Honors Orientation: The HSP and it's Seven Holistic Outcomes

            In “How Should Colleges Prepare Students to Succeed in Today’s Global Economy” the AAC&U researched what business leaders and recent college graduates believe that colleges need to improve on. One of the major areas that business leaders believe colleges need to improve in is critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills while recent college graduates believe that there needs to be improvement in creativity and innovation. The Honors Scholars Program goals are related to this search in trying to improve the education of their students.

            In the Honors Scholars Program there are Seven Holistic Outcomes, one of which is for a graduate of the program to “be a self-directed, reflective learner who can think both critically and creatively.”  This directly relates to the two previously mentioned recommendations from the AAC&U. The Honors Scholars Program is working to instill in their students critical thinking skills. They are doing this through readings and discussions. The teachers do not expect you to just regurgitate knowledge to them but explain why you believe something. It makes you think critically. Through this you are also thinking creatively because you do not just look for the common answer. Students are thinking outside the box and figuring out things for themselves. The Honors Scholars Program is working to improve these skills that have been recommended for improvement by the AAC&U.

            Thinking critically and creatively isn’t necessarily something that can be improved quickly. You have to start thinking for yourself and not just taking what you learn from your textbook or professor and repeating it. When you start to think through what is presented to you and ask questions to try and understand it more then you are thinking critically. It isn’t an easy skill but it is a necessary skill.

            Overall the Honors Scholars Program and their Seven Holistic Outcomes seem to really be working towards the recommendations made in “How Should Colleges Prepare Students to Succeed in Today’s Global Economy.” The program wants us to take on learning for ourselves and really question what we are learning and think about it. They do not want us to just pass a test but to really know and understand what they are teaching us.