Appendix D:

CCP CourseCoreMaster
Curriculum Program Course Syllabus Template

Syllabus

[Introduction to Honors
Program]
Course Syllabus
[HONS 102]

CRN: xxxxx - Group: xxx

Fall 2015

Semester [Fall 2023]

1
 Introduction to Honors
Faculty Information
Name: Iglal Ahmed Office: GCR: GSO-12
Telephone: (+974) 44034918 Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays
Email: [email protected] at 2:00 pm until 3:30 pm or by
appointment

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to allow the students to capitalize on their honors experience, stimulate their passion to
expand their knowledge and skills, and prepare them to lead during and beyond college life. This course will allow
honors students to collaboratively initiate thoughtful discussions about the mindset determining how the University
can influence the future of individuals and nations. The goal of the honors program is to provide high-quality learning
opportunities to students who are passionate about their studies. Therefore, this course is designed to help these
individuals excel in their chosen fields. Students will engage in workshops, practical experiences, and guest speaker
series that motivate their independent scholarship. This course is digitally enriched, uses learner-centered teaching
approach based on critical thinking, problem-solving, and learning adaptive strategies.

Course Number: HONS 102

Course Title: Introduction to Honors

Number of Credit Hours: 3

Number of Contact Hours: 45

Required or Elective: Required

Course Prerequisites: None

Course Co-requisites: None

CCP Package: Social / Behavioral Sciences

Language of Instruction: Arabic & English

Textbooks and Key References:

1. Robertson, J. H. (1966). The superior student: characteristics, aspirations, and needs. In Cohen, Joseph W.
(Ed.) The superior student in American higher education. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
2. Enhancing Learning through Community Membership: Honours Students’ Perceptions of Community
Membership and Its Impact on Learning, Paul Wabike. Journal of Educational Issues, Vol. 7, URL:
https://doi.org/10.5296/jei.v7i2.18814
3. Brown, C., Czerniewicz., L., Huang, C-W., & Mayisela., T. (2016). Curriculum for digital education leadership: A
concept paper. Burnaby, BC: Commonwealth of Learning. Retrieved
2
 from http://oasis.col.org/handle/11599/2442
4. Critical Thinking, Consider the Verdict, 6th edition by Bruce N. Waller
5. Bucheister, Joshua "Introduction: Toward a Theory of Academic Self-Awareness," Teaching and Learning
Together in Higher Education: Iss. 12 (2014), http://repository.brynmawr.edu/tlthe/vol1/iss12/1
.‫ دار الفكر‬.)2021 ،‫ عدس‬،‫ عبد الحق‬،‫ (عبيدات‬.‫البحث العلمي مفهومه أدواته أساليبه‬ .6
https://www.daralfiker.com/sites/default/files/books_first_chapter/lbhth_llmy_-dhwqn.pdf

Course Objectives
The course is designed to achieve the following objectives:
1. Summarize on the history of the Honors Program internationally and locally.
2. Debate orally and in writing about research topics relevant to the course themes.
3. Apply basic skills for conducting interdisciplinary research including natural and social sciences.
4. Participate collectively and proactively in practical opportunities to promote community services
and cultural diversity.
5. Create an E-Portfolio that captures the Honors experience at QU on local and international
levels.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

By the end of this course the student will be able to:

SO-Id SLO-Statement
Determine the features of the Honors program experience inside and outside
SLO 1
Qatar University.
Define the historical milestones of the Honors education and its specificity within
SLO 2
the context of Qatar University.
Communicate ideas clearly and purposefully in writing and orally using a variety of
SLO 3
formats to convey her/his point of view.
Analyze local and global problems and challenges using critical thinking skills.
SLO 4
Justify the selection of research-based information related to activities performed
SLO 5
in the course.
Engage in academic and community excellence activities that promote local and
SLO 6 global citizenship behaviors, cultural diversity, community participation, social
responsibility, and leadership development.
Identify her/his own strengths and weaknesses to cope with them proactively.
SLO7
Assess her/his personal and professional values to invest strengths in their
SLO8
academic, professional, and student-based learning paths.

Alignment of Student Learning Outcomes to CCP Program Learning Outcome(s):

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 CCP Program
Student Learning Outcomes (SO-Id) Learning
Outcome(s)
1. Determine the features of the Honors program experience inside and outside Qatar
3
University.
2. Define the historical milestones of the Honors education and its specificity within the
3
context of Qatar University.
3. Communicate ideas clearly and purposefully in writing and orally using a variety of
3
formats to convey her/his point of view.
4 Analyze local and global problems and challenges using critical thinking skills. 3,5
5 Justify the selection of research-based information related to activities performed in 3,6
the course.
6 Engage in academic and community excellence activities that promote local and global 3,5
citizenship behaviors, cultural diversity, community participation, social responsibility,
and leadership development.
7 Identify her/his own strengths and weaknesses to cope with them proactively. 3, 7
8 Assess her/his personal and professional values to invest strengths in their academic, 3, 7
professional, and student-based learning paths.

Course Content

Principal Week Topic Description of the content

Topics
 Introduction to the Course Syllabus
Covered: Week 1 Learning
 The history of the Honors Program internationally
and 2 about the
 The characteristics of the Honors Program and its
Honors
impact and values
Program
 Use of an icebreaking techniques (Blobs and Line,
Concentric Circles, This Or That, etc.) An acquaintance
between the students and the course professor to
establish a positive relationship and learning
community
1. Producing an Honors E-Portfolio
Week 3 The
 Clarifying the importance of the E-Portfolio and its
and 4 framework of
philosophy in the Honors Program
works in the
 The use of Digitalization in the E-portfolio (available on
Honors
Blackboard)
Program
 Studying some samples of previous work done by
Honors program students:
https://www.drury.edu/honors/honors-portfolio

2. Quality standards towards grading work produced by the

Honors program
 Learning about the expected standards in scientific
writing such as: presentation styles, styles and
reliability of references (APA, Chicago, etc.), and
certified sources.
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  Use of available search databases for peer-reviewed
journals and publications.
 Understanding the concept of digital literacy
Week 5 Digital culture
 Training students on some academic computer
programs
 Endnote or Zotero
 SPSS or JASP
 Discussing different issues
Week 6 Practicing
 Group discussion of daily life situations that contain
critical
logical fallacies
thinking and
 Understand the importance of critical thinking
problem
 Expressing points of view in different ways (Talk to a
solving
six-year-old, thinking backward, etc.)
 Understand and overcome the challenges you may face
via mind challenging situations
 Identify your strengths and weaknesses and your self-
Week 7 Academic self-
values
awareness
 Learn about professional awareness and management
 Identify the skills needed in the 21st century and the
skills that may be developed:
 Write a CV and present it to the professor
 Interview an entrepreneur or a specialist and present
your CV to them
 Self-reflection and modifying your CV (final CV must be
reflected in the E-Portfolio)
 Determine short-term goals and long-term goals and
the skills needed in order to acquire these goals (to be
reflected in the E-Portfolio)
1. Scientific research skills
Week 8 Scientific
 Identifying the competencies and skills of researchers
and 9 Research
and their importance for the career
 Implementing research skills determined by the course
professor
 Learning about quantitative and qualitative research
methods
2. Statistics and scientific research
 Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics
 Examples of data analysis using an easy to use open
source statistical software.
3. The Ethics of Scientific Research
 Introduction to research ethics
 Ethical principles in guiding research
 Measures to protect study participants
 Possible benefits and Potential risks for participants
 Working with “special” groups/ special needs

 Learning about Social and Emotional skills

Week Global
 How to promote wellbeing of the self and to contribute
10 citizenship
to others’ welfare

5
  Discovering Experiments and strategies about the
Engagement in pro-social behavior
 Sustainability and wellbeing
 Searching for international universities offering
Week Postgraduate
postgraduate programs in the field of specialization of
11 studies and
the student
future career
 Feasibility and capability to Start a business
paths
 Volunteering and social innovation
 Embracing Cultural diversity
 Presenting the E-Portfolio after submitting a link
Week Presentations
consisting of all of the student’s work
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 Peer-reviews and evaluation regarding the E-portfolio

Mapping Assessments to Student Learning Outcomes

Assessments Student Learning Outcomes

Five Minute Video Recap  Determine the features of the Honors program experience
inside and outside Qatar University.
 Define the historical milestones of the Honors education
and its specificity within the context of Qatar University.

Entrepreneurial interview  Identify her/his own strengths and weaknesses to cope

with them proactively.
Self-assessment
 Assess her/his personal and professional values to invest
strengths in their academic, professional, and student-
based learning paths.

E-Portfolio using Blackboard application  Identify her/his own strengths and weaknesses to cope
with them proactively.
 Assess her/his personal and professional values to invest
strengths in their academic, professional, and student-
based learning paths.
 Engage in academic and community excellence activities
that promote local and global citizenship behaviors,
cultural diversity, community participation, social
responsibility, and leadership development.

Debate  Engage in academic and community excellence activities

that promote local and global citizenship behaviors,
cultural diversity, community participation, social
responsibility, and leadership development.

Cognitive maps using XMind software (free  Justify the selection of research-based information related
version only) to activities performed in the course.
 Express Communicate ideas clearly and purposefully in
https://xmind.app/download/
writing and orally using a variety of formats to convey
Video tutorial: her/his point of view.

6
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HG-
p6843Sg

Final exam  Analyze local and global problems and challenges using
critical thinking skills.
 Justify the selection of research-based information related
to activities performed in the course.
 Assess her/his personal and professional values to invest
strengths in their academic, professional, and student-
based learning paths.

Teaching Strategies

The teaching strategies for this course are student-centered and rely mostly on active learning
techniques that can be reflected in the following list of strategies:

 Digital Learning using specific tools and software such as: OneNote, Blackboard,
JASP, EndNote…
 Team-Based Learning also referred to as Collaborative Teaching Strategy
engages students to perform various tasks in group work. The latter uses a small
number of individuals that should not exceed 3 persons whereas collaborative
teamwork allows many evaluation options including Peer Teach reflection,
leadership initiatives, and community-based approach to learning.
 Blended Teaching: The delivery of many information through the use of flip
classrooms and digitally enhanced formats encompasses the use of educational,
platforms, videos, and tutorials to prepare the students for the theoretical
concepts prior to in-classroom activities.
 Self-managed learning: Through the use of advanced tools of cognitive mapping
such as XMind, the students will be able to organize their thoughts and
knowledge in a holistic way.

Assessments

Mark
Component Description Due Date
%

Five Minute Video Recap Students must produce a five-minute video on Week 10 10
the subjects they covered throughout the
previous week. Their performances are divided
7
 into categories based on inventiveness and
accuracy.
Entrepreneurial interview Students will have the opportunity to interact
Self-assessment with an accomplished individual on both a
professional and academic level. They will then
Week 8 15
report on this interaction and provide feedback
on how to create a CV following the interview. It
has to have a self-evaluation report.

E-Portfolio using Students will begin creating and developing a

Blackboard application student portfolio using Blackboard. This
Week 12 20
portfolio must include Honors Program
assignments, a CV, and a self-assessment report.

Debate Students will develop arguments and participate

in in-class activities aimed at increasing
students' engagement and teaching best
practices for synthesis, rebuttal, and
argumentation. Furthermore, students will use Week 4 10
in-class discussion as of part of an enhanced
strategy to provide thought-provoking
arguments in order to improve critical thinking
skills.

Cognitive maps using Students will use XMind software for mind
XMind software mapping and brainstorming that promotes their
abstract thinking in summarizing and improves Week 6 10
their in-depth cross reading of the course’s
themes.

Final exam Students are required by university policy to According

to QU
complete a final exam that demonstrates their
Final 35
practical application of learned skills and
Exam
knowledge. Schedule

Breakdown of the final 35% of the final grade

- 5 points reflective essay about one of the skills that the students were exposed to this
semester.
- 10 points for 10 short answer questions.
- 10 points graph/chart/statistics questions (1 point for each question) or an excerpt (since
students were taught to understand scientific results).
- 10 points for 10 T/F, MC, or matching questions, depending on each faculty’s preference.

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 The alignment of the proposed course content to QU education excellence framework

The following guidelines regarding course content should be taken into consideration:
1) In addition to the two QU prioritized themes “Learner Centric” and “Digitally Enriched”, the
course should address at least an additional theme of the QU education excellence framework
(Experiential, Entrepreneurial, Research Informed).
2) The course provides details of description and arguments on how the two prioritized themes are
addressed in the given course, for example, through the description from the course intended learning
outcomes, assessment and teaching activities. Besides, a rationale for choosing the additional theme
should be provided along the manner in which it is addressed in the course.

Addressed or Kindly provide evidences of addressing the themes through the following aspects
not
Themes course course Student assessment teaching course
description objectives learning activities content
outcomes
Learner-centric Addressed uses learner- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, E-Portfolio using Role playing, Learning
centered 7 Blackboard, debate, debate, about the
teaching interview, brainstorming, Honors
approach group work Program
Digital culture
Practicing
critical
thinking and
problem
solving
Learning
community
within the
Honors
Program

Experiential Addressed Students will 4 1,6 Five-minute Video Workshop, Academic

engage in Recap, , Debate, presentations self-
workshops, awareness
practical Learning
experience community
and guest within the
speaker series Honors
that motivate Program
their
independent
scholarship.
Entrepreneuria to prepare 4 7, 8 Entrepreneurial Open Academic
l Addressed them to lead interview discussion, pair self-
during and Self-assessment work, TED ED awareness
beyond videos Learning
college life. community
This course within the
will allow Honors
honors Program
students to Postgraduate
collaborativel studies and

9
 y initiate future career
thoughtful paths
discussions
about the
mindset
determining
how
University can
influence the
future of
individuals
and nations
Research- Addressed The goal of 1,3 1,2,3,5 Cognitive maps Brainstorming, Scientific
informed the honors using XMind summarizing, Research
program is to software, debate synthesizing,
provide high- presentations,
quality lectures
learning
opportunities
to students
who are
passionate
about their
studies.
Therefore,
this course is
designed to
help these
individuals
excel in their
chosen fields.
Digitally enriched Addressed This course is 3,5 4 E-Portfolio using Digital culture
digitally Blackboard, Video
enriched. Recap, Cognitive
maps using XMind
software

The alignment of the proposed course content to QU Graduate Attributes

Graduate Attributes ‫سمات الخريجين‬

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Addressing the Supporting Competence(s)
Graduate Attributes Supporting Competences
‫مخرجات التعلم للمقرر المتصلة بالكفايات الداعمة‬
‫سمات الخريجين‬ ‫الكفايات الداعمة‬
CLO1 CLO2 CLO3 CLO4 CLO5 CLO6 CLO7 CLO8
C1: Subject‐matter mastery
X X X X X X X X
C1: ‫إتقان الموضوع والمادة‬
C2: Critical‐thinking skills
X X X X X X X X
C2: ‫مهارات التفكير الناقد‬
A1: Competent
C3: Problem‐solving skills
A 1: ‫الكفاءة‬ X X X
C3: ‫مهارات حل المسائل‬
C4: Research, and Novel and
Adaptive Thinking X X X
C4: ‫البحث والتفكير اإلبداعي والتكيفي‬

10
 C5: Self-awareness
X X X
C5: ‫الوعي الذاتي‬
C6: Adaptability
A2: Life‐long Learner C6: ‫القدرة على التكيف‬
A2 : ‫التعلم مدى الحياة‬ C7: Adaptive Thinking
C7: ‫التفكير التكيفي‬
C8: Desire for life-long learning
X X X X X X X X
C8: ‫الرغبة في التعلم مدى الحياة‬
C9: Cultured
X X X
C9: ‫الثقافة‬
C10: Effective communication skills
A3: Well Rounded X X X
C10 ‫مهارات التواصل الفعالة‬
A3 : ‫اإللمام‬
C11: Awareness of local and
international issues X X
C11: ‫الوعي بالقضايا المحلية والدولية‬
C12: Embody the Arabic‐Islamic
identity X X X
C12: ‫تجسيد الهوية العربية اإلسالمية‬
C13: Embrace diversity
X X X
C13 : ‫تقبل التنوع‬
A4: Ethically and
C14: Professional and ethical
Socially Responsible
conduct X X X X
A4 : ‫المسؤولية‬
C14: ‫السلوك المهني واألخالقي‬
‫األخالقية واالجتماعية‬
C15: Civically engaged
X X
C15 : ‫المشاركة المدنية‬
C16: Community and Global
Engagement X X
C16 : ‫المشاركة المجتمعية والعالمية‬
C17: Creativity and innovation
X X
C17:‫اإلبداع واالبتكار‬
C18: Collaborative
X X
C18: ‫التعاون‬
A5: Entrepreneurial C19: Management
X
A5 : ‫التفكير الريادي‬ C19:‫اإلدارة‬
C20: Interpersonal
X X
C20: ‫مهارات التعامل مع اآلخرين‬
C21: Leadership
X X X
C21: ‫القيادة‬

Preparer of the Syllabus

Date of Preparation: January 22, 2023

Prepared by:
Dr. Yousri Marzouki (Director of the Honors Program) in close collaboration with:
- Dr. Saba Qadhi (Director of the CCP)
- The CCP Curriculum Committee (Chaired by Dr. Lamia Filali)
- Mrs. Iglal Ahmed (Senior Academic Support Specialist in the Honors Program)

11