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See Most Recent Edition

On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College, Career, and Life, 9th Edition

Skip Downing, Jonathan Brennan

  • Copyright 2020
  • {{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2019-01-14T00:00:00+0000')}}
Starting At $74.95 See pricing and ISBN options
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On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College, Career, and Life 9th Edition by Skip Downing/Jonathan Brennan
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Overview

ON COURSE: STRATEGIES FOR CREATING SUCCESS IN COLLEGE, CAREER, AND LIFE, 9th Edition, empowers students to take charge of their academic and lifelong success. Through short articles and guided journal entries, Skip Downing and new co-author Jonathan Brennan encourage students to explore and develop eight non-cognitive qualities that help them make wise choices and create success, such as personal responsibility and emotional intelligence. The unique CORE Learning Process guides students to employ study strategies, and a MindTap-exclusive "Toolbox for Active Learners" helps students identify and implement effective study skills. New for 2021: Empower your students to connect the dots between what they’re learning now and their current or future careers with “How Transferable Are Your Skills?” – a new MindTap activity that challenges students to identify how personal and academic experiences can help them become career-ready.

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Meet the Authors

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Skip Downing

Skip Downing is an international consultant in the field of faculty development and student success strategies. Dr. Downing has earned degrees from Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Santa Monica, and Carnegie Mellon University. He holds advanced degrees in English and counseling psychology. He was professor of English at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) for 32 years. In addition to his role as an academic instructor, Dr. Downing created and coordinated BCCC's Student Success and Learning Community Programs. These programs teach students how to apply proven success strategies to achieve their full potential in college and in life. The College Success Program resulted in a significant increase in both student academic success and retention. Dr. Downing has made numerous presentations at national conferences and conducted faculty development workshops at many two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and the Virgin Islands. Dr. Downing's teaching, writing, and consulting are all guided by his belief that the greatest mission of any educational institution is to empower its students to live rich, fulfilling lives. Since 1996, he has facilitated the On Course Workshops, intensive four-day retreats for college educators focusing on proven strategies for helping students become active, responsible partners in their education and achieve greater success in college and in life.

Jonathan Brennan

Dr. Brennan has a PhD in Comparative Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley, an EdD in Educational Leadership and Change (Fielding Graduate University), an MA in English (UC Berkeley) and an MS in Cognitive Psychology (USM). In the last two decades, he has focused his research on higher education leadership, best practices in non-cognitive learner competencies and the intersection between race, culture, equity, and access to education. Dr. Brennan is a faculty member (and former chair) of the English Department at Mission College in Santa Clara, California. He designed and coordinated an On Course Program at Mission College that significantly improved the retention and academic success rate of students in developmental English, Mathematics, Reading, and ESL. He was voted Faculty of the Year at Mission College in 1999-2000 and was awarded a NISOD Teaching Excellence Award. In April, 2005, he was awarded the Stanback-Stroud Diversity award from the California State Academic Senate, and in 2008 was awarded the California State Hayward Award for Excellence in Education. Since 2006, he has served as Chair of the On Course National Conference and is currently Editor of the On Course student success newsletter which has nearly 200,000 subscribers worldwide. He has facilitated workshops on improving student learning for over 6,000 faculty from colleges and universities across North America. Dr. Brennan’s teaching, writing, and consulting are guided by his belief that all students deserve an opportunity to find their passion for lifelong learning, and accomplish their academic, career, and life goals.

What's New

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  • NEW - On Course Principles at Work. These completely revised and revamped articles equip students with the tools they need to take the On Course success strategies (soft skills) to build and further their professional lives, including choosing the right career, getting hired, and succeeding in the working world.
  • NEW - Healthy Choices. To be successful, it is critical to take care of our bodies and our minds. The new Healthy Choices articles offer insights and strategies in many areas, such as nutrition, exercise, and sleep, so students can make wise choices that support wellness and success at any time in life.

Features

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  • Self-Assessment. ON COURSE begins and ends with a self-assessment questionnaire of important non-cognitive skills (soft skills). Scores are provided for self-responsibility, self-motivation, self-management, interdependence, self-awareness, lifelong learning, emotional intelligence, and belief in oneself. Imagine working with students who develop strengths in all of these inner qualities! Imagine how these qualities will affect the choices the students make and the outcomes and experiences they create. By completing the initial questionnaire, students immediately see areas of weakness that need attention. By completing the concluding questionnaire, students see their semester's growth. Students have the option of completing the self-assessment either in the text or online in MindTap.
  • Guided Journal Entries. A guided journal entry immediately follows each article about a success strategy, giving students an opportunity to apply the strategy they have just learned to enhance their results in college and in life. Many instructors of the course say the guided journal writings are extremely powerful in helping students make new and more effective choices, thus improving their academic success and persistence.
  • Case Studies in Critical Thinking. Case studies help students apply the strategies they are learning to real-life situations. As such, they help prepare students to make wise choices in the kinds of challenging situations they will likely face in college. Because case studies don't have "right" answers, they promote critical and creative thinking.
  • A "College Smart-Start Guide" helps students make wise choices in the first week of college.

Table of Contents

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Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Travel with Me.
1. GETTING ON COURSE TO YOUR SUCCESS.
College Smart-Start Guide. What to Do Before the End of Your First Week in College. Get Familiar. Get Organized. Get Serious. Money Matters. Managing Money: The Big Picture. Increase Money Flowing In. Decrease Money Flowing Out. Tech Tips: MONEY. Understanding the Culture of Higher Education. The Surface Culture of Higher Education. One Dozen College Customs. Write a Great Life. Journal Entry 1: Understanding the Expectations of College and University Educators. Eight Key Expectations. A Dozen Differences Between High School and College Culture. Journal Entry 2: Understanding Yourself. What Does Success Mean to You? Ingredients of Success. Assess Your Soft Skills for College Success. Forks in the Road. A Few Words of Encouragement. Journal Entry 3: One Student’s Story Jalayna Onaga. Soft Skills at Work.
2. ACCEPTING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Case Study in Critical Thinking the Late Paper. Adopting a Creator Mindset. Victim and Creator Mindsets. Responsibility and Culture. Responsibility and Choice. Journal Entry 4: One Student's Story: Taryn Rossmiller. Mastering Creator Language. Self-Talk. The Language of Responsibility. Journal Entry 5: One Student's Story: Alexsandr Kanevskiy. Making Wise Decisions. The Wise Choice Process. Journal Entry 6: One Student's Story Freddie Davila. Personal Responsibility at Work. Tech Tips: Personal Responsibility. Believing in Yourself Change Your Inner Conversation. The Curse of Stinkin'' Thinkin''. Disputing Irrational Beliefs. Stereotype Threat. Journal Entry 7: One Student's Story Dominic Grasseth.
3. DISCOVERING SELF-MOTIVATION.
Case Study in Critical Thinking Popson''s Dilemma. Creating Inner Motivation. A Formula for Motivation. Value of College Outcomes. Value of College Experiences. Journal Entry 8: One Student's Story: Chee Meng Vang. Designing a Compelling Life Plan. Roles and Goals. How to Set a Goal. Discover Your Dreams. Your Life Plan. Journal Entry 9: One Student's Story Brandon Beavers. Committing to Your Goals and Dreams. Commitment Creates Method. Visualize Your Ideal Future. How to Visualize. Journal Entry 10: One Students' Story James Terrell. Self-Motivation at Work. Tech Tips: Self-Motivation. Believing in Yourself Write a Personal Affirmation. Claiming Your Desired Personal Qualities. Living Your Affirmation. Journal Entry 11: One Student's Story Tina Steen.
4. MASTERING SELF-MANAGEMENT.
Case Study in Critical Thinking The Procrastinators. Acting on Purpose. Harness the Power of Quadrant II. What to Do in Quadrants I and II. Journal Entry 12: One Student's Story: Jason Pozsgay. Creating a Leak-Proof Self-Management System. Time and Culture. Weekly Calendar. Monthly Calendar. Next Actions List. Tracking Form. Waiting-For List. Project Folder. The Rewards of Effective Self-Management. Journal Entry 13: One Student's Story: Allysa LePage. Developing Self-Discipline. Staying Focused. Being Persistent. Avoiding Procrastination. Journal Entry 14: One Student's Story: Holt Boggs. Self-Management at Work. Tech Tips: Self-Management. Believing in Yourself Develop Self-Confidence. Create a Success Identity. Celebrate Your Successes and Talents. Visualize Purposeful Actions. Journal Entry 15: One Student's Story: Ashley Freeman.
5. EMPLOYING INTERDEPENDENCE.
Case Study in Critical Thinking Professor Rogers' Trial. Creating a Support System. A Sign of Maturity. Seek Help from Your Instructors. Get Help from College Resources. Create a Project Team. Start a Study Group. The Difference between Heaven and Hell. Journal Entry 16: One Student's Story: Mitch Mull. Strengthening Relationships with Active Listening. How to Listen Actively. Use Active Listening in Your College Classes. Journal Entry 17: One Student's Story: Teroa Paselio. Respecting Cultural Differences. Showing Respect. Journal Entry 18: Interdependence at Work. Tech Tips: Interdependence. Believing in Yourself Be Assertive. Leveling. Making Requests. Saying "No." Journal Entry 19: One Student's Story: Amy Acton.
6. GAINING SELF-AWARENESS.
Case Study in Critical Thinking Strange Choices. Recognizing when You Are Off Course. The Mystery of Self-Sabotage. Unconscious Forces. Journal Entry 20. One Student's Story: Sarah Richmond. Identifying Your Scripts. Anatomy of a Script. How We Wrote Our Scripts. Self-Defeating Habit Patterns. Journal Entry 21. One Student's Story: James Floriolli. Rewriting Your Outdated Scripts. The Impact of Outdated Beliefs. Doing the Rewrite. Journal Entry 22. One Student's Story: Annette Valle. Self-Awareness AT WORK. Tech Tips: SELF-AWARENESS. Believing in Yourself Write Your Own Rules. Three Success Rules. Changing Your Habits. Journal Entry 23. One Student's Story Brandee Huigens.
7. ADOPTING LIFELONG LEARNING.
Case Study in Critical Thinking A Fish Story. Developing a Learning Orientation to Life. Growth Mindsets and Fixed Mindsets. How to Develop a Growth Mindset. Journal Entry 24. One Student's Story: Jessie Maggard. Discovering Your Preferred Ways of Learning. Self-Assessment: How I Prefer to Learn. Journal Entry 25. One Student's Story: Melissa Thompson. Employing Critical Thinking. Constructing Logical Arguments. Asking Probing Questions. Applying Critical Thinking. Journal Entry 26. Lifelong Learning at Work. Tech Tips: Lifelong Learning. Believing in Yourself Develop Self-Respect. Live with Integrity (i.e., No Cheating or Plagiarizing). Keep Commitments. Journal Entry 27.
8 DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.
Case Study in Critical Thinking After Math. Understanding Emotional Intelligence. Four Components of Emotional Intelligence. Knowing Your Own Emotions. Journal Entry 28: One Student's Story: Lindsey Beck. Reducing Stress. What Is Stress? What Happens when Stress Persists? Unhealthy Stress Reduction. Healthy Stress Reduction. Choose Your Attitude. Journal Entry 29: One Student's Story: Jaime Sanmiguel. Increasing Happiness. Limits on Happiness. Savoring Pleasures. Gratitude. Engagement. Contribution. Strawberry Moments. Journal Entry 30: Emotional Intelligence at Work. Tech Tips: Emotional Awareness. Believing in Yourself Develop Self-Acceptance. Self-Esteem and Core Beliefs. Know and Accept Yourself. Journal Entry 31: One Student's Story Wynda Allison Paulette.
9. STAYING ON COURSE TO YOUR SUCCESS.
Planning Your Next Steps. Assess Your Soft Skills -- Again. Journal Entry 32: One Student's Story Stephan J. Montgomery.
Conversation with the Author.
Bibliography.
Index.

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Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

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MindTap for Downing/Brennan's On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College, Career, and Life, 1 term Instant Access

ISBN: 9780357022740
MindTap for Downing/Brennan's On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College, Career, and Life, 9th Edition is the digital learning solution that powers students from memorization to mastery. It gives you complete control of your course—to provide engaging content, to challenge every individual, and to build their confidence. MindTap includes the digitally-exclusive “Toolbox of Active Learners” and features two self-assessments to enable students to monitor progress in developing necessary soft skills and study skills for success. It also contains chapter readings, interactive quizzes, concept-check videos, and a variety of assignments to get and keep students on track toward their goals. Utilize the College Success Factors Index (CSFI) in MindTap to identify at-risk students, validate your college success program, and improve retention rates. New for 2021: Empower your students to connect the dots between what they’re learning now and their current or future careers with “How Transferable Are Your Skills?” – a new MindTap activity that challenges students to identify how personal and academic experiences can help them become career-ready. Empower students to accelerate their progress with MindTap!