Learning Experience #2

For one of my learning blogs, I planned on reflecting on all of my classes that I am taking this semester to recap what  I have learned, and how what I have learned will apply to the rest of my life.

Accounting:

This is the first class that I have taken that is major specific. This class will prove to be the foundation for the rest of my major, and (as of now) my career. Because it is an introductory class, we are learning the basics of financial and managerial accounting while barely scratching the surface of much of the material. So far, we have learned about financial statements, which provide a snapshot of a company's performance. This is useful for managers because they can decide if they should be more aggressive or conservative financially for the upcoming year, amongst other things. Financial statements are useful for stockholders because they can determine if they want to invest in a company based upon their financial stability. Being able to read and understand these statements is crucial for accounting.

Business Information Systems:

This class has truly opened my eyes to how important technology has become in today's world. We have been introduced to two technologies that businesses use today, SharePoint and Microsoft Access. SharePoint is a Web application platform, and is very important for collaboration. SharePoint allows you to create a website that includes many different features, including discussion boards, surveys, collaborative calendars, shared documents etc. This is important for projects because it allows people to work together via an online source. Microsoft Access is a database program that can present data in a number of different ways through forms, reports, and queries. This is useful for presenting data in customized fashions.

Calculus II:

Most of what I have learned in this class will only be useful if I pursue a mathematics minor. Regardless of that, we have learned how to take integrals of improper functions, and test series for convergence.

Foundation of Business:

From this class, I have learned what the name of the class says, the "Foundations of Business." We have briefly talked about all the different aspects of business, including marketing, production, finance, accounting, human resources etc. We are also running a simulation that allows us to make all key decisions for a company for eight years (or rounds). This shows how all of the different departments of a business are ultimately connected by their impact on the financial statements. For example, if we increase the automation level for our production, our labor cost will decrease, meaning that our profits will increase. This class has been informative because it has opened my eyes to all the different parts of a business that I wouldn't ordinarily think about, as well as the relationships between the departments.

Lit and Civ II:

Last but not least, I have learned a lot from our Lit and Civ II class. Our discussions about humor have made me consider the source of my laughter nearly every time I laugh. It has introduced me to new definitions, such as cognitive shift, that help me understand humor more. Our books have introduced new topics and theories to me, while typically making me chuckle. These lessons have made me think more, and seemingly legitimatize what I laugh at.