Core Curriculum Review Committee
Monday, December 6, 2004 2-4 PM AMU 254
Approved Minutes
Members Present: Drs. Eckman, Hathaway, Vater, Laatsch, Hay, Griffin, Steinmetz,
Snow. Ramey, Rev. Laurance, SJ.
Members Excused: Drs. Block, Quade, Deahl, Ropella, Lueger, Ksobiech, Moyer; Mr.
Lowrey, Ms. Russell. Also excused: Dr. Bloom.
The meeting was called to order at 2:05 P.M.
1.
Fr. Laurance offered the opening prayer.
2.
Dr. Snow welcomed Dr. Sandra Ramey of the College of Nursing to the
CCRC. Dr. Ramey will replace Dr. Janet Krejci.
3.
Dr. Snow asked for changes to the minutes of 11.19.04. Dr. Hathaway asked that her name be included in the list of those excused. Dr. Snow agreed. Dr.
Laatsch moved to approve the amended minutes; Dr. Hay seconded. The minutes as amended were unanimously approved by those present.
4.
Dr. Snow reported that Dr. Bloom had agreed to give her power point presentation on assessment at a meeting of the CCRC next semester.
5.
Dr. Snow presented those in attendance with a list of questions for faculty focus groups. The questions were intended to start the discussion. The outcome of that discussion is summarized as follows:
1. Faculty focus groups in each of the nine knowledge areas will be held during the first week of February from 3-5 PM. We hope to reserve the lower level of the Raynor Library or a similar workspace for these meetings.
2. CCRC members will facilitate these focus groups. The goal is to elicit usable information on two questions:
1. Identify the 3 to 5 most important, assessable learning objectives for the BLANK knowledge area. (Facilitators should begin by encouraging focus group faculty to cull these objectives from the learning objectives currently in use in each knowledge area, but should be prepared to elicit new objectives should faculty object to using the ones currently in place.)
2. Articulate one central course-specific learning objective that you (Core teaching faculty) would be willing to assess. I.e., what one central
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assessable objective do you want your students to achieve by the end of your course?
3. All regular faculty, visiting professors, and adjuncts who regularly teach core courses will be invited to participate in these groups. Participants will be given the questions in advance, as well as the templates for the relevant knowledge areas, and copies of the Preamble to help them identify shared objectives. They will be asked to bring this material as well as their syllabi to the sessions.
4. Faculty will be urged to participate in this constructive process of revising the
Core. Their input is crucial.
5. CCRC facilitators are advised to steer the discussion away from venting and negativity in order to obtain constructive input.
CCRC members also agreed that Dr. Hathaway should begin a discussion of the Diverse
Cultures knowledge area at the Conversations on Learning event, to be held conjointly by the Helen Klingler Way College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Communication.
Major points of that discussion should then be brought to the faculty focus group. CCRC members further decided that now is not the time to solicit faculty input on simplifying the Core course approval process. Instead, it is vital to focus on revising the knowledge area learning objectives. If those are simplified, that will give some direction for simplifying the present template and thus, the course approval process.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Nancy E. Snow, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Director of Core Curriculum
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