Wright State University Faculty Senate
ad hoc committee for
General Education Core Review
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Fall Ainina (RSCOB)
David Bukovinsky (RSCOB)
Ava Chamberlain (COLA)
Mark Cubberley (LAKE)
Mindy Diesslin (COSM)
Travis Doom (co-Chair, CECS)
Fred Garber (CECS)
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
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Carol Loranger (Chair, NV)
Elizabeth Pulley (CONH)
Kim Ringo (CONH)
Vaughn Shannon (COLA)
Michelle Smith (LAKE)
Amy Wissman (COSM)
CEHS declined participation
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
1
Charge
The General Education Core Review Committee shall:
1. review the Wright State core to ensure the university-wide general
education core learning objectives and university learning
outcomes are consistent with appropriate program accreditation
standards and national and state norms; satisfies the educational
needs of our students and provides our students with the
foundation for productive careers.
2. explore opportunities to differentiate and distinguish Wright State
graduates by providing unique educational experiences and skills
that give our graduates a competitive advantage as they begin
their careers
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Charge delivered Nov 2014
Charge “complete” March 2015
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
2
Executive Summary
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Recommendations in the spirit of continual improvement
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Outcomes of this process include:
– Revised mission statement to clarify the distinctiveness of the
Wright State core
– Revised element learning objectives that focus on assessable
universal requirements for all baccalaureate students
– Revised distribution requirements to allow more elective
flexibility, simplify transfer, and improve the GE experience for a
diverse range of students. IW/MC designations/requirements
incorporated into elements outcomes
– Suggested guidelines for instruction, access, and assessment of
general education courses
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
3
Assessment and Improvement
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Recommendation: The Faculty Senate should affirm that status as a
general education course requires periodic reassessment. The
Faculty Senate should charge UCRC or an appropriate ad hoc body to
work with the Vice President for Curriculum and Instruction or his
proxies to develop and finalize a plan for regular course-level assessment
of general education element learning outcomes by December 2015 so
that proposed Wright Core can be implemented in Fall semester 2016
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
4
Instructional Quality and Access
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Recommendation: The Faculty Senate should affirm the expectation
that every general education course shall be coordinated by a full-time
faculty member (NTE, TET, or faculty senate eligible) who teaches the
course at least once each year.
Recommendation: The Faculty Senate should affirm the expectation
that the ratio of students to faculty and instructional support staff for
general education courses remain at levels that allow faculty and staff to
know, teach, and provide substantive feedback to student learners.
Recommendation: The Faculty Senate should affirm a goal that, every
academic term, the university shall offer a distance or blended-mode
offering of at least one course in each element of the general education
curriculum.
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
5
Mission of the Wright State Core [Proposed]
The Wright State Core builds a foundation for life-long learning that equips
students to act as engaged, conscientious, and educated citizens of a diverse
world.
The Wright State Core is an integrated program of courses that provides
students with the breadth of skills, depth of knowledge, and range of
experience expected of university graduates. A university degree goes beyond
training graduates for a profession; it transforms lives. The Wright State Core
prepares students to live well, to take joy in their cultural heritage, and to give
direction and meaning to their lives.
It fosters the knowledge and skills essential for critical thinking, creative
problem solving, meaningful civic engagement, multicultural understanding,
and appreciation of the arts and sciences. Building on this foundation, Wright
State graduates will be able to synthesize knowledge from multiple disciplines,
to contribute meaningfully to their communities, and to engage effectively
with the increasingly interconnected global and technological environment in
which they live and work.
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
6
University Learning Outcomes [Proposed]
At the end of their Core/general education studies, Wright State graduates
will be able to:
1. communicate effectively in multiple modes
2. demonstrate quantitative literacy
3. articulate, synthesize, and evaluate arguments and evidence using the
methodologies employed by the natural sciences, social sciences, and
the arts and humanities
4. demonstrate understanding of contemporary social and ethical issues
5. demonstrate multicultural literacy within a complex global environment
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
7
General Education Credit Hour Distributions
(Current)
ELEMENTS
COMMUNICATION
REQUIRED DISTRIBUTIONS
HOURS
One first-year composition course
6
One second-year writing course
MATHEMATICS
One course
3
GLOBAL
One interdisciplinary Global Studies course
6
TRADITIONS
One history course
ARTS/HUMANITIES One course
3
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Two courses from different disciplines
6
NATURAL
Two lecture/lab science courses
8
SCIENCE
ADDITIONAL
Two additional approved Wright State Core courses from any of the
6
CORE COURSES
Elements (some programs may designate these courses)
MULTICULTURAL As part of the Core, in addition to the interdisciplinary Global Studies
n/a
COMPETENCE
Course (Element 3), students must take a second designated
multicultural competence class in any Element or as an additional
course.
WRITING ACROSS As part of the Core, students must take two Integrated Writing (IW)
n/a
THE CURRICULUM
Core courses
Wright State University
GE Core Review Committee
Faculty
Senate
T. Doom, co-chair
TOTAL
12 courses
38 8
General Education Credit Hour Distributions
(Proposed)
ELEMENTS
COMMUNICATION
MATHEMATICS
ARTS/HUMANITIES
SOCIAL SCIENCE
NATURAL SCIENCE
GENERAL
EDUCATION
ELECTIVE
TOTAL
REQUIRED DISTRIBUTIONS
Current
One first-year composition course
6
One second-year academic research and
writing course
One quantitative reasoning course
3
One historical perspectives course
9
One additional course
Two courses
6
One laboratory science course
8
One additional science course
One multicultural literacy course
6
Two additional general education electives,
any level/area
12 courses
38
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
Proposed
6
State
3
3
6
3
6
6
7
6
6
9
(12)
37
36
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
9
Multicultural Literacy Requirement
Historical analysis and global perspectives necessary to understand our
diverse world
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Demonstrate an awareness of the diversity of people or traditions in our world in ways that
promote effective engagement, both locally and globally [ML1]
Apply the methods of inquiry of the natural sciences, social sciences, or the arts and
humanities to understand contemporary social or ethical issues related to cultural, economic,
social, sexual, physical, political, or racial diversity [ML2]
Demonstrate skills required to engage in an informed and respectful way with diverse
peoples, cultures, and histories [ML3]
Recommendation: The Faculty Senate should charge an ad hoc
committee to specifically consider and further improve the learning
objectives of the multicultural literacy requirement over the next academic
year. Furthermore, the ad hoc committee recommends that this same body
develop a process to determine which existing MC-tagged courses will
fully satisfy this requirement and the process by which courses will be
approved and assessed as satisfying this requirement in the future.
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
10
Writing/Communication Across the GE CORE
FOR ALL ELEMENTS:
 The writing and communication skills students need to interact
effectively with peers and colleagues, exemplified by the ability to
produce writing or other communication of an appropriate type, quantity,
and level of proficiency for the specific subject, occasion, and audience.
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
11
Mathematics Element
The foundational skills required to use and interpret mathematics and
statistics
 Identify and determine the values of various elements of a mathematical
or statistical model [Math1]
 Apply a mathematical/statistical model to a real-world problem [Math2]
 Interpret and draw conclusions from graphical, tabular, and other
numerical or statistical representations of data [Math3]
CORE DISTRIBUTION
 Course must meet all Math Learning Objectives (Math1-Math3)
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
12
Art/Humanities Element
Perspectives necessary to understand our diverse world through historical analysis, appreciation
of the arts, literature, philosophy, and religious thought
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Critically analyze and respond to significant creative, literary, philosophical, or religious
works [AH1]
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Recognize the complex blend of imaginative vision, socio-cultural context, ethical values,
and aesthetic judgment in creative, philosophical, or religious works [AH2]
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Critically describe some of the political, social or economic systems, historical, cultural or
religious traditions, and/or technological innovations around the world [AH3]
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Apply appropriate methodologies to evaluate political, social, economic, literary,
historical, cultural, religious, ethical, or technological questions [AH4]
CORE DISTRIBUTION
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Arts and Letters Course: Course must meet all Arts/Humanities Learning Objectives (AH1AH4)
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Historical Perspectives Course: Course must meet Learning Objectives AH3 and AH4.
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Note that any selection of two courses from the above two subareas (one from each area)
will guarantee coverage of all Learning Objectives for the Wright State University General
Education Arts/Humanities Element.
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
13
Communications Element
The foundational skills students need in academic discourse, research, and documentation in an
electronic environment
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Adapt rhetorical processes and organize and produce texts to meet the demands of specific
genres, purposes, audiences, and stances [Com1]
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Employ appropriate mechanics, usage, grammar, and spelling conventions [Com2]
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Find, analyze, evaluate, summarize, and synthesize appropriate source material from both
print and electronic environments [Com3]
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Use reliable and varied evidence to support claims, incorporate ideas from sources
appropriately, acknowledge and document the work of others appropriately, and present
focused, logical arguments that support a thesis [Com4]
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Use electronic environments to draft, revise, edit, and share or publish texts [Com5]
CORE DISTRIBUTION
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1st year Composition Course: Course must meet all Communication Learning Objectives
(Com1-Com5)
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2nd year Academic Research and Writing Course: Course must meet all Communication
Learning Objectives (Com1-Com5)
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
14
Social Science Element
Perspectives on human behavior and culture informed by the disciplines of
the social sciences
 Critically apply knowledge of social science theory and methods of
inquiry to personal decisions, current issues, or global concerns [SS1]
 Explain and critique the methods of inquiry of social science disciplines
[SS2]
 Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical issues involved in the
acquisition or application of social science knowledge [SS3]
 Demonstrate, from a social science perspective, an understanding of the
responsibilities of an informed and engaged citizen to participate in
democratic society and the modern world [SS4]
CORE DISTRIBUTION
 Course must meet all Social Science Learning Objectives (SS1-SS4)
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
15
Natural Science Element
Introductions to the scientific understanding of the physical and biological
phenomena
 Critically apply knowledge of scientific theory and methods of inquiry to
evaluate information from a variety of sources [NS1]
 Distinguish between science and technology and recognize their roles in
society [NS2]
 Demonstrate an awareness of theoretical, practical, creative, and cultural
dimensions of scientific inquiry [NS3]
 Discuss fundamental theories underlying modern science [NS4]
CORE DISTRIBUTION
 Course must meet all NS Learning Objectives (NS1-NS4)
Wright State University
Faculty Senate
GE Core Review Committee
T. Doom, co-chair
16