Prof. Bryan Rennie |
The major divisions of Inquiry 111 are:
(What is the nature of the Liberal Arts?) (What is the point of an education that does not train you for a specific task?) |
Inquiry 111 is the first semester course in the First Year Program. The central subjects of this course are education, knowledge, and human actions--especially the varied ways in which knowledge arises and our recognition of its authority. The course readings and strategies engage students in learning as they think through these major questions and ideas.
Humanity can be characterized as being composed of communities of intelligent agents who know by means of our communal ability to represent. Human individuals grow and develop within such communities.
Many, if not all, of the major ideas that shaped the development of our communities were vigorously resisted for a wide variety of reasons when they first arose, but communities of the competent tend to prevail and knowledge tends to win out over ignorance (in the literal sense of lack of knowledge). Our main readings will be from the Inquiry Reader but occassionally appropriate suplementary readings will be given.
The course has several goals:
Learning Objectives
By the end of Inquiry 111, students
should be able to:
(These can be demonstrated by reading the materials carefully and writing about them well.)
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Texts
The Inquiry Reader is the main text for Inquiry 111.
The Instructors will require you to read many of the articles in this
text. Each instructor will also have you read additional articles specific to
their own section. While Inquiry is essentially a common course instructors are
invited to bring their own special knowledge or interests to the course.
Oral Reports
All Inquiry 111 students are required to
give at least one graded oral report (10% of the total grade). In Inquiry 111W 05
this report will focus on the application of the ideas, skills, and materials of the course to some issue chosen by the student. These reports will be
given in weeks 14, 15, & 16.
Attendance and Participation
Students are expected to attend all
class meetings and to fulfil the co-curricular activities requirement. After
three absences, the final grade will be lowered. Participation in class is
expected and will be graded up to 10% of your total grade.
The Undergraduate Catalog includes the following policy regarding class attendance and excused absences: Regular class attendance is essential if students are to realize the full benefits of a college education. Accordingly, Westminster students are expected to attend all classes, unless specifically excused for some valid reason. Although each individual instructor may specify what constitutes a valid excuse, in general excused absences are allowed only for the following reasons:
Students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities, since these functions are often closely tied in to their professional preparation. Students who are involved in extracurricular or co-curricular activities at Westminster College must make this known to their professors before the end of the add period of each semester, particularly if such participation is anticipated to require them to be off campus at specific times.
Excused absences do not excuse a student from completing the work that is missed. When possible, students should complete the assigned work in advance, or at such time as the professor specifies. It is the student's responsibility to apprise all appropriate professors of off-campus involvement(s). With the professor's knowledge of the student's upcoming absences, conflicts should be minimized.
Where problems are identified which cannot be resolved by the faculty member
and the student, a resolution will be made by the Dean of the College.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is central to the purpose of any academic community. We ask that you read the section in the
catalog entitled “Academic Integrity” (p. 71), which includes the following
definition:
Academic dishonesty is a profound violation of the expected code of behavior. It can take several forms, including, but not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, misrepresentation of facts or experimental results, unauthorized use of or intentional intrusion into another's computer files and/or programs, intentional damage to a computer system, and unauthorized use of library materials and privileges.
Of special concern, especially for first-year students, is the issue of plagiarism which is defined as leading your reader or listener to believe that what you have written or said is your own work, when, in fact, it is not. The definition of plagiarism ranges from word-for-word copying of another's text without quotation marks and appropriate citation, to inappropriate paraphrasing of another's text, to even the unattributed borrowing of apt phrases or terms. All of these degrees of plagiarism are unethical and may be penalized with failure for the assignment, or, in extreme cases, failure for the course.
We urge all First Year Students to consider this regulation carefully. While it has become easier to cheat using the Internet, it has also become easier to detect cheating.
Linkages
Students take writing and speech classses as complementary courses with Inquiry. All three courses have
been planned together so the skills developed in one course are practiced and
reinforced in the others.
Information Literacy
Library orientation
sessions are scheduled for one week this semester (Week 6).
This will introduce students to resources in the library and will prepare you for research
in Inquiry and during the remainder of your college career. They will be
accompanied by graded assignments worth 10% of your total grade.
Please note that the accepted style for writing in Inquiry is the MLA style. See here and here for guidance and begin to apply the MLA style to your writing.
Assessment of student performance will include assessment of technical writing skills. To help you with that, here are some notes on common and avoidable errors in student writing. Please read them carefully. I am sure that you will find them helpful (and remember I will be grading your writing with this in mind.)
The Final Examination: The grade that you earn for this work will be 20% of your total grade.
Co-curricular Activities
All Inquiry students are required to attend three events recognized as “co-curricular.” This requirement provides an
opportunity to take advantage of special events on campus that relate to the themes of Inquiry 111. Such events may be scheduled in the afternoon,
evenings, or on the weekends, and instructors will provide a more detailed description of the requirments for their section.
In Inquiry 111W 05, I require my students to submit FOUR co-curricular reports, each one worth 5% of their final grade.
In this Section of Inquiry, students may identify their own co-curricular activities, but they must demonstrate by convincing argument that the events they attend are genuinely complementary to the curriculum in some way.
Reports on events that are not relevant will be discounted and must be done again or will receive a grade of zero. Students must write a report of a minimum of one page (250-300 words), which will be graded (totalling 20% of the grade). These must be submitted within seven days of the activity, or they will not be accepted.
A list of possible activities will be provided.
Grading
For the determination of your grade your
assignments will be weighed as follows:
| Written Assignments | 20% |
| Co-curricular Activities | 20% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
| Class Participation | 10% |
| Information Literacy | 10% |
| Oral Reports including student-led discussions |
20% |
Grades are assigned using the following scale:
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(This schedule is a tentative framework upon which the course will be built as the semester progresses. New links, readings, and assignments will be added in response to class discussions. Current readings may be rescheduled as the course expands.)
| Week: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 |
Inquiry 111W 05 will meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:30 to 11:30 in the Field House, room 101.
I will be available in the office in Thompson Clark Freeman 206 everyday from 9:20 until 10:20 and at other times by arrangement.
Week 1.
Part One: Liberal Arts Education
Possible Generalizations:
One's perspective is based on experience.
Experience can be misleading.
Claims can be accurately analyzed and adequately assessed.
There are very different kinds of education.
Viewing a situation from a single point of view can be misleading.
Wednesday, 8/31
Introduction to the class webpage and schedule and a general orientation to the course.
Assignment: Copy your Ghost Map paper to www.turnitin.com.
See the Inquiry Summer Reading website.
For Friday:
Analyze “The Allegory of the
Cave” (p. 26). Most importantly, read the relevant passages and be ready to discuss them.
Consider also “The Blind Men and the Elephant” (p. 25)
and “The Emperor's New Clothes” (p. 35).
Look for information, explanaton, and analysis on the WorldWideWeb.
Friday, 9/2
Discussion and analysis of the texts: the allegory of the cave, etc..
Texts for Week 2:
“Liberal Education, Moral Education” by Harold Shapiro (p. 30)
"Fighting for our Lives" by Deborah Tannen (p. 73)
The Oxford English Dictionary tells us that the term “liberal” was “originally the distinctive epithet of those 'arts' or 'sciences' . . . that were considered 'worthy of a free man'; as opposed to servile or mechanical. . . [that is] Pertaining to or suitable to persons of superior social standing; 'becoming a gentleman.'” It also has the sense of “free from restraint, free in speech” and “free from narrow prejudice, open-minded, candid.
Possible Generalizations:
The most valuable education is immediately useful.
Learning is a means to acquire wealth.
Wealth is a means to acquire learning.
Reliable knowledge is acquired by competition.
Reliable knowledge is acquired by cooperation.
Monday, 9/5
Discussion and analysis of “Liberal Education, Moral Education” by Harold Shapiro.
Wednesday, 9/7
A basic introduction to word-processing.
Friday, 9/9
Discussion and analysis of "Fighting for our Lives"
Texts for Week 3:
“What is Liberal Education” (p. 7).
"Statement on Liberal Learning" (p. 8)
“Pedagogy of the Oppressed” by Paulo Freire (p. 53)
"Learning is not Fun" by Jim Josefson(p. 61)
"Making College Relevant" by Kate Zernike (p. 86)
Monday, 9/12
Discussion and analysis of “What is Liberal Education” and
"Statement on Liberal Learning."
Wednesday, 9/14
Discussion and analysis of “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” by Paulo
Freire.
Compare ideas in the readings and explain how they extend your
concept of Learning.
Friday, 9/16
Discussion and analysis of the articles by Josefson and Zernike.
Texts for week 4:
“Defense and Growth” by Abraham H. Maslow (p. 65)
“Effective Learning begins with the Right Attitudes” by Robert Fisher (p. 23)
“Count your Blessings” by Rennie and Bonomo (on the Class My.Westminster Handouts)
Look for some information on Maslow, Fisher, and on the history of arithmetic.
Monday, 9/19
Discussion and analysis of “Defense and Growth” by Abraham H. Maslow.
Wednesday, 9/21
Discussion and analysis of “Effective Learning begins with the Right Attitudes” by Robert Fisher
Friday, 9/23
Discussion and analysis of "Count your Blessings." The development of a workable system of numbering.
Your first 1,000 word essay, on the Liberal Arts, is due in (digitally) today by 4:30.
Texts for week 5:
“Four Approaches to Philosophy” by Charles Sanders Peirce (on the My.Westminster page)
The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson
Week 5.
Part Two: Ways of Knowing
Possible Generalizations:
The acceptance of knowledge is related to the acceptance of authority.
Knowledge is contextual.
Knowledge is acquired by a variety of processes.
There are different senses of the word "knowledge."
There are specific hinderances to the acquisition of reliable knowledge.
Monday, 9/26
An introduction to the Intellectual Perspectives Divisions at Westminster College.
What are they? What do they mean, and how do they work?
An Introduction to Modern Philosophy and a discussion of “Four Approaches to Philosophy” by Charles Sanders Peirce.
Wednesday, 9/28
Discussion and analysis of "The Ghost Map."
Friday, 9/30
Continuing discussion of the issues of Ways of Knowing
As a class we will discuss the format that the oral report of the Inquiry course is to take.
Texts for week 6:
"Letting Go" by Jim Perkins (p. 98)
"Is God an Accident" by Paul Bloom (p. 108)
Possible Generalizations:
Knowledge is influenced by physical and non-physical factors.
Knowledge is influenced by the whole community's reaction to claims.
Knowledge is distinct from belief.
Monday, 10/3
Organization of the student-led discussion groups.
Wednesday, 10/5
Discussion of "Letting Go" by Jim Perkins.
Your specific assignment is to have at least two questions ready to ask about this short story.
Friday, 10/7
Monday, 10/10
Make sure that you are LOGGED OUT of the College Network and that you know the name of the person you are researching before you come to class!
Discussion and Analysis of "Is God an Accident."
Your first library orientation
session will take place today--a "people search." We will examine in detail
resources and strategies for uncovering knowledge about particular people. We
will meet in the McGill Library Computer Lab.
Wednesday, 10/12
The Second Library Orientation
Session will take place today--Periodical Indexes, citations, and correct
bibliographical style.
Friday, 10/14
The Third Library Orientation Session
will take place today--Use of resources: topics and subtopics.
Texts for week 8:
“Strategies for Looking” by Peggy Cox (p. 126)
"What to Listen for in Music" by Aaron Copland (p. 91)
from: John Fire Lame Deer (p. 127)
“Learning to See” by Samuel Scudder (p. 105)
Monday, 10/17:
Student-led discussion and analysis of "Strategies for Looking" and "What to Listen for in Music"
Jenna Kostolnik; Kristy Daubner; Alaura Hanssen; Madison Kincade.
Wednesday, 10/19
Student-led discussion and analysis of John Fire Lame Deer and "Learning to See"
Friday, 10/21
Meet the author: Jim Perkins, the author of "Letting Go" will take your questions in the Witherspoon Rooms in the McKelvey Student Center.
Andrew Askins; Mary Fletcher; Annette McHaddon; Jesse Huweart.
Remember: your library assignment is due in today!
Student assessment of the course so far.
Texts for week 9:
“Shakespeare in the Bush” by Laura Bohannon (p. 117)
“Body Ritual among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner (p. 160)
“The Veils of Maya” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced "Chick-sent-me-high-ee") (p. 9)
Possible Generalizations:
There are multiple dimensions to knowledge
Knowledge is often expressed in “spiritual” and creative realms
"Knowledge" changes with growth and development.
Tuesday 10/25 (Monday Classes meet Tuesday)
Student-led discussion and analysis of “Shakespeare in the Bush”
Aaron Crider; Eric Erdley; Blake Otterson; Chris Smith.
Wednesday 10/26 A brief explanation of
the Mock Convention at Westminster College.
Student-led discussion and analysis of "Body Ritual among the Nacirema"
Cassandra Guthrie; Rachael Kamicker; Lauren Fling.
Friday, 10/28
Student-led discussion and analysis of "The Veils of Maya"
Leah Domhoff; Morgan Brazell; Alicia Bates; Amber Kovach.
Your second 1,000 word essay, on Ways of Knowing, is due in today by 4:30.
Texts for week 10:
The scholarly study of other cultures and the accumulation of historical and
geographical knowledge from across time and around the globe gave rise to
cultural relativism and the hotly debated issues of relativism in general.
“Cultural Relativism” by Ruth Benedict (My.Westminster)
“Person and Community in African Traditional Thought” by Ifeanyi Menkiti (p. 154)
“The Challenge of Cultural Relativism” by James Rachels (p. 104)
“The Good Samaritan” from the Gospel of Luke 10:25-37 (p. 192)
“The Ones who Walk away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin (p. 236)
Week 10.
Part Three: Issues and Actions
Possible Generalizations:
We determine our actions by relating our knowledge to the world.
Acceptance of "knowledge" is a function of group membership.
A Liberal Arts education suggests appropriate actions by varied research.
Monday, 10/31
Student-led discussion of Cultural Relativism and its Challenges (Benedict and Menkiti)
Jenna Kostolnik; Kristy Daubner; Alaura Hanssen; Madison Kincade.
Wednesday, 11/2
Student-led discussion of Cultural Relativism and its Challenges (Benedict and Rachels)
Andrew Askins; Mary Fletcher; Annette McHaddon; Jesse Huweart.
Friday, 11/4
Student-led discussion of "The Good Samaritan" from the Gospel of
Luke 10:25-37 and
"The Ones who Walk away from Omelas"
Aaron Crider; Eric Erdley; Blake Otterson; Chris Smith.
Texts for Week 11:
"Action Heroes" by Paul Farmer (p. 204)
"The Tragedy of the Commons" by Garrett Hardin (p. 221)
"War or Peace" by John Horgan (p. 230)
Monday, 11/7
Student-led discussion and analysis of "Action Heroes"
Cassandra Guthrie; Rachael Kamicker; Lauren Fling.
Wednesday, 11/9
Student-led discussion and analysis of "The Tragedy of the Commons"
Leah Domhoff; Morgan Brazell; Alicia Bates; Amber Kovach.
Friday 11/11
Student-led discussion and analysis of "War or Peace" by John Horgan
Jenna Kostolnik; Kristy Daubner; Alaura Hanssen; Madison Kincade.
Texts for week 12:
"One Hundred Years of Uncertainty" by Brian Greene (p. 217)
"Let America be America Again" by Langston Hughes (p. 234)
Monday 11/14
Student-led discussion and analysis of "One Hundred Years of Uncertainty"
Andrew Askins; Mary Fletcher; Annette McHaddon; Jesse Huweart.
Wednesday, 11/16
Student-led discussion and analysis of "Let America be America Again."
Aaron Crider; Eric Erdley; Blake Otterson; Chris Smith.
Friday 11/18
There will be no class today as Dr. Rennie will be at the
American Academy of Religion Conference.
Texts for week 13:
"Letter from Clergy" (p. 181)
"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King (p. 182)
Monday, 11/21
There will be no class today as Dr. Rennie will be at the
American Academy of Religion Conference.
Texts for week 14:
There are many people telling you what you should believe. In the end what you believe in is up to you. You are not fully being yourself, nor fully
realizing your own talents, unless you excercise your own individual judgment, use your own powers of reasoning, and make up your own mind.
In the current situation, many new developments of thought are still in a condition of vigorous debate. Many of these ideas can be grouped together
under the rather mysterious heading of “Postmodernism.”
An Introduction to Postmodernism, on the My.Westminster page. Read the sections by Anderson and Berlin.
Monday, 11/28
Student-led discussion and analysis of "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
Cassandra Guthrie; Rachael Kamicker; Lauren Fling.
Wednesday, 11/30
Student-led discussion of Postmodernism, and preparation for the oral presentations
Leah Domhoff; Morgan Brazell; Alicia Bates; Amber Kovach.
Friday, 12/2 Student Oral Presentations
1. Jenna Kostolnik
2. Alaura Hanssen
3. Andrew Askins
4. Mary Fletcher
5. Annette McHaddon
6. Chris Smith
Your third and final 1,000 word essay, on Issues and Actions, is due in today by 4:30.
Monday 12/5 Student Oral Presentations
7. Kristy Daubner
8. Jesse Huweart
9. Aaron Crider
10. Eric Erdley
11. Blake Otterson
12. Madison Kincade
Today is your last chance to resubmit previously submitted co-curricular reports for a potential
improvement in your grade.
No resubmissions will be accepted after this date.
Wednesday, 12/7 Student Oral Presentations
13. Cassandra Guthrie
14. Rachael Kamicker
15. Lauren Fling
16. Leah Domhoff
17. Morgan Brazell
18. Alicia Bates
19. Amber Kovach
Friday 12/9 Final Class, lots of final stuff:
Final instructions and advice on the final examination.
Submit your corrected and edited version of the three essays by 4:30pm on Tuesday, December 13th.
Student Assessments of the Course.
Monday 12/12: No Class.
There will NOT be a final in-class examination.
Instead you will revise, correct, and improve your three 1,000-word essays and resubmit them (as an e-mail attachment).
This final resubmission is due by 4:30 on Tuesday, December 13th.
It will constitute the 20% of your grade allocated to the final examination.
Term ends Friday, December 16th.
NOTES:
Generalizations implied by or derived from the week's reading are occasionally given. These statements could be true or false, either partially or completely, and so should be critically explored and challenged, not simply accepted as statements of knowledge. New generalizations may be added and old ones taken away or modified as new suggestions arise. Students should consider these suggestions and articulate their own generalizations in their written assignments.
Part One: Liberal Arts Education
Goals:
Skills:
(and don't forget that ALL of these can involve QUESTIONING the text)
Possible Generalizations:
Click on the “Back” button at the top left to return to the schedule.
Goals:
Skills:
Possible Generalizations:
Click on the “Back” button at the top left to return to the schedule.
Part Three: Issues and Actions.
Goals:
Skills:
Possible Generalizations:
All students in Inquiry are required to produce a minimum of 10 pages (2,500 - 3,000 words) of writing in addition to the Co-curricular Reports. These written assignments will constitute 30% of the grade. Technical writing skills will be graded. See this information on common and avoidable errors in student writing.
In Inquiry 111W 05 this requirement will be fulfilled by means of three essays of about 1,000 words each, one devoted to each part of the course. Thus your first essay on "The Liberal Arts" will be due at the end of Week Four, September 23rd. Your second essay, on "Ways of Knowing" will be due at the end of Week Nine, October 28th, and your third and final essay on "Issues and Actions" will be due at the end of Week Fourteen, December 2nd. These essays will be corrected, re-written, and improved and submitted as a single, extended piece of writing in the final class on December 9th. We will meet to discuss this final re-subnission during the finals period.
Note that this final essay--or any of your other submissions--can be substantially connected to your Oral Report
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