Notes from Faculty Forum Session on “Help Design Architecture for the New SCSU
General Education Program” on April 4, 2007
Six designs (entire or partial) were shared and discussed at this session (see Note below).
While there was some overlap, there was recognition that some were similar in format
and others ranged from simple tinkering to total revamping. Following is a summary of
discussion points.
There are courses in the major that satisfy General Education at present, and we should
continue with this practice.
Concern was raised about teaching critical thinking outside of the content area/discipline.
Is it possible for this course to be taught elsewhere than in one core course offering?
Departments are already teaching oral and written communication.
Students, however, are terrified of writing even at the 1xx level.
Seminars should be allowed in General Education. This would be an excellent place to
meet the Integrative Learning goal.
Any goal should ideally be taught at various levels: introductory, intermediate, high.
Concern was raised about teaching basic core courses out of the content area/discipline.
General Education needs to consider ways to keep students interested and engaged.
An idea was proposed to arrange cohorts of students for General Education with
multidisciplinary courses (e.g., History, Science, etc.). This is not the same as FYE.
While some students don’t have a sense of major when they enroll, others do. This could
meet the needs of those students.
Information Literacy is important at an introductory level, but it is also important when
students move further along with their programs. This could fit well with a
cohort/multidisciplinary approach.
Alcohol, health issues need to be addressed. This belongs in General Education because
of impact on students and student learning.
Have we considered flagging courses that meet particular goal areas (noted Milwaukee
model).
Possibility of offering courses with split credits (e.g., a 3-credit course might offer 2
credits in one goal area, 1 credit in another).
Note: This message was sent to SCSU Faculty on 3-2-2007.
Architectural Plans for Gen Ed--Get Creative!
At a recent General Education Committee meeting, one of our members suggested that as
we continue developing a new General Education Program, we might consider
envisioning architecture as opposed to structure. The metaphor of us joining together as
architects is a beautiful one as it encourages us to thoughtfully consider the totality of
what we build—not just our own rooms or facades, not just our own contexts but also the
education space of others in our campus community.
With that in mind, we invite our SCSU colleagues to become architects. The GEC will
offer a Faculty Forum session in which individuals or groups can come together to offer
architectural plans for General Education based on proposed goal areas. Your input will
help us as we continue with our final designs. The challenge: Can we build an edifice
that allows us not to sacrifice valued goal areas? Can we develop a plan that meets the
specifications suggested in the definition of architecture below?
We invite you as individuals or groups to send us your architectural plans for a new
General Education Program. If we have these in hard copy by April 1st, we will be able
to share and discuss these ideas at a Faculty Forum session on April 4th (given the fact
that our proposal is accepted, which I believe will happen). The attached material gives
you some items to consider in your designs. Let’s work within some sensible
parameters, but let’s dare to dream. We can be proud of what we build.
Email your plans to jlitterst@stcloudstate.edu by April 1, 2007. We look forward to
hearing from you.
Architecture: Art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the
skills associated with construction. The practice of architecture emphasizes spatial
relationships, orientation, the support of activities to be carried out within a designed
environment, and the arrangement and visual rhythm of structural elements, as opposed
to the design of structural systems themselves. Appropriateness, uniqueness, a sensitive
and innovative response to functional requirements, and a sense of place within its
surrounding physical and social context distinguish a built environment as representative
of a culture's architecture.
(From the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia)
This message was accompanied by the following Design Considerations attachment:
Design Considerations
Check your knowledge of General Education:
How does SCSU compare to sister state institutions in terms of size of program?
We actually have one of the smallest General Education programs at 40 credits. Check
out programs at Bemidji State University (42), Southwest Minnesota State University
(44), Minnesota State University-Mankato (44), Minnesota State University-Moorhead
(45), Winona State University (46), and Metropolitan State University (48).
As far as the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum is concerned, could a course
potentially meet more than one goal?
Yes. See the MnTC website and their sample curriculum. It has been the practice at
SCSU to allow courses to meet more than one goal, as long as the requirement of 40
credits of General Education is met.
Are there creative ways to allow goals to be met in major programs?
Check out a possible (0-3 cr.) structure at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Does the GEC want to eliminate the Left-side/Right-side designation of the current
program?
A resounding “YES!” See some of the other areas of agreement and points still under
discussion on our website.
Is there any reason why we should stick with a five-course limit to the number of
General Education courses a department could offer?
We are open to reconsidering this limit.
What goal areas and student learning outcomes (SLOs) are currently under
consideration?
See our website for information on draft goals and SLOs.
What have colleagues offered us as feedback?
We do take your feedback seriously!