Revising the General Education
Curriculum and its Assessment in
Response to Indiana Legislation
Indiana University East
Richmond, Indiana
Revising General Education
• Mary Blakefield
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Support
Programs/Dean of Students
• Markus Pomper
Chair, Department of Mathematics
• Katherine Frank
Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences
Indiana University East
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Regional Campus of Indiana University
Located in Richmond, Indiana
Enrollment 4,500 students
Non-residential
About 60% credit hours online
Indiana Commission for Higher
Education
• Pushed for increased ease of transfer since the
creation of the Community College System
(Ivy Tech) in 2006
• Encouraged colleges to standardize general
education
Senate Bill 182
• January 4, 2012: Proposal introduced to
require statewide transfer general education
core.
• January 31, 2012: Passed Senate
• February 20, 2012: Passed House
• March 16, 2012: Signed into law
January
2012
SB 182 signed
March 2012
Summary of 182
• A student who is transcripted as completing
the gen ed requirements of one state
institution cannot be required to complete
additional gen eds.
• A student who holds an associate degree and
transfers to a state 4-year institution is
considered to have met 30 cr. hrs. of gen ed.
State Mandate
Indiana Senate Enrolled Act 182
• Institutes a 30 cr. hr. statewide, transferable
Gen Ed curriculum
• Competency-based
• Easy to transfer
• Deadline for implementation: May 2013!
January
2012
SB 182 signed
March 2012
May
2013
Learning Outcomes
• Commission: 6 competency areas
Written Communication
Speaking/Listening
Quantitative Reasoning
Humanistic/Artistic
Social/Behavioral
Science
• Statewide conferences of faculty panels
• Goal was to set specific outcomes.
• Final outcomes leaned heavily on LEAP.
January
2012
Commission
March
May 2012
Faculty Panels
Nov 2012
May
2013
State Mandate
• Instructions for implementation details and
learning outcomes were made available to
institutions in November 2012.
• IU East began to re-create General Education.
Commission
January
2012
May 2012
Adaptation
Faculty Panels
Nov 2012
May
2013
We did it in 6 months!
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Design Curriculum
Draft Learning Outcomes
Create Assessment Process
Discuss with Faculty Constituents
Involve Curriculum Committee
Endorse by Faculty Senate
Identify Gen Ed courses
January
2012
Commission
May 2012
Faculty Panels
Nov 2012
May
2013
A Bit of History
Campus Learning
Objectives (1998)
Loosely defined
General Education
Assess every
outcome in every
course
Late 1990s
Campus Learning
Objectives (1998)
Gen Ed
Curriculum 2006
Limit Gen Ed
Assessment to
Gen Ed Courses
New Campus
Learning
Outcomes
New Gen Ed
Curriculum
Focused Gen Ed
Assessment in
specific Gen Ed
Courses
Statewide Core
2006
2013
A Bit of History
IU East Campus Learning Outcomes
From 1998
• Outdated
• Outmoded
• Cumbersome
• Grandfatherly
A visual of the CLO’s
CLO #6. Educated persons should develop
the skills to understand, accept and relate
to people of different backgrounds and
beliefs. In a pluralistic world one should
not be provincial or ignorant of other
cultures; one's life is experienced within
the context of other races, religions,
languages, nationalities and value systems.
New Campus Learning Outcomes
• IU East proposed a new set of Campus
Learning Outcomes
• Designed with assessment in mind
• Short and concise
Indiana University East
Campus Learning Outcomes
1. Communicate clearly and effectively in written and oral forms
2. Access, use, and critically evaluate a variety of relevant information sources
3. Apply principles
of inquiry
to define and
analyze
through
Effective
communication
includes
thecomplex
ability toproblems
read, write,
reasoning andlisten,
discovery
speak, and use appropriate resources in delivering and
responding to a message. A competent communicator is able
4. Demonstrate
the abilityato
relate
within relate
a multicultural
andand
digitally
connected
to compose
clear
message,
purposeful
relevant
world
ideas suitable to the intended audience, and select
appropriate written, verbal and nonverbal strategies to
5. Demonstrate
a deep understanding
of respond
a field ofto
study
effectively
communicate or
an intended message.
Additional explanation is available if needed. The additional information focuses on
assessable outcomes, rather than professing purpose.
On the Evolution of General Education
Prior to 2006
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A disconnected set of curricular policies
Two Composition classes
One Speech class
One Math class
One Computer Literacy class
Arts/Humanities; Social/Behavioral Sci; Natural
Science: Campus consensus of 12 credit hours in
each group
• No connection to Campus Learning Outcomes
On the Evolution of General Education
General Education Framework of 2006
• One policy to specify all Gen Ed requirements
• 39 credit hour curriculum
• Connects Campus Learning Outcomes to curricular
requirements
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Two Composition classes
One Speech class
One Math class
One Computer Literacy
class
• 9 credits in Humanities and
Fine Arts
• 9 credits in Behavioral and
Social Sciences
• 9 credits in Sciences/Math
A look at the policy
Multiple campus learning objectives are addressed in each
Minimal restrictions for courses that
requirement. Campus Learning Objectives are lengthy and
can meet the General Education
difficult to assess.
requirement.
No mention of assessment.
Course outcomes are vague and do
not address all campus learning
objectives.
On the Evolution of General Education
General Education Framework of 2013
30 credit hour curriculum
Conforms to state mandate
• Two Composition classes • 6 credits in Arts/Humanities
• One Speech class
• 6 credits in Behavioral/Social Sciences
• One Math class
• 6 credits in Sciences
The New Gen Ed
Uses detailed statewide course-learning outcomes;
written with assessment in mind.
References new Campus Learning
Outcomes
Limits the number of courses that are available;
The selection process specifically vets the courses
for assessment.
Selecting Courses for Gen Ed
• Devised a process for adding and removing
courses from list of Gen Ed courses
• Involved Faculty Governance in creation of
policy and in maintaining of list
Selecting Courses for Gen Ed
System of checks and
balances for approval
of courses
Selecting Courses for Gen Ed
References State General Education
Competencies and Outcomes
Assessment is key part of approval
process
Summary
• We used the State Mandate to improve longstanding problems:
– General Education
– Campus Learning Outcomes
– Assessment
• Keys to success
– Frequent communication with all faculty
– Strong faculty leadership
Revising General Education
• Mary Blakefield
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Support
Programs/Dean of Students
mblakefi@iue.edu
• Markus Pomper
Chair, Department of Mathematics
mpomper@iue.edu
• Katherine Frank
Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences
kpfrank@iue.edu