Instructor: Andreas Toupadakis, Department of Chemistry, College of Letters and Science
Description: Students, no matter what their background, all seek a major that has personal meaning and that nurtures and sustains a creative spirit. In this interactive course, students will identify their unique talents, gifts, and abilities, which lay the foundation for studying what they love and later, for doing what they love for a living. Students will read at home and discuss in class one chapter per week from the textbook titled ON COURSE: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life by Skip Downing. The course will focus on learning how to look within for the keys to success. Students will learn how to recognize their own thoughts, feelings, goals and those of others in order to be able to motivate themselves and manage their emotions and relationships with others. This knowledge will increase success in their personal life, their college life, and later on, in their professional life. In addition, some time will be spent on learning important study skills such as reading, note taking, studying, memorizing, test taking, writing, and researching.
Format: The class will meet for two hours each week (2-unit course). Discussions will be based on the assigned portions of the text each week. The instructor will facilitate class discussion and teach necessary pertinent material. Weekly journal writing will explore each student’s life in depth resulting in the discovery of the student’s highest potential. Grading: The writing of a journal (one page min, single spaced), weekly, recommended by the book will make up 50% of the grade. In addition 50% of the grade will be based on class participation that will generate fruitful discussion. Students should be fully prepared for discussion by reading the assigned material, and they will be expected to share their thoughts on the material.
About the Instructor: Andreas Toupadakis has been a Lecturer at UC Davis in the chemistry department for several years where he teaches the General Chemistry 2ABC series for undergraduate freshmen students majoring in the life sciences. He also teaches the Physical Chemistry for Life Sciences 107AB series mainly for fourth year students. He received his Ph.D. Degree in Chemistry from the University of Michigan in 1990, and has lived in the U.S. since 1978. He has taught at several colleges and universities in the USA and in Greece. His scientific interests are in green chemistry, better teaching methods and chemistry book reviewing. His lectures are tuned towards conceptual learning via the Socratic dialogue method. He has given lectures and written articles on life planning through wise career choice, on career change and career satisfaction and on sustainable living here on campus, across U.S. campuses, Greece and Japan. His personal web site: <http://andtou.freehostia.com> is devoted to student success in college and after college. He spends a great deal of his free time at his organic garden plot provided by the Experimental College Community Garden to both students and non-students: <http://ecgarden.blogspot.com>.