The first four LDR 101 student learning outcomes are:

• Summarize and explain the main ideas of a text, speech, doctrine, principle or belief.
• Identify and analyze significant issues, problems, and questions, and evaluate or develop effective responses.
• Articulate, compare and judge the strengths and weaknesses of two or more competing arguments about an issue, problem or question, supporting your comparative judgment with appropriate evidence.
• Develop, focus and organize ideas concerning a central topic, and create, revise and present these ideas in written, spoken, visual and digital forms using appropriate sources.

I feel that after taking LDR 101 my leadership skills have definitely been enhanced based on the learning outcomes. In response to the first learning outcome, I feel that after this course I am more equipped to be able to receive a complex text and dissect what point is trying to be made. I can take these different forms of information and break them down to my level of understanding and to a point where I can articulate what is being said in my own words. I can also learn a new topic and form a well-developed and intellectual opinion on it and present my views in a written and visual format to express my beliefs and interpretations to others. This outcome is really essential in the development of my leadership skills because it allows me to interpret someone else’s ideas and present them in a way that applies directly to me or in a way that I understand the most and can show just how well my understanding is. In response to the third learning outcome, I can see different viewpoints of conflicting arguments or topics and understand how in their own way they are correct. I am better able to see these different ideas and understand how they can be applied in certain situations whether I agree with them or not. Overall, LDR 101 has had a substantial impact on my leadership skills and communication skills, two aspects that I feel go hand in hand. I have gotten better at expressing my opinion and contributing to group discussions and even sometimes facilitating them.

1. Choose two of the ASC General Education Learning Outcomes (p. 40) and explain the benefits or advantages in achieving that outcome.

    Articulate and appraise problems and solutions from multiple perspectives, critically considering diverse sources of information. This outcome is beneficial because it allows the person to create multiple ways of thinking rather than just one. Sometimes, not only one way of thinking works for every situation, so, the individual must be willing to think in more creative and broader ways depending on the situation. Identify and assess one’s values, interests and abilities. This outcome has advantages because it allows the individual to better understand their own wants and needs. This Learning Outcome makes it easier for the individual to be in tune with themselves and more knowledgeable on what aspects of work or their life in general.

2.Choose two of the personal qualities of a liberally educated person that Cronon identifies (pp. 3-5) and explain the benefits or advantages in having that quality.

One of the qualities of a liberally educated person Cronon talks about is their ability to nurture and empower the people around them. The benefits of the trait is that people are more naturally inclined to be around and seek guidance from those who make them feel important and recognized. In order for the community surrounding the liberally educated person to flourish, the individuals that make it up must flourish as well. Another trait Cronon recognizes is their ability to practice humility, tolerance, and self-criticism. This is beneficial because people are more able to connect with someone who is easy to connect with and is humble about their lives. Also, with self-criticism, the individual can be more aware of what things they feel they need to improve upon, even if others do not. It is better to feel that there is more to be accomplished rather than just assume that all is well.

1. Choose one of the Learning Objectives for this course (which you’ll find on the syllabus) and explain how one of your top five character strengths would help you accomplish this objective. Pick another strength from the 34 not on your list and explain how it would help one accomplish this same objective.

    One of my character strengths is positivity. Having this strength means that I have an ability to get others excited about what we are going to do. This would help the objective, articulate how working toward the outcomes above has informed your understanding of leadership and your capacity to lead.  Knowing that some activities or assignments are going to belong and tedious, sometimes makes people unmotivated to complete them. However, with my character strength of positivity, I would be able to get everyone in a more positive mood about the assignment. A trait that I don’t have but would relate well is  Realtor. This theme is described as finding deep satisfaction in working with friends. Having this theme would emphasize the theme of positivity because it is similar in the way of getting others motivated about working. Working with friends makes doing assignments easier and makes the individual more motivated to complete it

2.  For yet another one of your character strengths, explain how it might help you to develop one of the 10 personal qualities that liberally educated people embody according to Cronon.

Another one of my character strengths is Individualization. This trait means that I have an ability to recognize the unique qualities of each person and find ways for different people to work together to create maximum productivity. This would work with the quality Cronon described as nurture and empower the people around them. With this strength I would be able to acknowledge how the prosperity and ability of one individual impacts the productivity of the group as a whole. I would also be able to find ways that people with different learning and retention styles could work together effectively.