InstructorRochelle Brooks I am part-time faculty so I do not have office hours on campus. If you would like to talk, please email me to schedule a phone appointment. If you haven’t already done so, please click the Welcome/Start Here link at the top of the page. |
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Course Description
This course will teach basic critical thinking skills by focusing on content from a variety of types of news media.
learning objectives
Upon completion of this course you will be able to:
- Apply the Scientific Method and demonstrate mastery with a minimum quiz score of 70%.
- Identify logic fallacies and demonstrate mastery with a minimum quiz score of 70%.
- Identify your own metacognition and demonstrate the ability to apply that knowledge by participating in the Discussion Forum.
- Recognize bias in a news story and demonstrate the ability to apply that knowledge by participating in the Discussion Forum.
- Identify fake news and demonstrate the ability to apply that knowledge by participating in the Discussion Forum.
Required resources
All the educational content for this course is included in the individual lessons.
minimum technical skills
To successfully complete this course, you must be able to follow written instructions, be able to use a Web browser to navigate the LMS system and other online resources; and, use basic email features including sending and receiving emails with attachments.
technology requirements
To participate in this course you should have access to a computer less than 3-years old with speakers and a high-speed internet connection.
instructor response time
I am accessible via email and telephone, Monday through Thursday between 12:00 noon and 3:00 PM. The best way to reach me is via email, which I check continually throughout the day. I will respond to students’ email questions within 24 hours or less on most weekdays. Questions submitted on weekends will generally be answered within 24-48 hours.
Course Organization
Welcome/Start Here contains information about the course and its instructor, and links to the modules and resources.
The syllabus provides a comprehensive overview of the course goal, objectives, assignments, evaluation, and required resources.
The Course Schedule provides a weekly breakdown of the course assignments and activities. It also provides, at a glance, the due dates for all graded assignments.
The Lessons section presents the course content in five lessons. Each lesson includes an overview, learning objectives, educational content, and assignments. Please refer to the Course Schedule for assignment due dates.
Assignment descriptions
Participation in Discussion Forum (DF). Your participation in the DF is very important. After reading the assigned material, you are expected to reply to the post with your perspective on the questions posted on the Discussion Forum. The questions are intended to get you to synthesize, evaluate, and extend your knowledge and understanding of the materials you read. To receive full credit for participation you must answer the question, then comment on 2 of your classmate’s responses to the DF to receive full credit.
Important: When you create your username for participating in the Discussion Forum, please make sure to create a username with some form of your name as it appears in the class registration (ex: RochelleBrooks).
Quizzes. The quizzes consist of multiple-choice, true/false, and matching questions.
grading policies
All assignments will be graded on their originality, complexity, and quality. All assignments are due on or before the due date. All assignments are expected to be original work, professionally presented, and in APA format where appropriate, with no mechanical or spelling errors.
Grades for the semester will be derived as follows:
- Discussion Forum participation (60%)
- Quizzes (40%)
Students will be provided a letter grade based on the above criteria. Partial evaluations will be made with numbers. A student’s performance in academic work is expressed by the following grades.
letter grades
- A = 90 – 100%
- B = 80 – 89%
- C = 70 – 79%
- D = Below 69%
course policies
Late Assignments. All assignments are due by 11:59 p.m.(CST) of the due date posted in the Schedule. To be grade project files and links must be accessible by the instructor and submitted using the Submit Projects Here link in the main menu to the left. Late assignments will be subject to a 10-point grade reduction. No assignments will be accepted after the final class day. Specific dates are listed on the schedule.
Discussion Forum Participation. To receive full credit, you must complete your posts and respond to the posts of at least 2 classmates within the week of the specific Discussion Forum. Review the Syllabus for specific guidelines and visit the course Schedule on the main course menu in Blackboard for due dates.