GE Core Module - The Human Spirit

Module Information

The Human Spirit: Why Study the Humanities?

‘When we stopped being citizens and began to think of ourselves only as consumers, we relinquished thousands of years of human development’ (Churchwell: 2014).

 

The Humanities is the study of what makes us human, and through the study of being human we learn about culture and ourselves through studies of history, literature, film, philosophy, nature, art. The benefits of a trained mind – creative, critical, innovative and educated – are evident to those around us when we speak, write and communicate.

 

The Human Spirit is an introductory General Education Core Module that asks four big questions in the humanities, taught around themes from contemporary issues:

 

- What does it mean to be human?

- What is ethical and socially responsible behavior?

- What responsibilities do humans have to the natural world?

- What is creativity?

 

In The Human Spirit, we actively ask you: ‘what, how, why, so what?’ questions. The search for meaning in our lives and our place in the world has never been more important than in this modern, global age where corporations, governments and even our communities too frequently people see people as commodities and consumers, rather than as humans with life projects, values, ethics, hobbies and agents of change. Our teaching reflects this angst.

 

Lectures and tutorials are dynamic and interactive, with the expectation of discussion, debate and disagreement. The module will present you with images and topics from the Humanities and contemporary society to engage your appreciation of reading, deep learning, and the art of conversation.

Teaching & Learning Activities

Learning is an adventure that we embark on together and through the combination of lectures and tutorials, The Human Spirit team approaches learning with innovation and fun to support your interests and to reinforce language learning.

 

In tutorials, we supplement reading materials with discussion, debate, blended learning activities, role play, games, group projects and group presentations. The development of your soft skills, where we push you to interact by thinking at a higher level and to respond to situations using different perspectives, is key to our deep learning approach.