How Cell Phones are Changing the World
15 years ago
This Bear Is Up a Tree
photo by Scott Granneman
Monday, November 9, 2009
Baylor's Expectations
The Provost released a report today giving an update on the assessment of Baylor's goals for students. They are that students be able to communicate in writing and orally in a manner appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience, be proficient critical thinkers, demonstrate knowledge of the Christian scriptures and heritage, and demonstrate an understanding of the challenges of a global society. Do you think your Baylor courses have provided you the foundation for accomplishing these goals? Are these goals in line with your own?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I believe Baylor has given me some of those skills while I have been in attendance here. I remember a lot of things from my Christian Heritage class, and I enjoyed that class alot. Christian Scriptures was not very interesting but it opened your eyes to the bible in a new way because you are forced to read it, and through that you understand it better. Other classes I have taken at Baylor teach me how to communicate in a appropriate manner like English and Latin. These classes force a student to pay attention to who is talking to you and how you should talk to different types of audiences.
ReplyDeleteI believe Baylor has not increased my understanding of christian scriptures. In a way, I've regressed at it. I took Christian Heritage and I found that it was extremely difficult and unenjoyable. The professor I had rushed things and as if to fulfill his timeline on the syllabus and not the students needs. Often, some of his test questions arose from his own opinions or beliefs rather than the actual message of the scripture.
ReplyDeletePersonally, when it comes to the religion courses, I think The Christian Heritage should be divided into two seperate courses. One course should focus solely on how the church formed, but there should be another course offered which discusses how the church has influenced lives and culture, and that class should be optional. I know Baylor is a private Baptist university, but I think the required religion courses should be concentrated only on the facts and history, not on the opinion portion, because not everyone who attends Baylor is Christian.
ReplyDeleteAs far as being able to demonstrate knowledge of the Christian scriptures and heritage, I believe that Baylor has succeeded full and large. Some people believe that it is unruly to require students to take these courses because they may conflit with their own beliefs, but as far as my experience with these courses go, my professors succeeded in simply stating facts and not trying to step on anyone's toes, or bang them over the head with a bible.
ReplyDeleteEven if a student came into Baylor knowing nothing about Christian Scriptures and Heritage, the courses do a more than adequate job of teaching the subject matter. I feel that if you are intelligent and gifted enough to get into Baylor University, then you are intelligent enough to put good study skills to work and do well in the courses taken.
ReplyDeleteI believe my baylor experience has greatly improved these areas. So yes it has helped target that criteria. With courses and the professors drive i feel Baylor is striving to meet those expectations.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Baylor is doing an average job on meeting the expectations. The scriptures and hertiage classes like an element of enjoyability and because of that they prove not to be very beneficial. I do however think Baylor is doing a good job in the majority of other areas.
ReplyDeleteBaylor does a good job when it comes to providing or opening professional networking opportunities. However, the scriptures and heritage goal is not one that I seek to meet simply because I do not feel that they are important in the career path I chose.
ReplyDeleteI think that baylor is a very tough school, and can prepare you more than most universities. Its christian atmosphere helps with putting priorities in the right place and helps prepares us to have judgment that the world outside our baylor bubble will try to judge but is something that we can meet their expectations
ReplyDeletePretty much, almost all my classes except for two revolve around the Christian background in some form or another. Lectures have allowed me to think out of the box and see how a novel, for example, is applied on a larger scale. As in, I view and understand in a whole new light and not in a way I would have if I had not had the opportunity at Baylor. As far as a global perspective, I have yet to see how my education at Baylor will enlighten me on the subject. One thing I have been given the opportunity to experience (it should be on The Provest) that I have not seen at other universities are the "acts of kindness" given by both students and faculty. I am blessed to know the close group of friends I have and few close faculty members who without hesitation drop what they are doing to lend an ear or helping hand never expecting anything in return. Random people have come up to me when they notice something is wrong and are willing to walk to class or sit with you discussing the problem and possible solutions. I hope all students are able to witness this and I know it is one thing I will continue to take with me and share with others.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Provost's goals are a good thing. I think that before graduating from Baylor, you should be very familiar with being able to communicate in writing, and especially through spoken word because these two things are essential job skills that we as undergrads will need upon entering the "real world". I think not only should we be able to demonstrate knowledge of the Christian scriptures, but do so in a grammatically correct sense.
ReplyDeleteI feel that my courses have not really prepared me in the Christian sense, simply because Psychology isn't based on Christianity. As far as being able to communicate, I took the majority of my English and speech classes from a community college, and I feel that has been sufficient. Hats off to the Provost for putting that out in the open, because it is an attainable goal for any student.
I think Baylor does a pretty good job of developing students communication skills through writing by the basic level English classes (1302 and 1304). As far as Religion goes, I think the Christian Scriptures and Heritage classes need to be fact based rather than opinion based. Like any other course at a university, the material covered should be factual and not simply the professors opinion. Not everyone believes the same when it comes to their faith and a student should never feel like they are being persuaded to believe in something that they don't.
ReplyDeleteAside from that, I think Baylor is on the right track to form this "well-rounded student" upon graduation.
Since Baylor is based on Christian values, it is only appropriate to require students to take Christian scriptures and heritage. These classes help reinforce everything Baylor seeks to accomplish. They are designed so that students of any religion can understand Biblical history without being offended or criticized for their own beliefs. Baylor has done a great job creating a solid foundation of ethics and values for students. It is these values that students build from for the rest of their lives.
ReplyDeleteNo, I think Baylor has kinda screwed some people over with the Scriptures and Heritage classes. Some students get really easy laid back professors for the courses and some get intense, way in-depth professors for the course. If only those classes were like the Pre-Cal classes where ALL students taking the class learned the same material... All the other abilities that they want us to have, I think are excellent...
ReplyDeletePersonally I think as young adults going to college, we should already posses those intellectual skills. I think Baylor just gives a chance to use and expand those skills in and out of a classroom setting. As for the Christian scriptures and heritage classes I think they do help with a more in depth and historical view of the bible, which I think is important to know as a Christian.
ReplyDeleteI've always prided myself on my writing abilities, but certainly my english classes have allowed me to improve. And even though I detested it, I did learn a lot in Christian scriptures. I wish we were required to take a world religion class though. I think it would be far more interesting. But that is just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAs far as achiving their goals I believe Baylor is doing a great job. However it shouldn't be just limited to what they have listed as their goals, there are many more things that are important. Science's, History etc. As far as what I believe, I would agree with Baylor's goals but I also feel that there should be more striving to improve other area's too.
ReplyDeleteI think Baylor does a good job in the communication area however religion classes at Baylor do not meet the criteria. I personally had a horrible teacher for heritage last semester. He only gave facts on things so detailed and small. I liked him as a person but the things we were tested over in that class was ridiculous. I usually do very well in classes like this coming from a private christian school my entire life. Those classes could be a lot more interesting with professors that actually know what they are talking about.
ReplyDeleteI think Baylor does a great job preparing us, although classes may be tough, I've found that most of my professors are always there willing to help. I think writing skills are one of the most important aspects of education and I feel that Baylor does well improving those skills. I haven't taken the religion courses yet, but I am excited to, I think mandatory religion classes should be expected at a Christian college and if students don't want to take them they can go to a public college. I think taking religion classes with open some eyes to different things they've never heard or thought of before.
ReplyDeletePersonally i think Baylor is lacking in some places. I don't feel that the religious courses taken here will really help me in life. I plan to be a Engineer, so i will take ethics. I feel too that baylor's teachers are not as up to the task as baylor thinks they are. I am not saying that baylor is filled with bad teachers, but it seems that most teachers here seem to not care as much as others. I am a transfer so i can relate other schools. I miss the teacher actually caring about each class member. Baylor can do it, but i think they need to change some things. Plus, it is just more pressure on us students. ????
ReplyDeleteI think Baylor has actually taught me a lot the 2 semester's I've been here, and am glad I transferred in! I think the education here at Baylor is better than any other school I've been at and I've transferred twice.
ReplyDeletei think critical thinking and efficient oral or written communication of ideas is more important than some people realise. i didnt grow up in the church and so i appreciated the well-rounded reqs of topics that i prob wouldnt have learned too much about on my own. the religion courses i see as a part of a historical view and american culture as well...so it has prepared me by having a wider spectrum of knowledge in such areas.
ReplyDeleteI believe that with Christian Heritage baylor has done a good job of laying down the foundation we would need to be able to have a great understanding of the subject. However, I believe that with Christian Scriptures, it is something that you must have some interest in the topic or the faith in order to have a solid foundation in it.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Baylor has provided me with a great well balanced education, some people may think that soem of the classes that are mandatory are not usefull but I feel otherwise i think Heritage and Scriptures teach us a lot of good values.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on your major. As a film major? I'd say no to the writing and communication skills, and yes to about everything else. I think majors should allow more flexibility. I am a believer in core classes, but I would have rather taken math than foreign languages, so it would have been cool to be able to choose that. Also, I don't really see how religion pertains to most of our majors. I kinda think that deep down everyone knows chapel and mandatory christian classes are ridiculous, but it's been going on so long that the administration would never dream of changing it.
ReplyDeleteI think that baylor varies on this statement. I have met some students who have learned zero of these skills and others who have accomplished all of them and more. I think baylor does a good job laying down a foundation for religion because personally i came to baylor as a non-religious individual and I have learned so much through just 2 religion courses.
ReplyDeleteThe requirements listed sound like a description of the 1st semester BIC student. In that semester, students participate in "Interdisciplinary Core" classes including: World Cultures- a study of history and religion starting with creation. Rhetoric- the appropriate demonstration of the English language in speech and written word according to audience, occaison, subject, and purpose. And Examined Life- the study of the interaction of mind, body, spirit, and how wholistic health works by incorporating the academic world to the emotional and physical world. In these courses I see the University requirements obtained, however having also taken English, Religion, History, and Speech, I do not see all these requirements surfacing in the same way.
ReplyDeleteThe advantage of the BIC is making the connections between them, which I feel is the University's goal, particularly when communicated in the manner provided above. But in these standard courses I seek the crossings myself. They are not taught to coordinate, the connections are happened upon by the student desiring to engage them together. I think the University could encourage either the professors to note the benefits of approaching courses as interdisciplinary (because realistically, there is no "clean" independant subject) or perhaps creating 1 hours sections that simply wrote a reflection a week trying to connect at least two or more classes two each other. Such a small effort, I believe, would teach the cross overs of History to Public Speaking, and Persuasion to Religion, etc, etc.
On a final note however, I noticed the sciences and mathematics were not mentioned in the University statement. The classics had meter and precision to them, let us not forget even if we desire to be a liberal arts University that these maths and sciences are imperitive to our lives as whole people.
I feel that these are definitely a goal of mine. I think that if you just barely pass the classes and just do enough to get by you will not accomplish these goals. To go to a school like Baylor i do not think these are unreasonable goals. I think if you decided to come here you should expect this. I didn't do enough my freshman year to reach these goals, but I definitely had the resources to. This year I have actually tried to set my own goals and they are very similar to the goals that you stated and I am fairly positive I will make them. I think that they are not unreasonable in the least.
ReplyDelete