Course Description

The purpose of the Inquiry Seminar is to introduce students to the world of scholarship through an intensive, collaborative investigation of a specific, innovative topic. Excitement and challenge characterize the process of learning in these courses, which are taught and designed by professors who are passionate about the subjects their courses will investigate. Inquiry Seminar topics are intentionally diverse, and meant to appeal to student interests.

In these courses students are asked to engage difficult questions and complicated issues using multiple approaches, and will learn to think critically by addressing important problems, questions, theories and concepts. They will also seek insight through scholarly inquiry and careful examination of a variety of opinions, assumptions, and convictions. Finally, they will learn how to gather, explore, and evaluate information in order to produce clear, reasoned arguments and ideas. In short, students will develop skills and intellectual capacities that will serve them well throughout their entire life.

Purpose and Primary Goal: Inquiry Seminars shall provide an entree into the life of scholarship. Their primary purpose is to develop and hone foundational skills and transferable intellectual capacities which, when practiced, can develop a love of learning.

Critical Inquiry: In the context of this course, critical inquiry involves gathering, exploring, and evaluating information, ideas, and assumptions from multiple perspectives in order to produce clear and reasoned analysis, understanding, and wisdom.

Common Objectives: Reflecting the Goals for Liberal Learning (especially the first two) and aspects of critical thinking appropriate to the course, these objectives aim to enable students to

• Read, observe, and listen carefully

• Write and speak effectively and persuasively

• Construct, test and articulate sound arguments

• analyze and evaluate arguments effectively

• organize ideas clearly

• develop ideas thoroughly

• Apply an effective, efficient, and ethical research methodology

• locate appropriate research materials

• evaluate information and its sources critically

• use information and sources ethically

• Submit beliefs, convictions, and perspectives (including their own) to challenge

• examine the conditions, assumptions, and values that shape one’s identity

• acknowledge her/his own limited knowledge and personal bias

• take chances that challenge his/her intellectual and creative abilities

• recognize ambiguity and understands its role in decision making

• Understand the ethical and aesthetic dimensions of the course topic

Course Expectations and Considerations: Inquiry Seminars will

· Be writing intensive. Instructors will help students “learn to write” and “write to learn.” “Generative” writing (writing to generate ideas) will be emphasized, with attention given to “polished” writing.

· Require at least one research paper. The emphasis must be on the process of researching and writing the paper, and shall include the library and library staff as part of the process.

· Introduce students to the Goals for Liberal Learning and the nature of a liberal arts education in the context of the course topic.

· Balance the time spent learning course content with that spent learning how to learn, how to think critically, and how to transfer these skills to new contexts.

· Collaborate with library personnel in developing Information Literacy.

Linkages

· The IWC instructor could choose as an “extended work” a text that connects with the INQ topic.

· An IWC argument assignment topic could address a larger issue raised by the INQ topic.

· The INQ instructor could assign generative writing assignments that are also used in the IWC course.

· INQ content could be used in IOC group exercises (especially ad hoc exercises).

· Analysis of guest presentations for INQ could be the stimulus for oral critiques assignments in IOC.

· Information literacy curriculum could be used for group projects (group literature searches).

· Analysis of group participation in INQ could be the subject for group journaling in IOC/IWC.

· Critiques of oral presentations in the INQ could be used as a stimulus for IOC requirements.

Orientation

FYE instructors are strongly encouraged to serve as Orientation mentors. Ideally, both instructors of a cohort will mentor an orientation group. Mentors will be compensated. Consideration of the common reading, theme, or other Orientation materials in INQ is encouraged.

Assessment

The INQ common objectives have been approved by the Director of Assessment and Institutional Research as suitable for developing an assessment tool. Course evaluation criteria are developed by the INQ faculty both to assess the effectiveness of the courses as first offered and to serve as the basis for future changes.

Faculty Development

A series of summer workshops is offered for FYE faculty. Topics addressed by these workshops include critical thinking, information literacy, the “writing intensive” requirements, linkages between INQ and their paired IWC or IOC courses, common FYE objectives and expectations, and syllabus writing.