used fairly and legally. No one may distribute or share these copyrighted materials in any medium or format with anyone outside this class, including publishing essays with copyrighted material, uploading copyrighted material to Facebook or YouTube, or painting or performing copyrighted material for public display.

Copyright violation is not the same thing as plagiarism. Plagiarism is intellectual dishonesty. Offenses of plagiarism result in lower grades or failing scores, and professors and the college strictly enforce plagiarism rules. There is never any acceptable use of plagiarism. Copyright violation is a legal offense, punishable by large fines and penalties.

Copyrighted material can be used if permission from the material’s creator is obtained, or if its use meets the standards of fair use in an educational setting. For example, a student can quote a line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in a report without violating copyright but still be guilty of plagiarism if the quotation is not properly documented.

If you are in doubt about what material can be freely used, ask your professor or contact the Dean of Library Services, at (409) 984-6216.
Assessment Statement Assessment is a process by which LSCPA can help you learn better and gauge the level of progress you have made to attain knowledge, skills, beliefs, and values. It also helps your professors understand how to improve teaching and testing methods in your classes, and it helps each department understand and improve degree and certificate programs.

Periodically LSC-PA will collect assessment data for research and reporting purposes, including statistical data and sometimes copies of your work. Be assured that all material the college uses for assessment purposes will be kept confidential. To ensure anonymity, your name will be removed from any material we use for assessment purposes, including video-recorded performances, speeches, and projects.

If you object to allowing LSC-PA to use your material for assessment purposes, submit a letter stating so to your professor by the 12th class day. You will still be required to participate in whatever assessments are being done; we just won’t use your data.

What’s the difference between assessment and grades? The grades you get on papers, projects, speeches, and assignments are specific types of focused assessment. LSC-PA’s assessment efforts include class grades, surveys, standardized tests, and other tools.
Privacy Notice Federal privacy laws apply to college students. This means that college employees, including instructors, cannot divulge information to third parties, including parents and legal guardians of students. Even if the students are minors, information about their college work cannot be shared with anyone except in very limited circumstances.

Anyone requesting information about a student should be referred to the Registrar. Instructors will be notified in writing by that Office about what information may be released and to whom.

Please remember that releasing private information about a student, however innocuous it may seem, can be a violation of federal law, with very serious consequences.

Circumstances under which information may be released:

An adult student may submit, to the Registrar, a handwritten, signed note granting permission for release of information. The note must specify what information may be divulged, and it must specify the name of the person to whom the information may be given.

A parent or guardian may be given access to information about a student by providing a copy of a filed tax return that shows that the student was listed as a dependent of that parent or guardian. The tax return must be for last complete tax year. Again, this documentation must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office.

A parent or guardian may be given access to information about a student if the student logs on to My.LamarPA.edu and sends an email to the Registrar granting permission. The email must specify what information may be given and the name of the person to whom it may be given.

Co-enrollment students are protected by the same privacy laws as adult students.

The Registrar’s office is located in the Student Center room 303B, and can be reached at (409) 984-6165.

College-Level Perspectives This course helps add to the students’ overall collegiate experience in the following ways:

  • Establishing broad and multiple perspectives on the individual in relationship to the larger society and world in which s/he lives, and to understand the responsibilities of living in a culturally and ethnically diversified world.

  • Stimulating a capacity to discuss and reflect upon individual, political, economic, and social aspects of life in order to understand ways in which to be a responsible member of society.

  • Developing a capacity to use knowledge of how technology and science affect their lives.

  • Developing personal values for ethical behavior.

  • Developing the ability to make aesthetic judgments.

  • Using logical reasoning in problem solving.

  • Integrating knowledge and understand the interrelationships of the scholarly disciplines.

Degree Plan Evaluation A Degree Plan Evaluation will help you determine which classes you need to complete your program.

  1. Sign in to your my.lamarpa.edu account.

  2. Click on the “My Services” tab.

  3. Click on the “Student” tab.

  4. Click on Student Records.

  5. Click on Degree Evaluation.

  6. Select the term you are planning on registering for (i.e. Summer I, Summer II, Fall, or Spring)

  7. Verify that the Curriculum Information (your MAJOR) is correct

  8. Click on “Generate New Evaluation” at the bottom of the screen.

  9. Click the radio button next to Program

  10. Click on the Generate Request button.

All of the classes that you have taken that apply to your declared major will be listed on the right. If you have a class that still needs to be completed, a “NO” will be listed on the right next to the required class.

HB 2504 This syllabus is part of LSC-PA’s efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.

Lamar State College - Port Arthur

Mission

Lamar State College - Port Arthur, a member of The Texas State University System, is an open-access, comprehensive public two-year college offering quality and affordable instruction leading to associate degrees and a variety of certificates. The College embraces the premise that education is an ongoing process that enhances career potential, broadens intellectual horizons, and enriches life.

Core Values

  • Shared commitment by faculty, staff and administration to a mission characterized by student learning, diversity, and community involvement

  • General education/core curriculum that develops the values and concepts that allow the student to make a meaningful contribution in the workplace or community

  • Academic and technical programs designed to fulfill our commitment to accommodate students with diverse goals and backgrounds, using a variety of delivery methods, on and off campus

  • Technical education programs that provide for the acquisition of the knowledge, skills and behavior necessary for initial and continued employment

  • Student achievement characterized by attainment of individual goals and measured by successful accomplishments and completion of curriculum

  • Co-curricular opportunities that develop social, financial and civic acuity

Principles

Lamar State College - Port Arthur operates in the belief that all individuals should be:

  • treated with dignity and respect;

  • afforded equal opportunity to acquire a complete educational experience;

  • given an opportunity to discover and develop their special aptitudes and insights; and,

  • provided an opportunity to equip themselves for a fulfilling life and responsible citizenship in a world characterized by change.

 
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