It’s been a month since another college year has started- a year of reading, studying, homework assignments, papers, exams, etc. And with that in mind, I came up with some suggestions for some of the general education courses.
Most colleges have some type of freshman orientation course (some even refer to it as Intro to College or some other name). It basically helps prepare new students for college, deciding on a major, etc. Some would say the course is no longer necessary, but it does appear to be a vital course. Thus, it’s probably best being an online course, and a course that can be completed around mid-semester.
Next, there are the basic English courses- usually referred to as English 101 and English 102. They practically consist of lectures, discussion, and writing papers, which is how they should be. I believe there is no need for any exams, quizzes, or homework assignments for these courses. And no final- just turn in the final paper prior to finals week. Doing so would make it easier no just on the students, but also on the instructors.
Then there is the Basic Public Speaking course, in which students learn how to give speeches and presentations. It too consists of lectures and discussion just like the basic English courses, the only difference being the students give speeches and presentations instead of writing papers. And like the basic English courses, I feel that exams, quizzes, and homework assignments are unnecessary for this course. As for the final, it should just be a speech or presentation.
Then there is the basic mathematics course. Usually, it is a College Algebra course (although I have suggested Probability & Statistics could be taken instead for those pursuing an Associate of Arts or Bachelor of Arts Degree). Perhaps taking a CLEP exam in order to take Probability & Statistics instead of College Algebra might be a good idea. At any rate, College Algebra should just consist of lectures, homework assignments, and exams- no writing assignments or quizzes. If possible, make the final non-comprehensive. As for Probability & Statistics, same format, but with a writing assignment (usually a report).
Next, there are the basic science courses, usually a biology course and a chemistry course. The former could just consist of lectures, exams (including a non-comprehensive final), and perhaps a writing assignment. The latter could consist of lectures, homework assignments, and exams (also including a non-comprehensive final). And as for any laboratory courses for these two subjects, I feel they should just consist of lectures to explain what the lab experiments will be, the lab experiments, and the lab reports (which the students fill out as they conduct such experiments). Thus, no need for any homework assignments, writing assignments, or exams. As for any final, it would be a lab experiment & report- depending on how much material the instructor wants to cover during the course of the semester, or how many experiments are listed in the lab manual.
Then are the Humanities courses and Social Science courses- World History/Western Civilization, American History, and the basic political science, psychology, sociology, and philosophy courses. The format for these courses could consist of lectures, writing assignments, and exams (including non-comprehensive finals). The history courses could have map quizzes, while the logic course (which is a philosophy course) would include homework assignments.
So, there you have it- suggested formats for some of the general education courses. They’re simple, and will make things easier for both the students and faculty.
