Health, Physical Education & Dance Department

HE102- Critical Issues in Health

Dr. Lana Zinger

Office: RFK Hall, Rm G216 C
Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 7:30 PM

Phone: (718) 281-5722
Fax: (718):631-6333
E-mail: LZinger@qcc.cuny.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is a study of the elements of physical, social, emotional, spiritual and intellectual health. Topics covered include:

• Stress management
• Mental/ emotional disorders
• Drug use and abuse
• Nutrition and body image
• Physical fitness
• Sexuality
• Infectious diseases
• Chronic diseases

This course examines relationships among each of several risky behaviors and health status, as well as educational and structural approaches to modification of those behaviors. The organization of the course is lecture with class discussions. Structured group experiences and audio-visual materials will be used occasionally. This course will also provide the student with the knowledge, skills and values to develop a basic personal fitness/ wellness/ health program that can be maintained for life. Each student prepares one written report covering one behavior change.

1. General Education Objectives

2. COURSE OBJECTIVES/ Student Learning Outcomes

REQUIRED TEXT : Hales, Dianne, An Invitation To Health; Belmont, CA.

Wadsworth/Thomson Learning ; 2005, 11 th Ed.

GRADES:

Grades will be based on the results of three examinations and 1 project.
Behavior change project is due: .

Exam 1= 20% of your grade
Exam 2 = 20%
Final Exam = 20%
Behavior change project = 40%
Class participation and attendance can INCREASE your grade by 1/3 or more.

ATTENDANCE:

Students are permitted to be absent from class for NO MORE THAN 2 sessions during the semester. A late arrival is considered a ½ absence. This is official department policy. Students in excess of this limit may be asked to withdraw from class or they will be penalized by reducing their final grade by 1/3 of a grade for every class they exceed the stated limit. (i.e., B to B-, etc.)

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

“Academic integrity is a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action.”

- Center for Academic Integrity

Examples of integrity violations include:

• Copying from another student’s examination paper OR allowing another student to copy from your examination paper.
• Any form of communication between students during an exam.
• Using any device for cheating purposes (cell phones, calculators).
• Attempting to obtain or disseminate the content of an examination before the examination is administered by the professor.
• Participating in any academic exercise (test) using the alias of another student OR permitting someone else to do this for you.
• Using someone else’s words, ideas or data without acknowledging the source.

Consequences For Violations:

• Assignment of a failing grade (F) for the work in question.
• Dismissal from the course and assignment of a grade of an F.
• Expulsion from the College and CUNY.

REMINDER: ALL CLASS NOTES SHOULD BE OBTAINED ONLINE

BEHAVIOR CHANGE PROJECT (40% of grade)- Students will choose a health behavior they wish to change or improve. Based on lectures, class discussions, and reading, students will devise a plan on how best to make changes or improvements.

DUE DATE:

This project should be typewritten, double spaced on 8 ½ x 11” paper. A minimum of 2 pages should be submitted. Journals should be submitted separately, in any form (notebook…)

The following should be included in the typed paper:

1. Select a health behavior that you want to change and explain why it’s important to you- what is the emotional reason you want to change your behavior?
2. For your behavior change program to succeed, you must set meaningful, realistic goals:
   1. Write your ultimate long-term goal
   2. 12 month goal
   3. 3 month goals
   4. Weekly goals
   5. Daily goals
3. Design a detailed plan for change and choose rewards for yourself.
   Example: Monday 1 banana, 2 oranges; Tues 1 apple, 3 grapes….
   Rewards for eating fruit- manicure, buy a book…
4. Write daily or weekly journal updates. Doesn’t have to be typed, can be kept in a journal notebook. NEED TO SUBMIT A MIN. OF 2 MONTHS OF JOURNALS.
   Ex. This week was very stressful, only ate 2 fruit/week…
5. Write an evaluation on how you did with the behavior. Have you changed your behavior, why or why not? What obstacles did you face? What is your prediction for the future? How will you help other’s change behavior?

GRADING SCHEME

The above components #1-3 will be graded as a total of 10 points each; #4 graded as 30 points; #5 will be graded as a total of 40 points.

Use of grammar and style to communicate ideas effectively will be added to grading scheme.

EXTRA CREDIT- Students may earn extra credit toward their final grade in the course.

1. Attend a health lecture (schedule provided in class) and typewrite a 1 page paper on the topic presented and what you learned. There is a 1-week deadline after the presentation for submission of these papers. Each lecture is worth 5 extra points on any exam.
2. Donate blood- Students can receive 10 points on any exam by donating blood during the semester. Students must submit an official receipt from a recognized blood donation agency to get credit.
3. Research paper- Students can select any health related topic and typewrite a 2-page paper. Include 3 references ( journals, internet, books…)in an appropriate bibliography. Make sure this paper is written in your words, without plagiarizing other authors.
   10 points; Will NOT be accepted without references.
4. Summarize a recent health article in a newspaper or magazine; 1 page typed summary and attach the article. Earn 5 points.
5. Any community service or volunteer work will be awarded 10 points, with appropriate documentation.

CAN SUBMIT INFINITE NUMBER OF EXTRA CREDIT PAPERS