Liberal Studies Commons^™

Editor's Introduction [Volume19], Ada Long

Honors in Practice Online Archive

In her presidential speech at the 2022 annual conference of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Christina M. McIntryre set the tone for this volume of Honors in Practice. Titled “The NCHC’s Inclusive Mission,” the speech cites an honors alumnus who contributed to the Forum on “The Value of Honors to its Graduates” (JCHC 23.1, spring/summer 2022). McInyre summarizes Quimby Wechter’s essay (145–47) by noting his appreciation of “the value of engaging in course material through meaningful experiential learning; of becoming a part of a community of scholars that is nurturing, not competitive; of classmates focused on challenging each other and …

Can Honors Education Reach More Students?, Richard Badenhausen, James Buss

Honors in Practice Online Archive

In light of some outdated public perceptions of honors education, authors consider the advantages of orienting toward honors programs and practices, maintaining that much of what goes on in the community of honors can be useful, insightful, and easily adapted to meet broader learning objectives and advance university goals. Demonstrating the advantages of working across academic and nonacademic units at their home institutions, authors show how honors offers culturally responsive approaches to advising, community building through peer mentoring, inclusive approaches to admissions, and innovative curricula to meet finely tuned national standards. More opportunities for scholarly exchange (national conferences and print …

Pedagogy Of Engagement, Innovation, And Reflection: Hackathons In Honors Education, Joy L. Hart, Rebecca C. Bott-Knutson, Heidi Appel, Jonathan Kotinek, Paul Knox, William Ziegler

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Honors practitioners from across the country help students confront pressing social problems and develop innovative solutions to issues related to food security. Authors present a cross-institutional hackathon as a flexible framework for teaching multidisciplinary teamwork, innovative and critical thinking, and an appreciation for diverse perspectives. Providing an engaging, relaxed atmosphere and concentrated time for the application and integration of knowledge, hackathons offer honors educators a pedagogical approach that is both transdisciplinary and transformative.

A Creative Midterm Alternative: The Horror Author Poster Session, Annmarie Guzy

Honors in Practice Online Archive

A midterm assignment affords honors students from all disciplines the opportunity for creative expression. Poster subjects cover a range of writers in the genre of horror, and the event showcases students’ artistic abilities while promoting interdisciplinary socialization and a sense of community in honors. A sample list of authors and examples of document design are included.

Studying Abroad At Home? A Virtual International Experience, María Luz García, Sarah Shafi, Camryn Smith, Valentyna Stadnik

Honors in Practice Online Archive

During the period of remote learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, honors programs were forced to innovate new digital possibilities for fulfilling the objectives of an honors education. Learning experiences offered during study abroad programs were among the most difficult to provide in a virtual format. The honors program at Eastern Michigan University has developed the Virtual International Experience (VIE) in response to this need. Even as the 2022–2023 academic year marked a transition back to traditional in-person classes, the VIE offers unique tools for learning skills of cultural analysis and cross-cultural communication, particularly as these occur in remote contexts, …

A Mindfulness-Based Honors Education, Annie Lampman

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Developing a mindfulness-based curriculum with a focus on emotional and social intelligence enhances the honors learning experience. Multidisciplinary coursework includes workshops, guest speakers, community engagement, service learning, global learning, and traditional discourses exploring current research and age-old philosophies on living a rich and engaged life.

Front Cover, Masthead, Contents, Call For Submissions, Dedication For Kathleen B. King

Honors in Practice Online Archive

No abstract provided.

About The Authors, About The Nchc Monograph Series, Nchc Monographs & Journals, Publications Order Form, Back Cover

Honors in Practice Online Archive

No abstract provided.

Using Photovoice: Honors Students Explore Youth Vaping, Kandi L. Walker, Joy L. Hart, Alison C. Mcleish

Honors in Practice Online Archive

A photovoice project provides students the opportunity to convey observations and experiences via photographs, share perspectives on these photographs, and critically reflect across photographs from the class. Additionally, students have opportunities to share the work with others.

Creating Experiential Opportunities In Honors With Diminishing Resources, Colin M. Walker, Michael P. Savoie

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Authors consider practical implications of America’s Great Resignation for institutions of higher learning and present a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) designed around innovative practice in experiential learning. Models and activities relating to Place as Text pedagogy are described; the process of automating oversight is discussed; and activity objectives, milestones, and deliverables are presented.

Simple Is Revealing: Experiencing Public Transportation Illuminates A City, Lucy Morrison

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Author describes how a simple experiential learning assignment can provide an eye-opening, community-building, and integrative learning experience for honors students.

Advising To Support Meaning Making And Purpose: Helping Honors Students Focus On Priorities And Evaluate Opportunities Through Intention Setting, Kristy Spear, Ron Cahlon, Katherine Mccall

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Section headings:

What is an intention?

The value of setting an intention

Setting an intention with honors students

Ron’s intention

Katherine’s intention

Final thoughts

The experiences provided are just two examples of how, with the guidance of an advisor, honors students might formulate and incorporate an intention into their lives. This simple yet profound technique is a useful addition to the advisor’s toolbox; it presents the opportunity to help students examine their values, who they are, who they want to be, and how they want to live their lives. This critical reflection can result in a clear focus and systematic …

Review: Unwell Writing Centers: Searching For Wellness In Neoliberal Educational Institutions And Beyond, Aurora Matzke

English Faculty Articles and Research

“Unwell Writing Centers: Searching for Wellness in Neoliberal Educational Institutions and Beyond” blends narrative, mixed methods research, and rhetorical analysis to make a case for the possibilities inherent in homegrown wellness practices that are “communal, political, and rooted in defiance of white supremacy.”

“My Purpose Is To Assist”: How Chatgpt Can Push Liberal Arts Institutions To Think Critically About Themselves, Clare B. Martin

Scripps Senior Theses

Since its release, ChatGPT, a chatbot specialized in writing content and answering questions in response to user prompts, has posed an unclear threat to liberal arts institutions. Can it serve as an effective tool for cheating? Can its responses replace work done in the liberal arts? This thesis argues that ChatGPT’s limitations—particularly its inability to think critically—prevent it from replacing real liberal arts work, which involves questioning, critique, and re-examination. If anything, this thesis suggests, ChatGPT can push liberal arts institutions to better promote critical thinking by serving as a litmus test for liberal arts-level work.