Learning through
Instruction
A Committee of the Commission on the Liberal Arts
Maeve Howett, Associate Clinical Professor, School of Nursing
Kim Loudermilk, Senior Lecturer, ILA, College
Co-Chairs
Committee Participants
Boyles, John – Graduate student, GDR
Layne, Jonathan – Board of Trustees
Cadray, Lynell – Associate Dean/Chief Diversity Officer,
School of Nursing
Levy, Steven - Professor, Psychiatry, School of Medicine
Crowley, Cheryl – Associate Professor, REALC, Emory
College
Ehteshami, Sheba - Alumna
Gouzoules, Sarah – Associate Dean for International and
Summer Programs, Emory College
Lim, Daniel – Undergraduate Student, College
MacBeth, Cora – Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, Laney Graduate
School
Newsom, Carol - CH Candler Professor, Old Testament, Theology
Sales, Jessica – Assistant Research Professor, School of Public
Health
Klehr, Harvey – Professor, Political Science, Emory College
(resigned due to department demands)
Stutz, Aaron - Associate Professor, Oxford College
Kohlhorst, Drew – Asst. Director, Center for Science
Eduation, College
Sweatman, Maureen - Director of Operations, Center for
Community Partnerships
Mandate to the Committee:
Focus on Pedagogy
• Curricular structures and processes
o Courses and credits
• New technologies
• Mentoring
Early Request to Move Structural Concerns to Provost’s Office
•Allow faculty to teach across units
•Allow students to enroll in courses across units
•Coordinate academic calendars
•Offer flexible types of courses
o Variable credits
o Variable time: semesters, mini-semesters, workshops, etc.
•Create system for allocating teaching credits across units based on contact hours, student
enrollment, etc.
•Establish faculty evaluation/reward structure for teaching and mentoring
The Process
Four themes became two subcommittees:
Life of the mind
Great books program
Life of the mind
Intellectual tailgating
Capstone experience
Capstone experience
Synthesis seminar
Cross unit teaching and learning
Inventory of capstone experiences by student researchers on COLA website
Most Important Things We Learned
1. A liberal arts education experience can seem disconnected and fragmented, so
integrating that experience is crucial.
2. The richness of the liberal arts requires learning opportunities both inside and
outside the classroom.
3. People across the university are passionate about creating a vibrant liberal arts
community, but feel structural and financial resources are not available.
Specific, short-term goals – 1-2 years
•Intellectual tailgating event during a visit by a high-profile Emory-affiliated figure
Pre-event
Post-event
•Implementation of a Common Book or Performance
•Virtual connected space on Instagram or Twitter
Pilot Project
•Pilot at least two synthesis seminars, working in concert with an established
organization, such as the CFDE.
•Spend next academic year planning.
•Offer the pilot courses during the 2015-16 academic year.
•Assessment/evaluation will be a crucial component.
Needed for implementation and success
•Creation of a central office with a budget and staff to facilitate
•Creation of “CoLA” time
Is this a
fundraising
opportunity?
Long-term goals
•Create an Emory liberal arts experience that is shared across units
•Tell our story in such a way that we become known as a liberal arts research
university
•Provide opportunities for cross-school teaching and learning
Thanks so much.
Questions?