Student Values

Student Values Paper

Philip R. Ragsdale, Jr.

University of Phoenix

October 8, 2007

Student Values Paper

The values students are expected to follow during their studies at the University of Phoenix are based upon the University of Phoenix Program Handbook and the personal ethics and morals that each of us knows. The handbook can be the course-specific guide or the unabridged version that you download from the rEsource Ð'© webpage. Each person has different values based on beliefs, customs, deep rooted ideals, or personal experiences. People are expected to live up to these values and the policies set forth by the university every day.

The University of Phoenix is an organization that builds upon our personal strengths providing the educational assistance and know-how necessary to excel in life. The degree that you earn comes not only with hard studying, but also via attention and adherence to academic policy. The university has set forth rules and regulations that maintain integrity and discipline for all students while maintaining a focus on equality. If followed, the policies (values) allow students the opportunity to complete a program and graduate with a degree.

There are two types of programs at the university, the campus based and the online based. This paper focuses on the online based program and its set of rules. Most rules are the same regardless of where you attend but there are subtle differences. All students benefit from the real world experiences of other students and generally complete one course at a time. Students who attend a campus based program also benefit from meeting other students, talking with faculty, and working within the learning team environment all face-to-face. Students attending online still "benefit from the same quality, real world-oriented education" (Student Handbook, 2007, p. 17) and still graduate with the same degree as their campus based student counterparts.

All-in all, students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that resembles a professional and ethical member of the academic community. Students accept an obligation to abide by Student Code of Conduct. The student Code of Conduct is a list of none exclusive rules that are enumerated one to eighteen. These rules apply to all students whether they reside either on or off-campus. I would consider these rules the values of the student learning while attending the university.

Online students attend school in online environment like chat rooms and forums. Online Students attend what is referred to as sessions and a session is defined as 12:00 a.m. (MST) Tuesday to 11:59 p.m. (MST) the following Monday. To be given credit for that week of class, a student must post a message on any two days during that week in order. Additionally, the instructor may set up participation requirements like actively engaging in conversation on four of the days of the week with substantial and quality remarks.

All students participate in individual studies, but the university also incorporates a learning team environment. The learning team environment is set up where students are teamed with three to five persons to complete group projects. With the challenges of completing individual assignments, your team members will count on you also to help them complete the group project and tasks as well. The learning teams work collaboratively on assignments that result in a combined grade after turn in. This is where a student's personal values and integrity really need to be strong.

Students are expected to attend team meetings and actively participate in the team's activities. Learning teams meet weekly between mandatory individual log-in times. This means extra time outside of the normal four times a week logging in to get attendance or participation credit. The

group establishes its own set of values via the learning team charter that is due the first week of class to the instructor. The charter describes the basics of how the group will interact and combat potential problems that may arise. "At the end of each course," Per the handbook (2007), "students are given the opportunity to evaluate the contributions of each team member to the accomplishments of team goals" (p. 14).

School work, whether on a learning team or individual, is to be completed without plagiarism. Plagiarism is a crime within the academic community and can result in serious consequences. The University of Phoenix Student Handbook (2007) cites plagiarism as number eleven of their misconduct policies, "representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in an academic exercise" (p. 25). Plagiarism