|
General education at Birmingham Southern College strives to develop
an intellectually liberated community of men and women leading creative,
fulfilled, and productive lives based on knowledge, open mindedness,
and curiosity.
To lead such lives, students and faculty must participate in an increasingly
complex, technological, and changing world by investigating the complexities
of the past, understanding the realities of the present, addressing the
problems of the future, comprehending and evaluating multiple points
of view, examining the arts creatively, practicing the sciences, and
communicating articulately.
To participate fully in this community, students should write about,
read, discuss, study, and employ the following:
Arts—to develop an understanding and awareness
of the creative process, non verbal artistic communication, and our
aural and visual
environment;
History—to obtain a knowledge of the conditions
that have shaped both the past and the present and to become acquainted
with historical
methods;
Languages—to develop an understanding of
other cultures through the study of language, literature, and civilization;
Literature—to learn strategies of critical
reading and careful interpretation, develop an understanding of various
historical and theoretical
approaches to literature, and clearly articulate responses orally and
in writing;
Mathematics—to develop an understanding
of mathematics as a logical system, use mathematical reasoning to develop
analytical thinking abilities,
and use mathematics effectively as a tool in other disciplines;
Natural and physical sciences—to obtain
a knowledge of fundamental scientific concepts, principles, limitations,
and ethical issues and
recognize the impact of science on society through investigative classroom,
laboratory and library work;
Philosophy and religion—to investigate values systems, understand
the personal and social implications of religious and philosophical viewpoints,
and understand critically one’s religious heritage; and
Social and behavioral sciences—to develop
an understanding of individuals, groups, and institutions as revealed
by scientific analyses
of human behavior.
However official college documents may have defined
general education, conventionally students and faculty members–even the public at
large–have associated general education with a prescribed set of
courses taken in fulfillment of requirements for a college degree. At
some institutions that set is a series of courses taken by all students
in common in an established order–a core set of courses; at others
it is a selection from designated choices in a range of categories–distribution
requirements. Since 1978, at Birmingham Southern College it has been,
in addition to demonstration of written and mathematical competency,
one to two units of credit taken in seven specified areas, each of which
models a different intellectual mode of inquiry, such as in metaphysics
or ethics, literature or history, aesthetics, or the natural or behavioral
sciences, as well as language acquisition. Certainly this conventional
perception of general education, whatever the organizational model used,
must remain at the center of our view of what experiences are needed
in common for a liberally educated student body.
We now recognize, however, that while that “prescribed set of
courses” is a necessary component in the definition of general
education, it is not sufficient. It neither describes fully what we have
actually been doing in the past nor what we must do in the future to
assure the prosperity of liberal arts education. The activities and qualities
listed below are things we recognize as increasingly important in producing
the types of learning and habits of mind necessary for educated people
in the twenty-first century, people of knowledge and adaptability, personal
initiative and team work, inquiry and practice. The aim of Birmingham
Southern College is in no way to limit, much less replace, the traditional
notion of general education but rather to expand it to address the expanding
set of talents and skills necessary for learned people in an increasingly
complex social and technological society.
Similarly, we wish to expand the paradigm of ways in which the goals
of general education might be achieved. Never should we underestimate
the power of a lecture expertly presented and passionately felt. Never
should we minimize the worth of individual study conducted in privacy
in the library, studio, or laboratory. Never should we denigrate learning
purely for the joy of learning. But by the same token, neither should
we underestimate the power of students learning from each other, or minimize
energy to be gained from working collaboratively, or denigrate the practical
application of things learned speculatively.
Thus, the College acknowledges a new role for faculty and staff in liberal
learning in the following areas:
Collaborative Learning—The first part of the expanding paradigm
facilitates active and collaborative learning in which the student becomes
an active participant in the learning process, interacting with faculty
and peers. Examples of collaborative learning include undergraduate research,
team exercises in the classroom and the laboratory, or any of an infinite
number of adaptations to classroom pedagogy and course design. The College
fosters such activities by striving to maintain a 1:12 faculty student
ratio, by retaining a faculty committed to a student centered learning
community, and by offering support for continued faculty development
in innovative teaching.
Discovery and Creativity—A liberal education
nurtures the love of discovery and creativity. Good teaching in this
area encourages the
student to appreciate the intrinsic value of discovery and creativity
through instruction in the four primary activities involved in the process:
preparation, consolidation, insight, and verification. It is important
for all students in a liberal arts college, regardless of major, to learn
not only to appreciate the acts of creativity and discovery, but to learn
to be creative, for it is creativity and discovery that lead to all that
we hold dear in a liberal education.
Teaching Experiences—Essential to an institution
dedicated to liberal learning is teaching as an example of theory in
practice. Effective
teaching not only illustrates the application of knowledge; it also raises
the teacher's understanding of the subject matter to a higher level,
for only when something becomes an integral part of our own understanding
can we have the clarity of mind to communicate it to another. Acknowledging
the learning component of teaching, then, the College encourages peer
teaching activities in and out of the classroom setting and provides
various opportunities for students to work with full time faculty in
teaching, as well as research, endeavors.
Scholarship—Equally important to an
academic institution is scholarship, whether it be the scholarship of
discovery,
which encompasses most traditional
research; the scholarship of integration, which approaches interdisciplinary
questions with the same rigor; the scholarship of application, which
applies knowledge and theory to the problems of the world; and the scholarship
of teaching, which is as valid as any of the other forms of scholarship,
and central to the mission of the College. All of these forms of scholarship
are characterized by clear goals, adequate preparation, appropriate methods,
significant results, effective communication, and reflective critique.
It is important that undergraduate students learn, through both independent
and collaborative projects, the importance of scholarship to life long
learning. To that end, a summer program in undergraduate research is
under way, and both on campus and off campus opportunities for student
presentations of research findings are encouraged. Just as the College
supports faculty travel for presentation of papers at professional conferences,
it has set aside funds for aiding students in presentation of their research.
Technology
as a Partner in Teaching and Research—Technology as
a partner in teaching and research is an integral part of any contemporary
learning model. Technology can take us beyond the walls of the local
College to acclaimed libraries, sophisticated laboratories, and advanced
databases around the globe. It can also provide us with 24 hour access
to class materials and electronic communication, and computer visualization
of complex theorems and intellectual models. Recognizing technology's
promise, the College has invested heavily in a computer infrastructure
that links every venue of the residential and academic community. Looking
to technology to serve education in such a way as to preserve the best
of the personal mentor/student relationship while expanding the potential
for learning and teaching skills useful in an increasingly technological
society, the College values technology not for itself, but for how
it may be put to the service of teaching and learning as a seamless
part of the College curriculum. Civic
Imagination—There seems to be a consensus
among those who watch teachers and write about liberal learning that
the mission of colleges
in the new millennium should include the cultivation of civic imagination.
Birmingham-Southern College has developed a model for civic imagination
through its pioneering efforts in leadership studies and learning through
service. These programs are wonderful examples of the new way of delivering
education, for they permeate both the instructional and the student life
realms of the campus community. Through both programs, faculty, staff,
and students are brought together with the local community in an attempt
to better define what the citizen of tomorrow should be.
Cross Cultural Experiences—Citizens of
tomorrow must understand themselves as a part of a culture, a race,
a gender, or a nation. Understanding
one's place in an ever widening circle of contexts is one of the most
traditional goals of liberal learning and it continues to be so. But
citizens must understand those contexts from the perspectives of others,
too, if they are to play a vital role in our global culture. Cross cultural
experiences through study abroad opportunities, international internships,
service-learning and interim projects, and regular term learning have
been expanded at the College. These programs have taken on a new dimension,
as an office of cross cultural and international studies has been established
to oversee programmatic aspects of this essential area of learning.
Moral Imagination—Tomorrow's citizens will
be faced with moral and ethical dilemmas, both those common to the
general human experience
as well as those created by an ever changing world. Liberal arts education
provides these citizens opportunities for the exploration of decision
making and problem solving strategies across disciplines. Through reading
the literature of a people in crisis, examining the politics or psychology
of conflict, designing an experiment to better understand an issue, or
performing a work with emotional impact, students gain not only an academic
understanding of their world, but also an opportunity to see the world
of others. It is through such understanding that we develop the empathy
to participate in solving problems with others while integrating our
knowledge with our personal beliefs. Allowing tomorrow's citizens to
experience the world of others provides them with vicarious practice
for making life's decisions, thus enhancing their development of personal
convictions. Personal convictions paired with civic imagination is the
goal of liberal learning.
General education in the liberal arts tradition has always extended its
focus beyond the confines of the campus and the college years. The
expanded paradigm increases our emphasis on preparing students to be
life long learners, to be active and successful in careers and communities,
to be individuals who make positive contributions to the world around
them. The increased emphasis on theory and practice encourages students
to be participatory learners and leaders throughout their lives. The
expanded paradigm should serve our students well even when they first
leave the College. They should be better prepared for graduate and
professional study and more highly prized by the world of business.
Because of their general education experiences, our graduates will
be better able to understand and help shape the changing world of the
twenty-first century. Their knowledge, experience, and adaptability
will serve them well. These will be invaluable skills in advanced study,
in business and government, and in all facets of life.
|