“Students overwhelmingly have come to view general education as irritating interruption– an annoying detour on their way to their degree. They all too often do not see how such requirements will help them get a job or live a life” (Boyer 217). Understanding annotation
“The shift toward business and away from the liberal arts has been described as the new vocationalism in higher education and, based on the preferences of today’s students, it seems likely that, in the short term, this pattern will persist”(Boyer 218). Challenging/ text-to-text connection
“A survey of 2,813 businessmen who require computer skills in their operations revealed that reading ability, reasoning skills, and personal enthusiasm rank far more importantly than technical for new employees”(Boyer 219). Question annotation
“A professor of marketing said, “I have nothing at all against students taking courses in the literature and the arts. But those things they can pick up on their own later in life if they’re interested. My students tell me what they’re here for is to get a good practical education that will serve them in the working world” (Boyer 20). Understand/Challenge annotation
The central tension that Boyer tries to get at in this chapter is the tension between the liberal arts and technical education. Also, the gravitation of specialization in education. The creation of new majors, especially within a major itself. Looking at the business example that Boyer describes, there’s over 20 specialization majors within the realm of business. To also note, multiple staff, student, and professor perspectives on the idea of liberal arts and specialization.
The idea around an enriched major is have students explore their major deeply, but also set them up for a specialization within the major. “Therefore, what we propose, as a centerpiece of the undergraduate experience, is the enriched major. By an enriched major, we mean encouraging students not only to explore a field in depth, but also to help them put their field of special study in perspective”(Boyer 223).
https://www.une.edu/cas/schools/arts-humanities/b.a.-communications
https://www.une.edu/catalog/2021-2022/undergraduate-catalog/communications
