Honors Discovery (HONR 1102) Fall 2019

Northeastern University Honors Program

Course Coordinators:
Professor Laurie Kramer, Director
Justin Silvestri, Associate Director

Instructor: Matt Kilduff

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The University Honors Program values integrated, student-directed and experiential learning
that enables students to define and meet their personal goals and interests. Thus, the overall
objective of the Honors Discovery course is to prepare and empower you, as a first-year Honors
student, to envision and design your unique, self-directed learning journey while becoming
prepared to take full advantage of all that Honors and Northeastern have to offer.

To that end, you will participate in a series of five modules that will orient you to our vision of
Honors Education, particularly its emphasis on Civic Engagement, cultivation of a Global
Mindset, and meaningful scholarly inquiry and artistic expression through Research and
Creative Endeavors.

Throughout these experiences, Honors Discovery will provide you the means to develop an
aspirational educational vision and to take advantage of university resources and supports as
you design your unique learning journey at Northeastern.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of the course, you will have:

● Assessed and described your development as scholars, notably your perceived strengths,
areas for growth, and relevant learning objectives.

● Identified opportunities for mentored learning experiences, research or creative

endeavors, civic engagement, global experiences, and leadership development
opportunities that align with your goals and values.

● Designed an aspirational educational plan, outlining opportunities aligned with your

personal educational objectives and desired areas for growth, such as civic engagement,
research and creative endeavors, and global perspectives.

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Week/Date Course Readings & Materials
Before Class
Week 1 Read:
September 9 - 12 Duckworth (2016). Grit: The
Power of Passion and
Module 1A Perseverance. Preface &
Discovering Yourself and Chapter 2.
Those Around You
Watch:
TED Talk: Steve Trombulak:
Reclaiming the Soul of Higher Friday, Sept 13, 10am – 2pm Centennial
Education
https://www.youtube.com/watc[Rain date: Tuesday, Sept. 17]
h?v=JeP8Sd2-z_8
Week 2 Read:
September 16 - 19 Burnett & Evans (2016).
Designing Your Life. Introduction
Module 1B
Discovering Your Goals: Watch:
Designing your life Prof. David DeSteno, Emotional
through reflection, Success: The Power of Gratitude,
ideation, and failure Compassion and Pride
https://www.youtube.com/watc
Participate: (strongly encouraged)
h?v=_VML4VmSlCc
Friday, Sept. 20, 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Week 3 Read:
September 23 - 26 The Reductive Seduction of
Other People’s Problems
Module 2A
Discovering the World Watch:
Around You: Local This Woman Helped Save Flint:
Discovery and Civic https://www.youtube.com/watc
Engagement h?v=vtrQb_CgD88
New study claims 43 states
expose millions to dangerous
chemical in drinking water
https://www.cbsnews.com/new
s/drinking-water-may-contain-
pfas-chemicals-in-43-states-
according-to-new-study-by-
environmental-working-group/
Assignments
After Class
Complete:
Aspirations and Goals Exercise
● Bring to next class and be prepared
to discuss.
Attend: (strongly encouraged)
● Fall Volunteer Fair
Common
Complete:
Educational Vision Statement Section #1:
“Assess Your Current Strengths & Areas
for Growth”
● Bring draft to next week’s class for
peer feedback.
● Toxic Tour of Dudley Square
Explore:
Tap Score’s interactive map of regional
risk of lead contamination:
https://mytapscore.com/pages/the-lead-
map
● Select three geographic areas of the
U.S. of your choice (e.g., your
hometown if you grew up in the US
and two cities you’d like to explore
someday) and compare their
Groundwater Corrosive Potential (1-
4), taking note of the average Home
Age (years and index). Where would
your risk for contamination be the
lowest?
● Bring your findings to next week’s
class for discussion.
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 Attend:
SOURCE – Showcase of Opportunities for
Undergraduate Research and Creative
Endeavors
● September 25, 6pm-7:30pm
Curry Student Center & Ballroom

Week 4 Read: Complete:

September 30 – Kretzmann & McKnight (1996).
October 3 Asset-Based Community
Development. National Civic
Module 2B Review, 85, 23 -29.
Exploring
Neighborhoods From an Anyon & Fernández (2007).
Asset-Based Lens Realizing the potential of
community-university
partnerships
Educational Vision Statement Section #2:
“Describe Your Long-Term Professional
Goal(s)”
● Bring draft to next week’s class for
peer feedback.
Class Participation Self-Assessment
● Due Oct. 4, 11:59pm

Week 5 Watch: Complete:

October 7 - 10 TED Talk: Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie: “The danger of a single
Module 3A story.”
Discovering the World https://www.ted.com/talks/chi
Around You: mamanda_adichie_the_danger
International Discovery _of_a_single_story
Educational Vision Statement Section #3:
“Describe Your Long-Term Personal
Goal(s)”
● Bring draft to next week’s class for
peer feedback.

Complete:
Gapminder Test 2018 (Global
Awareness & Literacy)
http://forms.gapminder.org/s3/
test-2018
● Bring Results to Class
Register:
If you need a passport, register for:
Passport Drive, to be held (tentatively)
November 18, 10am – 2pm

Week 6 Attend: Complete:

October 14 - 17 Individual Consultation with Module 2 Assignment Option
Academic Advisors or Course
Ideating Your Instructors during Office Hours ● Due Oct. 13, 11:59pm
Undergraduate (Highly Recommended)
Experience

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***NO CLASS MEETINGS
THIS WEEK
Week 7 Read:
October 21 - 24 Caligiuri, P. (2013). Cultural
Agility: Building a Pipeline of
Module 3B Successful Global
Advancing our personal Professionals (Chapter 3)
cultural awareness and
cultural agility Watch:
TED Talk: Pellegrino Riccardi:
Cross cultural communication.
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=yv62gqnkuso
Week 8 Read:
October 28 - 31 S. Firestein (2012) Ignorance:
How it Drives Science.
Module 4A Introduction and Chapter 5
Discovery Processes: (“The Quality of Ignorance”)
Research and
Creative Endeavor Watch:
Oskar Eustis – Why theater is
essential to democracy
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=5foou7mIA0w
Week 9 Watch:
November 4 - 7 Shefelbine, S. “Interdisciplinary
Research Teams Solving
Module 4B Complex Problems”
The Power of https://drive.google.com/file/d/
Multidisciplinary 0BzU0oLF6XLnjeVFkMVRick9xd2
Approaches for Solving s/view
Critical Problems.
Miranda, L. M. & McCarter, J.
(2016). Hamilton: The
Revolution. (Selected chapters)
Week 10 Independent Consultation with
November 11 - 14 Academic Advisors, GEO
***NO CLASS MEETINGS Program Coordinators, or
THIS WEEK Course Instructors during Office
Hours (Highly Recommended)
Complete:
Educational Vision Statement Section #4:
“What Competencies & Skills Will You
Need to Develop to Achieve Your
Professional and Personal Goals?”
● Bring draft to next week’s class for
peer feedback.
Complete:
Educational Vision Statement Section #5:
“How Do These Plans Reflect Who You
Want to Become as a Person?”
● Bring draft to next week’s class for
peer feedback.
Complete:
Module 3 Assignment Option
● Due Nov. 10, 11:59pm
Attend DOC Fair
● Nov. 4, 5pm-9pm OR
● Nov. 5, 11am -2pm
Complete:
Educational Vision Action Plan that
outlines the curricular and co-curricular
experiences you will seek.
● Bring draft to next week’s class for
peer feedback.
Prepare:
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 DOC Application
(Strongly Recommended)
● Priority DOC Application Deadline,
Dec. 3

Week 11 Read: Complete:

November 18 - 21 Designing Your Life: Conclusion. Using what you have been discovering
“A Well-designed Life” about yourself— e.g., the competencies
Module 5 and skills you wish to develop in order to
Discovering What’s Next achieve your goals—identify 3
Assessing Growth and opportunities posted on SAIL you intend
Change Through to pursue.
Personal Reflection
Be prepared to discuss with your Honors
Advisor how you expect these particular
opportunities will move you closer to
meeting your goals.

Module 4 Assignment Option

● Due Nov. 24, 11:59pm

Week 12
November 25 – 28

Thanksgiving Break

Week 13 Complete:
December 2 - 5 Educational Vision & Action Plan Final
Submission
***NO CLASS MEETINGS
● Due Dec. 4th, 11:59pm

COURSE MEETING DAYS AND TIMES

Meeting Time: [Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday], 4:35pm-6:05pm

Location: [Assigned classroom] Office Hours: [Times and Location]

*Note: You may select to complete one of the Assignment options offered for either Module
2, 3 or 4. You only need to do one module assignment. However, you must complete the
assignment option you select by the stated due date. For example, if you select Module 2, you

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must submit your assignment on October 13. The Module 3 assignment option is due
November 10, and the Module 4 assignment option is due November 24.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Consult course Blackboard page for assigned readings, pre-class activities, specific
instructions for completing the Educational Vision and Action Plan Assignment and all Module
Assignment options and rubrics.

Recommended Reading

Aoun, J. (2017). Robot-proof: Higher education in the age of artificial intelligence. Cambridge,
MA: MIT Press.

Bain, K. (2012). What the best college students do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Burnett, B., & Evans, D. (2016). Designing your life: How to build a well-lived, joyful life. New
York: Knopf.

Caligiuri, P. (2013). Cultural agility: Building a pipeline of successful global professionals. New
York: Wiley & Sons.

Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. New York: Scribner.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Balantine Books.

Firestein, S. (2016). Failure: Why science is so successful. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Firestein, S. (2012). Ignorance: How it drives science. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

MacDonald, M. P. (1999). All souls: A family story from Southie. Boston, MA: Beacon Books.

Sandler, M. L. (2012). Becoming a learner: Realizing the opportunity of education. Institute for
Communication and Leadership.

METHOD OF EVALUATION

● Students will receive a letter grade for the course

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 ● Attendance at all sessions is mandatory
● Students are expected to actively and meaningfully participate in all class discussions,
exercises and excursions
● In the event of an illness or emergency, students are expected to notify their instructor
of their absence. Accommodations will be made on a per-case basis.
● Students are expected to submit all written assignments by their assigned due date.
Assignments submitted after the due date will not receive full credit
ASSIGNMENTS

o Educational Vision & Action Plan: (40% of final grade) Due Dec. 4th, 11:59pm

o Module Assignment: (25% of final grade)

Choose one of the Assignment Options for one of the Modules, as described below:
a. Civic Engagement/Social Consciousness & Commitment Due Oct. 13, or
b. Global Mindset and Cultural Agility Due Nov 10, or
c. Research and Creative Endeavors Due Nov. 24

o Attendance (15% of final grade)

o Meaningful Participation and Contributions (20% of final grade)

Final grades will be awarded as follows:

Grade Percentage Grade Percentage

A 95 – 100 C+ 77 - 79.9
A- 90 – 94.9 C 73 – 76.9
B+ 87 – 89.9 C- 70 – 72.9
B 83 – 86.9 F Below 70
B- 80 – 82.9

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

A commitment to the principles of academic integrity is essential to the mission of

Northeastern University. The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that
students derive the most from their educational experiences and their pursuit of knowledge.
Academic dishonesty violates the most fundamental values of a community and undermines
the achievements of the entire University.

As member of the academic community, students must become familiar with their rights and
responsibilities. In each course, they are responsible for knowing the requirements and
restrictions regarding research and writing, examinations of whatever kind, collaborative work,
the use of study aids, the appropriateness of assistance, and other issues. Students are

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responsible for learning the conventions of documentation and acknowledgment of sources in
their fields. Northeastern University expects students to complete all examinations,
tests, papers, creative projects, and assignments of any kind according to the highest ethical
standards, as set forth either explicitly or implicitly in this Code or by the direction of
instructors. Please become familiar with the entire policy on academic integrity and the Code
of Student Conduct which is available online at http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/code-of-
student-conduct/.
Student Accommodations:

Northeastern University and the Disability Resource Center (DRC) are committed to providing
services that enable students who qualify under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the
Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments (ADAAA) to participate fully in the activities of the
University. To receive accommodations through the DRC, students must provide appropriate
documentation that demonstrates a current and sustained limiting disability. The DRC can be
located in 20 Dodge Hall and can provide further information on available services.

Additional information about the DRC can be found at http://www.northeastern.edu/drc/

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