COUNS-110 - Career-Life Planning - Jennifer Anthony

Introduction

Hi! I’m Jen Anthony, your instructor and facilitator for this course. With a background in teaching counseling courses since 2011 and experience as a Career Counselor, I’m passionate about helping students uncover their passions and prepare for their futures.

I am so happy that you’re considering this course! It’s designed to be a rewarding exploration of your career interests and personal strengths, helping you gain a deeper understanding of yourself, the world of work, and where you may find your best fit! I’m excited to guide you through this journey and am here to support you every step of the way.

This course is an OnlineLIVE course with scheduled virtual live meetings from 12:00- 1:00 PM on the following Mondays: 8/19/24, 10/14/24, and 12/2/24. The remainder of the course will be completed asynchronously online. 

Course Description

Career-Life Planning Counseling 110 introduces self-assessment tools to identify college majors and careers by clarifying interests, skills, abilities, values and personality type. Students will examine the decision-making process, self-management, life roles and goal setting. Includes a review of labor market trends, career research, interviewing skills, resume and cover letter writing and job search strategies. 

This is a 3-unit letter graded course. This class is CSU transferable and fulfills the CSUGE Area E - Lifelong Learning and Self Development requirement and also counts towards elective units for an associate degree.

What to Expect in this Course

This course is designed for you. Our class activities and discussions are crafted to highlight the behaviors that make for a rewarding and positive experience Career Exploration and Life-Planning experience at College of the Canyons. Your active participation will be key to your growth, and while jumping into discussion boards and small group activities might feel a bit challenging at first, it is a fantastic opportunity to develop skills that will serve you throughout your college journey and beyond. Embrace these moments—they’re a valuable part of your path to success!

Our course is organized into Weekly Modules. Each Monday will release a new module which contains readings and videos, interactive discussion boards, assignments, and sometimes a quiz to check for understanding. I will send weekly Canvas announcements for communication on what we will be covering and any important matters for the week. 

To fully benefit from this course you will be expected to log into Canvas regularly each week to stay on top of our discussion boards and assignments. These discussion boards are your chance to engage with classmates and build a vibrant classroom community. Each board will involve posting your thoughts and responding to your peers, sparking rich dialogue and connection. Remember, staying on track with deadlines is key to earning full credit, so be sure to complete assignments and discussions by their due dates. While late assignments can still earn half-credit up to three days past the deadline, discussion boards need to be submitted on time to count. Let’s make this an interactive and engaging experience together!

We will meet virtually via Zoom as a class 3 times this semester. We will be using Canvas as our online classroom. All graded coursework will be submitted online in Canvas.

Be sure to complete the Canvas orientation to help you familiarize yourself with this online learning tool. I highly recommend you take a look at the online tutorials provided on the COC Canvas site, to assist you in being a successful online student: https://www.canyons.edu/academics/onlineeducation/studentsupport/canvasstudentguides.php.  

**You are required to attend the first onlineLIVE class meeting on 8/19/24 from 12-1 PM (Pacific Time) and login to our course in Canvas by 11:55 PM (Pacific Time) on Wednesday of the first week of the class and complete the Introduction Discussion board post to introduce yourself to the class. If you do NOT login AND complete the discussion board post by Wednesday at 11:55 PM, you will be dropped from the course. 

To assist in your continuous success in the course, you will need to have access to internet and either a desktop or laptop regularly each week. If you do not have access to a computer, College of the Canyons has several areas to access technology and internet at both the Valencia and Canyon Country campuses:

• The Library

• The Learning Center (TLC)

• ASG Computer Labs

You will also need to ensure you have access to Microsoft Word or Google Docs (there's a Microsoft 360 feature embedded within Canvas that you'll be able to access), ability to access/view PDF files and view videos. We will interact with various technology platforms such as Padlet, Flipgrid, PebblePad (ePortfolio), and Jamboards along with external career assessment tools. I will provide direct links to these platforms and indicate which assessments may require creating a free profile to access assignments.

Types of Assessments

You can expect to complete weekly discussion posts, career self-assessments, reflections, various homework assignments, and projects. Each OnlineLIVE virtual class session will have activities as well. 

Textbook Information

We will be using Open Educational Resources (OER) materials for this course, which is a FREE digital textbook available in our Canvas course. If you would like to purchase the Counseling 110 OER text in a printed format, the book store has printed copies available for about $5.

Other Relevant Course Information

At the end of this course, it is expected that students who have regularly participated and completed all assignments will be able to:

• Assess and evaluate personal characteristics including their skills, values, interests, abilities, and personality traits as they apply to academic, career, and personal decisions throughout one’s lifespan. 

This course will provide you with the skills necessary to find the "best fit" career(s) for you. The goal of this course is to assist you in the decision making process of selecting the "best fit" career path for you. You will engage in the journey of self-assessment, exploration, and research.  

After completing this course, you should be able to:

1. Understand the career planning and decision-making process
2. Find a career path and/or major consistent with individual skills, values, interests, and personality style
3. Recognize the skills needed to succeed in a particular occupational field
4. Gain cover letter, resume writing, and interviewing skills
5. Have a better understanding of oneself

Additional Resources

Canvas

This course can be accessed on the first day of class via Canvas at https://coc.instructure.com. Log into Canvas using your CanyonsID single sign-on:

• CanyonsID Username is your COC student email address (Ex: username@my.canyons.edu)
• CanyonsID Password is your COC student email password

Please visit the Get to Know Your Online Classroom page for help logging into Canvas and for tips on using Canvas and Zoom. Canvas Chat Support is also available 24/7 for any Canvas related issues.

Online Education

Check out the Online Education website for more information on a variety of topics that can help you be a successful online student such as: exam proctoring, learning styles, computer skills, and tips for student success. If this is your first online course, feel free to take our online learning readiness assessment to assess your skills.

The Learning Center (TLC)

The TLC provides FREE online tutoring resources to COC students!

Academic Accommodation Center (AAC)

College of the Canyons AAC provides educational services and access for eligible students with documented disabilities who intend to pursue coursework at COC. A variety of programs and services are available which afford eligible students with disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of the college programs and activities through appropriate and reasonable accommodations. For more information on their services visit the Academic Accomodation Center website.

Online Counseling

The Counseling Department offers appointments online. You can schedule an appointment by visiting the Online Counseling website. Counselors can help you map out a plan to reach your educational goals as well as advise you on course selection and registration.

Management of Stress and Mental Health

Often the pressure on our students is very strong, involving academic commitments, relationships, outside jobs and family pressure to name a few. The staff and faculty of College of the Canyons are here to see you succeed academically and care about your emotional and physical health. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential student services, including counseling and mental health services available on campus by visiting the Student Health & Wellness Center in the Student Services Building (across from the bookstore). The phone number is 661-362-3259 that you can call 24/7. You can also e mail for an appointment at StudentHealthCenter@canyons.edu. At the Canyon Country Campus the Health Center will be in the new Student Services Building.

Also, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number is now 988. All students at COC are encouraged to enter that phone number in their cells. You can call it when you, or someone you know, is having thoughts of suicide or is in severe distress.

You can also now use the Crisis Text Line: Just text "Courage" to 741741. Someone will get back to you immediately. Its free, 24/7, and confidential.

Veterans Resource Center

The College of the Canyons Veterans Resource Center is a department within the Student Services Division at the college, created to help veterans and veteran dependents with applying to College of the Canyons, enrolling in classes, and requesting VA Education or Vocational Benefits. For more information please visit the Veterans Resource Center website, email veterans@canyons.edu or phone (661) 362-3469.

Library

The Library provides live online and in-person research help, access to a full range of e-resources and physical materials that support the curriculum, individual and group study areas, and much more!

Last updated: 08/16/2024 Sub#: 1814