A Course Number

& Title PDS 001 (Personal Development Skills)

B Pre/Co-requisite(s) None
C Number of credits 1 [Contact hours = 2 per week]
D Faculty Names James Foster and Ryan Coiffi
E Term/ Year Fall Semester (171) 2017
F Instructor
Information Office Telephon Email
e

1 (3) NONE [email protected]

3(3) [email protected]
G Course Description     Personal Development Skills courses help develop basic competencies and soft skills that students
from Catalog need in their day to day academic and personal life.
    The theme of PDS 001 is ‘College Transition’ – how a new student can quickly and effectively adjust
to the demands of undergraduate university life. Course facilitators promote the application,
understanding and appreciation of participants’ roles as active, engaged and responsible learners in a
college context. Core skills covered at the 001 level are: teamwork, participating in discussions, plan
development, reflective writing, giving PowerPoint presentations, test taking skills, and time
management.
By the end of the course, a successful passing student will demonstrate…
H Course Learning
KNOWLEDGE
Outcomes
● Describe core college success skills at a basic level
COGNITIVE SKILLS
● Analyze different types of texts to create and develop solutions
● Demonstrate time management skills
INTERPERSONAL & RESPONSIBILITY
● Use of team and pair work to analyze a given problem
● Demonstrate and illustrate college transition skills
COMMUNICATION, NUMERICAL, AND IT SKILLS
● Research transitions skills and strategies for project assignments
● Operate various learning management systems and other relevant technology

I Textbook and other Course Book:  ‘Cornerstones for College Success Compact’ (E-Text) by Sherfield & Moody (2013)
Instructional Material
*Students must buy the text book from Al-Shegrey Bookstore in the first week .
and Resources

J Teaching and Lectures, team project management, class and team discussions, peer teaching, and teacher directed
Learning & self-directed online learning.
Methodologies
K Essential Course
1. Attendance Policy →); 8 absences = DN.
 Policy
2. Late Policy → A student can come to class up to 10 minutes late. After 10 minutes, the student will be
recorded as late and 0.25 marks will be deducted. However s/ he can still attend the rest of the class.
3. Assessment & Assignment Deadlines → Students are responsible for meeting all assessment
deadlines and being present at all scheduled class assessments. There will be no extension of
deadlines or rescheduling of class assessments. A zero will be given in both cases.
L Grading Scale, Grading Scale
Grading Distribution, 95– 4.0 A 70 – 74 2.0 C
and Due Dates 100 0 + 0
90 – 94 3.7 A 65 – 69 1.5 D
5 0 +
85 – 89 3.5 B+ 60 – 64 1.0 D
0 0
80 – 84 3.0 B
0
75 – 79 2.5 C+ Less Than 0 F
0 60
 Grading Distribution

Assessment Weight Dates

Lesson / Project #1: (Individual) TOTAL Week 2 (Lecture)
Prioritize Week 3 (Lecture)
SMART GOALS 30% Week 4 (Make it)
Written Assignment = 15% Week 5 (Presentations)
Presentation = 15% Week 6 (Presentations, Lecture)
Week 7 (Consultations)
Come up with a short term goal, a
long term goal, and discuss how
you will make them happen.

350 words

Lesson/Project #2: (Individual) TOTAL Week 8 (Lecture, quiz Q’s + video)

Page 106 -- Study Week 9 (Make it)
Page 64 -- Learn (a little bit)  30% Week 10 (Present Articles
Ungraded)
On line quiz = 10%
350 word writing assignment 20% 1 Describe different ways
of learning (visual, touch,
audible, etc.)

Create a test bank of ~20 questions. Students will get a randomized 10 at 1 point each. 2 Reflect, what kind of
learner are you? Which
style is your favorite?

How might what you have

learned (in PDS) possibly
benefit you in the
future………

Goal of 350 words. More if

you are capable!
Lesson #9/Project #3: (Group) TOTAL Week 11 (Lecture + begin poster)
Learn Week 12 (Make it)
Poster Display + Q&A = 10%  30% Week 13 (Present Posters)
Written Assignment = 20% Week 14 (Consultations)

In 350 words, write a reflection on

how you plan to use Bloom's
Taxonomy and SMART goals in
your studies next semester.
In other words, how do you plan to
study next semester?
Professionalism 10% Week 15
3% Good will (phones, attention – Study period
each unprofessional behavior = -
0.5%)
2% Consultations
5% Attendance
TOTAL 100%

M Explanation of ● There will be 3 projects during the course. Each project is related to a unit in
Assessments Cornerstones

● 3 MSSL modules need to be completed during the course. These 3 modules are closely
 related to the 3 units studied from the e-text and, thus, support what the student is
learning.

N Student Academic Students are advised that violations of the Student Academic Integrity Code will be treated
Integrity Code seriously and can lead to suspension or dismissal from the university. A notation of the
Statement academic integrity code violation can become part of the student’s permanent record.

Academic violations include but are not limited to:

Plagiarism
Inappropriate Collaboration
Inappropriate Proxy
Dishonesty in Examinations and Submitted Work
Work Completed for One Course and Submitted to Another
Deliberate Falsification of Data
Interference with Other Students’ Work
Copyright Violations
Complicity in Academic Dishonesty

Students MUST read the Student Academic Integrity Code and agree to abide by the
standards for academic conduct, students’ rights and responsibilities and procedures for
handling allegations of academic dishonesty.

PDS 001 Week-by- Week Schedule – Spring 2016

Week: Project & Support Learning Outcomes Class work:

1 Introduction Week Course syllabus & course assessment. Intro to Cornerstones.

Checking MSSL registration.
2 Project Learning Outcome: Create an academic priority Lesson 2 – Prioritize/Project #1 start
management plan See Instructor Guide Section
3 Support Learning Outcome:  Explain the role self-discipline plays Lesson 2 – Prioritize
in managing priorities See Instructor Guide Section

4 Support Learning Outcome:  Identify effective Priority Preparation -1Hr

Management Strategies Writing -1Hr
5 Lesson 2/ Project 1: Prioritize
See Instructor Guide Section
Deadline - Project #1 [individual]
See Instructor Guide Section
6 Project Learning Outcome:  Design a plan for taking different
types of academic tests. ‘Study: Memory/Studying’

7 Support Learning Outcome:  Explain three effective study habits Explanation in the class.

8 Support Learning Outcome:  Compare and contrast VCR3 &  SQ3R Written Assignment 10%

9 Online quiz on Moodle Quiz 10 %

 10 Reflection Report Reflection Report in the class 10 %

11 Project Learning Outcome:  Outline a plan for using your Lesson5 – Learn/Project #3 start
learning style in each of your classes See Instructor Guide Section
12 Support Learning Outcome:  Explain the learning process Lesson 5 - Learn
Preparation
13 Support Learning Outcome:  Evaluate your learning preference in Presentation – Poster Presentation
relation to your study habits
14 Written Assignment and Presentation (continued)

15 Feedback on presentation &Writing Counseling on progress s

far.

Academic Integrity Statement

Prince Sultan University is committed to promoting the highest standards of academic integrity.  With this statement we
set forth the terms and processes by which incidents of cheating, plagiarism and other violations of academic integrity
will be addressed.

Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to:

● Plagiarism
● Inappropriate collaboration
● Inappropriate proxy
● Dishonesty in examinations or submitted work
● Work completed for one course being submitted for another
● Deliberate falsification of data
● Interference with other students’ work
● Copyright violations
● Complicity in academic dishonesty

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s work as your own. Plagiarism can take many forms. The following is
a non-exclusive list of examples that constitute the academic offense of plagiarism:

● copying another student’s paper or any other written source

● submitting a paper written for you by someone else, a paid service or a website
● downloading a paper from the Internet and presenting it as your own work
● using a sentence or even part of a sentence from any outside source without putting quotation marks around it and
citing the source
● using ideas, facts, and opinions from another source without citing the source

Plagiarism is a serious form of academic dishonesty and is not tolerated at this university. Please consult the Student
Academic Integrity Code at the PSU website or in the PSU Bulletin for further information concerning academic
dishonesty.

Prince Sultan University follows a strict policy in cases where plagiarism and other academic integrity violations are
determined to have occurred.

For a first offense, the student will receive an F for the course. The professor will report the name of the offending
student to both the Head of the Department in which the incident occurred and the Dean. The information is kept on file
and will be shared with the Director of General Science and Math, the deans and directors of all other schools/colleges
at PSU, and the Office of Student Affairs.

Students so reported may not discuss the incident with the professor concerned.
A second offense, or a first offense which is particularly egregious based on the judgment of the Head of the Department
and Dean, may be grounds for removal from a major, suspension, or dismissal.

By registering for this course I acknowledge that I have read and understand the Academic Integrity Statement and its
consequences.