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The assignment below is for one module of a course in a program offered as part of a corporate training solution.  The corporate training solution was developed by our corporate training solutions group ("department") for the group project in OMDE 623.  I was individually responsible for developing a Sexual Harassment course and the syllabus that is the assignment you see below.  
 
Here is an excerpt from the OMDE 623 instructor's Syllabus to give better context for my assignment below, including the assignments that led up to the syllabus assignment:
 

1.  Planning Document:  Choose and plan your company

Create a collaborative document (Part 1) which names and demonstrates to a client your department’s expertise in their sector. Think of this as a brief proposal presentation in an executive meeting to a potential client looking for university credentialed education/training.  

 

2.  Needs Assessment:  Describe How Your Department Can Meet the Online Training Needs of a Typical Client in Your Sector.  Continue your collaborative document (Part 2) with a description of the major characteristics of the sector and the “learning gap” that you have identified for a client in your sector.  

 

3.  Program Design: Design a program.   Complete the collaborative document (Part 3) with a programmed plan of study to include course descriptions and learning objectives for courses that your department might offer to address the “learning gap” described in Part 2 and the reasons these courses would be relevant and appropriate for your client’s learners.                                          

Important Note: Be thoughtful and thorough about your choice of program and courses, as your team members will then each choose a course from within your team program, design a syllabus for the course and develop a module for this course to teach. 

 

This means that your major individual projects — the module blueprint and syllabus and a published online course — will be determined by the course you propose here.

 

Individually, you will document your contribution to your department’s Needs Assessment, and comment on your department’s performance as a team (a rubric will be provided).

 

Course Syllabus  

Individually, you will design a syllabus for a 10 week course predetermined from your team’s program design document. Your syllabus will includes a list of learning outcomes for the course, a list of learning resources (which can be aggregated from your module design documents) and the final student assessment(s).  This syllabus will appear in each “module” of the department’s course.

 

Based on this course syllabus, each team member will fully develop one module of their course. Your original department design may include more courses than you have team members.

 

Louise Gussin

OMDE623 Section 9040

Corporate Sector Team

Syllabus

 

 

Jupiter Car Company

Training Program:  Standards of Conduct

 

 

 

SYLLABUS

 

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

 

 

INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

 

Contact information

Instructor:  Louise Bailey Gussin

● E-mail:  louiseweb@verizon.net

Please include “Jupiter SH Course” in the reference line.

● Phone:  (555) 555-5555

Please include “Jupiter SH Course” in your voice mail.

 

Communication channels

● Communicate through the WebTycho conferences

Please direct all communications about our class or class work to me and your fellow students through the Conferences.  If you need confidential communication with me or if you have an emergency, you may use e-mail.


● Keep the channels open!

If your e-mail address changes during the course, please notify me immediately in the Conference under "Questions This Week?."  Also, make the change as soon as possible with your HR department so that a representative can facilitate the necessary changes in WebTycho.

● I will talk with you live

I realize that you may just need or want to talk live to me -- whether it is about the course or life events interfering with your course work, or if you have an emergency.  If you need to reach me by phone, you can call me between 8:30 am and 5 pm Eastern Time (ET).  When you leave a message at my office, please mention that you are from the “Jupiter SH course.”

INSTRUCTOR’S PARTICIPATION

 

● My check-in times
I will check in every day, probably 2 to 3 times per day.  If you have an emergency, you can e-mail me or call me (see "Communicating").

 

● Posting grades
You will see your grades and comments no later than the Sunday after they were due -- unless I am ill or have an emergency.  Depending on the assignment, you may get your grade and comments sooner.  I will post a class announcement to let you know that the grades and comments have been posted. I will also let you know if I am ill or have an emergency that may delay the posting of grades.

 

● Response time

I will make every effort to respond to conference questions and e-mails within a few hours, usually during the same business day unless I am ill or have an emergency.  If I encounter either of these, I will let you know as soon as possible.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This training course will prepare Employees to effectively manage and reduce sexual harassment claims.  Participants will first examine the laws that govern sexual harassment in the workplace.  Next, Employees will examine and categorize examples of various forms of sexual harassment.  Using practice-based scenarios, Employees will then hone their skills to recognize incidents of sexual harassment with an emphasis on early intervention which may resolve the issue before serious harm can occur. Finally, participants will evaluate various techniques to manage sexual harassment claims once they have been formally initiated.  Employees will explore and practice methods for investigating and evaluating claims in a fair and professional manner.  Participants will then devise a cumulative strategy for reducing sexual harassment claims in the workplace

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, you will be able to:

  • Explain the laws that govern sexual harassment in the workplace.

 

  • Differentiate among and categorize various forms of sexual harassment.

 

  • Recognize incidents of sexual harassment and when early intervention is practical or appropriate.

 

  • Evaluate strategies and methods for investigating, evaluating and handling sexual harassment claims.

 

  • Determine strategies to reduce sexual harassment claims in the workplace.

 

  • Propose a comprehensive plan for evaluating, investigating, handling, and reducing sexual harassment claims in the workplace.

 

COURSE OVERVIEW

This training course is presented in the following three modules:

  1. Laws governing sexual harassment in the workplace
  2. Recognizing and preventing sexual harassment
  3. Managing sexual harassment claims

The course term is three weeks.  You should expect to invest approximately 15 to 20 hours in this course.

One module will be covered in each week of the course.  Each module represents on the average approximately five to seven hours of work on your part.

Each module week starts at 12 am eastern time (ET) on Monday and ends at 11:59 pm ET on the following Sunday.

 

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING

Your course grade will be computed as follows:

 

Conference discussions

            Module 1                                                         5

            Module 2                                                         5

            Module 3                                                         5                15

           

Quizzes          

            Module 1                                                         5

            Module 2                                                         5

            Module 3                                                         5                15

 

Graded Assignments

            Module 1                                                         15

            Module 2                                                         25

            Module 3                                                         30              70

                  Total possible points for this course                                        100

 

 

Notes

● Jupiter Car Company requires that you accumulate a total of 85 points to pass this course.

 

● Graded Assignments are scored on a 100-point scale

 

● Conference Discussion Assignments - Credit is earned for a conference assignment by posting your own substantive contribution and then offering substantive comments/discussion with a classmate about his/her post.  Your post should offer ideas, solutions, resources, etc., and should invite others to comment or challenge your thoughts.  Substantive comments to classmates include offering examples to respond to your classmate’s post, reasons for agreement/disagreement, expanding on your classmate’s ideas.

 

COURSE PLAN AND SCHEDULE

 

No textbook is required for this course.  All course materials and readings will be provided via the online classroom.

 

Module 1

 

 

Week 1:  Monday, _________ to Sunday, _________

 

►OBJECTIVES:

After completing Module 1, you will be able to:

 

  • Explain the laws that govern sexual harassment in the workplace.

 

  • Differentiate among and categorize various forms of sexual harassment.

►REQUIRED READINGS

● EEOC – Types of Sexual Harassment:  http://www.eeoc.gov/types/sexual_harassment.html

 

● Legal Definition of Sexual Harassment

http://www.de2.psu.edu/harassment/legal/

 

● EEOC Guidance Explains Liability for Supervisor’s Harassment

http://ppspublishers.com/articles/gl/eeoc_retaliation.htm

 

● Avoiding Sexual Harassment for Supervisors – Questions and Misconceptions.  ‘Lectric Law Library.

http://www.lectlaw.com/files/emp42.htm

 

● Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Harassment Is Prohibited under Title VII

http://ppspublishers.com/articles/gl/bulletin_court_rules.htm

 

● National Women’s Law Center - Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

http://www.nwlc.org/details.cfm?id=459&section=employment

 

● Sexual Harassment Information Sheet

http://www.wcasa.org/docs/Harassment.pdf

 

● The Law and Your Job – Sexual Harassment

http://www.abanet.org/publiced/practical/sexualharassment.html

(Be sure to visit all of the links in the body of the website, starting with “How is sexual harassment defined.”)

 

►Supplemental/Optional Readings and Resources

Sexual harassment laws: 

Federal statute - http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/vii.html

 

Federal regulation - http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jul20061500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2006/julqtr/29cfr1604.11.htm

 

        EEOC website: http://www.eeoc.gov/

 

 

►LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

 

1.  Pre-Test

Please see the module 1 conference topic labeled “pre-test.”

 

2.  Conference Discussion

Please see the module 1 conference.

Submit:  Reply to conference main topic(s) labeled “discussion assignment.”

Due:  Sunday, _______________, 11:59 pm ET

 

3.  Graded assignment 1 – Essay

Submit:  Assignment folder; attach rtf document in tab “Mod1LGEssay”

Due:  Sunday, ___________, 11:59 pm ET

Format:  Essay, 500 – 750 words

Percentage of Course Grade:  15%

 

Instructions: 

◊ Before starting this graded assignment or completing any of the readings for this module, you should have taken the quiz in the “pre-test” main topic in the module 1 conference. 

 

Please prepare an essay that discusses:

  • Your score on the quiz – not necessarily how you scored, but your thoughts about your score overall and perhaps on particular questions
  • What types of questions you missed on the quiz and why you think you missed them
  • Whether you were surprised – pleasantly or otherwise – about your knowledge and perceptions of sexual harassment
  • At least one thing that you learned after completing the readings for module 1, that you did not know when you completed the pre-test
  • Whether you had an perceptions or misconceptions about sexual harassment of which you became aware after the module 1 readings

 

Assessment of the essay:

There are no right answers for this assignment!  Also your score on the pre-test quiz has no bearing on your essay grade.  The purpose is to record and reflect upon your thoughts about sexual harassment prior to the training course and then to reflect upon how those thoughts might have changed after completing module 1.  You are submitting this assignment in the privacy of the assignments folder so that you can speak freely and honestly.  Please know that the content of this assignment will not be disclosed to your employer.  You will be scored on a 100-point scale.  The essay is worth 15% towards your final course grade.

 

4.  Quiz - Graded

Submit:  Assignment folder; copy and paste quiz questions and answers in text box in tab “Mod1LGQuiz.”

Due:  Sunday, ___________, 11:59 pm ET

Percentage of Course Grade:  5%

 

You will find the questions for the quiz in the conference topic labeled “Quiz – Graded (5 points).”  Please copy and paste the text into the text box in your assignment folder and insert each answer after each question.  The tab in the assignment folder for the quiz is labeled “Mod1LGQuiz.”

 

There are 5 true/false questions, worth 1 point each.  The quiz is worth a possible 5 points towards your final course grade.

 

 

TRAINEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Time devoted to this course

You should expect to spend at least 5 to 7 hours per module/week in and outside of our cyber-classroom.  You need time for reading course materials, participating in conference discussions and completing assignments.

 

Online participation – expectations for trainees
●  Conference participation is part of your grade!

 

● Check in early and often

Check in at least two to three times per week. 

 

● Check again

Revisit conference topics that may help you with your Assignments.  There may be new discussion items in the discussion thread.  For example, someone may have posted an important question about the assignment and I may give an answer that helps you with your work.  If I get a question that is vital to your assignment or project, I will post the answer prominently (in a class announcement or new conference topic).

 

● Read all conference topics

Keep track of those you have read in each conference.  You will know that you have something unread in a conference when a red star appears next to it.

 

● Don’t peek!

You must submit your original Conference Assignment before looking at other trainees’ postings. 

 

● Questions?  Do not hesitate to ask!
In each conference, I will have a main topic entitled, "Questions This Week?."   I will respond quickly – usually within 12 to 24 hours – to "Questions This Week?."  However, if you need urgent help, e-mail or call me (see "Communicating").

 

If you have a question about anything, even projects or graded assignments, post them.  If I cannot answer because I would be "giving away the store", then I will let you know.  But, I will always provide you with as much guidance as I can.

 

Posting your course work

● Post only in the classroom

Do not submit any work by e-mail, unless you have a WebTycho glitch that you can document.  Please see "WebTycho Glitches" information below.

● Where to post

You will be instructed in each weekly conference where to post your work.

● Plan ahead

Try not to wait until moments before the due date/time to post.  Planning ahead can help avoid last minute posting problems, or afford you time to deal with them!  Please see "WebTycho Glitches" for information.  Visit the WebTycho Help and Support site to learn about posting your work.

 

Deadlines

● You are expected to complete all readings and conference discussions and submit graded work no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time ET on Sundays during the course.  Please keep in mind that WebTycho glitches are not a valid reason for late submission of course work.   

 

● When WebTycho Glitches Affect Submission of Your Work

If you do not submit your work on time and do not have a pre-approved extension, you will either not get credit or you will have late penalties (see details of penalties with conference, graded assignments, and projects information).  Both are ugly consequences since Jupiter Car Company expects you to complete this course!  WebTycho glitches are not "emergencies" that warrant an extension.  There's a solution…

 

● Here's what to do (in this order – you must do all 4!):

◦ By the submission deadline, e-mail me the text/substance of what you are trying to submit (conference, assignment, etc.).  Do not simply e-mail me to tell me that you are having a problem.  Send an e-mail that explains that you had a problem with WebTycho and either cut and paste your work into the e-mail or attach it as a Word document.  Do not wait until after you deal with WebTycho support – send me the work first, and then deal with WebTycho.  Your work is timely submitted only if the e-mail containing your work is sent to me by the date and time when the work is due.

 

◦ Then, immediately notify WebTycho support about the problem.  You must document the problem in order for me to accept your work by e-mail.  If you talk on the phone with them, get a ticket number.  Whether you communicate by phone or e-mail, you will receive a follow-up e-mail from WebTycho support documenting your service call/e-mail and that e-mail will contain your ticket number.

 

◦ As soon as you receive the e-mail from WebTycho confirming your service call/e-mail, please forward that e-mail to me to document the problem.  

 

◦ When the problem has been resolved, please go back into WebTycho and post your work where required and e-mail me to let me know that it is posted. 

 

Etiquette
● Please be mindful that others cannot hear your voice or see your facial expression in your postings.  They might know you only by what you post in our classroom.  I expect that you will be polite and respectful of each other and each other's work and thoughts expressed in our class.   Also, please trust that your classmates' postings are well intended.


● Be especially careful when commenting on another student's work.  Only substantive comments and discussion are acceptable.  Do not comment as if you are grading another trainee's submission!

● Commenting does not mean simply saying "good job!" (or worse, the opposite).  Tell your classmate what you learned from his or her work or raise questions that will start a discussion.  Try relating your classmate's posting to something we have discussed in class or read in our course materials. 

● Following this etiquette will ensure that all of us can feel comfortable in participating.  Then all may reap the full benefits of each other's knowledge.  Everyone has a lot to offer!

Style
● Please do not carry over the e-mail or text messaging culture into our classroom.  We want to ensure the free flow of information, especially in the conference discussions, but I expect no e-mail slang, such as "lol" or "btw" or "imo" or "imho."  Please keep in mind that this is a professional training environment.

● When you submit your work, I expect good grammar and sentence structure as well as a professional appearance.

 

OUR ONLINE CLASSROOM – TECHNICAL DETAILS

WebTycho Orientation

Please take the WebTycho orientation.  Here is the link:   http://www.umuc.edu/distance/de_orien/mod1_frm.html  When you get there, click on "WEBT 101" in the left menu.  This orientation will help you become familiar with the classroom areas and WebTycho features and functions.

 

Visit the WebTycho Help and Support site

● We strongly recommend that you visit WebTycho's Help and Support Site as soon as possible and when you need it throughout the course.  You can find the link by first clicking on "Help" at the top of your WebTycho classroom screen, then "Help and Support Site."

● Click on “User Guide” for a helpful overview of our classroom components.  The helpful hints in the "User Guide" will help you navigate our classroom.

 

● Click on "Using Text" for more help with submitting your work.  You will need this valuable information when submitting work into your assignments folder.  

 

Formatting text

● If you copy and paste text drafted in Word into WebTycho, sometimes quirks happen.  For example, quotation marks and hyphens might appear as question marks when pasted into the WebTycho text boxes.  Please be sure that your postings do not contain these formatting quirks so that they maintain a professional appearance.

 

● If you have certain software downloaded, you will not have these conversion quirks.  Please see the information when you log onto WebTycho about Java Script requirements and contact WebTycho support if you have questions about the software or the downloading process.

 

● If you do not download the most recent required Java Script, you might need to do a "fix" so that you can copy and paste your work without the quirks.  Please see this link for information on how to do the "fix": http://tychousa6.umuc.edu/wtdocs/wthelp/html/smart_quotes.html

 

Work offline to avoid losing your work!

● Do your work in Word, saving as you go along – even if it's a Conference posting. 

 

● WebTycho might “time out” or you could lose Internet connectivity while composing your work in WebTycho.   If these events happen, you could lose all of your work! 

 

● When you are finished composing in Word, copy and paste your work into WebTycho and submit. 


Occasional WebTycho glitches

Occasionally these glitches happen.  Fortunately, they are relatively rare.  Please be patient, especially with support personnel!  No system is perfect.  Here are some suggestions:

 

● If you have any problems with WebTycho, report them to WebTycho support.  You can find information on how to do this by clicking the "Help" button in the upper right corner of your WebTycho classroom screen.   You can contact WT support by phone or online.

 

● To prepare for those instances when you cannot log onto WebTycho but need to talk with support, write down the toll-free support phone number and keep it handy.

 

● When communicating with WebTycho, obtain and keep for reference a ticket number related to that support issue.  You will need this ticket number to document any glitches that affect your submission of work.  Every time you contact support, you will get a new ticket number. 

 

 

DEADLINES, PENALTIES, AND RARE EXTENSIONS

On time

On time means no later than 11:59 pm ET on the due date.

Penalties

● Penalties apply if (1) work is not submitted by the due date and no extension has been granted and (2) work is not submitted by the extended due date. 

 

● Conference Discussion Assignments and Quizzes generally are not accepted after the due date.   Exceptions to this rule are really rare.  If you miss a conference discussion assignment or a quiz, you will not earn points for that assignment or quiz.

 

● Graded Assignments without granted exceptions will be accepted up until 11:59 pm ET on the Wednesday following the particular assignment’s original deadline.  You will lose the following:  (1) 5 points for submission by 11:59 pm ET on Monday;  (2) another 5 points for submission by 11:59 pm ET on Tuesday; (3) another 5 points for submission by 11:59 pm ET on Wednesday.

 

● Graded Assignments will not be accepted beyond an extended due date – no exceptions!

 

● The penalty for not submitting work is that you will earn no points for the work.


Extensions

● Extensions are rare.  If you are granted an extension, you will not be assessed a late penalty for submission after the due date.  However, you will be penalized for submitting after the extended due date and this will affect your course grade.

 

● Generally, I will only grant extensions if requested in advance of a due date. Exceptions to the "advance notice" rule may be made in the case of an emergency.  If your reason for the extension can be documented (military deployment, medical, etc.), I reserve the right to ask you to supply that documentation before I rule on the extension.  If an emergency can be documented, I may also ask for that documentation.

● Extensions are granted only for extenuating, unanticipated circumstances and are in my discretion.  Generally, work/job assignments are not a valid reason for an extension since Jupiter Car Company has authorized this training and therefore, has allotted you time to complete the course. 

 

● WebTycho glitches are not valid reasons for extensions and they are not "emergencies" (see "WebTycho Glitches").  Work from other courses is not a valid reason for an extension.  Choose your courses and your course schedule wisely and budget your time.

 

● No work (including that with an extended due date) will be accepted after one week after the end of the course.

ADA

 

If you are a student with disabilities and need assistance with this course, please contact the HR manager at your plant as soon as possible.

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