Book Title: Why Do I Have to Take This Course? [First Edition]

Subtitle: A Guide to General Education

Author: Kisha G. Tracy

Book Description: Why Do I Have to Take This Course? A Guide to General Education helps students think about why they take General Education courses and what significance they have, individually and as a program as a whole. It allows students the time to contemplate connections, the potential reasons for developing certain learning outcomes and skills, and the applications to other courses as well as their professional and personal lives. General education is viewed through the lens of what John Lewis called "good, necessary trouble," expanding on how the liberal arts and sciences contribute to understanding and creating change in the world. Sections include stories, research, testimonies and reflections about student success, links to further readings, and activities.

License:
Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike

Contents

Book Information

Book Description

Why Do I Have to Take This Course? A Guide to General Education developed out of many years of thinking about general education courses and curriculums. We, as university personnel, do not always succeed in explaining why we have certain requirements. Even though these courses make up a significant percentage of our college careers, there is not often time set aside to talk about general education and explore its purpose and goals. When we do not know the reason why we are doing something, it can sometimes lead to apathy and even resentment. Once we have an idea of the purpose, then we can start to appreciate and learn. It is worthwhile to spend some time thinking about these purposes, both “official” and personal ones, in order to maximize student learning.

This textbook helps students systematically study how general education requirements are developed, their history, post-graduation value, etc. It emphasizes exploration of the significance of individual learning outcomes, especially through the lens of John Lewis’ philosophy of “good, necessary trouble.” For instructors adopting this book, it is designed to assign in its entirety or in parts as instructors can choose to emphasize relevant learning outcomes. It is also designed for use by advisors, especially with advisees who express concerns over taking certain requirements.

Author

Kisha G. Tracy

License

Subject

Educational: General studies, educational skills and competencies

Metadata

Title
Why Do I Have to Take This Course? [First Edition]
Author
Kisha G. Tracy
Reviewers
Brandon W. Hawk and Patricia Lynne
License
Primary Subject
Educational: General studies, educational skills and competencies
Institution
Fitchburg State University
Publisher
ROTEL (Remixing Open Textbooks with an Equity Lens) Project
Publication Date
January 11, 2024