Westfield State Journey

Courses in this area expose students to an intellectual passion that they can get excited about. Students collaborate with their professor and peers to examine a particular specialization, creative interest, question or topic in depth and from multiple points of view in order to develop college-level academic skills. Students are supported as they develop the skills needed to engage deeply and critically with complex materials; to take risks; to grow as a leader and collaborator; to reflect on strengths, passions and goals; and to begin to develop a vision for their journey through Westfield State University.

BY THE END OF TAKING A COURSE IN THIS AREA: 

• Lifelong Learning: Students practice skills and attitudes central to lifelong learning; including developing a growth mindset viewpoint that encompasses self-reflection, flexibility, intellectual curiosity, and considers broad perspectives and diversity of thought.
•  Reflective Discovery and Analysis of Information: Students locate, generate, identify, interpret, and critically evaluate information, evidence, arguments and ideas, recognizing that authority is constructed and contextual. Students analyze their own and others' assumptions and incorporate reliable and valid information effectively and ethically for an intended purpose.
• Developing a Sense of Place/Community: Students collaborate with others in the Westfield community while exploring a new or existing intellectual passion.

• Academic Life: Students develop college-level academic skills and identify resources to support their practice of intellectual discovery and creative accomplishment that model multiple modes of representation, engagement, and action and expression.

Students are required to complete two of these courses. Each is a 1.5 credit course that focuses on the body, mind and spirit. Courses in this area equip students with skills that foster wellbeing and resilience, help students to react positively to life’s challenges, and enhance mental, social, emotional, physical, and academic success. Courses include reflective, metacognitive, and kinesthetic practices that support physical, mental and/or social-emotional well-being; The skills learned will foster attitudes and behaviors that enhance confidence for life-long self-care, such as self-management, self-awareness, responsible decision-making, relationships skills, social awareness, and positive self-care. Courses will be anchored in active learning. 

BY THE END OF TAKING A COURSE IN THIS AREA: 

• Lifelong Learning: Students practice skills and attitudes central to lifelong learning; including a growth mindset that encompasses  self-reflection, flexibility, intellectual curiosity, and considers broad perspectives and diversity of thought. 
• Metacognitive Reflection and Application: Students reflect on their own wellbeing in the context of the course topic and develop metacognitive reflection abilities that work to promote transfer of wellness behaviors and skills. .  
• Accessing Wellness Tools: Students develop tools for improving their physical, social, and/or mental/emotional health and overall college experience.
• Social Emotional Skills: Students identify personal social, emotional, and cognitive skills to be practiced and developed; including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision making, relationship skills, and communication skills.

Students complete a course in or outside of their major where they have a structured opportunity to reflect on what they learned in general education courses and consciously integrate and apply that learning within the context of their major. By completing an integrative experience, students will have the opportunity to address the question, “What has my learning in the General Education Curriculum contributed to my education and how is that learning related to my major and other learning experiences?”