The Chronicle of Higher Education, a publication focused on the world of post-secondary education and educators, recently (May 22, 2009) ran an article [A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely] contradicting many of the sensational reports media have espoused about the depths of college student debt. The author of the article provides data to support her assertion that college student debt isn't nearly as bad as most people believe and that economists still believe that student loans are still a worthwhile investment in one's future.
Read the article at: http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i37/37a00101.htm
WARNING!!! To access this article, you will need to do so from the UCF network. Why? UCF pays for a subscription that only gets authenticated via the network. If you attempt to access the article from somewhere other than UCF, you'll be asked to subscribe (which wouldn't be a bad thing but is not necessary for the sake of this assignment).
In the comments section, provide answers to the following questions in consideration of your own collegiate experience and your expectations for lifetime earning potential.
1) Do you feel your UCF degree was a worthwhile investment? Why/why not?
2) Do you feel that college tuition costs in general (not just at UCF) are reasonable given one's lifetime earning potential? Why/why not?
3) If you could go back to being a junior/senior in high school and go through the college application/selection process all over again, what factors would you take into account that you did not consider previously? Would you still pick UCF? Would you still have selected Interdisciplinary Studies as your major? Why/why not?
Deadline to comment is 09/03/2009, 11:59am
Monday, August 31, 2009
historia de un LETRERO and the importance of effective communication
Arguably one of the most effective skill sets one could possibly possess (some might even consider it a super power) is effective communication. In this Capstone course, we will invest a considerable amount of time and effort honing your communication skills to increase your post-collegiate effectiveness in your respective fields of endeavor.
The following is an excerpt from a press release by ca.news.yahoo.com describing the origin of the short film, Historia de un Letrero (2007), that was honored at the Cannes Film Festival 2008.
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MONTREAL - A short film about a stranger who uses a pen to help a homeless blind man has won an online contest organized by the National Film Board of Canada at the Cannes Film Festival.
"Historia de un Letrero" ("The Story of a Sign"), a heartwarming story produced in Mexico and the U.S. by Alonso Alvarez Barreda, won the contest in which online viewers could vote for their favourite film.
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Watch the video. What message(s) does the film convey?
Incidentally, the score for this short film was borrowed from Il Postino (1994).
Post a comment reflecting on the value of effective communication and suggestions for how to improve verbal and non-verbal communication. What would you describe as your strengths and deficits in communication? What are ways in which you would like to improve your skills?
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to the Fall '09 IDS 4934.0M04 section of Capstone Experience in Interdisciplinary Studies!
Over the next 16 weeks we will explore, evaluate, create, and reflect on a wide variety of topics. The primary focus of this course is to synthesize your existing content knowledge while focusing on skills development and application. In short, you will learn a few new things but primarily apply what you've already learned through your program of study to further enhance and sharpen skill sets to make you more effective at what you do or what you would like to do beyond college.
As with any course, you will have to manage your time/responsibilities carefully to ensure that you have ample time to devote to the Capstone course, your other academic courses, and your other obligations, both personal and professional. While I do not consider this course to be excessively demanding I have very high expectations for the quality of student work submitted in this course (you are graduating seniors after all and it is a reasonable expectation that you will be at the top of your academic game as such).
A complete course outline has been provided on the syllabus detailing all of the major and minor projects, presentations, and assignments for the semester. Most, if not all, of your assignments in his Capstone course will be due by Sunday evenings (midnight) or Thursdays before class (noon). The assignments on this Course Blog will be tied with each posting and will provide a clear set of instructions on what to do and the deadline to post. For example, I've tied an assignment to this welcome message so here's your chance to get started:
In the comments section, write a brief self-introduction highlighting the following:
1) Reason you chose UCF?
2) Intended future (career) goals?
3) If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
This may seem obvious but make sure to include your name in your introduction but not your PID. If you want to include such things as hometown, favorite music/movies, etc. - feel free but keep in mind that there is a limit on the size of the post you can make before you have to break it up into two posts and I'm only looking for a single post this time around.
Deadline to comment is Sunday, 08/30/2009, 11:59pm
Best wishes as we begin the Fall term and I look forward to working with you throughout this semester as you work toward graduation and life's next great adventure.
Pete Wallace
Over the next 16 weeks we will explore, evaluate, create, and reflect on a wide variety of topics. The primary focus of this course is to synthesize your existing content knowledge while focusing on skills development and application. In short, you will learn a few new things but primarily apply what you've already learned through your program of study to further enhance and sharpen skill sets to make you more effective at what you do or what you would like to do beyond college.
As with any course, you will have to manage your time/responsibilities carefully to ensure that you have ample time to devote to the Capstone course, your other academic courses, and your other obligations, both personal and professional. While I do not consider this course to be excessively demanding I have very high expectations for the quality of student work submitted in this course (you are graduating seniors after all and it is a reasonable expectation that you will be at the top of your academic game as such).
A complete course outline has been provided on the syllabus detailing all of the major and minor projects, presentations, and assignments for the semester. Most, if not all, of your assignments in his Capstone course will be due by Sunday evenings (midnight) or Thursdays before class (noon). The assignments on this Course Blog will be tied with each posting and will provide a clear set of instructions on what to do and the deadline to post. For example, I've tied an assignment to this welcome message so here's your chance to get started:
In the comments section, write a brief self-introduction highlighting the following:
1) Reason you chose UCF?
2) Intended future (career) goals?
3) If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
This may seem obvious but make sure to include your name in your introduction but not your PID. If you want to include such things as hometown, favorite music/movies, etc. - feel free but keep in mind that there is a limit on the size of the post you can make before you have to break it up into two posts and I'm only looking for a single post this time around.
Deadline to comment is Sunday, 08/30/2009, 11:59pm
Best wishes as we begin the Fall term and I look forward to working with you throughout this semester as you work toward graduation and life's next great adventure.
Pete Wallace
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