Humanities: History, Literature & Fine Arts
Humanities Outcomes:
For All Humanities categories:
Analyze the interactions of specific disciplines (e.g. science, mathematics, social science, humanities, history, languages, or arts) with human culture
Additional for History and Literature categories:
Critically analyze arguments (e.g. for assumptions, presumptions, alternative viewpoints, and logical consistency) to draw reasoned conclusions
Additional for Fine Arts category (one of the following):
Utilize appropriate vocabulary, concepts, and knowledge systems or techniques to explain or demonstrate phenomenon (e.g., in Art, Music, Theater, or Film)
Interpret, analyze, or produce sound, visuals, or speech (e.g. in music, art, theater, film, creative writing, etc.) for an aesthetic outcome
Using these outcomes to design a course
Courses in this category examine the complex interplay of humans, ideas, forms of expression, institutions, and context that make up human culture and will focus on one discipline in the humanities, while examining the contributions of that discipline to human culture (cross-disciplinary perspectives encouraged). In addition to content knowledge from the discipline, courses in this category are expected to reinforce intellectual and practical skills (e.g. inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, written and oral communication, information literacy, teamwork and problem solving) and/or draw integrative connections between the discipline and knowledge/concepts from other disciplines or from students’ experiences.
This sounds like a complicated task, but you are probably doing many of these things already. The key is to be intentional in designing your course so that you meet your objectives. Assignments that compel the students to ask big questions or to grapple with the implications of the subject for their lives or the lives of their community will be the most meaningful.
The rubric below will aid you in designing your course.
Critical Thinking Resources: