University of Michigan The Goals of a Liberal Education by William Cronon Essay

Paragraphs 1 and 2: Professor Perspective: William Cronon “Only Connect: The Goals of a Liberal Education (Links to an external site.)“.

Write a paragraph (250-word) summary in which you:

• Introduce the author (using their full name) and the title of the essay.
• Identify the author’s main argument or thesis.
• Provide a 3 sentence summary of the author’s primary reasoning in support of the thesis.
• Quote a key passage from essay using MLA format and appropriate signal phrases. Example: “More specifically, Simnitt writes _______.” This passage is important because _____.

Write a paragraph (250-word) analysis in which you write several sentences about ONE of the following:

• Describe the exigency or purpose for writing. Why is this article needed? What does it add to the world?

OR

• Identify a stakeholder in the issue whose perspective is missing from the article. Why is the perspective needed? What would they add?

Paragraphs 3 and 4: Professor Perspective: Bettina Love We Want to Do More Than Survive: BLoveCh5 Excerpt.pdf Read the sections called “Education Can’t Save Us. We Have To Save Education” and “Freedom Dreaming.”

Write a summary paragraph and analysis paragraph as described above (total 500 words).

Part 2: Identify An Area Of Focus

Freewrite about an academic quality or area that’s surprising or important to you that *is not* covered by your major. Who do you want to be at the end of your time at UO? The WK7 Exit Ticket/Quiz gets you started!

Read through the methods of inquiry reported on in UO Perspective: University of Oregon, “Changes To Requirements DescribedLinks to an external site.“. Pay close attention to the “unique” requirements of UO: creative thinking, ethical reasoning, and US Difference, Inequality, and Agency. Select one area that aligns with your goals and values *but is not* directly connected to your major. Write it down.

In a paragraph (about 250 words), tell me what method of inquiry you will be focusing on and why you chose it. Your analysis of the quality should answer the following questions:

• Describe a specific situation where you have seen this method used or needed or imagine a situation in your future life.
• Explain why you need to develop this method of inquiry for yourself.
• Imagine a class or academic experience that might address the quality.
• What are the strengths/weaknesses of this method?
• Who benefits most from a focus on this quality? Who is left out when this method is the focus?

Part 3: Practice Asking Questions

Review the section on “Stasis Questions” in RRW (pg. 7-8) and the strategies for invoking exigency in Quentin Vieregge, “Exigency: What Makes My Message Indispensable To My Reader (Links to an external site.)“: audience’s concerns or agenda, a gap in the requirements, a need to reframe an element of core education, or the need for a radical reinterpretation of core education or an element in core education.

• The type into your lab three yes/no questions related to your summary and/or exploration.
• Identify the exigency strategy you are most interested in exploring.

Try to identify a question that is at issue for you and the articles we’ve been reading so far. Do your best! Writing good questions is hard!

Part 4: Reflect On Your Your Progress

Write a 250-word reflection about directions describing any challenges you overcame in completing this assignment. Compare your experience with summary, analysis, and questions at issue on this assignment to your experiences earlier in the term.

• What feels easier?
• What is still a challenge?
• What questions do you have about Essay 2?