Defining General Education and Creating a
Culture of General Education Assessment at
Borough of Manhattan Community College
Presenters:
Erwin Wong – Dean of Academic Affairs
Francisca Campos – Faculty, Business Management
Chris Stein – Faculty, Computer Information Systems
Segundo Pantoja – Faculty, Social Science/Center for Ethnic Studies
Kimberly Gargiulo – Coordinator of Assessment
Defining General Education at BMCC
Middle States Standard 12
General Education
from Characteristics of Excellence
“The institution’s curricula
are designed so that
students acquire and
demonstrate college-level
proficiency in general
education and essential
skills, including oral and
written communication,
scientific and quantitative
reasoning, critical analysis
and reasoning,
technological competency,
and information literacy.”
Defining General Education at BMCC
BMCC Mission
Statement
Students will be provided
with a general education
which “fosters personal
development, intellectual
curiosity, and critical
thinking to enhance
informed and effective
participation in society”
and points to the college’s
commitment to both
teaching and learning.
Defining General Education at BMCC
BMCC Strategic Plan
The strategic plan
emphasizes that learning
experiences will “cultivate
critical, analytical and
integrative thinking, effective
communication, and
proficiency in the use of
technologies, which will
enable students to be
competitive in the workplace
and valuable resources to
society.”
Defining General Education at BMCC
BMCC Catalog
The College’s Liberal Arts
program will provide students
with a well-balanced
background in the sciences,
mathematics, humanities,
and languages. Additionally
all career programs will have
a considerable general
education element as part of
their curricula.
Activities and Initiatives for a Culture of
Assessment
Resources
Participants

Administration

Faculty

Students

Staff
Funding

CUE (Coordinated
Undergraduate Education)
Activities and Initiatives for a Culture of
Assessment
Assessment
Conferences and
Workshops
 AAHE
2002 Assessment
Conference
(Boston)
 Assessing
Workshop
Student Learning
(Linda Suskie – Kingsborough C.C.)
 Following
A Road Map for
Improvement of Student
Learning & Support Services
Through Assessment
(15th Annual Institutional
Effectiveness Workshop Series)
Activities and Initiatives for a Culture of
Assessment
Site Visits
Benchmarking best
practices
 Nassau
Community
College
 Queensborough
Community College
 Portland State University
Activities and Initiatives for a Culture of
Assessment
Guest Speakers
Benchmarking best
practices
Lion Gardener
Rutgers University
Susan Hatfield
Winona State University
Karen Steele
Queensborough Community College
Susan Bello
Nassau Community College
Margie Hobbes
University of Mississippi
(IAE Associates)
Francisco Soto
College of Staten Island
Activities and Initiatives for a Culture of
Assessment
Faculty
Involvement
 Gen
Ed liaisons for every
academic department
 Gave
input on defining
learning outcomes
 Helped
devise learning
outcomes measurements
and criteria
Activities and Initiatives for a Culture of
Assessment
Dissemination
Newsletter
Activities and Initiatives for a Culture of
Assessment
Dissemination
Web site
Activities and Initiatives for a Culture of
Assessment
Dissemination
Faculty Brochure
and
Student Brochure
Consolidation of Learning Goals
9 Original Goals
7 Revised Goals
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Communication Skills
Quantitative Skills
Critical Thinking
Values
Socio-historical and
multicultural awareness
Scientific Reasoning
Arts and Humanities
Information and Technology
Literacy
Collaborative Skills
Communication Skills
Quantitative Reasoning
Values
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Scientific Reasoning
Arts and Humanities
Information and Technology
Literacy
Revising Learning Outcomes for Goals
Communication Skills Learning Outcomes
REVISED OUTCOMES
ORIGINAL OUTCOMES






Read and listen analytically, with recognition
and understanding of content and openness
to other points of view.
Write and speak clearly, accurately and
fluently with logical progression of ideas,
using the conventions of edited American
English.
Organize, analyze, and evaluate material to
develop and support a main idea, and use
language to inform, persuade, and move an
audience.
Recognize and critically evaluate
assumptions in written, oral, and other
media.
Students will project confidence and
authority as speakers.
Students will incorporate ideas of others with
appropriate attribution.




Express ideas clearly in
written form.
Employ critical reading
skills to analyze written
material.
Exhibit active listening
skills and participate in
class discussion.
Give an effective oral
presentation.
Put Goals into Three Column Grid
Communication Skills
Goal
Outcomes
Students will
write, read,
listen and
speak
effectively
1. Express ideas clearly in
written form
Develop
2. Employ critical reading
skills to analyze written
material
Identify
3. Exhibit active listening
skills in class discussion
Paraphrase
4. Give an effective oral
presentation
Speak
(Students will…)
Components
a critical argument
with a clear thesis and support
it with evidence
Organize ideas appropriately
a central problem or
question
Identify implicit/explicit
assumptions
Demonstrate awareness of
values underlying opinion
accurately what is
heard or discussed
Ask relevant and appropriate
questions
Provide constructive feedback
clearly, correctly and
confidently
Present evidence to support
argument
Addresss Audience at
appropriate level
Five Column Grid Structure
Column I
Mission
Statement
Column II
Educational
Outcomes
Column III
Column IV
Means of
Assessment
Assessment
Data
and
Institutional
Goals
Criteria for
Success
Column V
Use of
Results
Developing Means for Assessing
Learning Outcomes /objectives
Departments rather than Gen Ed
Committee or administration develop
means of assessment
 Outside consultants used to help
departments through the process

Assessment Timeline
Steps in
Assessment
Cycle
1. Identify
Outcomes
2. Design
Assessment
3. Gather
Evidence
4. Interpret
Evidence
5.
Implement
Change
Spring
Fall
Spring
2005
–
2006
2006 – 2007
Fall
Spring
Fall
2007 – 2008
Complete for first cycle
Spring
2008 – 2009
Goals
1&2
(II)
Fall
Goals
1&2
(I)
Goals
3&4
(I)
Goals
3&4
(II)
Goals
1&2
(I)
Goals
5&6
(I)
Goals
3 & 4 (I)
Goals
1&2
(I)
(I) Round 1
Goals
5&6
(II)
Goals
7 (I)
Fall
2011 – 2012
Goals
7 (I)
1&
2( II)
(II) Round 2
2012
–
2013
Goals
7 (II)
1&2
(III)
Goals
5&6
(II)
Goals
3&4
(II)
1&2
(II)
Fall
1&2
(III)
Goals
5&6
(II)
Goals
7 (I)
Spring
Goals
7 (II)
Goals
3&4
(II)
1&2
(II)
Goals
5&6
(I)
Spring
2010 – 2011
Goals
3&4
(II)
Goals
5&6
(I)
Goals
3&4
(I)
Fall
2009 – 2010
Goals
1&2
(II)
In process for all Goals
Spring
Goals
7 (II)
1&2
(III)
Goals
5&6
(II)
Goals
3&4
(II)
Goals
5&6
(II)
(III) Round 3
Stumbling Blocks
Defining the Goals and Outcomes
 Getting College buy-in
 Faculty Concerns
 Resources
 Making Assessment process unobtrusive
 Moving Gen Ed to an outcomes-based
model
