· Provide at least three reasons why every student should be required to take general education courses. Explain your rationale. Support your rationale with evidence from at least one scholarly source.

· Describe what you have learned from at least three specific courses (e.g., philosophy, history, English, math, psychology, etc.) that has proved its usefulness in your daily life. For instance, what did you learn in history classes beyond just names, dates, and places? In literature courses, what did you learn about life, the university, and everything beyond the literary work itself?

Respond to Peers:  Respond to two of your peers. Compare and contrast your reasons why general education courses are important with that of your peers’ reasons and rationale. Each participation post should be a minimum of 75 words.

NEED TO REPSOND TO THE PEERS POST BELOW

Respond to John Spencer

General education courses (GEC) are required by every college and university today in America. This is regulated by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU). General education provides a broad exposure to multiple disciplines forming the basis for developing intellectual and civic capacities (Wehlburg, 2010). I have often considered how taking history, philosophy, or psychology course would assist my chosen degree path? What general courses are present educational content that is essential to every student regardless of degree paths (Wehlburg, 2010). General courses that are multidisciplinary complement specialized courses by teaching fundamental skills that enhance degree paths for students. GEC taken with academic majors create a better well-rounded education that provides valuable tools to students. GEC equipped students with the following critical word skills: 1) Thinking creatively; 2) Adapting quickly; 3) Working effectively with others. These skills are considered long-term assets for success by employers allowing for greater communication, critical thinking, and problem solving capacity (Dowd, n.d.). GEC courses include: 1) Social and Behavioral Sciences; 2) Mathematics; 3) Arts and Humanities; 4) Culture. GEC lay a proper foundation for advanced studies like analytical reasoning, considering multiple perspectives, testing hypothesis, and appreciating cultures (Dowd, n.d.).

My experiences with GEC courses has been mixed although important I have questioned the benefit the courses. I have questioned how beneficial or impertinence to my education and future success. I can say that I agree GEC courses are important and do give students vital skills for long-term success that affects today and their future. For myself the GEC course I enjoyed the most were history, mathematics, accounting, communication, economics, and English. I disliked philosophy and psychology. The lessons and teaching taken away from communication and English courses has given me a broader ability to better present my thoughts in a manner that is more effective and better understood the first time either verbally or written. Economics, mathematics, and accounting presented and taught me skills that will prove to be highly effective when I open my computer repair business. I can apply the skills to operate, maintain, and grow into a successful business that can be sustained for many years.

References

Dowd, M. (n.d.). What is the purpose of taking general classes for a college degree? (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Seattle PI. Retrieved from http://education.seattlepi.com/purpose-taking-general-classes-college-degree-1876.html

Seraphin, C. (n.d.). General education requirements: What’s the point? (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Collegexpress. Retrieved from http://www.collegexpress.com/articles-and-advice/majors-and-academics/articles/college-academics/general-education-requirements-whats-point/

Wehlburg, C. M. (2010). Integrated general education: A brief look back. New Directions for Teaching & Learning, 121, 3-11. doi:10.1002/tl.383

Respond to Kevin Mason

The purpose of a college education is to not only prepare us for our intended fields of study, but to also make us well-rounded professionals and individuals. College is intended to make us aware of as much as possible about the world we live in, while at the same time preparing us for the specific profession that we have chosen to pursue. Therefore, a great portion of any student’s first two years at a college or university is devoted to rounding out their knowledge base and making them as educated as possible in many varying fields. Students are then able to completely focus on their major and chosen field during their remaining semesters. These short four years of intense studying eventually translate into knowledge, discipline, and responsibility across several areas. College is where people grow up, and receiving a well-rounded education.

Being able to have a wide breadth of knowledge in so many vastly different topics will prove to be incredibly beneficial to your career. Every field teaches you certain, basic skills that can (and probably will need to) be applied to whatever profession you end up pursuing. Tasks such as composing well-written emails and reports, calculating mental math to determine financial solutions, or applying examples from history to identify the best course of action in a challenging situation are all examples of skills you acquire by taking various Gen Eds. In short, a business consultant’s or editorial manager’s knowledge is not complete without what he or she learned from these first few semesters of general education classes (Tilus, n.d.).

Introduction to Cultural Anthropology: In this class I gained a basic understanding for various cultures, and early societies. In addition, this class gave a great base to my major which is in Military Studies. This class gave depth into early man and the reasons behind early war and conflict between man. By gaining these basics I was able to better understand some basics of modern societies and the advantages of those that are developed and those that are not.

Interpersonal Communication: This class gave me a better understanding of communicating between people and being able to appreciate other perspectives. This class also gave me a base to arguing my perspectives with more base and substance to my argument.

Ethics and Moral Reasoning: This course gave me a look into facing moral and ethical dilemmas. Some of the topics touched on were the death penalty, Death with dignity laws and other dilemmas that our society faces. This class helped me understand some of the perspectives that come with these situations and face some of these situations.

References:

Tilus, G. (n.d.). Rasmussen College. Retrieved March 08, 2018, from http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/main/how-general-education-requirements-prepare-you-for-your-new-caree/