HON 101 - Honors Colloquium

3 Credits, 3 Contact Hours
3 lecture periods 0 lab periods

An interdisciplinary course introducing honors students to scholarly research, writing, and conversation. Includes defining and debating contemporary issues in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, business, technology, and/or math. Also includes opportunities for students to develop their critical thinking and creativity; to enhance their practices of research, critical reflection, argumentation, and collaboration; to identify and clarify “real world” issues; to improve their problem-solving capabilities using appropriate group interaction; and to explore their understandings of cultural diversity in local and global contexts.

Information: Students must be eligible for Honors courses based on placement tests, and have a 3.5 GPA or higher, and/or be a Pima Scholar before enrolling in this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Engage in critical, constructive reflection and debate on issues in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, business, technology, and/or math.
Locate, analyze, evaluate, and document information from a variety of credible sources.
Create scholarly essays and presentations, both individually and collaboratively, revising arguments to address a new perspectives and questions that emerge in the colloquium.
Reflect critically on how evidence is recognized and knowledge is generated in scholarly communities.

Outline:

Discussion of Issues
1. Instructor and students discuss and debate a range of topics, practicing critical thinking and utilizing best practices in argumentation.
2. Instructor and students explore issues related to credibility, evidence, and the production of knowledge.
Research Practices
1. Introduction to scholarly research methods, documentation, argumentation, writing, and oral presentation as an integral part of student reflection and discussion.
2. Students collaborate, in consultation with instructor(s), to select, research, and argue questions in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, business, technology, and/or math.
3. Students refine their practice of scholarly research methods, documentation, argumentation, writing, and presentations, including their ability to analyze, evaluate, and present evidence in relation to a variety of academic audiences.
Problem-Solving Oriented Research Projects
1. Student create high-quality, problem-solving oriented research projects, working with class colleagues in a creative, open-ended processes of production and revision. Topics may be from the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, business, technology, and/or math. Projects should include some form of presentation.