General Education

The following is the text of the Expanded Paradigm that was adopted by the Faculty of Birmingham-Southern College, at the February 10, 1998, faculty meeting. These are the general principles that guide our concept of general education.

Expanding the Paradigm of General Education

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 21st 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 lab. 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:

I. 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 maintaining 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.

II. 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.

III. 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.

IV. 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 underway, 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, funds have been set aside for aiding students in presentation of their research.

V. 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.

VI. 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.

VII. Cross-Cultural Experiences. These new citizens 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 of the next century 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. Soon, these programs will take on a new dimension, as an office of cross-cultural and international studies is established to oversee programmatic aspects of this essential area of learning.

VIII. 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 will increase 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 will encourage 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 next 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.