The combined experience of all of us in this classroom is staggering. Between us, we have decades (maybe centuries!) of experience in various career fields, higher education,
The Power of Telling Your Own Story
The combined experience of all of us in this classroom is staggering. Between us, we have decades (maybe centuries!) of experience in various career fields, higher education, community and civic engagement, raising families, military service, and much more. Successes, failures, and everything in between—these experiences make us who we are. In fact, your prior experience is your greatest asset as a learner. To set the stage for our academic and career futures, then, we must first recognize and appreciate our own past. Begin by viewing Dominic Colenso’s TEDx talk “The Power of Telling Your Own Story” (11:47 mins), below.
Colenso, D. (2017). The power of telling your story (Links to an external site.). Tedx Talks via Youtube. [Video: 11:47 minutes]. Transcripts.
Discussion Instructions
Before getting started, please take a moment to add an image to your Canvas Profile so we can get to know one another.
Initial Post: By Thursday of Module 1, create an initial post that addresses each bullet point below:
? What aspects of Colenso’s talk resonated with you? Do you agree with him about the value of sharing more of our stories with one another?
? Then, reveal a bit about your past and how it relates to your present in the style Colenso suggests. For example, how did you get here? What prior knowledge, credit-taking, military, career, or real-world experience do you bring with you today? How did your family and other loved ones impact your story?
? Give a glimpse into your future: What do you plan to do next in your degree path and career? How do you think acknowledging and leveraging your story can help you succeed in those goals?
You will not be able to see posts written by your classmates until you create your initial post.
IND101
Module 2 Discussion
Self-Regulated Learning
The baby is crying. Your older daughter is complaining that her stomach hurts. Dirty dishes from breakfast are piled up in the sink. Your phone rings and it’s your spouse who has to work late unexpectedly. And amidst the chaos, you remember that you have a paper due tomorrow.
Take a deep breath…
As an adult student, you have likely already developed coping skills to help you get through even the toughest of circumstances. The theories of self-regulated learning help you to apply these strategies to an academic learning environment, whether it’s scheduling to block out chunks of time, minimizing distractions, relying on support networks, using practice tests and note taking strategies, or something else. Your ability to self-regulate is not fixed – you can hone the underlying principles of metacognition and motivation, use resources to improve, leverage your areas of strength, and develop learning strategies to help you succeed.
Discussion Instructions
Make sure you have completed page 2.10 of the webtext before beginning this discussion. This section will walk you through the steps of the DAACS activities listed below.
Initial post: At the start of the week, by Thursday evening of Module 2, complete the following steps for this discussion
• Take the DAACS Self-Regulated Learning Assessment (Links to an external site.). (If you have already completed it before taking this course, that’s ok! You can either choose to retake it to see how you’ve changed or used your prior results for this activity).
• Review your Results in the areas of Motivation, Metacognition, and Strategies.
• Then, complete the DAACS Writing Assessment (Links to an external site.), in which you will write 350 words reflecting on your Self-Regulated Learning results.
• Once you have finished your essay and submitted it through the DAACS site, copy/paste the full text of your Writing Assessment essay into this discussion board as your initial post. (If you completed the Writing Assessment in a previous session, go to the feedback area and click on “Summary” in the “Content” section – this will display the whole text of your essay which you can copy/paste into the discussion board.)
You will not be able to see posts written by your classmates until you create your initial post.
IND101
Module 3 Discussion
Point/Counterpoint
If you’ve been on any social media platform, you’ve undoubtedly seen it happen: an argument breaks out between friends or family members on different sides of an issue. Differing opinions become rigid dividing lines; participants split into opposing camps. Facts and evidence are used subjectively; logical fallacies abound. Some participants resort to emotion or even name-calling. At the end of the day, everyone is angry, and no one has changed their mind about the issue at hand. If anything, people have dug their heels in even more.
How can we continue to disagree, and engage one another in a debate, without devolving into the scenario above? One solution is to just disengage or retreat into the so-called social media “filter bubble” of like-minded perspectives. But arguably our future as a country, or even as a global community, depends on the free exchange of ideas and a willingness to question, learn from, and challenge one another.
So in the discussion this week, we’ll put the critical reading, thinking, and argumentative reasoning skills we learned this week to work to engage in a civil debate on one of two topics relating to the future of our society. Before beginning, remember: the goal here is to maintain good netiquette and avoid the common pitfalls of arguments – name-calling, appealing to emotion, ignoring or distorting the facts.
Discussion Instructions
Initial post: Begin by reading pages 3.6 through 3.8 of Chapter 3 in the webtext. Then, by Thursday of Module 3, choose 1 of the 2 topics listed below, and go to the forum associated with that topic to make your initial post.
If your last name starts with A-K you will argue the “pro” position. If your last name starts with L-Z you will argue the “con” position.
1. Should we continue to use genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food production?
2. Should we send humans to Mars?
Include in your initial post:
• An argument for why your side is correct. An argument for why the other side is incorrect. Make sure to use at least 1 credible, relevant source to back up your points. Use this Tip Sheet for a Great Debate to make sure you are following best practices to engage in an academic debate effectively.
You will not be able to see posts written by your classmates until you create your initial post.
IND101
Module 4 Discussion
From a Post-Truth World to a Pro-Truth World
Today, the prevalence of social media, the rise of algorithms, filter bubbles, “bots”, and international hacking efforts have brought the issue of “fake news” to the forefront of our national and international consciousness. As you read in the webtext this week, the spread of misinformation is not an entirely new problem and it does not have one simple solution. However, there are changes all information consumers can make to how they engage with stories, facts, and data that can lead us from a “post-truth” world to a “pro-truth” world.
Begin by reading chapter 4 of the webtext and viewing all of Professor Alex Edmans’ TED Talk “What to Trust in a ‘Post-Truth’ World”, below.
Edmans, Al. (2018). What to trust in a “post-truth” world (Links to an external site.). TedTalk. [Video: 17:40 minutes]. Transcripts.
Discussion Instructions
Initial post: By Thursday of Module 4, create an initial post that responds to each of the prompts below:
• Edmans argues that confirmation bias causes us to believe information that confirms our point of view, which sometimes leads to accepting and sharing information that is fake, misleading, or misrepresentative. Think of an example of this from your own life. How did confirmation bias shape your understanding of an issue?
• How do you think we can move beyond confirmation bias to make sure what we’re accepting and sharing is true?
You will not be able to see posts written by your classmates until you create your initial post.
IND101
Module 5 Discussion
“This is Water”: The Purpose of an Education
“The real value of a real education… has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over: ‘This is water. This is water.’”
-David Foster Wallace
What is the purpose of a college education? This has been and will continue to be, one of the fundamental questions facing the future of higher education.
Is it “utilitarian”- to prepare students for a particular job or career path, or is it “utopian”- shaping students’ character and values to prepare them not just to be good workers, but also good thinkers, good citizens, and positive contributors to our local, national, and global societies?
In this module, we learned a lot about the value of general education skills, like writing, ethical reasoning, and quantitative reasoning, for students’ current and future career paths. Excelsior’s general education career competencies even include “career” right in the title to emphasize their utilitarian value. But is that the only value of general education? Is that the only value of an education in general?
Begin by viewing this excerpt of David Foster Wallace’s famous commencement speech “This Is Water” given in 2005 at Kenyon College.
Mosley, CD. (2013). This is Water! by David Foster Wallace (Links to an external site.). YouTube. [Video: 9:22 minutes]. Transcripts.
Discussion Instructions
Initial post: Then, by Thursday of Module 5, create an initial post that responds to each of the prompts below:
• What do you believe the true purpose of a college education is today? What do you think it will be in the future?
• Do you believe colleges have a responsibility to teach concepts like “global understanding” and “cultural diversity and expression”? Why or why not?
• What do you hope to get out of your general education experience by the time you graduate?
You will not be able to see posts written by your classmates until you create your initial post.
IND101
Module 6 Discussion
Oral Communication – Our Career Futures
In Module 5, we examined Excelsior’s General Education Career Competencies and learned how these skills will be beneficial in the future of work. One of the most important competencies is “oral communication.” In fact, according to an Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) 2018 survey of business executives and hiring managers (Links to an external site.) the ability to effectively communicate orally was the most important skill for college graduates entering the workforce. It ranked ahead of critical thinking, ethical decision-making, teamwork, time management, and written communication. So, in this discussion, you will practice your oral communication through a video post. You’ll get another chance to practice this skill in the Module 8 discussion, so don’t worry if you haven’t quite mastered it this week.
Begin by reading pages 6.3 through 6.10 in the webtext on career planning and page 6.11 on the oral communication discussion.
Now, put yourself in the mindset of your future self. Pretend that it is a few years in the future once you have completed your college degree (and any subsequent degrees you plan to attain) and are now entering your chosen career field or positioning yourself to advance in your current field. For this discussion, you are interviewing for an ideal job in your field.
Discussion Instructions
Initial post: By Thursday of Module 6, create a 2-minute video clip with a text transcript speaking as your future self, answering the following questions from the hiring manager:
• Why do you want to work in this career field? What sets you apart from other candidates?
• As a graduate of Excelsior College, what are the most important skills you learned from your education? How do you plan to apply these to your work?
• What do you think the future of this career field/industry will be in 10, 20 or even 100 years? How can you help us plan for that future?
NOTE: You will need to include a transcript or closed captions with your video in order to make it accessible for people with hearing disabilities. The easiest way to do this is to write out a script in advance and attach this to your post as a transcript. Use the Audio Script Writing Guide for help creating a script.
NOTE: Read the resources below for help with creating your video (or if a video is not possible an audio file) If you experience trouble uploading your video file to Canvas directly because of a slow internet connection, read option 4 in the Tips document below.
You will not be able to see posts written by your classmates until you create your initial post.
IND101
Module 7 Discussion
Better Together GECC
Last week we discussed our personal career futures. This week we’ll focus on the broader societal landscape and what value diversity and inclusion play in the future of work. Diversity in the workplace does not just refer to race, sex, religion, class, and age. A commitment to a diverse working environment also acknowledges the importance of the diversity of perspectives, cultures, backgrounds, and strengths.
Begin by reading pages 7.1-7.7 of the webtext for this week and viewing the video, “Inclusion Starts with I.”
Accenture. (2017). Inclusion starts with an I. (Links to an external site.) YouTube. [Video: 3:28 minutes]. Transcripts.
Discussion Instructions
Initial Post: Then, by Thursday of Module 7, create an initial post that responds to each of the prompts below:
• Have you ever encountered a situation like the ones highlighted in the video? How did it impact you?
• What demographic groups, backgrounds, or perspectives are underrepresented in your career field? Why?
• What are the benefits of working in diverse groups? What are the challenges?
You will not be able to see posts written by your classmates until you create your initial post.
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