General Education at Anderson College

General education comprises the learning experiences we want all our students to have in common, regardless of their major or degree program. It is the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions which the College determines all its graduates should possess in order to be prepared for a life of enhanced citizenship, service, and continued learning. It is the means by which students experience the connections between academic disciplines.

Curricular experiences in general education are intended to shape informed thought and action, preparing an Anderson college student to be able to:

· Demonstrate an understanding of oneself as an engaged learner;

· Demonstrate an understanding of the core knowledge in, the modes of inquiry of, and the interconnectedness among humanities/fine arts, the social/behavioral sciences, and the natural sciences/mathematics.

· Demonstrate an understanding of Christian values and their connection to academic knowledge and personal dispositions;

· Demonstrate skills in effective communication, critical and creative thinking, analytical reasoning and problem solving, sustaining interpersonal relationships, and information access and discernment;

· Demonstrate understanding of the connections between local, national, Western, and global culture.

Certain skills and program experiences are essential to accomplish the goals of general education.

Specific skills include:

· Communication Skills – writing, speaking, reading, listening in English; achieving basic competency in a second language; developing observation skills and an awareness of aesthetics

· Critical Thinking Skills – logic, quantitative skills, research, computation, problem solving, scientific method, analysis

· Interpersonal Skills – cooperation, teamwork, leadership

· Technological Skills – accessing, processing, and transmitting information

electronically

Program experiences include:

· Research activity that allows for practice of critical and creative thinking skills

· Cultural experiences including study abroad

· Four-year experience in general education including an introduction to general education, interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary studies, and a capstone experience

· Service learning and/or community service

· Cultivate personal responsibility and decision making

NOTE:

The program may involve educational units in something other than the traditional three-credit course.

Assessment of program goals is primarily course embedded.