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Nancy Cao
Professor Masulit
Ethnic Studies 21
16 November 2016
Thematic Reflection #4
For the fourth theme, we discussed how to navigate the institution to advance an agenda.
This theme taught me what resources are available, and how to use my resources around campus.
Some topics that stood out to me were passive and active learning, how to chose a major, looking
at the job market, and electives. These topics made me do heavy reflection on my decisions and
choices I made for my major, and it made me see general education in a different light, or
perspective.
Firstly, learning about passive and active learning was very beneficial to how I can learn
and apply the knowledge. In class, we discussed how passive learning focuses on "extrinsic
motivation such as grade, status, and fear of punishment" (Lecture, November 2nd). However,
active learning is the opposite; active learning "builds from intrinsic motivation such as curiosity,
play, service to others, discovery, relationship with peers, and personal development and growth"
(Lecture, November 2nd). Throughout my schooling and even in college, teachers usually set up
the class to passively learn. The teacher will spew out information, and I need to write it down
and remember it. It is my responsibility to take these passive learning environments, and convert
the knowledge into an active learning environment. I need to be able to convert the passive,
extrinsic motivation into intrinsic motivation. Being able to do this will make me much more
successful in college, and aid my learning experience. As I improve my learning experience, this
will also help analyze how to chose a major.

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Choosing a major is difficult and most students end up changing their minds and
switching their majors to something else. According to Debra Marcus, she states that "it is typical
for undergraduates to try out four or five majors before deciding which one best fits their needs"
(Marcus, p. 290). Knowing this information gives people more assurance that it is okay to
change your mind a few times to find the right major. Some people know exactly what they
want, but many others do not. In order to find out your major, you have to find yourself,
understand your goals, and passion. Understanding how to find a major is very beneficial. People
who do not receive aid in finding a major compatible to them may end up in a career they hate or
constantly changing their mind leading them nowhere. Personally, I do not know exactly what I
want to be and what I would like to major in, and that is okay. Once I find myself and reflect on
my intrinsic goals, I will be able to choose my major and follow down that path.
Choosing a major can directly affect the career or job you will have in the future.
Knowing what jobs will offer more opportunity will guide people to find their majors and career
path. In the article "Job Outlook for College Graduates," the authors explained what careers will
offer more jobs in the future and the demand for workers in that field. In the article, they state the
approximant wages and openings in the future (Lacey, p. 311). This is great knowledge to know
because people should know the jobs that will give them good wages and benefits. Wages and
benefits are one of the most important factors in picking a career. No one wants a job that has
barely any openings and poor wages. I think that knowing the job market in the future will aid
people in picking a major and career because I would like to know where I have more of a
chance to grow and gain more opportunities.
Lastly, electives are also a great way "to explore possible majors" (Minnick, p. 263). In
Minnick's article "Fourteen Ways to Look at Electives," he lists out reasons why electives are

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beneficial and not a waste of time. For instance, if you came to college thinking you want to be a
nurse and you take an ethnic studies class as an elective, ethnic studies may interest you more
and make you switch your major to ethnic studies. Electives create well-rounded students
because they are more knowledgeable about all subjects instead of one. Being well-rounded is a
very important skill people look for when hiring workers. Personally, understanding why
electives are important and why they are implicated in general education made me appreciate it
more. People think these electives are a waste of time, but knowing more about art, humanities,
music, language, etc. will make you a better, knowledgeable person. A person can be an expert in
math, but if they do not know anything about art or humanities then they are ignorant.