Syllabus: REL 302 Old Testament II

Note: This course code has changed from FDREL 302 to REL 302. You may occasionally see references to the old course code or title.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Outcomes

  1. Develop a greater faith in and testimony of Jesus Christ; deepen our personal conversion to him.
  2. Increase our abilities to learn and teach by the Spirit.
  3. Maintain a habit of daily scripture study.
  4. Identify, understand, and apply principles from the scriptures and the words of the prophets.
  5. Explain, share, and testify of true doctrines and principles.
  6. Master (meaning memorize, explain, and apply) key scriptural passages.

Description

Some students mistakenly assume that online courses are easier because work can be done at the student's convenience. This assumption is false. REL 302 requires the same commitment from students as a face-to-face course even though some things may be a little harder to accomplish online. And students who try to cram a whole week's worth of work into one or two concentrated blocks of time end up being frustrated and feeling overwhelmed with the work load. For the religion courses in particular, attempting to complete all assignments at once will most likely lessen your ability to learn and be taught by the Spirit, and thus minimize the experience you could have in this course.

Students who have done well in this class say that spacing assignments throughout the week, or dedicating some time daily to the course, made a huge difference in their learning and satisfaction. We suggest committing to organize your time this semester so as to spread out your assignments so you are completing something every few days and are not pushing up against deadlines. It will make a difference in what you experience.

This course is a study the second half of the Old Testament beginning with the building of Solomon's temple and ending with Malachi. As with all BYU-Idaho online and campus courses, each credit equates to approximately three or four hours of work per week. Therefore, you need to be able to dedicate six to eight hours of work each week to completing this course's assignments. Additionally, this course is designed using the BYU-I learning model. Though online, it is NOT an independent study course. You will be expected to interact with classmates weekly in order to teach one another about what you are learning. Apart from the introductory and conclusion lesson, the course follows a steady routine and weekly lesson structure comprising of four main activity areas as follows:

  1. Directed Study – These include scripture passages to read, study, and share. In addition you will submit 3 relevant gospel principles found within the passages. The scripture reading activities are due by Due Date #01 each week and will help you prepare for the other activities.
  2. Study Skills and Putting it all Together - These assignments are designed to help you study the scriptures in a more in-depth way. You will have a choice of topics from which to study as well as a choice of ways in which to teach what you study. When you have finished, you will be asked to share your experience with others in the class.
  3. Reflection - Report - Here you will be able to reflect on how you are growing each week in a private journal that only you and the instructor will be able to see. This is an opportunity to have personal interaction with the instructor, and is an environment for receiving guidance and council. Additionally, you will complete a short, weekly declaration documenting your participation in various course activities.

Learning Model Architecture

As with all of your other courses at BYU-Idaho, you will have the opportunity to prepare spiritually and intellectually throughout this course. You are encouraged to continue your personal prayers and scripture study as you seek to understand the ideas and doctrinal concepts discussed. Be sure to check the Course Questions Discussion Board each week to post questions about the course, about the Gospel, whatever you’d like – and answer others’ questions. You will also be given opportunities to reflect on what you are learning and to report on your weekly activities. Please remember that you will need to be able to devote three to four hours of time for every course credit, or six to eight hours weekly.

Weekly activities include the following:

Due Date #01

Due Date #02

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Prerequisites

None

Required Materials

LDS Edition of the Scriptures and the institute manual, Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi. (You can also find links to the scriptures and the manual in the Course folder under the Resources sub-folder.)

GRADING POLICIES

Introduction Lesson Activities 8%
Directed Study 5%
Teaching Principles Discussion 10%
Weekly Reflection Journals 20%
Weekly Declaration on Participation  15%
Study Skills and Putting it All Together 20%
Becoming Project 22%
Total: 100%

Grade Distribution for this course is as follows:

A: 93-100% A-: 90-92% B+: 87-89% B: 83-86%
B-: 80-82% C+: 77-79% C: 73-76% C-: 70-72%
D+: 67-69% D: 63-66% D-: 60-62% F: 0-59%

CLASS POLICIES

Late Policy

Work that is late hampers your ability to fully participate in the course and will be accepted only at the instructor's discretion. Any late work that is accepted will be penalized 10% each day it is late unless other arrangements are made with the instructor. Do not expect an instructor to bend the course due dates to accommodate your personal scheduling conflicts, including weddings and vacations. However, if you know you will be unable to meet a due date for any particular assignment, an instructor may be able to work with you if you make prior arrangements to submit your work.

Course Questions

This course has a discussion board in the Course folder on the left hand menu where you are encouraged to post general questions/problems/concerns etc. Using this board will inform other class members, the instructor, and Online Course Improvement of the issues you find and allow the proper people to correct them for everyone. Please check this board throughout the semester. If you are experiencing the same problem, you can post as well so others know the seriousness of the problem. Or, if you know the answer to a problem, you are encouraged to post solutions. Helping your classmates fix posted problems is another way to teach one another. Additionally, Online Course Improvement and/or your instructor are monitoring this board and will post fixes and solutions here. You should only email your instructor directly if the problem is of a personal nature. Otherwise, posting to this board is the fastest and most efficient way to report problems you encounter and get them resolved.

DISCLAIMER

Please visit the University Policies page to read BYU-Idaho’s policies on student honor, students with disabilities, sexual harassment, and complaints and grievances.