Course Syllabus Waldorf 1
Course Syllabus Waldorf 1
Course Syllabus
Course Description
Introduction to collegiate-level thinking. It could best be described as "thinking about thinking." Topics covered include
creative and critical thinking, problem-solving, believing and knowing, and making and evaluating arguments. The course
includes discussions, reflective papers, and the use of films.
Course Textbook(s)
Chaffee, J. (2019). Thinking critically (12th ed.). Cengage Learning. https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781337672269
Academic Integrity
Honesty and integrity are taken very seriously at Waldorf University. All students should be familiar with the Waldorf
University Academic Integrity Policy (found in the current Student Handbook) and the consequences that will result from
breaches of this policy.
Credits
Upon completion of this course, the students will earn 3.00 hours of college credit.
Course Structure
1. Study Guide: Course units contain a Study Guide that provides students with the learning outcomes, unit lesson,
required reading assignments, and supplemental resources.
2. Learning Outcomes: Each unit contains Learning Outcomes that specify the measurable skills and knowledge
students should gain upon completion of the unit.
3. Unit Lesson: Unit Lessons, which are located in the Study Guide, discuss lesson material.
4. Reading Assignments: Units contain Reading Assignments from one or more chapters from the textbook and/or
outside resources.
5. Discussion Boards: Students are required to submit Discussion Board posts in Units I-VIII. Discussion Boards
provide students the opportunity for student-to-student and professor-to-student interaction based on relevant course
concepts and ideas. Specific information about accessing the Discussion Board rubric is provided below.
6. Unit Assessments: This course contains Unit Assessments, which test student knowledge on important aspects of
the course. These tests may come in many different forms, ranging from multiple choice to written response
questions.
7. Unit Assignments: Students are required to submit for grading Unit Assignments. Specific information and
instructions regarding these assignments are provided below. Grading rubrics are included with each assignment.
Unit Assignments
Unit I Assignment
Think Piece 1: Mona Lisa Smile
Unit II Assignment
Think Piece 2: Apollo 13
Unit IV Assignment
Think Piece 4: Good Will Hunting
Unit V Assignment
Think Piece 5: Concussion
After watching the movie Concussion, address the prompts below in a thoughtfully composed essay.
Discuss the ethical perspectives of both the National Football League (NFL) and Dr. Bennet Omalu concerning the issue of
chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in professional football. Explain each side’s grasp of the facts and inferences as
well as what leads to judgments being made.
Your completed assignment must be at least one page in length. You must use at least one academic resource to support
your assignment, which must come from the Waldorf Online Library. Adhere to APA Style when creating citations and
references for this assignment.
APA Guidelines
Waldorf University requires that students use the APA style for papers and projects. Therefore, the APA rules for formatting,
quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed. Information about using APA style can be found in
APA Style Help in the Course Menu. This area provides links to Internet sites, tutorials, and guides that provide
comprehensive information on APA formatting, including examples and sample papers.
Grading Rubrics
This course utilizes analytic grading rubrics as tools for your professor in assigning grades for all learning activities. Each
rubric serves as a guide that communicates the expectations of the learning activity and describes the criteria for each level
of achievement. In addition, a rubric is a reference tool that lists evaluation criteria and can help you organize your efforts to
meet the requirements of that learning activity. It is imperative for you to familiarize yourself with these rubrics because
these are the primary tools your professor uses for assessing learning activities.
Rubric categories include (1) Discussion Board, (2) Assessment (Written Response), and (3) Assignment. However, it is
possible that not all of the listed rubric types will be used in a single course (e.g., some courses may not have
Assessments).
The Discussion Board rubric can be found within Unit I’s Discussion Board submission instructions.
The Assessment (Written Response) rubric can be found embedded in a link within the directions for each Unit
Communication Forums
These are non-graded discussion forums that allow you to communicate with your professor and other students.
Participation in these discussion forums is encouraged, but not required. You can access these forums with the buttons in
the Course Menu. Instructions for subscribing/unsubscribing to these forums are provided below.
Click here for instructions on how to subscribe/unsubscribe and post to the Communication Forums.
Ask the Professor
This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content questions.
Questions may focus on Blackboard locations of online course components, textbook or course content elaboration,
additional guidance on assessment requirements, or general advice from other students.
Questions that are specific in nature, such as inquiries regarding assessment/assignment grades or personal
accommodation requests, are NOT to be posted on this forum. If you have questions, comments, or concerns of a non-
public nature, please feel free to email your professor. Responses to your post will be addressed or emailed by the
professor within 48 hours.
Before posting, please ensure that you have read all relevant course documentation, including the syllabus,
assessment/assignment instructions, faculty feedback, and other important information.
Student Break Room
This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. Communication on this forum should
always maintain a standard of appropriateness and respect for your fellow classmates. This forum should NOT be used to
share assessment answers.
Schedule/Grading
The following pages contain a printable Course Schedule to assist you through this course. By following this schedule, you
will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted.