Westminster First-Year Learning Communities Fall 2005

For official course information, please refer to the Course Catalog.

Exploring College Writing

• College Success: Orientation - INTR 100 01LC - Ginny DeWitt
• Composition and Research - ENGL 110 08LC - Elree Harris

{Students who participate in this learning community receive credit for one LE requirement: Composition and Research (ENGL 110) requirement.}

Come join our learning community! By taking these courses together you will fulfill a required liberal education course while you learn critical writing skills that will pay off in all of your Westminster courses – become a better communicator and make better grades! Make friends, work and study together, and have discussions about how to develop great relationships with faculty, cope with college course expectations, and make a terrific transition to college (plus we have a lot of fun!) This learning community is taught by English faculty member Dr. Elree Harris, Ginny DeWitt, staff instructor, and Emily Anderson, student instructor. We are here for you all semester long and are looking forward to having you explore and learn with us!

Mind Over Matter: Take Control

• College Success: Orientation - INTR 100 02LC - Deb Vickery
• Introduction to Psychology - PSYC 105 01LC - Barb Smith

{Students who participate in this learning community receive credit for one LE requirement: Group 4 (PSYC 105) Social Sciences II requirement.}

This learning community combines Introduction to Psychology and College Success: Orientation. “Mind Over Matter: Take Control” will offer you opportunities to learn the tools to help you map out your experience at Westminster College. Meet faculty, staff, explore campus resources, make new friends, find yourself… It will also help you answer the following questions:

1. How do I take control?
2. Why do I do what I do?
3. What matters in College? 

Speaking of Philosophy....

• Public Presentations - SPCH 111 01LC - Brian Pilling
• Introduction to Philosophy - PHIL 100 02LC - Bridget Newell

{Students who participate in this learning community receive credit for two LE requirements: The Public Speaking Skills (SPCH 111) requirement and the Group 9 Philosophy/Religion (PHIL 100) requirement.}

The public presentations class helps build speaker's confidence and competence in presenting information and making arguments. Although broad in application, these skills will be put to the test when students develop presentations that explore, evaluate, support, and criticize issues raised in the Introduction to Philosophy course. The philosophy class explores theoretical approaches to understanding some of the “isms” that contemporary society grapples with: racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, and ableism. By framing our discussion in terms of a broader philosophical question - What is the good life? - we will consider how experiences and understandings of privilege and oppression influence our conceptions of the good life.

Combined, this learning community's activities and assignments are designed to help students:

• Strengthen critical and analytical thinking abilities
• Learn how to research a philosophic topic; organize information; and, using sound reasoning, develop arguments, speeches, and presentations tailored to a specific audience
• Gain experience reading and responding to primary texts in philosophy
• Become a more confident and competent speaker through hands-on experience
• Develop an interest in philosophy and its application to contemporary issues
• Understand and strategically use the fundamentals of human communication to inform and persuade others
• Use and design visual aids appropriately; specifically, presentation software (Microsoft PowerPoint) will be used 

Wilderness, Suburbs, and Action

• Composition and Research - ENGL 110 06LC - Jeff McCarthy
• Environmental Biology - BIOL 210 01LC - Ty Harrison

{Students who participate in this learning community receive credit for two LE requirements: Composition and Research (ENGL 110) requirement and the Group 1 Life Sciences (BIOL 210 & BIOL 210L) requirement.}

These two classes combine the skills of college writing and research along with the exciting exploration of the natural environment. Experience the outdoors of Utah and delve into the importance of giving attention to environmental issues. Journal your views and reflect upon what you have learned. Learn how to incorporate college classes together, bringing the skills of each into one. Get a good start on writing and research skills here at Westminster.