Desired Outcomes of 102 Seminars:

By the end of this course, students will:

• Develop confidence and respect in debate
• Understand importance of skepticism and logic in acquiring knowledge
• Learn to reason from data
• Develop intellectual confidence & become part of an intellectual community
• Spark intellectual curiosity
• Improve research skills
• Improve evaluative skills
• Explore of ethics and responsibility
• Develop self expression
• Question their own assumptions about themselves and their role in society
• Listen to and question one another
• Narrow focus on issues taken up for discussion
• Understand processes at work in our world today
• Develop friendships among students and instructors
• Understand how to act in academic setting
• Learn tools to move from emotional to informed analysis
• Appreciate intellectual risk taking
• Develop open-mindedness

What students get from 102:

• Exposure to intellectual excitement
• Students connecting with professor
• Student content = better retention
• Setting home base for freshmen
• Given small college dialogue

What faculty get from 102:

• Get to know undergrads
• Have fun
• Expand complex ideas in the classroom
• Teach what you love
• Understand 18 year olds
• Regain humility

Strategies for Teaching 102:

• Have structured syllabus with grading system and policies
• 2 hour class for 7 weeks: Hour 1: Round Table Discussion & assignments/ Guest speakers, Hour 2: Short power point & presentations by students
• Take attendance every class
• Learn student names: print a photo roster from SOLAR, make placards with student names to place in front of them, have students sit in the same place each week.
• Assign short weekly readings. Conduct a 2-5 question quiz at the beginning of each class to ensure that students are completing assigned readings
• Have students conduct individual presentations on assigned topics throughout the semester
• Divide students in groups to do presentations or a project on assigned topics
• 1 minute papers: have students write for one minute at the beginning or end of class, reflecting on what they learned. It will give you a good sense of what they are learning and what they need
• Have students vote on issues from list to work on throughout the course of the semester
• Have students participate in debates on issues raised in the class
• Use blackboard or email to communicate with students outside of class time

Possible Assignments:

• Weekly journal entries
• Have students bring introduction statements to first day of class: what they hope to learn, why they chose this class
• Have students label themselves…discussion of our place in society
• Assign outside activities including going to events or conducting interviews and have students report back.
• Newspaper research: contrast types of newspapers

Resources:

• Newspapers
• Faculty panel: have your colleagues visit a class and demonstrate an intellectual debate
• Film
• Share power points on blackboard
• Invite outside speakers
• Field trips: lab visits, museums
• Different departments on campus
• Upperclass students: invite students from previous 102 seminars or other experienced students to visit your class
• Community leaders
• Business leaders
• School board representative