What is the End Game?
Compass Engaging from the Start
Conference
February 13-14, 2012
CSU, Los Angeles
John Tarjan
Presentation Overview
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Why Fund Experimentation in GE?
My Perspective on Compass
Important Questions
For Instance?
Request
Why Fund Experimentation in GE?
• Do Good Things for Your Students
• Basic Research
• Applied Research
My Perspective
• Compass’ Value Lies in Being Able to Inform
Intersegmental Policy (Title 5/EO 1065) to Impact All
Students
• Constraints/Challenges
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112 x 23
Legislative/Board Mania for Efficiency
New Learners
Continued Funding Challenges
Inertia
• Change Needs to Be Both Discrete and Clearly
Communicated
Important Questions
• What, if any, specific student learning outcomes (SLOs)
should be formally incorporated into Area Breadth?
• Is it feasible to incorporate SLOs in a curriculum that
needs to support smooth transfer and reciprocity?
• Question related to the first—is 39+9 the way to go or
could we require a combination of units in GE and
demonstrated learning outcomes (via e-portfolios,
examination, projects, presentations, etc.).
Questions to Be Answered (cont)
• Which, if any, high impact practices (HIPs)
should be formally incorporated into Area
Breadth?
• Is it feasible to incorporate HIPs in a curriculum
that needs to support smooth transfer and
reciprocity?
For Instance? Outcomes
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Knowledge
Skills
Understanding
Experiences
Knowledge
• List the disciplines within the social/behavior sciences
and explain their particular methodologies for discovering
new knowledge and their main areas of focus.
• Explain the scientific method and the assumptions
underlying it and propose the null and alternate
hypotheses for the following three research questions.
• Describe the following forms of literature and explain why
each may be most appropriate for a particular type of
expression.
Skills
• Explain the information contained in a graph, pie
chart and table.
• Design a research study to answer the following
question.
• Deliver an effective persuasive speech with the
following requirements.
Understanding
• Provide examples of the contributions that the following
disciplines can make in addressing the issue of
sustainability.
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Political science
Sociology
Chemistry
Biology
Economics
Philosophy
• Identify all of the logical fallacies in this essay and provide
alternative arguments.
• Explain how art has contributed to social change in at
least three different societies.
Experiences
• Participate in a group project that answers a
research question and presents the results to an
audience of peers.
• Complete a service learning project.
• Read literature from at least two cultures very
different from your own that provide an insight
into the perspectives of the individuals in those
cultures.
For Instance? HIPs
• Complete a service learning project utilizing knowledge
and techniques learned in a GE course or an approved
internship including a final report or an undergraduate
research project.
• Complete a first year experience in which you
• Develop a graduation plan.
• Interview a faculty member in your intended major
and provide an oral report back to the class.
• Write a review of an on-campus activity.
• Complete at least three collaborative assignments or
projects or participate in a learning community.
Request to You
• Plan to give a report to the GE Advisory Committee in
November 2013
• What outcomes, if any, should we require of all students?
• Number of associated outcomes
• Level of proficiency
• What problems are associated with requiring these
outcomes?
• Disruption of current course patterns/offerings
• Demonstrating completion
• Providing “credit” for completion
• What strategies/policies can overcome these problems?
Request (cont)
• Plan to give a report to the GE Advisory Committee in
November 2013
• What HIPs, if any, should we require of all students?
• Options?
• Specific requirements
• What problems are associated with requiring these HIPs?
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Cost
Finding faculty
Accommodation for student circumstances
Providing “credit” for completion
• What strategies/policies can overcome these problems?
Comments/Questions?
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