Human Sexuality Online Course Information

If you are enrolled in my online class for Spring 2006 you MUST attend the mandatory orientation on Friday, January 13 from 12:30 - 2:00 in LL 104

This course is fun and interesting (hey, it's about sex!) but more demanding than many students expect. You REALLY WILL spend 6 - 9 hours per week in this class (I know, that's what everyone says, but it is true in this class!).

If you have any questions regarding the class or the expectations feel free to email me at kmerino@palomar.edu

Please see the text and study guide requirements below and plan to purchase your text and study guide BEFORE class begins!!

Human Sexuality Online

Spring 2006

Instructor:

Katie Townsend-Merino

kmerino@palomar.edu

 

Text:

Human Sexuality: Meeting Your Basic Needs

Miracle, Miracle & Baumeister, Prentice Hall, 2003.

Required: Student Study Guide

 

Course Description: This class, Psychology/Sociology 125: Human Sexuality (3 units), views human sexuality as an essential and healthy facet of human life. Course material will provide knowledge to enable students to make responsible decisions for their own lives, as well as to gain perspective on the complete range of human sexual behavior. This is a course in which the students play an active role in the learning process. This will take place through the use of class threaded discussions, as well as experiential learning activities.

This class will cover a broad range of human sexuality topics. Some, if not most, topics historically, have been viewed as “private” and “personal” within our culture. As such, our candid and comprehensive discussion of those topics may evoke anxiety and discomfort in some. As a result of this, I strongly encourage each of you to seriously consider if this is the course for you at this time in your life.

To create an environment that maximizes your opportunity to learn about sexuality in general as well as on personal level, I will do the following:

1. I will strive to create an environment that encourages tolerance. In any classroom, there will be people with diverse sexual backgrounds, orientations, persuasions, and experiences. Everyone has a right to be treated respectfully especially when you do not agree with his or her opinion.

2. I will do my best to provide the opportunity for open discussion of the diversity of attitudes and values that will most probably exist in any classroom.

3. I will strive to create an environment conducive for honest discussion. However, I caution you to give careful consideration before sharing personal aspects of your sexuality in the classroom. Sometimes, people get swept away by the liberation of open discussion (and the anonymity of an internet class), only to later feel embarrassed and subsequent regret. Thus, only self-disclose what feels comfortable for you.

Explicitness:

This is a Human Sexuality course specifically designed for adult college students. Sexually explicit lecture, language & topics, films, power points, and other teaching materials will be used regularly throughout the semester. If you are upset by, or made very uncomfortable by sexually explicit language or visual media depictions of human sexual behavior, you may wish to reconsider whether you really want to take this class. Because of the sexually explicit nature of this course, both graphically and through the use of frank language, it may not be appropriate for every student. Once registered, however, each student will be held responsible for all subject matter presented. Controversial topics and open, honest dialogue will be part of the format, so it is essential that confidentiality of classmates is honored, and sensitivity to different perspectives on human sexuality respected.

Course Objectives: After completing this course you should 

1.      have a greater understanding of the role sexuality plays in your own life.

2.      have a greater appreciation of the psychology and sociology of human sexuality. 

3.      have a greater understanding of the different manifestations of sexuality. 

Campus Explorations:

This class is a part of the larger community of classes that are exploring ethical issues at Palomar. This does not change our course content at all--it is a natural fit as much of this class is about developing/exploring/evaluating and understanding sexual ethics. I will be letting you know about additional OPTIONAL activities that are involved with the Campus Explorations (film series, lectures, discussions, etc) during the semester.

Course Grading:

Important !!

1) You will not pass the class unless you complete all of the assignments (that is, you cannot opt out of any one type of assignment--if you just miss one or two you just lose those points)!

2) Late work (quizzes, homework, exams) is NOT accepted. If you will be gone for either business or pleasure you are still required to do the work—you do have the flexibility to work from the internet anywhere, at any time (though there is a 10 pm due time on Friday of each week). Please do not ask me for an exception, I will say no and it is embarrassing and awkward as well. It would be unfair to offer special favors to some and not to all.

3) But, because I know that life happens, you will be allotted ONE "Life Happened Free Pass" which will allow you to miss the quiz, the DB and the HWK for ONE week only and not miss any points (you are still held responsible for the material on the exams). This pass must be used for the entire weeks' worth of work and you MUST NOTIFY ME BY EMAIL BY THE FRIDAY DUE DATE/TIME that you are opting to use your one time "Life Happened Free Pass" for that week. Use it wisely!

As a reward, those students who do not miss ANY homework assignments will earn 10 extra credit points at the end of the semester--using the "Life Happened" pass does NOT stop you from earning these extra credit points ! 

1. Midterm Exams (300 points): Each Exam is worth 150 points and will contain 75 multiple-choice items (Exam 1 will have labeling). The questions on the exams will come from the films and the text materials. Three questions from each chapter of the hard copy of the student study guide that you have purchased will be included on each exam (and you will see some from the weekly quizzes as well). Exams will be taken on campus in the tutoring center located in library. The dates are currently available in the course schedule (under the "Course Information" button), please make the necessary arrangements immediately to be available on those dates. You will be required to sign an Academic Integrity agreement prior to receiving any exam. You will need a pencil, a scantron and a PHOTO ID.

2. 14 quizzes (140 points): Each quiz is worth 10 points and will consist of 10 multiple choice questions from the chapter(s), my lecturettes, and the "handouts"  posted under each chapter in "Course Documents". Each quiz will be available from 6 am on Monday morning to 10 p.m. Friday night. You must complete the quiz by 10 p.m. each Friday!! Fifteen minutes is a generous amount of time to answer 10 questions—you should submit your quiz by 13.5 minutes to ensure that I receive the quiz within the 15-minute time limit. Any quizzes that are not received within the 15-minute limit will receive a 0.

3. 14 daily assignments (140 points): Each week we will be studying one or two chapters and I have developed activities (worth up to 10 points each) designed to help you learn either something about yourself or others in relationship to the material. Your name must be typed on each assignment and must be double spaced in 12-point font (Times New Roman or other PLAIN font) and have 1-inch margins. Most of the work requires two pages of writing and may require some effort—please plan accordingly—always check the assignment the weekend before it is due. You may be asked to rent and watch a video, read a particular magazine or go to a store! Plan ahead. This work is due (in the Digital Dropbox, in MS Word format) each day by 10 p.m.

4. Discussion Board (98 points): Students are required to participate in a regular online discussion with their classmates. I will post several questions for you to respond to each week. Discussion content should include at least three posts per week. First, you must respond thoroughly to my questions on either Monday, Tuesday and/or Wednesday of each week and then you must read others responses and respond to at least two other students’ posts on either Thursday and/or Friday by 10 pm. Writing "good post dude", "I agree" does not constitute a response. We will practice civil discourse in this class!! (See the first lecturette)

5. Extra Credit (30 points): There are three extra credit opportunities in this class. First, do not miss any HWK (you CAN still use your pass) and you will earn 10 points. Also, there will be two film analyses that may be done for up to 10 points each and MUST be turned in by the due dates (see Course Schedule)--NO EXCEPTIONS!!

So, there are 678 possible points in this course—

610 – 678 = A

542 – 609 = B

474 – 541 = C

407 – 473 = D

below 407 = 2

Finally, please do not request special favors regarding your grades. It embarrasses me to have to refuse, and it wouldn’t be fair to the other students. I realize that being only a few points away from a letter grade change seems arbitrary, and perhaps unnecessarily harsh. However, I don’t make special, private deals with individual students. If I give even one point to one student to improve his or her grade, I must (logically and morally) give the same one point to all students. If I added a point, then the next group of students who are "one point away" would have a similar complaint and would need to be moved up in their grades.  Thanks for your understanding.

Important Notes:

1) The last date to drop this class with a "W" is 3/11/05.

2) All instances of cheating and plagiarism will be reported to the Director of Student Affairs.

Course Schedule

Week

Date

Readings

Topic

Unit 1

0	January 17-20		Welcome!		Getting Started Due by 1/20: Microsoft Word document with your name on in the Digital Dropbox
1	January 23- 27		Chapter 1 & 20 View Film "History of Sex" in Course Documents		Why Study Sex? Sexual Ethics Due by 1/27: Quiz 1 Homework 1 Discussion Board 1
2	January 30 - February 3		Chapter 2 View Film "Sex: Unknown" in Course Documents		Sexual Anatomy Due by 2/3: Quiz 2 Homework 2 Discussion Board 2
3	February 6 - 10		Chapter 3		Sexual Arousal and Response Due by 2/10: Quiz 3 Homework 3 Discussion Board 3
4	February 13 - 17		Chapter 4 View Film "The Truth About Impotence" in Course Documents		Sexual Dysfunctions/Therapies Due by 2/17: Quiz 4 Homework 4 Discussion Board 4
5	February 20 - 24		Chapter 8 View Film "Bend It Like Beckham" in Course Documents		Social Control of Sexuality Due by 2/24: Quiz 5 Homework 5 Discussion Board 5
6	February 27 - March 3		Chapter 10 View Film "Tough Guise" in Course Documents		Sex and Gender Due by 3/3: Quiz 6 Homework 6 Discussion Board 6
7	March 6 - 10		Chapter 11 View Film "The Laramie Project" in Course Documents		Sexual Orientation Due by 3/10: Quiz 7 Homework 7 Discussion Board 7
EXAM ONE	March 11 - 15		Exams are given in the testing center on the first floor of the library (LL-105). The exam will be available on: S 3/11  9-noon  M 3/13  9am-8pm  T 3/14  9am-6pm W 3/15  9am-6pm			Exam 1 (Chapters 1, 20, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10 and 11) Please arrive early enough to complete your exam, you must be FINISHED by closing. Bring Picture ID, pencil & scantron (bookstore may NOT be open on Saturday!! also do NOT purchase a Grademaster form) Give yourself enough time to take the exams!!
	March 20 - 24		SPRING BREAK
Unit Two	Unit Two		Unit Two			Unit Two
8		March 27 - 31		Chapter 12 View Film "Secretary" in Course Documents		Consensual Sexual Behavior Due by 3/31: Quiz 8 Homework 8 Discussion Board 8 "Secretary" Extra Credit Due Sunday April 2nd by 10 pm.
9		April 3-April 7		Chapter 13 View video "Chemical Castration" in Course Documents		Coercive Sex Due by 4/7: Quiz 9 Homework 9 Discussion Board 9
10		April 10-April 14		Chapter 15, 16 and 9 (273 – 289) Listen to "This American Life on Marriage" in Course Documents View Film "Faces: Beauty" in Course Documents		Love, Heartache and Marriage Due by 4/14: Quiz 10 Homework 10 Discussion Board 10
11		April 17-April 21		Chapter 14 View Film "American Pornography" in Course Documents		Sex for Sale Due by 4/21 Quiz 11 Homework 11 Discussion Board 11
12		April 24-April 28		Chapter 6 View Film "An Every Day Miracle" in Course Documents		Contraception Due by 4/28: Quiz 12 Homework 12 Discussion Board 12
13		May 1 - May 5		Chapter 7		Sexually Transmitted Infections Due by 5/5: Quiz 13 Homework 13 Discussion Board 13
14		May 8 - May 12		Chapter 17 & 18		Spirituality Legal/Politcal Issues Due by 5/12: Quiz 14 Homework 14 Discussion Board 14 "Kinsey" Extra Credit Due Sunday May 14th by 10 pm.
EXAM TWO	May 13 - 19		Exams are given in the testing center on the first floor of the library (LL-118). The exam will be available on: Sat. 5/13    9am-12:00pm M 5/15 9am-8pm  T 5/16 9am-6pm  W 5/17 9am-6pm			Exam 2 (Chapters 6, 7, 9 (pps.273 - 289),12, 13, 14,  15, 16, 17, and 18) Please arrive early enough to complete your exam, you must be finished by closing. Bring Picture ID, pencil & scantron Give yourself enough time to take the exams!!

 

College Links

Palomar College Home Page

Behavioral Science Home Page

Psychology Discipline Home Page

 

  |  Last modified 01/04/06 |  visitors since 9/20/00