California Community College – General Education
For California community colleges, the development of a local general education (GE) package is a
collaborative effort of faculty within many different disciplines. Agreement on the GE package means that
colleges have determined what they value and expect students to learn and experience as part of degree
attainment at the college. Some of the factors to consider when developing a local GE package are:
 Title 5 Requirements for GE (see section 55063 for details, especially section “b”)
 Accreditation Standards Requirements
 Student Learning Outcomes for General Education or Institutional Student Learning Outcomes
 Local Community Needs
 Possible Alignment with IGETC or CSU Breadth GE packages
 Local Definitions of the GE Areas as well as Locally Determined Criteria for a Course to be
Included in a Given GE Area
State Senate Accreditation Institute Powerpoint (2012):
From Citrus Community College:
GE Assessment Assumption: If course outcomes are the foundation, and courses are
assigned to a GE area, then GE assessment can be concluded from course assessment –
General Education Categories – Example from Citrus College
A. Natural sciences
B. Social and behavioral sciences
C. Arts and humanities
D. Language and rationality
Core Competencies – each GE course mapped to one or more of the core competencies
CM - Communication
CP - Computation
CR - Creative, critical, analytical thinking
CG - Community/global consciousness
TE - Technology
DS - Discipline, subject area
Cuesta College GE SLOs (presented at 2012 Accreditation Institute)
Upon completion of the general education course pattern, in addition to the areaspecific outcomes, students should be able to:
 identify, explain, and analyze the core concepts and methods of the
 major discipline in which the course is included;
 identify, explain, and analyze the influences and contributions of the
specific discipline to other disciplines, cultures, human history, and
our quest to understand the universe;
 organize, integrate, and critically analyze information within the
course, using these skills to generate and evaluate alternative
perspectives; and
 prepare students to live enriched lives in our multicultural society.
GE Area SLOs
Area B: Social and Behavioral Studies
After successfully completing courses in this category, students will:
 understand the theories and be able to employ and evaluate the
methods of social science inquiry;
 be able to analyze and critically assess ideas about the individual,
social groups, institutions and society, as well as their
interrelationships, structure and function;
 be able to use this knowledge to develop a capacity for selfunderstanding and to understand contemporary issues, conflicts,
problems and their origins.
Solano Community College (presented at 2012 Accreditation Institute)
Core Competencies are GE and Institutional Outcomes:
• Communication,
• Critical Thinking,
• Global Awareness,
• Personal Responsibility and Professional Development
Sub-categories are connected to all courses, services, and when appropriate nonacademic areas.
All courses are coded to the Core Competencies and to Program Outcomes
All services are coded to the Institutional Support Core and, where appropriate,
Core Competencies
The Foothill College general education pattern is designed to ensure that students meet the four
Institutional/General Education Student Learning Outcomes.
If you are teaching General Education courses in any subject, we are also required to
carry out General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs). This is easy to do as you will
simply reflect within your CL-SLO reflections how your course outcomes are related to
the GE outcomes.
1. Communication:
Demonstrate analytical reading and writing skills including evaluation, synthesis,
and research; deliver focused and coherent presentations; demonstrate active,
discerning listening and speaking skills in lectures and discussions.
2. Computation
Complex problem-solving skills, technology skills, computer proficiency,
decision analysis (synthesis and evaluation), apply mathematical concepts and
reasoning, and ability to analyze and use numerical data.
3. Creative, Critical, and Analytical Thinking
Judgment and decision making, intellectual curiosity, problem solving through
analysis, synthesis and evaluation, creativity, aesthetic awareness, research
method, identifying and responding to a variety of learning styles and strategies.
4. Community/Global Consciousness and Responsibility
Social perceptiveness, including respect, empathy, cultural awareness, and
sensitivity, citizenship, ethics, interpersonal skills and personal integrity,
community service, self-esteem, interest in and pursuit of lifelong learning.
Example of how areas are evaluated:
Courses meeting the General Education Requirement in Social and Behavior Sciences must include all of
the following student learning outcomes:
S1. Explain the interactions of people as members of societies, cultures and social subgroups;
S2. Exercise critical thinking and analytical oral and/or written skills including consideration of events and
ideas from multiple perspectives;
S3. Demonstrate knowledge and application of the scientific method in conducting research and in other
methods of inquiry relative to the discipline.
For Humanities: In addition, courses must identify how they will help students achieve at least two of the
following learning outcomes:
H6. understanding of the ambiguities, vagaries, and value inherent in human language;
H7. appreciation of nonverbal communication to be found in the visual and performing arts;
H8. recognition of the variety of valid interpretations of artistic expression;
H9. appreciation of our common humanity within the context of diverse cultures;
H10. thinking critically, including the ability to find, recognize, analyze, evaluate, and communicate ideas,
information, and opinions as they relate to the products of human intellect and imagination.
College of Marin GE Outcomes (Appear to be evaluated by area, rather than all classes):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Written, Oral and Visual communication
Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning
Critical Thinking
Problem Solving
Information Literacy
Los Rios Community College District (Cosumnes River College):
GENERAL EDUCATION
Upon completion of the general education curriculum at Cosumnes River College the student will have
achieved proficiency in all of the following general skills.
Critical Thinking:
1. Students will identify important questions and points, distinguish interpretations and opinions
from more factual information, and construct an accurate interpretation of the viewpoints and
reasoning of a written or spoken text
2. Students will present information in an organized manner.
3. Students will evaluate information or data for quality, validity and bias to determine if it is
objective and reliable.
Information Acquisition and Analysis:
1. Students will access, synthesize and evaluate information using a variety of print and electronic
sources including computer networks.
2. Students will utilize technological resources in order to explore and express information.
3. Students will determine the extent of information needed, evaluate the information and its sources
critically, and ethically and legally apply gathered information to personal and community issues.
Ethical Capacities:
1. Students will apply ethical reasoning skills within the various GE areas and work toward a
personal resolution of ethical issues.
2. Students will show an appreciation of ethical principles as applied to personal and civic choices.
3. Students will realize and apply the responsibility to use knowledge wisely.
4. Students will assume civic, political, and social responsibilities locally, nationally and
internationally.
College-wide and GE outcomes are assessed on a six-year cycle. The College-wide/GE
assessment cycle is in Appendix I
How are College-wide and GE Outcomes being assessed?
College-wide outcomes are being assessed by student perception surveys administered in
a sample of courses, by course assessments and program outcomes assessment from
relevant courses and programs. GE outcomes are being assessed by student-perception
surveys and by course assessments from a sample of courses in each GE area.