Focused Inquiry 1Fall 2020UNIV 111; Sections: 45, 48, 60, 66 ONLINE Instructor: Dr. Julianne GuillardEmail: [email protected] (I answer email during business hours—Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm--and normally within 24 hours)Office Location: Harris Hall 5111 (5thfloor) (please note that Harris Hall offices are closed)Office Hours: By appointment via Zoom. Contact me via email to schedule a time to meet. What is Focused Inquiry? Focused Inquiry is about asking questions. Good questions. Thoughtful questions. Probing questions. And all kinds of questions:What is the meaning of justice? What makes for a good citizen? Why is there a decline in the global birth rate? What is the cultural function of reality tv?
1. Critical Thinking2. Ethical Reasoning3. Information Fluency4. Quantitative Literacy5. Collaborative Work6. Written Communication7. Spoken CommunicationNone of these skills can stand alone; they depend on one another. Thought without expression is inert. Evidence without data is guesswork. Evidence without responsibility is dangerous. And so on. Taken together, these seven skills are the foundation not only of academic work but also of the intellectual skepticism and rigor required of engaged and responsible citizens. That’s you!Online Learning ConsiderationsMany students take an online class because they believe it will be “easy” but survey responses from students who have taken an online class described the experience as “harder than expected.” This is due to the unique nature of the online environment. It is important to keep up with the class content (readings & videos) as well as the discussion and assignments. Check the course schedule regularly to familiarize yourself with the work and due dates.