Concordia College has five goals for liberal learning in which most academic courses are based on. In each one of the courses I have taken over my years at Concordia these goals were introduced and addressed each in their unique way. However, it was not until this semester when I took my Capstone Course that I truly made the connection between what we were learning and doing in class and these goals.
Below are Concordia’s five goals for liberal learning with a brief description of how my Capstone Course addressed these goals.
- Instill a love for learning
My love for learning peaked in this course, as it was an absolutely essential part of the course. With very few assignments and no real exams testing our memorization of the information, there was not necessarily an incentive to learn. This course challenged me then, to make myself learn. However, it was much easier than I expected. Each week I found myself preparing for class days before, reading extra information on each topic for the week. After class discussions I often found myself continuing research on the topic, hoping to find answers to all the questions running through my head. With little pressure to learn and memorize information, I found myself loving to learn even more. I realized that learning should not be something that I force myself to do so I can get good grades and a better job in the future. Instead, learning is something that I believe to be instilled in all of us, and once reached, is something easily loved.
- Develop foundational skills and transferable intellectual capacities
This course was definitely a challenge for me as I was coming into the course with little chemistry background. However, within only a semester I was able to grasp basic chemistry topics and apply them to more difficult, in-depth topics. I not only able to understood the topics, but I was able to master certain topics and teach them to other students in my class. I finally was able to view other student’s knowledge as a tool and resource to help me, instead of something to be intimidated by or jealous of. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and if we know how transfer/communicate them, then one person’s strengths can become a resources for another person’s weakness.
- Develop an understanding of disciplinary, interdisciplinary and intercultural perspectives and their connections
In a class of almost all pre-med students I felt as though this goal really applied to me. As a one of the only psychology majors in the class, I felt as though I was often the one to bring the interdisciplinary perspective. Other times though, I felt challenged to realize that my perspective sometimes lacked understanding of other disciplines and cultures. Through group discussions in this class, I was able to learn how to have my own opinion based on my discipline, but also how to apply my beliefs to other perspectives. I was forced to open my eyes to complicated issues that cannot be solved or explained using just one perspective.
- Cultivate an examined cultural, ethical, physical and spiritual self-understanding
There were many times during this course where I was frustrated. I wanted simple answers to some of the world’s most challenging topics, but in the end, I found no answer. However, as we discussed topics such as end-of-life care, I realized that in my search for answers, I understood more about my beliefs. Each discussion challenged my ideas of what I thought was ethical or spiritually right, and I learned so much from my peers as they both agreed and disagreed with my opinions.
- Encourage responsible participation in the world
One of the major assignments in this class was a community action project in which Neurochemistry and Social Work students teamed together on a popular issues affecting the world we live in today. For this project, we were asked to develop, plan, and carry-out a community action projected addressing this issue and problems that surround it. My team focused on Mental Health on our college campus, as we tried to bring awareness and decrease the stigmatization of mental health to the study body. This one just one of the ways that this course, specifically our professors, encouraged us to become actively engaged in our world.
Overall, this course exceeded my expectations, as I truly believe that ending my undergraduate college career without this class would have been an incredible loss. After almost four years of rigorous academics, I find that just now I am understanding the real mission of Concordia College.
