Courses

GED0021: Disability in Arts: Portrayals and Identity

All forms of art have a powerful influence on our perceptions. Students describe and explore through case studies a range of disabilities and their unique features. Using arts, enquiry and discussion, students critique historical and modern-day portrayals of individuals with disabilities. Students consider the attitudes and social barriers that individuals with disabilities face, and focus on the link between the formation of cultural identity and the arts.

Theme 1: Arts in Society

Course Outline

ENL1726: Symbols, Text and Meaning

From its use in contemporary art, advertising, social media, song lyrics, poetry, and literature, symbols and text have been used to express and evoke the entire range of human thoughts, reaction, and emotion. In this interactive, discussion-based course, students analyze and critique the use of language, symbols and text as a form of expression. Through an examination of traditional and contemporary approaches to text, students will develop an understanding of how language and text influence expression, culture and mass media. To complete their experience, students create and annotate an outlet for their own text and symbol-based expression using a medium of their choice.

Theme 1: Arts in Society

Course Outline

GED7019: Becoming an Entrepreneur: Is it for me?

Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? From government incentive and mentoring programs, to courses, training programs and reality television, it is clear that there is a growing need for people who can transform innovative ideas into viable products. Through self-evaluation, a variety of decision-making models and exposure to the experiences of local entrepreneurs, students acquire the necessary knowledge and tools to determine if entrepreneurship is a direction they would like to explore.

Theme 4: Personal Understanding

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HOS2288: The Dinner Party

Table manners are as unique to a culture as the foods they eat – how people eat varies widely from country to country. Participants in this course explore the culture and customs of international dining practices. Through investigation, discussion and reflection, participants have the opportunity to raise their own and each other’s awareness and sensitivity to different cultural behaviours and customs. Over scheduled lunches and dinners, participants consider the influence of culture, society, religion, geography and history on dining practices around the world. (Note: there is a $75 incidental fee to cover the cost of four lunches or dinners in the Restaurant International that students attend during this otherwise online course. There is no required textbook.)

Theme 3: Social and Cultural Understanding

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Theme 5: Science and Technology

Content: Courses in this area range in focus from the basics of the scientific method to the diverse technological applications that have changed—and will continue to change—our lives for better and worse. While students may develop a wary eye for the dangers of technological excess and encroachment into every aspect of our collective being, they also explore ways that new technology can be used to right the wrongs of old technology, especially with regard to the environment. Other technologies explored may also bring us to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the environment and universe. The following Objectives define the general learning outcomes of courses in the Science and Technology General Education Theme:

Theme Objectives:

Scientific Foundations

1. Explore the nature of matter, energy, and related universal concepts in science.
2. Consider the nature and interactions of living and non-living systems in the universe.
3. Illustrate the relationships between basic areas of science such as chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology, and biology, as well as mathematics and the social sciences.
4. Apply the scientific method to conduct basic scientific inquiry.
5. Discuss the impact of science in a world that still clings to traditions and superstitions.

Technological Advancement

6. Discuss the role of technological innovation in a world imperiled by previous technologies.
7. Evaluate the increasing impact of technology on all aspects of human endeavour.
8. Analyze the myriad psychosocial, economic, and philosophical implications of technology.

Theme 5: Science and Technology

Content: Courses in this area range in focus from the basics of the scientific method to the diverse technological applications that have changed—and will continue to change—our lives for better and worse. While students may develop a wary eye for the dangers of technological excess and encroachment into every aspect of our collective being, they also explore ways that new technology can be used to right the wrongs of old technology, especially with regard to the environment. Other technologies explored may also bring us to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the environment and universe. The following Objectives define the general learning outcomes of courses in the Science and Technology General Education Theme:

Theme Objectives:

Scientific Foundations

1. Explore the nature of matter, energy, and related universal concepts in science.
2. Consider the nature and interactions of living and non-living systems in the universe.
3. Illustrate the relationships between basic areas of science such as chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology, and biology, as well as mathematics and the social sciences.
4. Apply the scientific method to conduct basic scientific inquiry.
5. Discuss the impact of science in a world that still clings to traditions and superstitions.

Technological Advancement

6. Discuss the role of technological innovation in a world imperiled by previous technologies.
7. Evaluate the increasing impact of technology on all aspects of human endeavour.
8. Analyze the myriad psychosocial, economic, and philosophical implications of technology.

Theme 4: Personal Understanding

Rationale: Becoming the fully functional, integrated persons necessary to achieve vocational and financial success requires due attention to our physical, mental, emotional, social, sexual, and spiritual health. The long road to personhood can be a bumpy one without roadmaps through the various social systems and institutions that take us safely from early adulthood to retirement.

Content: Courses in this area focus on understanding one’s personal development, economic function, social life, place in the environment and universe, challenges and opportunities, setbacks and success, and meaning and purpose. Courses facilitating the study of human social behaviour systematically allow students to understand how individuals can function and succeed in a variety of contexts. The following Objectives define the general learning outcomes of courses in the Personal Understanding General Education Theme:

Theme Objectives:

Placing Ourselves

1. Explore individual development, economic function, social life, place in the environment and universe, challenges and opportunities, setbacks and success, and meaning and purpose.
2. Consider human social behaviour systematically.
3. Explain how individuals may navigate various social systems and institutions to become integrated physiological and psychological entities.

Finding Our Potential Selves

4. Compare individual functioning and success in a variety of institutional contexts (e.g., educational, vocational, commercial, recreational, nuptial, familial, etc.).
5. Analyze the ideal of being fully functioning persons vocationally, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, sexually, and spiritually.

Theme 3: Social and Cultural Understanding

Rationale: Knowing the patterns and precedents of the past provides the means by which people may develop awareness of their place in contemporary culture and society. Such knowledge also helps frame an understanding of the main currents of one’s own culture and that of others across time in order to place one’s personal experience in the collective that constitutes culture at large.

Content: Courses in this area deal broadly with major social and cultural themes that define people and events historically and geographically. Many focus on the various ways that historical and contemporary events may be interpreted through available evidence. Students thus develop an appreciation for and understanding of the impact of socio-cultural, ethnic, and religious forces on individuals and groups. The following Objectives define the general learning outcomes of courses in the Social and Cultural Understanding General Education Theme:

Theme Objectives:

Past and Present—Here, There, and Everywhere

1. Identify the patterns and precedents of the past that provide the means by which people may develop awareness of their place in contemporary culture and society.
2. Examine the main currents of one’s own culture and that of others across time in order to place one’s personal experience in culture at large.
3. Outline the major social and cultural themes that define people and events historically and geographically.

Making Sense of It All

4. Analyze the various ways that historical and contemporary events may be interpreted through available evidence.
5. Evaluate the impact of socio-cultural, economic, ethical, ethnic, and/or religious forces on groups, individuals, and yourself.

Theme 2: Civic Life

Rationale: For people to live responsibly and reach their potential as individuals and citizens in society, they must understand the human relationship patterns that underlie orderly conduct within that society’s various structural units. Informed people must understand the meaning of civic life in relation to diverse communities at the local, national, and global level, and be aware of international issues and their effects on Canada and its place in the international community.

Content: Courses in this area provide students with an understanding of the meaning of rights, freedoms, and participation in community and public life, in addition to a working knowledge of the structure and function of various levels of government in Canada and/or in an international context. They may also provide an historical understanding of major political issues affecting relations between these various levels and their constituents. The following Objectives define the general learning outcomes of courses in the Civic Life General Education Theme:

Theme Objectives:

One Human to Another

1. Discuss what it means for people to live responsibly and reach their potential as individuals and citizens in society.
2. Examine human relationship patterns that underlie the orderly interactions within society’s various structural units.

The Group

3. Explain the meaning of rights, freedoms, and participation in community and public life.
4. Summarize the function of various levels of government (municipal, provincial, national) in Canada and/or in an international context.
5. Analyze the historical underpinnings of major political issues affecting relations between the various levels of government and their constituents in Canada.

Wider Context

6. Compare civic life across diverse communities at the local, national, and global level.
7. Discuss Canada’s place in the international community.
8. Analyze international issues and their effects on Canada.

Theme 1: Arts in Society

Rationale: Your capacity to recognize and evaluate artistic and creative achievements is useful in many aspects of life. Since artistic expression is a fundamental human activity that both reflects and anticipates developments in culture at large, its study enhances your cultural understanding and self-awareness.

Content: Courses in this theme group lead to an understanding of the importance of visual and creative arts in human affairs, of artists’ and writers’ perceptions of the world, and the means by which those perceptions are translated into visual, auditory, performance, literary, and other art forms. They also provide an appreciation of the aesthetic values used in examining works of art and possibly a direct experience in expressing perceptions artistically. The following Objectives define the general learning outcomes of courses in the Arts in Society General Education Theme:

Theme Objectives:

Art Itself

1. Explore artists’ and writers’ perceptions of the world.
2. Discuss the aesthetic values used in examining works of art.
3. Evaluate artistic and creative achievements.

Social Context

4. Explain how artistic expression is a fundamental human activity.
5. Describe how art both reflects and anticipates developments in culture at large.
6. Evaluate the importance of visual and creative arts in human affairs.

Meaning

7. Explain how art produces meaning and affects audiences.
8. Analyse how artistic perceptions of the world and human affairs are translated into artistic expression in various media.
9. Evaluate art in relation to personal and cultural self-awareness.

Creation

10. Express personal perceptions in an artistic medium