Week One Journal Entry

Why am I taking this class?

Although the obvious answer to why I am taking this course is that it is a requirement necessary to graduate, after having previewed the course outline and description as I was registering for class I found myself very interested in exploring some of the traditions, values, and ethics which have influenced our national culture. I am fortunate to be taking a course that is not offered at many other universities or colleges.

Whey does the university require it?

There are other colleges that offer only degree specific curriculum for the students, and this has its benefits for those seeking to go that route. A conventional university is different than these other institutions because it excels in its educational goals by providing a base curriculum of various required disciplines that serve the purpose of building the student’s capacity to think more openly.
The university’s role is to present the students with topics of study that engage the student in critical thinking and problem solving. It is the student who experiences progression in knowledge and insight as a result. The culmination of this process will be when the student begins to apply his or her educated mind to worldly issues.

What surprised, saddened, angered, or otherwise emotionally affected me during the first week of class?

I was very surprised to discover how many stories are included in our textbook. This is exciting because we possess a compilation of some of recent history’s most influential writers.
I will admit that I was not very excited about beginning a blog site because I am not a proficient computer user. The addresses that I browse on the internet routinely are limited to a few sites (foxsports.com, hotmail.com, yahoo.finance.com, google.com, and the cyberactive Bellevue website). In my last course I did conduct extensive research over the internet, but as a recreation I do not participate in chat sites such as myspace.com or msn messenger. So the idea of setting up a blog page was not very appealing. However, once I accessed the website and set up my homepage, I can see that it will be a valuable tool for creating interesting and insightful journal entries.

What connections were I able to make between the readings for the week and my personal life and professional duties?

I am certainly not an environmental activist or an extreme animal rights advocate. I do, however, believe that we should respect our world and the many living creatures in it (I am the guy who swerves or slows down my vehicle to avoid running over a squirrel). If we find ourselves with the opportunity to preserve, protect, or give aid to animals and the natural environment, then we should take action just as Eagle Man and Leopold would suggest. I work as a Dredge operator for a sand and gravel mining company in which we dredge aggregate material from a man-made lake. We are required to take certain measures to prevent accidents that could damage or harm our immediate natural environment which includes many wild animals like ducks, geese, and fish . Routinely, we receive policy and procedural updates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

What will I be able to contribute to the class?

My greatest contribution will be my coursework that I produce and my comments in the discussion board regarding my peers’ posted assignments. There is much that we can learn from each other throughout this course and being able to respond to each other’s work is a valuable feature of the online format. I was amazed at the consistency of quality work from many of my fellow classmates in the accelerated Management online program. Some of those same students are also in this course, so we will be able to share that familiarity with each other. It is nice to see other people moving right along in tune with yourself.

How will it be a better course because I am a student in it?

I will contribute in making this a better course mostly because I will offer unique opinions and perspectives based on the set of values, morals, and ethics I have developed over the course of my lifetime. Although, I expect that after studying and dissecting the course material that some of my views will change and others will be reinforced. This process will benefit the class in that I will continually bring fresh ideas into our class discussion.