Guidelines & Policies for Courses
Managed by David L. Passmore

Effort, Integrity, & Honesty

Level of Student Effort Required

The Official Minimum

According to Penn State academic policy 42-23, courses featuring lecture, discussion, demonstration, or recitation require scheduling of 40 hours of classroom contact and a minimum of 80 hours of preparation outside class contact (i.e., a minimum of two hours for every hour of class meeting). For three–credit courses that I manage in which synchronous class meetings do not occur, the student can anticipate spending at least 120 hours on course work over a semester or summer session. Attainment of course outcomes often requires more than minimum effort. Mileage varies.

You Must Be Self–Directed

Self–directed learning forms an important basis for student learning in this course and in others offered to doctoral students in WF ED.

Academic Integrity & Honesty

The Rules

You are responsible to know the regulations and pertinent procedures of the University and the Graduate School set forth in the most recent issues of the Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin and The University Senate Policy for Students and to meet the standards and requirements expressed and intended by these regulations and procedures.

Penn State publishes policy on honesty and integrity in scholarly activities. According to this policy:

Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle.

Procedures specified in the document, G–9 Academic Integrity Procedure, for maintaining academic integrity are followed in my courses. Plagiarism prevention resources are provided by the Teaching and Learning with Technology unit of Penn State’s Information Technology Services. Penn State’s College of Education has policies related to academic integrity.

Unless explicitly directed otherwise by me, all assignments are expected to be your own original work completed individually without collaboration. Violations of this code of conduct can result in reduced grades and can be reported to the College or University for further action.

The Consequences

Successful completion of my courses requires hard work as well as careful management of time and effort. For any real benefit to be achieved, you also must complete all work by yourself, unless otherwise specifically directed. Submission of another person’s work, having work completed by anyone other than the student submitting it, or acts of plagiarism are considered by me and by the University to be dishonest academically. All instances of academic dishonesty or any other breeches of the code of conduct are reported through established University student conduct channels and processes.

Revised: