SO NOW YOU ASK…Why is this important to me? Of what value is this class?
How will this class benefit me in my personal and professional endeavors?
Ultimately, you are responsible for yourself and your actions. It is that responsibility and the
course of action that you take that will help you create an ethical code of values by which you
guide your life both personally and professionally. In order to prepare you for the furtherance of
your academic / professional career and your personal growth development, Miami Dade College
has created the Ten General Education Learning Outcomes which are essential to the mission of
the College. The purpose of these general education outcomes is to provide multiple, varied, and
intentional learning experiences to facilitate the acquisition of fundamental knowledge and skills
and the development of attitudes that foster effective citizenship and life-long learning.
The ten outcomes are:
1. Communicate effectively using listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
2. Use quantitative analytical skills to evaluate and process numerical data.
3. Solve problems using critical and creative thinking and scientific reasoning.
4. Formulate strategies to locate, evaluate, and apply information.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of diverse cultures, including global and historical perspectives.
6. Create strategies that can be used to fulfill personal, civic, and social responsibilities.
7. Demonstrate knowledge of ethical thinking and its application to issues in society.
8. Use computer and emerging technologies effectively.
9. Demonstrate an appreciation for aesthetics and creative activities.
10. Describe how natural systems function and recognize the impact of humans on the
environment.
Students in my class are expected not only to read from the class text, but also evaluate and
reiterate in written form what exactly they learned from their reading. I believe that while
reading helps the student learn the material, evaluation and feedback are what indicate to me that
they have understood and are able to express in their own words what they have read.
Furthermore, I can provide feedback to those students who may not fully understand, helping
them out with their understanding and communicating of the relevant subject matter. Throughout
the course of the semester, the student sees the improvement in their reading, listening,
understanding the material, all of which ultimately affect their speaking and writing skills.
The wonderful advantages of attending MDC are that students become aware and encouraging of
other cultures. Students at different campuses can immediately see the impact of diverse cultures,
and they may acculturate those cultural nuances into their own. Furthermore, in my class, for
instance, I expose my students to learning not only about the Western tradition, but also about
other cultures, including the Far East, Middle East, and even the Pacific Islands, that may have
well influenced that tradition. Students quickly understand that we truly live in a global village in
which we share world views and ideas almost instantaneously through technology and
acculturation.
Last, I believe that the students in my class truly develop an appreciation for the arts, both in
ancient and modern times. In showing them the beginnings of the Western artistic tradition
through modern day, they see in a short period of time how its development has reached the state
in which it is today. Furthermore, requiring them to attend local galleries and musical concerts, I
hope to leave them with a NEW tradition of experiencing and supporting art and music, and
perhaps this may be something that they may engage in for the rest of their lives.
Outcomes learned: 1, 5, 6, 7, and 9.
In this class, there is a STRONG emphasis in learning outcomes 1, 5, and 9, with a milder
emphasis in outcomes 6 and 7.