UN1001 - Perspectives on Inquiry                          

What Will It Mean To Be a Well Educated Citizen of the World in the 21st Century?

3 Credit Hours

Course Description:

         This course explores the question of what it means to be a well-educated world citizen in the 21st century. We will examine this question through a variety of disciplinary filters including psychology, neuroscience, sociology, religion/spirituality, technology, and economics.
          People from the industrial world commonly associate being well-educated as having something to do with academic achievement through schooling. Part of our course will involve an examination of the evolution of public education and its impact on the intellectual development of people from the "first world."   Even people in industrialized nations tend to make a distinction between someone who is very knowledgeable and someone who is very wise. Most people, for example, know what you are talking about when you refer to "common sense." In this course, we'll also examine ideas like mastery, wisdom, intelligence, and talent and investigate how these ideas impact our everyday living.
         Some people believe that being well-educated means being able to create new ways of thinking. Others think that being well-educated means that a person will be able to adapt to the rapidly changing world around us all.  In other parts of the world, being well-educated means learning the ways of the elders.   Many of you might think that being well-educated means having the credentials to get a desirable job and have a good life with economic security and abundant employment opportunities.
        Still others look primarily to the past when they think of someone being well-educated. Several schools devote their entire curriculum to having students carefully review and discuss the writings of the great thinkers and change agents of the past so that their graduates will be able to use these powerful ideas and approaches to solve the problems of the future.
        Being well-educated means different things to different people. Hopefully the journey we take in this course will enrich and develop your present answer to this important question as you begin your college career and embark on your professional life.

Course Design

       This is a reading, writing, and discussion-based class. As previously suggested, we will work through a number of disciplinary themes throughout the term. Some of these themes will appeal to you more than others. Some students have an aversion to history. Others can't see the point of religion, or science, or both. To make the most of this experience, keep an open mind and endeavor to entertain new ideas so that you might develop a richer and more productive sense of what it means to be a well-educated person in this rapidly changing world.

Instructional Methods:

• Preparatory reading/viewing - Every day that the class meets, you will be required to submit a brief written reflection (5-7 full paragraphs) based up the day's readings and/or viewing of assigned video segments. In each of these reflections, you might highlight one or more major points in the reading or the video and then to discuss, defend, or develop those ideas in your own words or, you might pick a point you agree with or a point you disagree with and tell me why. I am interested in learning how the new ideas that you are exposed to impact your current thinking and why.
• In class discussions of readings, videos, case studies, demonstrations, mini-lectures, etc.
• This course will be taught using a variety of active learning techniques.
  

Required Texts:

          Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time, by Greg           Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, Penguin Books, 2007

          On Intelligence: How a New Understanding of the Brain Will Lead to the Creation of Truly           Intelligent Machines, by Jeff Hawkins with Sandra Blakesless, Henry Holt and Company, 2004

Course Requirements:

• Regular class attendance (absences beyond four class meetings will result in automatic lowering of course grade).  If you miss more than four classes because of illness, you'll need to document all of your absences with doctor's notes or other written confirmation of your illness. Don't take days off without thinking about the possibility that you might get sick later in the term.
•  Missing class on the day that you are scheduled to make a presentation (without prior arrangement) may cause you to lose the opportunity to make the presentation and will result in lowering of the final course grade.
• Class time is precious time. I take attendance every day. Class starts promptly at five minutes past the hour. Two late arrivals will be counted as one absence.
• I will attempt to treat you with respect and I expect the same from you.  I want our class to be a safe and encouraging place where students can speak freely.   It's fine to criticize and to challenge ideas, it's not fine to ridicule people. If you engage in these behaviors, I will let you know this is occurring.
• Over the Thanksgiving break, you will be required to interview someone over thirty (other than one of your relatives or a relative of a friend) who you think is well-educated. It can be a former teacher, a clergy person, a friend of your family, etc.   You will be provided with a set of interview questions and will be asked to prepare and deliver a 3-5 minute presentation on what you found out.
• Timely submission of written reflections on the assigned preparatory readings, handouts, or provided video materials. Reflections must be submitted no later than two hours prior to the beginning of class on the day that they are due. Please submit reflections by including them in an email text (no attachments please) and send them to teach@mtu.edu. No late submissions of reflections will be accepted, no exceptions so don't bother asking.
• I expect you to do your own work. Any instances of plagiarism will be referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs. I reserve the right to submit any and all of your written work to the plagiarism detection service retained by the University.
• Active participation in classroom discussions and exercises
• I expect you to take notes during class or to journal a few paragraphs after class.
• Submission of a final project in the form of a 7-10 page paper, or submission of a poster, or preparation and delivery of a ten minute presentation, or production and submission of a Youtube.com type video segment on the theme "A Design for Global Education in the 21st Century."   Final projects will be displayed at the Perspectives on Sustainability Showcase.

Grade Determination

• 25% - Attendance at >90% of class meetings
• 15% - Class participation
• 30% - Timely submission of all assigned reflection papers - quality of reflections will also be taken into account
• 30% - Quality of Final Project
• Extra Credit - 10% Submission of complete set of course notes/session summaries

• During finals week, I will determine your final grade. To pass the class you must have submitted all your work in a timely fashion. NO EXCEPTIONS. Missing or late assignments will result in a failing grade. NO EXCEPTIONS.
• If any of the materials you submit indicate incomplete, incorrect, or ambiguous levels of understanding, I reserve the right to examine you orally on key course concepts to clarify your level of understanding.

Office Hours:

Note: I will be moving to room 220 of the J Robert Van Pelt Library sometime in September. My office is currently in the Meese Center (across the street from Jim's Foodmart)

I am available from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Monday thru Friday BY APPOINTMENT. As my administrative duties often require that I am out of my office or engaged in other meetings, PLEASE CALL AHEAD (487-2046) so that I can reserve sufficient time for you. You may also reach me via e-mail (wkennedy@mtu.edu) and expect a reply within one business day. Finally, I will make every attempt to arrive outside the classroom 10 minutes early each class day and I will be happy to discuss any questions or concerns that you have after class. If you have concerns or questions, don't hesitate to ask. The only dumb question is one that goes unasked.

In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) academic accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an accommodation. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor's attention, as he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of students. Students who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations (fire, tornado, etc.) should contact the insructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such an emergency. Contact the Office of Affirmative Programs if you have questions about issue related to the ADA at 487-3310.

In keeping with its responsibilities as an educational institution, Michigan Technological University is committed to a policy of affording equal opportunity to all of its employees, students, applicants for employment and applicants for admission without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, height, weight, or marital status. The University is also committed to a policy of educating and employing handicapped individuals and veterans without discrimination. These policies are to be implemented with due regard for the relative qualifications of all involved.