Ways of Knowing

Accessing the articles

The Ways of Knowing articles are available to you online through the JMU Libraries Web site. That’s right, there’s no book to lose on vacation or loose papers to fly away in the summer breeze. As long as you have an internet connection, you can read the Ways of Knowing articles when and wherever you'd like whether it be on vacation or while you’re backpacking through another country! However, if you feel the need to have a printed document, you will be able to download the PDF files from the Libraries site. Take notes. Ponder the questions we've proposed, and develop a few challenging questions of your own that you could ask of your peers and facilitator.  After all, intentionally exploring how you know what you know will provide a great foundation for your academic experience.


JMU Faculty members have selected four articles for you to read. Remember, these articles are required reading for all incoming first year students! When you click on the link below you will need to enter your JMU e-ID and password to access the articles.

Click here to access Ways of Knowing articles.


 

Questions to ponder

  • Is ignorance ever bliss?  Can you think of a time when what you didn’t know held you back or caused problems for you?  What happens when a group is collectively unaware of its own knowledge deficiencies?  Can that happen?
  • What does it mean to be an expert?  How does someone achieve expertise or mastery?  Is developing mastery of a subject or expertise of a skill important?  Why or why not?
  • You’ve clearly proven yourself to be a successful high school student.  Does that success guarantee your success at JMU?  What might you have to do to be successful asa first year university student that might be different than being a successful high school senior?  How would you define a successful first semester at JMU?
  • What role do ethics play in the life of a new university student?  What role do ethics play at a university and specifically, at JMU?  What role do ethics play in learning and in a community of learners?
  • Think about a time when you encountered someone who held a completely different perspective than you on a subject, situation, topic.  How did you handle that?  Did this situation frustrate or challenge you?  Has encountering difference of opinion or perspective ever informed or changed how you saw something?
 

Click here to access Ways of Knowing articles.

Mission Statement

Orientation engages students in the JMU learning experience by preparing them to be active and authentic members of the university community.

Preface Logo

August 23, 2012, 9:45am-11:15am

Be a PREFACE Faculty Member!
Click here to sign up!