CORE CURRICULUM FACULTY
MEETING
August 11, 2009
1:30-3:00 p.m.
Cypress Room, University Center
Trends and Emerging Practices in
General Education
Based on a Survey among Members of
the Association of American Colleges and Universities
Conducted by Hart Research Associates
May 2009
– The second of two reports summarizing findings from a survey conducted
in late 2008 and early 2009 of chief academic officers at AAC&U member
institutions.
For other survey reports, see www.aacu.org
Hart Research Associates
1724 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Executive Summary Of Key Findings
78% of AAC&U member institutions have a common set of intended learning
outcomes for all undergraduate students. The skills most widely addressed
are:
• Writing
• critical thinking
• quantitative reasoning
• oral communication skills
The knowledge areas most often incorporated are:
• Humanities
• Sciences
• Social Sciences
• Global Cultures
• Mathematics
Executive Summary of Key Findings
56% of administrators say general education has
increased as a priority for their institution.
Executive Summary of Key Findings
89% of institutions are in some stage of
assessing or modifying their general education
program:
» formally reviewing their program (19%),
» discussing proposals for change (22%),
» implementing changes adopted in the past five years
(18%), and
» conducting assessments of learning outcomes in
general education (30%).
Executive Summary Of Key Findings
Institutions placing a higher priority on
general education today compared with five
years ago are placing more emphasis on many
engaged learning practices:
• undergraduate research
• first year experiences
• service learning
• internships
Trends & Emerging Practices at VSU
78% of AAC&U member institutions say they
have a common set of intended learning
outcomes for all their undergraduate
students.
VSU’S Eight General Education Outcomes:
1. Students will demonstrate understanding of the society of the United States and
its ideals
2. Students will demonstrate cross-cultural perspectives and knowledge of other
societies.
3. Students will use computer and information technology when appropriate
4. Students will express themselves clearly, logically. and precisely in writing and in
speaking, and they will demonstrate competence in reading and listening
5. Students will demonstrate knowledge of scientific and mathematical principles
and proficiency in laboratory practices.
6. Students will demonstrate knowledge of diverse cultural heritages in the arts, the
humanities, and the social sciences.
7. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze, to evaluate, and to make
inferences from oral, written. and visual materials
8. Students will demonstrate knowledge of principles of ethics and their employment
in the analysis and resolution of moral problems
56% of administrators say general education has increased as
a priority for their institution.
In July 2008, VSU formed the General Education Council to address
issues central to the Valdosta State University's General Education
Curriculum:
– Overseeing and maintaining the integrity of VSU's core curriculum;
– Promoting the importance and quality of core curriculum courses in VSU's
colleges and departments;
– Providing guidelines, assistance, and review to departments proposing
new courses in the core curriculum;
– Establishing and reviewing policies related to the transfer of core
curriculum courses;
– Collecting, examining, and reporting on current assessment data on the
core curriculum, in particular looking at how well student learning
outcomes for the core curriculum are currently being met; and
– Developing and implementing an assessment plan specific to the core
curriculum.
89% of institutions are in some stage of assessing or
modifying their general education program
Benchmark Statements w/Assigned Courses
1-Students will demonstrate understanding of the society of the United States and its ideals.
1a-understand the society of the United States
1b-understand the ideals of the United States
1c-understand the connections between the individual and society in the United
States
POLS 1101
1d-understand the roles of social institutions in the United States
1e-understand the structure and operational principles of the United States
government
1f-understand the structure and operational principles of the United States
economic system
1g-understand the history of the United States
1h-understand the past and present role of the United States in the world
POLS 1101
2-Students will demonstrate cross-cultural perspectives and knowledge of other societies
2a-understand another culture’s language
SPAN 1002
2b-understand another culture’s social and religious customs
ART 1100
SPAN 1002
REL 2020
2c-understand another culture’s aesthetic expression
ART 1100
2d-understand another culture’s (nation’s? continent’s?) geography
SPAN 1002
2e-understand another culture’s intellectual and political history
ART 1100
2f-be able to interact with individuals from another culture from an informed
perspective
2g-able to examine critically the culture of their own nation
2h-able to participate in global society
2i-possess an international viewpoint
3-Students will use computer and information technology when appropriate
3a-understand computer concepts and terminology
3b-possess a basic working knowledge of a computer operating system
3c-be able to use at least two software tools
ENGL 1102
3d-be able to find information using computer searching tools
BIOL1020L
4-Students will express themselves clearly, logically, and precisely in writing and in speaking,
and they will demonstrate competence in reading and listening
4a-be able to write coherently in Standard English
4b-be able to speak well
COMM 1100
ENGL 1102
COMM 1100
4d-be able to interpret (accurately paraphrase? restate?) the content of written ENGL 1102
materials in various disciplines
COMM 1100
4c-be able to read and understand written materials in various disciplines
4e-be able to listen effectively
4f-be able to understand different modes of communication
5-Students will demonstrate knowledge of scientific and mathematical principles and
proficiency in laboratory practices
5a-understand the basic concepts and principles underlying scientific
PSYC 2500
methodology
BIOL 1010
5b-understand a body of scientific knowledge
BIOL 1030
5c- be able to collect, analyze, and interpret data
PSYC 2500
BIOL 1040L
5d-be able to judge the merits of arguments about scientific issues
BIOL 1010
5e-be able to perform basic algebraic manipulations
MATH 1111
5f-be able to use fundamental algebraic concepts to solve word problems and
equations
MATH 1111
5g-be able to use basic knowledge of statistics to interpret and to analyze data
5h-be able to evaluate arguments based on quantitative data
6-Students will demonstrate knowledge of diverse cultural heritages in the arts, the humanities,
and the social sciences
6a-understand the relationships among the visual and performing arts, literature and
languages, and history and the social sciences
6b-understand works of world literature within their historical and cultural frameworks
6c-understand modern issues within a historical context
6d-understand the role of the individual in various forms of societies and governments
6e-be able to use (critical) approaches appropriate to the study of those disciplines
6f-be able to identify and respond to a variety of aesthetic experiences
6g-be able to engage in critical thinking about diverse issues
6h-be able to identify the components of and respond to aesthetic experiences in the visual
and performing arts
THEA 1100
MUSC 1100
MUSC 1100
7-Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze, to evaluate, and to make inferences from
oral, written, and visual materials
7a-be able to acquire information needed to solve a specific problem
7b-be able to evaluate information relevant to problems
7c-be able to analyze arguments critically
7d-be able to synthesize facts and information
7e-be able to offer logical arguments
7f-be able to develop creative solutions to problems
MATH 1111
MATH 1111
PSYC 2500
COMM 1100
PSYC 2500
MATH 1111
COMM 1100
COMM 1100
8-Students will demonstrate knowledge of principles of ethics and their employment in the
analysis and resolution of moral problems
8a-understand and recognize issues in applied ethics
PHIL 2010
8b-understand their own value systems in relation to other value systems
8c-be able to judge values and practices in a variety of disciplines
REL 2020
Phase I Pilot Project Team PSYC 2500
5.Students will demonstrate knowledge of scientific
and mathematical principles and proficiency in
laboratory practices
– 5a-understand the basic concepts and principles
underlying scientific methodology
7. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze,
to evaluate, and to make inferences from oral,
written, and visual materials
– 7c-be able to analyze arguments critically
5a-understand the basic concepts and principles
underlying scientific methodology
• 10 item MC Quiz given on research methods chapter
• Exceeds expectations (9 -10) - 139 (35.2%)
• Meets expectations (7 – 8) - 160 (40.5%)
• Fails to meet expectations (0 – 6) - 96 (24.3%)
• For future assignments – need to evaluate the questions to
ensure appropriate difficulty level.
7c-be able to analyze arguments critically
• Application of material to real life – dream journals
Correctly match dream with appropriate theory (meet expectation)
and explain in detail why selected theory best fit for dream (exceed
expectation)
• 95 (87.2%) students exceeded expectation
• 9 (8.3%) students met expectation
• 5 students were absent for course-embedded
assignment.
• For future evaluations – States of Consciousness chapter is not one of the
chapters required to be covered in Intro course. Future assignments will
be focused on chapters instructors are required to cover. Also, we have
discussed having options for faculty
IN WHAT WAYS MIGHT VSU STRENGTHEN ITS
GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
How do you help your students realize the importance of the core
curriculum classes that they must take?
Are VSU’s eight general education outcomes sufficient to represent the
knowledge and skills appropriate for ALL undergraduate students?
What strategies will help departments and faculty assure that students
meet the general education outcomes?
How can we help students draw the link between other classes in the
core and the class or classes that you teach?
What are some strategies to help connect faculty who teach core
curriculum courses?
How can we help students see the link between their general education
classes and those in their major?
What new challenges are rising that all core faculty need to consider?
What would help make core curriculum teaching and learning more
valued in the university?
RECOMMENDED NEW USG CORE CURRICULUM
POLICY, MAY 18, 2009
.
Informal Comparison of Current and Proposed Cores
Current Core
Area A1: Communication Skills 6 hours
Area A2: Quantitative Skills 3 hours
Area B: Institutional Options 4-5 hours
Area C: Humanities/Fine Arts 6 hours
Area D: Science, Math, Technology 10-11 hours
Area E: Social Sciences 12 hours
Area F: Courses Related to the Program of
Study 18 hours
Proposed Core
Area A1: Communication Outcomes At least 6
hours
Area A2: Quantitative Outcomes At least 3
hours
Area B: Institutional Options At least 3 hours
Area C: Humanities/Fine Arts At least 6 hours
Area D: Natural Sciences, Math, and
Technology At least 7 hours; at least 4 of
these hours must be in a lab science course.
Area E: Social Sciences At least 6 hours
Area F: Lower-Division Major Requirements 18
hours
Key Rule Changes
1. All institutions are required to develop and assess learning outcomes for
each area of the core.
2. Three new learning goals, US Perspectives (US), Global Perspectives (GL),
and Critical Thinking (CT), are added to the core. The US and GL are
incorporated as overlay requirements. Each institution would designate
some courses in Areas A-E as US courses and some courses in Areas A-E as
GL courses. In fulfilling the Area A-E requirements, every student must
take at least one US course and at least one GL course. CT is added by
requiring each institution to develop a plan to insure that students who
complete Areas A-E acquire foundational critical thinking skills.
3. Students successfully completing a course in one institution’s Areas A-E will
receive full credit in Areas A-E for the course upon transfer to another
System institution (even if the Area has not been completed) as long as (a)
the course is within the Area hours limitations of either the sending
institution OR the receiving institution and (b) the student does not
change from a non-science major to a science major
FUTURE STEPS?
Information from this presentation can be found at:
www.valdosta.edu/sacs/gec/