First Year Seminars

In requiring all first year students to take a first year seminar and read a common text, we will provide all incoming students with a common experience that will allow them to become members of a learning community, distinguish the standards of college-level work, develop classroom discussion skills, develop critical reading and writing skills, learn the distinct value of a liberal arts education, explore the vital connections among various disciplines and fields of knowledge, understand the values of the Illinois College community and form relationships with their advisors and with a small group of peers.

LIST OF SEMINARS FOR Fall 2008  

Contemporary Culture from a Sociological Perspective
SOC 130S
Professor Jan Buhrmann
This course examines key aspects of contemporary culture from a sociological perspective. Specifically the course looks at how our beliefs, values and social norms are both reflected in, and created by major social institutions, including the mass media, current levels of consumerism, economic and political systems, the military, and other aspects of U.S. culture at this point in time. As an introduction to the field of sociology, we will examine key sociological concepts as they apply to the contemporary social world, as well as to the experience of college life. In addition, we will explore the practice of “critical thinking” and develop skills in this area to explore and consider the two-way relationship between individuals and the larger social world.

The Long Run: Running in Fiction and Film
ENG 130W
Professor Beth Capo
Why run if you aren’t being chased by a rabid grizzly? By examining literature and film, we’ll explore running as a historical phenomenon and as a cultural symbol of personal achievement. You do not have to be a runner to take this course; it is designed for students interested in cultural studies, film, and literature who want to work toward achieving a challenging goal. Students will be encouraged to engage in experiential learning by participating in supervised training and completing (walking, jogging, or running) a race with the rest of the class. This seminar will connect with Psychology 130: Motivational Psychology: Life is a Marathon and members of both classes will be encouraged to travel to Memphis, Tennessee on December 6th to participate in the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Marathon, Half-Marathon, or 5K. A $150 fee will be collected to cover the cost of the trip. Fundraising should help lower this cost, and the cost for course texts will be minimal. This course meets the College writing requirement.

Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace--Understanding the Trivium
COM 130O
Professor Adrienne Hacker Daniels
In 429 C.E., Martianus Capella penned a poem, The Marriage of Philology and Mercury, which delineates the seven branches of education. The first three are known as the trivium and consist of the verbal arts: logic, grammar and rhetoric. The last four are known as the quadrivium and consist of arithmetic, music, geometry and astronomy. Over the years, the reformulation of each of the arts in the trivium has had significant implications for the reconceptualization of language. This course will explore the necessity of understanding and applying the trivium in pursuit of a liberal arts education. Lest one think there is, there is nothing anachronistic about studying the trivium in the 21st Century. These 2500 year old ideas and techniques are essential for any individual who thinks of him/herself as forward looking and visionary. Students will craft and deliver speeches within the traditional genres of public discourse as well as engage in critical analysis of important speeches within the annals of American history towards the goal of understanding the trivium.

Huddled and Yearning: Freedom Anyone?
POLS 130C
Professor Karen Dean
The country's foremost political satirist and commentator on the state of the union, Jon Stewart, dedicated his best-selling primer on American politics to all those "huddled masses" in search of the American dream. "Keep yearnin'," he wrote, in a call to action and reaction to the lethargy of citizens and politicians alike. In this highly political year, when record numbers of college students have entered the political arena with commitment and energy, we will approach this American politics course in a non-traditional way. We will use Stewart's book, America, as our main text, learning to cast a skeptical and unflinching eye towards both those who would lead us and those who would be led. [Note: Both the readings and television shows will include adult language and situations.]

Myth and Technology
GER 130H
Professor Bernd Estabrook
As you begin your college experience, you will be asking yourself many important (and often unfamiliar) questions about yourself. Among them will be: Who am I? What should I be? The focus of this course is to help you with these questions by exploring the roles of myth and technology in our understanding of ourselves and our culture. What do the great stories of our civilization tell us about ourselves? How has the technology that surrounds us shaped our behavior? This course will look at films, essays, novels, web sites, speeches and music that explore how the great stories of our culture and our expanding technology have shaped the ways we think and feel. Our goal will be to understand the fascinating relationships between our stories, our machines and our values.

From Bach to Rock
MUS 130F
Professor Addie Gramelspacher
This course will explore how similarities can be found in music examples of today and yesterday. Students will be encouraged to share their personal listening preferences and, after developing a few fundamental skills, analyze the compositions of their favorite artists in comparison to compositions of the past: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Strauss, etc. Consider this course to broaden your appreciation of music and its historical influences.

Food for Thought: Rhetoric of the Edible
ENG 130W
Professor Betsy Hall
In this course, students will critically examine food in various contexts. What is the relationship between food and cultural customs? How does the rhetoric of food permeate the inedible? In what ways are consumption and emotion associated? Drawing on these and other questions, students will read and produce texts—including a research essay—about the rhetoric of food. Hungry yet?

Mathematics and Social Choice
MATH 130Q
Professor Pat Kiihne
In this course we’ll examine the mathematics involved in the following questions: How are elections decided? How can competing claims on property be resolved in a fair and equitable way? How are seats apportioned in a legislative body? What should we know about statistics and probability to make decisions in today’s society? In particular, we’ll look at these ideas as they apply to the ongoing presidential election. This should be appropriate for any student with average to better math skills.

Public Education: Were You Left Behind?
EDUC 130S
Professor Jaime Klein
“No Child Left Behind” was supposed to identify and cure problems in public education, or at least start on that road. Has it? What issues has it raised? During this presidential election semester, we will look at the central issues facing education in our country today. How do we address the issues of training and retaining better teachers? How can schools prepare the whole student who can take an active role in our country? Is our public education system meeting the needs of the 21st Century student?

The Great Ideas
PHIL 130R
Professor John Laumakis
Truth. God. Human Nature. Happiness. These—and other—great ideas form the core of human existence. We will discuss them in this seminar by reading the philosophical works of Mortimer J. Adler (1902-2001). Adler, a faculty member at the University of Chicago (1930-1952) and later Chairman of the Board of Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, wrote in a clear and direct way without using complex philosophical jargon, and so, his works provide an excellent introduction to the method and fundamental ideas of philosophy.

Microbes and Society
BIOL 130N
Professor Penny Leonhard
This course will be an introduction to the vast number of roles that microorganisms play in life on this planet. Relationships that will be explored include the interaction of microbes and humans throughout history, the importance of microbes as disease producers, their roles in bioremediation, biotechnology, food production and emerging diseases. Students will also view, culture and evaluate the metabolic capabilities of selected microbes in an integrated laboratory component.

Madness in Literature
SPAN 130H
Professor Margaret Marek
In this literature and writing seminar we will explore the concept of madness. How is madness conceived by society? How is it portrayed in literature and the arts? What constitutes sanity and/or insanity? Possible texts include Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Life is a Dream; Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Yellow Wallpaper; and Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

American Mythology and Film
REL 130R
Professor Adam Porter
Critics dislike many Hollywood movies -- Independence Day, Die Hard, Dances With Wolves, Thelma and Louise, The Matrix -- but they make huge amounts of money. Clearly these movies, although hobbled by simplistic plots, an over-reliance on special effects and sometimes so-so acting, resonate with Americans. This class will study Hollywood blockbusters and discuss how they reflect American ideology and mythology. We will study the idea of an American "civil religion" and see how it is reflected in popular culture. And we will think about whether the plots promoted and pushed by Hollywood are good for America.

Reenacting Revolutions
THEA 130F
Professor Nancy Taylor Porter
This course is founded on three Reacting to the Past modules (see http://www.barnard.edu/reacting/index.htm for more information). Students read historical background materials and then take on the roles of the participants in the original event. They have the opportunity to re-create or re-direct history. The first module, "The Threshold of Democracy: Athens 403 B.C.," explores the re-negotiation of democracy in Athens after their defeat by Sparta. "The Trial of Antonio Gramsci," takes place in a 1926 courtroom in fascist Italy and considers the limits of free speech and the potential involvement of the church in politics. "India on the Eve of Independence, 1945," grapples with the establishment of an independent state among rioting factions. In these role-playing games, the most persuasive teams typically win.

Dollars and Sense
ACC 130Q
Professor John Rush
Most decisions have economic consequences. Many of us, however, fail to consider these consequences until they are thrust upon us. Armed with a basic understanding of economics, accounting, and finance, our decision-making will be much improved. This course will explore these disciplines from a common sense perspective and is intended for students planning to pursue majors other than economics, accounting, finance, or MOL.

Computers and Ethics
PHIL 130C
Professor James Streib
This course first provides an overview and history of computing followed by an introduction to ethical theories that are then used to examine issues in computing such as freedom of expression, intellectual property, privacy, security, reliability, and responsibility. Examples illustrating important concepts are drawn from both history and from the current media.

Abraham Lincoln: America’s Common Man and Uncommon Leader
ENG 130W
Professor Loreli Steuer
As we approach the 200th anniversary of our 16th President’s birth, we will look at how Lincoln rose from his simple roots as an ordinary American citizen and grew into a worldly and extraordinary leader of the American people. Through reading, discussion, oral presentation, and written composition, we will examine how Lincoln has been portrayed in a variety of literary and media genres including fiction and nonfiction, prose and poetry, screen writing and television documentary. As we experience a broad range of historic depictions, we will try to discern truth from legend and fact from myth while creating our own authentic portrait of the man many historians regard as America’s greatest President.

Life is a Marathon
PSY 130S
Professor Jeremy Turner
Running a marathon is used as a metaphor for life in this course, which instructs students on how to apply the principles of motivational psychology to achieve great things. This interdisciplinary course will provide students with all the necessary exercise science, health physiology, nutritional, and most importantly, psychological tools needed to jog and/or walk a 26.2 mile marathon. This course is especially designed for those who don’t consider themselves athletes or runners, and no prior interest or experience with running is needed. This seminar will meet with English 130: The Long Run: Running in Fiction and Film in a team-taught format for 1-2 hours each week to get common lectures from athletic trainers, past marathoners, as well as for doing a weekly training run together before class. The class will travel to Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday, December 6th to participate in the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Marathon. A $150 fee will be collected to cover the cost of the trip. Minimal course textbook expenses and fundraising should help lower this cost.

   

 

Illinois College
1101 West College Avenue
Jacksonville, IL 62650
217.245.3030

Web Site Powered by
ActiveCampus
Software by LiquidMatrix