from VCCA Journal, Volume 10, Number 1, Spring 1996, 12-15
© Copyright 1996 VCCA Journal
Every now and then a particularly memorable and rewarding educational experience comes along for instructors. I had the opportunity to be a part of one such experience during the 1995 spring semester when I taught the first honors seminar offered at Eastern Shore Community College. The ideal combination of topic, students, and academic freedom made the experience one I will always treasure.
Background
For the past decade, various faculty members have expressed an interest in implementing an honors program at ESCC. The faculty members recognized the need to challenge outstanding students above and beyond the standard curriculum. In addition, students enrolled in an honors program have a competitive advantage over other students when applying to transfer to a four-year college.
Several faculty members researched the variety of methods used to set up honors programs by both two- and four-year colleges. However, there was no consensus among faculty as to how to proceed. Eventually establishing an honors program became a goal of the college's strategic plan under the guidance of the college's Director of the Academic Division and Education Committee.
I expressed an interest in teaching an honors seminar during the spring 1995 semester. The college accepted the seminar approach and determined the criteria for the students enrolled. Students with a minimum 3.0 GPA, at least 12 semester credits, completion of ENG 111, and permission of the instructor were allowed to enroll in the Honors Seminar. The instructor actively recruited students and, ultimately, fourteen students participated.
Topic
The honors seminar offered during the spring 1995 semester was a three-credit course, SCT 295: Science, Humanity, and Technology. I chose the topic for several reasons. As the faculty advisor for Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK), I had just recently had professional development specifically on the topic at the PTK International Honors Institute in June 1994 at East Michigan University and at the PTK Virginia Regional Honors Institute in November 1994 at the College of William and Mary. The Honors Institutes focused on the annual PTK honors study topic of "Science, Humanity, Technology: Shaping a New Creation."
In addition, the topic lent itself to an interdisciplinary approach that I feel is important in an honors seminar. The various aspects of "Science, Humanity, and Technology" explored included the following topics. Also listed are some of the highlights of the class activities.
Design
The design of the Honors Seminar allowed a high level of student involvement in the planning of the semester's activities.
The course began with a broad understanding of the topic, then explored a variety of aspects of the topic. I planned the first five weeks of the semester as a model for the students.
The model seminars used as many different formats and teaching methods as possible, including lectures, discussions (both class and small group), field trips, journals, assigned readings, computer software, audio-visual presentations, and interactive games.
After that the students worked in pairs to create their own seminar experience. The students researched a specific topic of their choice and presented an outline for their seminar to me. Once the topic received my approval, the students began making arrangements for speakers, videos, tours, etc. The students, who continued to keep me informed of their progress and final plans for the seminar, were also required to include class discussion, assigned readings, and journal assignments in their plans. I encouraged students to view education as a "participation sport."
The seminar, class participation, journals, as well as a midterm and final essay exam formed the basis for the semester's grade. The lack of objective grades left some of the students frustrated. I also found it difficult to grade a student so subjectively. I think this is a result of using traditional structure through much of our educational experience.
The journals turned out to be one of the best parts of the honors seminar for the students and for me. The students were required to keep a book-style journal to be turned in weekly.
A variety of journal styles were used: interviewing, reacting to a quote, presenting pros and cons of an issue in two columns, and doing library research. In addition, students contributed to a collaborative journal on the college's computer network. Each week students were presented a controversial question related to the current topic and asked to respond. The students could read each other's responses to the question and often responded to each other in addition to the question. The computer journal was a great way for me to monitor the students' understanding of topics, to encourage students to make use of the network, and to practice and enjoy critical thinking skills.
Evaluation
The students evaluated the honors seminar during the last class meeting and in general described the course as the best class they had taken, hoping that there would be more opportunities like this. Some of the comments given by students on the evaluation form include the following.
"This class gives students a sense of self-worth: each student was responsible for teaching a seminar, and that gives you a great deal of satisfaction and accomplishment."
"Of all the classes I have taken at ESCC, this has been the most rewarding. Rarely are we permitted to go so in-depth with an issue, and never are we permitted to determine what the issue discussed is to be."
"ESCC should definitely continue the honors program. Students will benefit as well as the school, and it will give the lucky students a challenging but fun experience."
"I feel this class gives students a change from the normal everyday required classes and makes school that much more interesting."
"Never has a class make me think as hard as this one!"
"The honors seminar really brought the fourteen people in the class together; new friendships were formed and a great respect for other students was built."
As instructor for the course, I personally found the honors seminar to be one of the most motivating, exciting, and rewarding courses I have ever taught. It was a distinct change of pace from my other courses. It was a challenge to create a learning environment for students considered to be gifted.
The Future
The college has decided to offer the honors seminar each spring semester. Faculty members, who will take turns teaching the course, will take the lead role in finding challenging topics. The faculty have agreed that the Phi Theta Kappa honors study topic may be used, but will not always be reflected in, future honors seminars. A variety of approaches to teaching the course will be encouraged. Next spring, for example, two courses will be used to create an interdisciplinary experience for the students. An English professor will teach the course on creative writing and a business professor will teach the course on publishing and marketing the English class' product.
The success of Eastern Shore Community College's first honors course will serve as a model and inspiration for a continued honors program.
Robin Rich-Coates is an associate professor of biology and chemistry at Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa, Virginia.