Education Commons^™

What should students learn in their first year of college? Should freshman seminars be foundational—and how do we interpret the term “foundational” in the context of liberal education? Does it denote rudimentary, basic, fundamental, or even highly specialized? While a strong education is built on a mastery of vital skills, educators must also interpret “foundational” to mean preparing students with the knowledge they need to lead fulfilling and productive lives. Students require a program that introduces them to vast bodies of interconnected ideas, meets the needs of our time, invites them to explore their own role in the unfolding story …