Course Syllabus

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Penn State, College of Health and Human Development

BBH 119

Behavior, Health, and Disease

Contents

Instructor

  • Instructor: To Be Determined
  • Email: To Be Determined
  • Phone: (814) XXX-XXXX

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Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change. Instructors will notify students of any changes and students will be responsible for abiding them. Even if you print this syllabus, please check the online version, especially the course summary (schedule), often.

Course Description

This course is designed to present information about the relationship between behavior and health.

Although we will be discussing a number of specific health conditions, some of which affect you, any personal healthcare questions should be discussed with your own health care provider.

  • Number of credits: 3

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Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Think critically about and discuss health-related information.
  2. Explain what healthy behaviors are and why they are considered healthy.
  3. Explain healthy behaviors that may reduce the risk of major illnesses.
  4. Explain basic biological processes related to health.
  5. Describe behavioral factors related to major illnesses.
  6. Track and assess health-related behaviors and develop effective strategies to improve your overall health.
  7. Analyze and debate controversial health-related issues that impact society. 

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Materials

The following textbook is required:

  • Lynch, A. Vail-Smith, K., & Kotecki, J. (2017). Choosing Health. (3rd edition). Pearson. ISBN-13: 978-0-134-49367-1

Other course materials will come from the online lecture materials and additional readings posted within the course. Take time to read the online lecture material because they will ground you in basic information needed to fully understand the lecture topic and participate in class discussions.

The information covered is designed to provide interesting examples of health issues and diseases (i.e. lecture content, videos, etc) and will be referenced in course assignments and exams. If for any reason you do not understand the instructional material, you are encouraged to ask questions on which you need further clarification.

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Library Services

Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries offers you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library. The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.

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Assignments

Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information in the Modules tab.

Activities and assignments will vary by unit, but may include:

  • Online course content
  • Assigned readings from the journal articles, websites, and other sources
  • Online discussion forums
  • Self-assessments and exercises
  • Behavior change plans
  • Exams

Grading and Feedback Timeline

You can typically expect meaningful feedback on all written assignments within SEVEN days of their due date, however, this timeline may vary. Your instructor will provide you with updates, if needed, regarding the feedback timeframe.

Assignment and Grading Overview
Type of Assignment Points % of Final Grade
Active Learning Discussions 75 11%
Debate Discussions 150 21%
Self-Assessments/Diaries/Exercises N/A N/A
Behavior Change Plans 300 42%
Exams 180 26%
Course Total  705 100% 

Syllabus and Orientation Quiz

This quiz does not count toward the final course grade.

A brief quiz will require you to answer a few key questions about the syllabus and orientation, and acknowledge that you have read and understood the course requirements and policies. You will have multiple attempts to complete the quiz, and you will NOT be able to access additional course content after the course orientation until it is completed. Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.

Notes:

  • Course content after the orientation in this course will NOT be visible to you until you have completed the quiz.
  • Your work will automatically be saved as you complete the quiz. If you experience technical difficulties, contact the Help Desk and the instructor immediately.
  • We do NOT recommend taking quizzes using the Canvas mobile app; use the web version of Canvas.

Active Learning Discussions

There are several discussion forums required throughout the course. Instructions for these are included in the discussion description and participation requirements. Precise grading criteria and expectations are included in the discussion-specific rubric within the course.

See the Course Calendar for topics and deadlines. These discussions will allow you to think about and express your opinions on various course topics. You will also be able to interact with your classmates and generate an exchange of ideas rather than just one-way communication from student to instructor. Productive and active participation is required. The discussions will be guided through a series of questions or instructions, but the intent is for all students to contribute with substantive knowledge gained through the course lessons and readings, through research on the internet, and through life experiences thus far.

Initial posts are expected to be posted by Thursday of the discussion week, and replies to classmates must be posted by Sunday.

Discussion Assignment Listing on Calendar:

The initial posting and response will both take place within the discussion assignment area, but will each have a separate due date. For example, on the course calendar:

  1. Initial Postings: the initial posting for the Introductions Discussion will be listed as L01 Introductions Discussion Initial Reply.
  2. Responding to Peers: responding to peers for the Introductions Discussion will be listed as L01 Introductions Discussion.

This will be the same format that will be used throughout the course for all discussions.

Please view the Discussion Guidelines and Policies information within the Student Resources module for pointers and policies for interacting within class discussions. All discussion forums will be available on the course site within the Modules tab.

Refer to the Discussion Forum Rubric for grading expectations. You can view this within each Discussion Forum assignment.

Note: If you are using a mobile device, you may not be able to view the rubric from within the discussion forum.

Debate Discussions

There are 3 debate discussion forums required throughout the course. Students will be placed in smaller discussion groups and will be divided up so that half of the group will take a side in debating a controversial health-related issue. The week-long debate will end with students voting on which side of the group they think won the debate. Your instructor will inform you of the group and side you are on.

Additional instructions for these are included in the debate discussion description and participation requirements. Precise grading criteria and expectations are included in the debate discussion-specific rubric within the course.

Self-Assessments/Diaries/Exercises

You will complete self-assessments to determine your current status on a variety of health issues and then develop a plan to increase your level of health. Note: You will not submit your answers to self-assessments as this is personal information; you will only submit your plan for change.

Behavior Change Plans and Worksheets

For each lesson, using information from the self-assessments, diaries and exercises, you will select one behavior that you can change to improve your health and well-being. You will complete the worksheets to help you develop a plan for you to follow to effectively change your behavior to improve your health. 

Exams

Exams will assess your knowledge, comprehension, and integration of material from the class.

There are three (3) exams in the course.

  1. Exam 1 will include content from Lessons 1-4.
  2. Exam 2 will include content from Lessons 5-8 (everything after Exam 1).
  3. Exam 3 (Final Exam) will cover material from the third part of the course (everything after Exam 2; the Final Exam is NOT a cumulative exam).

Exams will consist of true/false and multiple choice questions (Total of 60 questions for each exam.). Each exam is worth 60 points or 26% of the final grade.

Exams will be taken online, are timed (60-minute time limit), and only one (1) submission is allowed. Each exam will be open for (3) days to give students the opportunity to take the exam at a time that is best for them.

Exams in this course are CLOSED BOOK and are proctored.

Online Exam Proctoring Service

Honorlock will proctor your exams this semester. Honorlock is an online proctoring service that allows you to take your exam from the comfort of your home. You DO NOT need to create an account or schedule an appointment in advance. Honorlock is available 24/7, and all that is required is a computer, a working webcam/microphone, your ID, and a stable internet connection. A couple of notes about this:

      • Devices: You must use the web version of Canvas, no mobile devices.
      • Ethernet Internet Connection: We strongly recommend using an Ethernet Internet connection since they are the most stable. If you do not choose to use an Ethernet Internet connection, you may experience connectivity issues (i.e., dropped or lost connections). Test your connectivity speed prior to taking the exam by using the Honorlock - Internet Speed Test Links to an external site.. If you have reason to think your connectivity may be unstable during an exam, please alert your instructor ahead of time.

To get started, you must use Google Chrome and install the Honorlock Chrome Extension. A note about extensions:

      • Extensions: If you have an extension from another proctoring platform (e.g., Examity) installed in your Chrome browser, you must remove it before you can use Honorlock. Both extensions cannot co-exist.

Prior to taking your first exam, you will take a practice quiz to ensure you are able to access and complete a quiz using the Honorlock system. More information about Honorlock will be provided prior to the first exam.

Note: We do NOT recommend taking exams using the Canvas mobile app; use the web version of Canvas.

Refer to the Course Calendar or Course Summary table within the Course Syllabus for due dates.

Due Dates

All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar, unless noted otherwise. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide Links to an external site..

Late Work and Make-Up Policy

  • To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates. Please check the instructions in the assignment or discussion or to ensure that you are fully aware of due dates.
  • Late Assignments: 1 point will be deducted for every day an assignment or discussion posting is late.
  • Make-Up Work:
    • No credit will be awarded for discussion posts made after the lesson week ends unless permission has been granted ahead of time. No credit will be awarded for assignments submitted more than 1 week after the original deadline unless permission has been granted. There will be no make-up opportunities for quizzes, except in cases of emergencies (i.e. natural disasters and weather emergencies, hospitalization).
    • Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.
    • Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
  • Notes on Technical Problems: If you encounter technical problems and cannot submit an assignment in Canvas, please immediately email the instructor the assignment. Once the email has been sent, go back and try to fix the problem. All work must be submitted in Canvas in order to receive credit.

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Grading

Final grades will be assigned based on the following grading scheme. There will be NO final grade rounding (per BBH departmental policy). There will be NO special opportunities for grade enhancement unless such opportunities are provided to all students.

Course Grading Scheme
Grade Percentage
A 100% to 94%
A- <94% to 90%
B+ <90% to 87%
B <87% to 84%
B- <84% to 80%
C+ <80% to 77%
C <77% to 70%
D <70% to 60%
F <60% to 0%


Additional Links and Resources

Review information related to technical requirements, Penn State policies, and student resources.

  • Technical Requirements
    • This document provides guidance on the technology and software required to successfully complete this online course.  Students should familiarize themselves with the various technologies used to enhance learning and participation in this course.
  • University Policies
    • This document includes university policies about copyright, nondiscrimination and equity, disability accommodations, military accommodations, counseling, artificial intelligence, and academic integrity.
  • Digital Learning Tools
    • This document provides an overview of the common technology tools used at Penn State and includes helpful guides, tutorials, and videos to get started.
  • Student Health, Well-Being, Career, and Financial Resources
    • This document provides helpful student health and well-being resources including links and contact information for crisis, general health, disability services, sexual misconduct, college and career services, and campus life.

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Course Summary:

Date Details Due