Southwest Texas Junior College
Core Curriculum
Dr. Cheryl Sanchez, Dr. Mark Underwood, Dr. Renee Zimmerman, and
Bobby Ayala
Southwest Texas Junior College
Spring 2015 Convocation
Presentation Objectives
• Provide a history of the Core and Core revision
process
• Discuss new Core Objectives
• Identify some unresolved issues
Background
• Texas Core Curriculum - Each institution of
higher education that offers an undergraduate
academic degree program shall develop its core
curriculum by using the Board-approved
purpose, core objectives, and foundational
component areas of the Texas Core Curriculum.
Old Core
• Established in 1997
▫ 42-46 SCH
▫ 37 EEOs
• Why change the core?
▫ THECB wants the core to help students build real
world skills and capabilities
Philosophical Shift
Old Core
• Accumulate
credits
• Across a wide
academic
background
• EEOs were
unique to a
discipline
New Core
• Master six key
skills
• In a variety of
academic
disciplines
• Core objectives
are shared across
the institution
Purposes of the Core
• Students will gain
▫ Knowledge of human cultures and physical and
natural world
▫ Principles of personal and social responsibility
▫ Intellectual and practical skills
Workforce Report
• Interviewed
▫ 400+ employers
▫ Expectations and experiences with
 High School Graduates
 Jr College Graduates
 University Graduates
Workforce Report Skills
• Basic Knowledge
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
English
Reading/writing
Math
Science
Art
Social Studies
• Applied Skills
▫ Critical Thinking
▫ Communication
▫ Quantitative
Reasoning
▫ Teamwork
▫ Personal and
Social
Responsibility
Foundational Component
Area
Core Objectives
Communication
Mathematics
Life and Physical Sciences
Language, Philosophy, & Culture
Creative Arts
American History
Government/Political Science
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Institutional Option
Critical Thinking
Communication
Empirical and Quantitative Skills
Teamwork
Personal Responsibility
Social Responsibility
Critical Thinking
• Includes
▫ Creative thinking and innovation
▫ Inquiry
▫ Analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information
• Addressed in ALL core courses
Communication
• Effective development, interpretation, and
expression of ideas
• Includes
▫ Written communication
▫ Oral communication
▫ Visual communication
• Addressed in ALL core courses
Empirical and Quantitative
• Includes
▫ Manipulation and analysis of numerical data or
observable facts
▫ Create informed conclusions
• Addressed in Math, Science, and Social sciences
Teamwork
• Includes
▫ Ability to consider different points of view
▫ Ability to work with others towards a shared goal
• Addressed in Communication, Sciences, and
Fine Arts
Personal Responsibility
• Ability to connect personal choices, actions, and
consequences to ethical decision making
• Addressed in Communication,
Language/Philosophy/Culture, History,
Government
Social Responsibility
• Includes
▫ Intercultural competence
▫ Civic responsibility
▫ Ability to engage in regional, national, and global
communities
• Addressed in Language/Philosophy/Culture,
Fine Arts, History, Government, Social Sciences
SWTJC Core Curriculum
• Committee began meeting Spring 2012
▫ Matrices established
• Began Implementing Courses Fall 2012
▫ Guidelines also established for implementation
• New core will be implemented Fall 2014
Component II
• The assessment of the Core Curriculum is an
evaluation of attainment of the Core Objectives.
▫ A. Describe the institution’s process to determine the
appropriate level of attainment of each Core Objective.
▫ B. Describe the institution’s plan for assessment of each
Core Objective. Include the following components of the
institution’s assessment plan:
▫ Assessment methods
 explain the methodology (institutional portfolios,
embedded assessment, etc.), describe the measures
(must include at least one direct measure), outline
the frequency and timeline of assessment;
▫ Criteria/Targets
 explain the criteria and targets for the level of
attainment of each Core Objective, include
references to externally informed benchmarks;
▫ Analysis
 explain how the results of the assessment will be
evaluated; and
▫ Actions and Follow-up
 explain the process for improving student learning
based on the assessment results.
22
Momentum Points Based on FY 2010
Data
Math
Read/
Write
1st
Math
15
Credits
30
Credits
Transf
Assoc.
Core
Cert.
Points
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
SWTJC
336
316
794
1,954
1,110
404
414
114
212
6,798
31,062
32,084
89,244
240,167
143,082
41,079
46,234
13,932
20,200
778,791
State
Total
Points
Artifact Submission
•Common Naming system
Links
• THECB submission Process:
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/reports/PDF/2808.P
DF?CFID=33626535&CFTOKEN=92198239
• Quick Reference:
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/reports/PDF/2737.PD
F?CFID=33626535&CFTOKEN=92198239
• Core curriculum assessment guidelines:
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=2
4D2FE55-C9B7-419A-4D65413B13CD44ED
▫ (resources for assessments can also be found at the
above site; Liberal Education and America's Promise
(LEAP) and Valid Assessment of Learning in
Undergraduate Education (VALUE) )