Core Classes at ASU - Essay Example

As a current at ASU I have noticed a systematical problem in the core competencies of the s that can be remedied. The current curriculum is not linked with the troubles of todays economy, society and global needs. The usage of the internet along with other advances in technology have made the world interconnected and societal problems are no longer isolated to any one country. Todays core competencies should reflect a global change in fundamental learning starting at elementary school level of learning and extending to secondary formal education. Core classes at ASU have a description that relates the competencies of the course and introduces the student to that subject as it is deemed a core competency for educated individuals. However, evolution has placed the economy in a turbulence that has redirected everything from education, to work and even the way the home is being operated. There is a shift in the way that business and home are functioning and this shift has to be prepared for on every level of life including the educational level. Although big business is one way of webbing the world together, it is a huge slice of the problem existing on an international scale in the business and well as the private sector. It is no secret that big business provide jobs, however they also slash the body of the economy with a gash that can not be mended with stitches or sutures. For example, examine the impact that a mega store such as Walmart has on a local economy. While it does provide convenient shopping, which in turn can provide cheaper prices, it is conglomerated of several small businesses which stifle the small business sector rendering the small business sector unable to compete. Along with knocking the small business out of the competitive ranks, it also provide jobs that may pay less than their counterpart small business would pay their employees which hurts the economy as well. According to the article, Wal-mart and County Wide Poverty by Stephen J. Goetz and Hema Swaminathan the low wages that Walmart pay their employees only contribute to the poverty level of that county in which that Walmart is located (3). Big business is the current wave of the economy and educational institutions must identify how to compete against big business and provide learning tools to spark the entrepreneur sector to fire up small business. Along with the return of small business, there should be a fundamental understanding that the inter-connected global economy is the wave of the future so there should be mandated lessons in emerging countries that will be heavy weight competitors and language barriers should be broken. This also mean the foreign language classes should be mandated, maybe one of the students choice. One solution that can be implemented is that ASU incorporate an extraction method of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship from the students via courses on all levels. Innovation can be defined as an introduction of something new. The implementation of a new idea of method should be subtly incorporated in all core classes and not just in elective classes. This process should be done in such a way that measurable results can be attained. Innovation does not always have to hold hands with technological advances. Everything is not technological related. The stiffened economy is beginning to slow movement in other sectors of private lives and the introduction of something new could be as simple as a new food recipe that could open a franchise of restaurants. Creativity is another attribute that must be pulled from the depths of individuals. Being creative allows one to express individuality without embarrassment or bashfulness. This should be mandated to be done on an individual level as well as in groups. It should be done individually therefore no one person could go through the program without expressing themselves. Creativity calls for one to use their imagination and express it in an outward art form. Even though the world is made up of entrepreneurs and workers, all students should be mandated to take an entrepreneur class. This class curriculum could be made up of groups that will conjure a business concept and develop a business plan that include realistic marketing for the business. Although the student may not get the in-depth learnings of the importance of learning about entrepreneurship, it has an introductory concept that can be used as a foundation. This should not be an elective, however it should be a core class as a student may find an entrepreneur opportunity in any job sector. Another problem-solution that can be implemented at ASU is every student should take an online course. Online courses have a variant of advantages as well as disadvantages. The advantages is convenience, enhanced computer skills and self discipline which are all valuable attributes in life. A student can have the convenience of taking the course from their homes which allows them the comforts of their own home. Taking an online class also allows the student to engage in computers skills enhancing their ability to use tools on the computer becoming more familiar with the computer. Finally the student may grow in self discipline. When a student has to be logged in class at a particular time and the student does not have to be in a structured environment then that student may grow in self discipline which is a valuable attribute in life. However, there are some disadvantages to taking online classes as well. The student may not have enough self discipline and do not develop it soon enough and have to drop the course or get a failing grade. Students may delay important assignments and try to put them off until a later time which may catch up with them. Another disadvantage is no student-instructor contact. Many students need this contact to get a full gist of the class. There may be questions that the student want to ask but will for-go because there is no instructor present. Finally, every student may not have a computer. If a student dont have a computer than that would pose a problem as that student would have to seek computer usage from a place outside the home creating a inconvenience. Another idea that ASU may want to implement is diverse scrambling of groups when class requires group participation. Many courses require group participation and at times the groups can be chosen by the student. All groups should be as random and diverse as possible as this is how the work place and the world has become. Working in a diverse group setting allows for personalities to be mixed, as well other important characteristics such as race, ethnicity, language and culture. Also, the core concept of the class should be as relevant to todays economical problems as it possible can. When linking todays education to the problems of today then instructors should make the concept as relevant to todays economical crisis as possible even if it means overhauling their course concept. What was relevant a few years ago may not be relevant for the challenges that are facing todays economy. All of the instructors core concepts should be approved by that department head and the core concept should be linked to todays problems or attempted to be linked with justification. There are some systematical challenges that ASU have that can be remedied. The core concepts of the classes may need overhauling and specific attributes may need to be introduced into the fundamentals of the course. Such things as innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and core concept revisions may need addressing. Today is an inter-connected global economy and competition is fierce. ASU are training the brains of tomorrow and to better prepare their students ASU may need to address key criteria in order to turn out top notch students ready to face the challenges of tomorrow. Works Cited Department of Labor. 1998. Federal Register Vol. 63 No. 25 Diversity in the Workplace. 2004. Foothill De Anza Community College District pg. 1 Goetz S. and Swaminathan H. 2004. Wal-Mar County Wide Poverty. pg. 1-11 Gurin P. New Research on the Benefits of Diversity in Collegeand Beyond: An Emperical Analysis. pg. 1 Read More