Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

This course can be taught for 1, 2, 3 or 4 credits.  Faculty will outline learning goals specific to the number of credits the students are completing.  Specialized sections may focus on specific program areas to meet major program requirements. Some sections may be offered with specific program, pathway, or language (such as Spanish) themes.

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. Use the concepts of self-efficacy to identify and apply strategies for time management, stress management, and self-advocacy within the college environment.
2. Build connections with peers, faculty, and staff and engage in campus life.
3. Apply critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills to academic tasks.
4. Communicate and participate responsibly in order to navigate college systems.
5. Make informed choices regarding regarding financial aid, budgeting, and financial planning for college.
6. Use college resources and policies to determine academic pathway, course planning, transfer options, and career goals.
7. Incorporate awareness of diversity and cultural differences to participate fully in college and community.
8. Meet learning outcomes specific to the credit awarded as outlined in advance through a written learning contract, and as appropriate to the credit awarded for this course.
9. Articulate academic expectations, understand grading and standards of academic progress.

Assessments may include individual or group projects or group presentations, case studies, reports, portfolios, papers, quizzes and examinations, such as:

1. Demonstrate appropriate use of campus resources.
2. Create a sample academic plan.
3. Create a list of goals using different methods.
4. Create a college success plan.
5. Identify effective time management and apply them to a personal schedule.
6. Identify college resources.
7. Report on a student's rights and responsibilities in a college setting.

Themes, Concepts, and Issues

• College calendar
• College catalog
• College course planning guide
• Classroom behavior and etiquette
• Importance of course syllabus
• Student rights and responsibilities
• College grading
• Distance learning, i.e. Web CT
• Online services, i.e. MyPCC, degree audit, Panther tracks
• PCC Business accounts, 50/50 Plan, drop deadlines
• College/campus resources: multicultural center, women’s resource center, TRIO, computer labs, math lab, College Success Center, writing lab
• Student services: financial aid, advising, counseling, career resource center, job placement, cooperative education
• College policies
• Motivational strategies
• Power of goal-setting
• Time management techniques, balancing work, school, and life responsibilities
• Coping with transition
• Estimated college costs and budgets
• Financial aid

Themes, Concepts, and Issues related to Online and Remote/Hybrid Learning

• Coping with transition, change, technology ~ defining a new normal
• Use/familiarization of Zoom (or other video conferencing software)  including online classroom behavior and etiquette, use of breakout rooms.
• Use of Google features for coursework
• Effective communication in an online environment
• Degrees & degree pathways
• University transfer center
• Accessing College/campus resources remotely: multicultural center, women’s resource center, TRIO, computer labs, math lab, tutoring centers (campus and online), writing lab
• Library basics/resources (remote resources/access)
• Advising remotely
• Learning MyPCC ins/outs including Virtual Help tab
• Learning D2L Brightspace ins/outs including Pulse app by Brightspace
• Time management remotely and in shared space with competing needs
• How to to use different technologies