Learning Goals and Course Development Guidelines
Students will be able to do all or several of the following:
Academic Communication
- Comprehend and engage with the ideas contained in challenging, university-level readings
- Use writing as a way to develop and critically analyze complex ideas
- Speak effectively to articulate ideas in group settings, whether informal (class discussion) or formal (oral presentations)
Library and Information Literacy
- Develop keywords appropriate to the context of the research need
- Select sources with levels of authority and detail that are appropriate to assignments
- Evaluate the credibility of information sources
Community Building
- Deepen understanding of the richness of people from diverse backgrounds.
- Enhance ability to relate classroom learning to the world outside the classroom.
- Develop a positive relationship with a faculty member in order to foster a more collaborative and motivated academic attitude.
First Year Seminar Course Development Criteria
- First-Year Seminars explore disciplinary as well as interdisciplinary topics, and are intended to cover innovative special topics suitable for initial college-level work.
- First-Year Seminars provide small-class environments consisting of 15-18 students, emphasizing active, participatory class discussion.
- First-Year Seminars provide an introduction to library usage, information literacy, and campus technology.
- First-Year Seminars provide co-curricular Learning Community activities such as field trips, guest speakers, and other special events.
- First-Year Seminars utilize the Common Read and encourage students to explore its ideas as a way of modeling intellectual discourse about social issues.
- First-Year Seminars reflect and enhance the critical thinking and writing abilities developed in EN100/101.
- So long as other criteria are satisfied, First-Year Seminars may be co-listed in individual departments and may fulfill departmental major requirements at the discretion of each department.
Common Practices
- Students contribute to class discussion.
- Students lead a discussion and/or make a visual presentation.
- Students use a variety of writing strategies (reflection papers, journals, postings); writing to learn.
- Students engage in editing and revising techniques.
- Students become familiar with library resources
- Students participate in community activities outside of class to explore the cultural resources on campus and in Philadelphia.
- Students develop a community with other students, peer mentor, and faculty member through learning experiences in and outside of class.