Students are introduced to the liberal arts through interdisciplinary, collaborative, discussion-based courses, housed in 4-6 learning communities, which each include faculty from at least three different disciplines. Each Exploring Complex Questions learning community engages a common topic, either a theme explored through a series of questions, or a large question explored through a variety of subtopics. Common elements within a learning community might include one or more of the following: a shared syllabus, syllabi that share some common texts, or syllabi with common activities (speakers/symposia/excursions, etc.). All Exploring Complex Questions seminars incorporate some aspect of information literacy to increase students’ abilities to independently explore complex topics. Distribution area: none.
Learning Goals
Students will be able to:
- Read inquisitively and generously.
- Read with attention to detail and nuance.
- Engage with texts of varied genres and mediums.
- Formulate productive questions that guide exploration of a complex text (broadly construed).
- Use discussion as a means to discover and reconsider ideas.
- Learn collaboratively with classmates and professor.
- Use writing as a means to discover and reconsider ideas.
- Adapt writing to different forms, genres, and/or audience.