Center for University Studies and Programs
(CUSP)
Discovery Core Faculty Requirements (2012-2013)
As CUSP takes its next step of development, it is essential that Discovery Core Faculty become
more consistent with some aspects of the curriculum across sections and across the span of
the year. We also want to provide an invigorating learning context for the faculty and to
increase opportunities for professional development.
1.
Be in all of the classes as a team. This is a joint, not sequential, team-teaching model. It requires
consistent collaboration, revision, and synergy-building. I will ask that you give me regular updates
on the progress of the course planning and implementation. (I am always happy to consult on any
aspect of the process.)
2.
Use the CUSP Syllabus Template to construct your course. This will include the CUSP Learning
Goals, a course description, Course Learning Outcomes, Means of Assessment, and information
about student services.
3.
Intentionally incorporate the CUSP Learning Goals into your class, both as a way to connect across
the year and as a way to prepare students for the Portfolio in the spring DC III. This will entail
designing assignments and assessment activities around at least two of these goals.
4.
Ask students to write at least 2 short reflective essays around the CUSP Learning Goals in order to
begin gathering archival materials for their DC III Portfolio.
5.
Collaborate with your DC librarians as you design the course and the assignments that will work in
conjunction with the sequences of Learning Outcomes included below (see the attached
sequencing chart). To identify your librarian, contact Leslie Bussert, Head of Instruction at
lbussert@uwb.edu or visit http://library.uwb.edu/selectors.html
6.
Work with students to understand the language of “interdisciplinarity,”“engaged and integrated
learning.” Good information on these terms is available in the CUSP Resources for Faculty shared
file, as well as at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (http://www.aacu.org/), the
National Resource Center for the First Year Experience (http://www.sc.edu/fye/), and the
Washington Center (http://www.evergreen.edu/washcenter/home.asp).
7.
Actively engage your students with the Writing and Communication Center, the Quantitative Skills
Center, and the Library.
8.
Attend the CUSP Faculty Development meetings. We will schedule one per month and work
together on issues such as active teaching pedagogies, interdisciplinarity, assessment, assignments,
syllabus construction, the creation of new institutional structures, and enjoying each other’s
company. This will also lead to a “certificate of participation” and we are seeking funds to support
conference participation and research writing projects.
9.
When feasible, schedule student exhibits and public presentations at the end of the quarter. Space
constraints make it important that you schedule early.
Other reminders:

Work with Learning Technologies (Andreas Brockhaus) when designing courses and assignments
that include online learning, multimedia projects, and other technology-related student work.

Consult with the IT Helpdesk ahead of time if assignments require use of circulating technology
equipment such as cameras or microphones or any of the video editing equipment.

Don’t hesitate to ask the Director, the CUSP staff and colleagues for clarification, support, and
assistance when you need it.
Discovery Core Sequencing
These provide consistency and developmental progress across the entire first year.
DC I
DC II
DC III
CUSP Learning
Goals
Introduce the Goals;
focus on two; teach the
connections; ask
students to write at
least two brief reflective
essays on the Goal.
Point toward the
Portfolio construction in
the spring.
Focus on two per
class, reinforce the
rest. Use as basis for
questions: what for?
Teach the
connections. Point
toward the
Portfolio.
Use for reflection and portfolio.
Make more explicit connections
between goals and student’s
own experience. Suggestions
for revision. Teach the
connections.
Writing
Introduction to
academic discourse;
Explore differences and
similarities among
genres of popular and
scholarly discourse in
various disciplines;
Produce at least one
(revised) piece of
writing in an academic
genre. Begin to link
critical reading with
writing skills.
Read & critically
analyze various
forms of scholarly
writing;
Begin to explore and
produce academic
research; Develop
research questions
based on reading of
scholarly sources;
Produce at least one
(revised) researched
academic text; Begin
to critically analyze
digital texts
Reflect on progress made as a
writer in portfolio. Revise a
piece of writing from a previous
quarter; continue to develop a
sense of one’s own voice, how
it relates to genre and
discourse.
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DC I
Quantitative
Literacy
DC II
DC III
Students read,
discuss/analyze at least
one article which makes
an argument using
numbers, graphs, tables,
etc.
Students generate
their own graphs
and or tables using
relevant data use
these to find
patterns
Students use numbers, graphs,
tables etc. to make a decision
around an issue and/or an
argument.
Information
Literacy
Introduction to Library
services and policies;
Introduce and practice
basic database and web
searching; Explore
specialized subject
encyclopedias; Read and
interpret a variety of
types of sources, such as
newspapers, magazines,
websites, scholarly
articles and books
DCIII Information Literacy:
Reflect critically and creatively
on experiences using library
resources, developing research
skills (e.g. evaluating sources,
finding scholarly sources, citing
sources, etc.), and ability to
propose and follow through
with research questions.
Portfolio
Construction
Introduction; archiving;
short self-reflections.
Academic Integrity
Introduce and teach the
principles of the
university discourse
community. Why does
plagiarism matter in
such a community? How
does it relate to a
popular mediatized
culture?
Read and interpret a
variety of types of
sources, such as
newspapers, magazines,
websites, scholarly
articles, and books.
Read and interpret a
variety of types of
sources, such as
newspapers,
magazines,
websites, scholarly
articles and books.
Guided research
activity: find and
close read a
scholarly source;
Reinforce database
and web search
skills; Close read a
bibliography and use
to find additional
sources; Use texts to
generate research
questions
Reinforce. Archiving
material for
portfolio. Selfreflection and metacognition practice.
Reinforce. Teach the
principles of this
discourse
community, again.
Examine popular
culture, sampling,
remixing, and the
discourse of
scholarship.
Deepening the
reading experience.
Practice analysis;
marginal notations;
modeling different
disciplines.
Critical Reading
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*For definitions and examples of
quantitative literacy, visit:
http://maa.org/ql/00122.pdf
Create portfolio, organized
around the CUSP Learning
Goals, as both a summative and
projective document.
Reinforce, expand to a
discussion of the portfolio, how
to appropriately incorporate
other voices, texts, video,
sound.
Practicing self-initiated readings
of research; connections with a
body of scholarly texts.
DC I
College Skills
Strategies for notetaking and time
management. Linking
work life to longer term
plans.
DC II
Reinforce and
practice. Research;
networking in the
community. Peer
review. Thinking
about majors.
Rev: 9-18-2012 rc
Page 4 of 4
DC III
Majors, links with coursework,
consider summer internships.
Study Abroad options