What's our target?

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Overall course objectives

What should you get out of this course? Why spend all this time and energy trying to learn something in this First Year Seminar? Well, there are certain things, called Course Learning Objectives, that we are trying to achieve in this course. Upon completion of this course, you should be able to demonstrate that you know or can do all of these things. It will take the whole course to get to all of them, and there will be smaller Module Objectives along the way that will help to complete these larger objectives or goals. See the 4 course learning objectives below. All objectives will be accomplished with the help of Open Access Resources freely available on the internet. You will find my instructor-created videos embedded in the course using a YouTube link so that you can easily watch without downloading them, and so that you can have closed captioning available as well. Any other videos, articles, or resources are directly linked to their address on the World Wide Web. There is no cost associated with the materials for this course. The one required book is provided free through our university's rental agreement, and the Common Reading Book is freely distributed to all students during orientation. All resources are used in accordance with Fair Use policy.

CO 1 - Reflect on your individual implementation of the habits of mind to achieve success in college level work

CO 2 - Describe cultural self-awareness and worldview frameworks by demonstrating knowledge of cultural frameworks and local-to-global connections

CO 3 - Interpret and examine intercultural experience from more than one worldview or perspective (Empathy and Communication)

CO 4 - Initiate and interact with individuals of varying cultures different from your own (Curiosity & Openness)

Module Zero Objectives

The module objectives in Module Zero and Module 1 combine to suffice Course Level Outcome ONE listed above: Reflect on your individual implementation of the habits of mind to achieve success in college level work.

MO 0.1 Identify campus resources and opportunities for involvement in co-curricular activities

Module 1 objectives

MO 1.1 Determine what kind of learner (surface, deep, strategic) you wish to be in college

MO 1.2 Explain how a once perceived failure is now considered a learning experience

MO 1.3 Create a visual representation of the 7 levels of the Reflective Judgment Model

MO 1.4 Summarize the benefits and purpose of a liberal education

MO 1.5 Demonstrate topical and global knowledge based on the text of the Common Reading selection

Module 2 objectives

The module objectives in Module 2 & Module 3 combine to suffice Course Level Outcome TWO listed above: Describe cultural self-awareness and worldview frameworks by demonstrating knowledge of cultural frameworks and local-to-global connections.

MO 2.1: Apply cultural metaphors to your own understanding of culture

MO 2.2: Describe key characteristics of culture

MO 2.3: Define and Describe Intercultural Competence using the four Core Intercultural Competencies

Module 3 objectives

MO 3.1 Describe awareness and understanding of our own characteristic ways of making meaning and acting in familiar and unfamiliar contexts

MO 3.2 Identify your own cultural rules and biases

MO 3.3 Describe new perspectives about own cultural rules and biases

MO 3.4 Determine others’ ways of making meaning and acting in familiar and unfamiliar contexts

MO 3.5 Demonstrate sophisticated understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture (in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices and the responsibilities of the individual in community membership)

module 4 objectives

The module objectives in Module 4 combine to suffice Course Level Outcome Three listed above: Interpret and examine intercultural experience from more than one worldview or perspective (Empathy and Communication).

MO 4.1 Analyze intercultural experience from the perspectives of own and more than one worldview.

MO 4.2 Demonstrate ability to act in a supportive manner that recognizes the feelings of another cultural group

MO 4.3 Identify cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication

MO 4.4 Create a shared understanding of communication based on verbal and nonverbal clues

module 5 objectives

The module objectives in Module 5 combine to suffice Course Level Outcome FOUR listed above: Initiate and interact with individuals of varying cultures differing from your own (Curiosity & Openness)

MO 5.1 Prepare complex questions about other cultures

MO 5.2 Design answers to these questions that reflect multiple cultural perspectives

MO 5.3 Create and develop interactions with culturally different others

MO 5.4 Suspend judgement in valuing interactions with culturally different others

Learning Goals of FYS Courses (with SLOs) (1).docx

First Year Seminar Goals

Much like our Course Learning Objectives, the First Year Seminar program at Appalachian State has goals (or objectives, we will use the terms goals and objectives interchangeably) for each FYS. We will weave in all of these goals throughout our course. When you read through the three pages at left, you'll see that not everything needs to have an assignment (or assessment) connected to each goal. However, we will definitely incorporate all of these goals in our work throughout the semester. We will cover many of the "Goals of Exposure" in our first module. Then will specifically concentrate on Communicating Effectively and Intercultural Competence in almost every class, discussion, and assignment. You should get a lot of practice in communicating effectively. Along the way we will make local-to-global connections and learn about information literacy, too. There is A LOT that a First Year Seminar course covers! But don't worry, we will also have a lot of fun and do a lot of interesting things while we gain skills and learn about our cultures and ourselves.

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