An Ideal of Higher Education	A general outline of a four-year program of problem-based and systems science informed education (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem-based_learning and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_science). This education would prepare students for many different careers while still strengthening their critical thinking and communications/math skills.
	All students complete the first year as a large cohort. During that time they can get to know others in their class and form ideas about what areas of knowledge they would like to pursue. They will all share the same basic knowledge in communications skills, systems thinking, and mathematics.
	In the first quarter of year 2 they will start to form smaller cohorts based on their developing interests. They will still share a common set of educational experiences as above, but by the third quarter they will be expected to have identified the major area they wish to pursue over the next two years.
	The summer before year 1 is spent in a college preparatory course (bridge from high school to college). The summer before year 2 is spent in a foreign country studying the culture and immersed in the language. Before year 3 students will live in a rural community and learn some very practical skills in permaculture. Then, before year 4 they will live in an urban setting studying the culture (especially in contrast to the rural). In all summer courses, the students write reports describing their experiences, what they liked, didn't like and what challenges they thought those ways of life brought for the residents.
	In year 3 the students form smaller cohorts/problem groups and select a major area of knowledge. They work with their cohort to focus in on a single problem domain within the knowledge area. For example, students in the natural sciences can select from problems centered around biology, ecology, chemistry, etc. There should be a large number of problem foci that will allow cohorts to form around areas that constitute their desired specialization.
	The problems should be chosen so that they are complex enough to include facets from the other knowledge domains and not just be about a specific specialization. For example a technical problem, the solution to which might rely heavily on computer science, would, nonetheless include social and natural world components. For example the students might be posed a problem in building a computer model of a specific sustainability issue that would require they understand the social and environmental aspects of the problem.
	Problems are presented as challenges to the students. They are challenged to not only solve the problem but to discover what knowledge they need to acquire in order to do so. They can rely on the teachers as guides, mentors, and coaches who will facilitate their acquisition (for example, helping students find a specific form of an integral they might need).  The teachers are always monitoring progress and ready to intervene in the event a group goes off course. All problems are sufficiently complex that they are interesting. They are all real world. And they will require multi-disciplinary approaches to solving.
Year	Summer	Q 1	Q 2	Q 3
1	College prep.	Comm.1 - Literature and Critique writing	Comm.2 - Historical/ Biographical Texts and essays	Comm.3 - Oral communications; listening and speaking
		Introduction to Systems Thinking	Qualitative systems analysis; intro to critical thinking	Modeling systems and computer skills development
		Math 1 - Algebra and the Story of Mathematics	Math 2 - Intermediate Algebra; Readings in Mathematics	Math 3 - Adv. Algebra and Trig
2	Study Abroad - language emersion	Comm.4a - Readings in Science; analytical writing	Comm.5a - Readings in the Humanities (to include music and art appreciation); critical and analytical writing	Comm.6 - Essay writing -- What area of knowledge I want to pursue and why
		Comm.4b - Readings in Social Sciences; analytical writing	Comm.5b - Readings in student chosen texts; analytical and critical writing	Advanced Systems Science Topics with technical writing
		Language Arts 1 (in chosen foreign language)	Language Arts 2 (in chosen foreign language)	Language Arts 3 (in chosen language) - written essay on student selected subject
		Math 4 - Calculus I	Math 5 - Calculus 2	The application of mathematics in the real world - Introduction to Problem-based Learning
3	Rural Living and working in a Permaculture Academy	Prob. 1a - Problems in the Humanities	Prob. 2a - Analyzing the Problem	Prob. 3a - Modeling and Characterizing the Problem; Writing reports
		Prob. 1b - Problems in the Social Sciences	Prob. 2b - Analyzing the Problem	Prob. 3b - Modeling and Characterizing the Problem; Writing reports
		Prob. 1c - Problems in Technical Areas (engineering, business, and IT)	Prob. 2c - Analyzing the Problem	Prob. 3c - Modeling and Characterizing the Problem; Writing reports
		Prob. 1d - Problems in the Natural Sciences	Prob. 2d - Analyzing the Problem	Prob. 3d - Modeling and Characterizing the Problem; Writing reports
4	Urban Living and working in an urban center	Prob. 4a - Proposing and Designing a Solution	Prob. 5a - Implementation	Prob. 6a - Testing, Evaluation, and Reporting Results
		Prob. 4b - Proposing and Designing a Solution	Prob. 5b - Implementation	Prob. 6b - Testing, Evaluation, and Reporting Results
		Prob. 4c - Proposing and Designing a Solution	Prob. 5c - Implementation	Prob. 6c - Testing, Evaluation, and Reporting Results
		Prob. 4d - Proposing and Designing a Solution	Prob. 5d - Implementation	Prob. 6d - Testing, Evaluation, and Reporting Results