Assessing General
Education
March 6, 2002
Additional Work on General Education
Learning Outcomes
Defining Key Terms:
Mission, Goals, Objectives
Statements of Mission or Purpose
• Broad statements outlining institutional philosophy and
character, as well as principal focus of the curriculum
Goals
• Statements regarding general aims or purposes of education
• Broad, long-range intended outcomes
• Used primarily in planning, policy-making,
Objectives
• Brief, more specific statements describing the intended
learning outcomes of a program
• Focus is on features students expected to exhibit
• also known as, “intended learning outcomes”
Sample Mission, Goal, and
Outcome Statements
 St. Norbert College (SNC Catalog, p. 10,12)
Mission
• …SNC strives to provide an education that is personally, intellectually,
and spiritually challenging.
• …(to sustain)…an environment that encourages all religions of the world
to develop their full potential in understanding and serving the world
Goal(s)
• …to produce students (who) have the ability to come to grips with
cultural change--to confront, to shape, and to grow with the future
• In the personal sphere…to help students clarify and develop their
personal goals, achieve a sense of self-worth, gain a deeper level of selfunderstanding, and become open, honest, and trusting in their
relationships with others
• In the area of moral development…to encourage students to clarify their
own values and embrace their beliefs from personal conviction.
• (continued on next slide)
Sample Mission, Goal, and
Outcome Statements
 St. Norbert College (SNC Catalog, p. 10,12)
Goal(s)
• In the intellectual realm…to make students self-educating people…to
develop in students the ability to synthesize knowledge from various
sources, and to train students in the methods of scholarly inquiry
• …students should (learn) that the methods and data necessary to solve
problems vary with the nature of the problem and sometimes must be
newly invented…
• …students should also have gained confidence in their abilities to work
in this way
Intended Learning Outcomes (?)
Ingredients of Goal and
Outcome Statements
Assessable goals and intended learning
outcomes state…
What is to be learned (knowledge,skills,values)
What level or form of learning is expected
Example
Students will be able to apply logical and
ethical principles to personal and social
situations
What is to be learned?
Knowledge (what do students know?)
the process by which a bill becomes a law
Skills (what can students do?)
communicate findings to two different audiences in
written, oral, and visual formats
Attitudes (what do students believe and value?)
value exposure to diverse cultures as a part of their
educational experience
Knowledge (Cognitive) Outcomes:
Levels or Forms
Knowledge
(e.g.,define,describe, identify, list, match,recall)
Comprehension (e.g., explain,paraphrase,summarize)
Application (e.g., apply, relate, use in new situations)
Analysis (e.g., compare/contrast, differentiate, analyze)
Synthesis (e.g., compose, create, design, produce)
Evaluation
(e.g., assess, critique, defend, grade, judge, prioritize)
Sample Affective Outcomes
Students…
…will value opportunities to learn through diverse
experiences
..will appreciate the beauty of creation
…will value the artistic dimensions of human
experience
…will express confidence in and commitment to
their values (all of the above from Loras College)
..will appreciate the value of exposure to those
from diverse cultures as a part of their formal
educational experience
…will express confidence in their ability to…
…acknowledge that the College has helped
Guidelines for Evaluating
Intended Learning Outcomes
Are they framed in terms of what students
should know, do, and value or believe?
Are they characterized by clear and simple
language? Action verbs?
Are the intended outcomes reasonable,
achievable?
Are they assessable? by multiple methods?
Is their consensual agreement among
colleagues concerning the outcomes?
Are the outcomes important ones?
SNC General Education Program:
Area 1 (Upper and Lower Biennium)
Broad General Education goals
• students will become more aware of the Judeo-Christian heritage, especially
as developed in the Catholic Christian tradition; …will recognize differences
and similarities between their own and other Christian and non-Christian
religions; …will identify their own moral and religious convictions; …will
recognize the moral issues involved in making human choices; …will
exercise their duties as citizens through responsible participation in the
social, political, and economic processes of daily life
Area 1 Lower Biennium
• students will develop a deeper understanding of the Catholic
Christian heritage and other religious traditions to help them clarify
their values in the context of the Christian tradition
Area 1 Upper Biennium
• students will become more aware of the Judeo-Christian heritage,
especially as developed in the Catholic Christian tradition, will
recognize the diversity and similarities between their own and other
Christian and non-Christian religions, and will be able to identify
their own moral and religious convictions
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 1
Loras College
• …will be able to recognize and articulate the values underlying and affecting
decisions, interpretations, analyses and evaluations made by themselves and
others
• …will be able to analyze their own values in efforts to respond to ethical
dilemmas and offer solutions to moral problems
Shepherd College, WV
• …appreciate, understand, and evaluate historical, philosophical, and ideological
foundations of human values
Other Common Outcomes
• …(context)…students will be able to recognize and articulate the values that
underlie the Catholic Christian tradition
• ..will demonstrate in their behavior their commitment to commonly accepted
Judeo-Christian values
• …will be able to understand ethical principles and apply them to personal and
social situations involving ethical dilemmas or moral problems
• …students’ appreciation of the values underlying the Catholic Christian tradition
will be reflected in their attitudes and positions on major social issues
More Sample Outcomes:
Area 1
College of St. Scholastica
Outcome area: Social Responsibility
• The student will…
– identify specific issues that call for socially
responsible action
– understand and evaluate the complexity of social
justice
– identify and evaluate differing points of view on the
issue of social responsibility
– evaluate the moral and social obligations to respond
to injustice and to work for social change
SNC General Education Program:
Area 2--Philosophy of Human Nature
General Education Handbook
Listed in General Goals of General Education Program
• students will develop an understanding of human nature
Listed in Specific Goals for Area 2
• (not listed in outcomes language; described instead as
providing “an introduction to the study of human nature by
treating topics in the context of perennial philosophical
issues…”
– Epistemology? Ethics? Metaphysics?
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 2
• Students will be able to differentiate the major
perspectives on human nature in terms of the origins,
proponents, and implications of these perspectives
• Students will be able to differentiate a variety of the
major perspectives on human nature in terms of the
strengths and weaknesses of these perspectives (in
explaining contemporary human behavior)
•
SNC General Education Program:
Area 3--Human Relationships
General Education Handbook
Listed in General Goals of General Education Program
• students will develop an understanding of human relationships
• students will develop an awareness of the need for compassion
in dealing with others
• students will experience (become aware of the various)
methods used in studying the subject matter of the Social
Sciences
Listed in Specific Goals for Area 3
• students will develop an understanding of the methodology
and the content of the social and behavioral sciences
• students will develop an understanding of the essential effects
of human interactions
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 3
University of North Texas
• Students will be able to employ appropriate methods,
technologies, and data that social and behavioral
scientists used to investigate the human condition
• …to examine social institutions and processes across a
range of historical periods, social structures, and
cultures
UW-Superior
• Students will be able to understand human behavior and
its relationship to its cultural and social context
• …understand the major social, economic, cultural, and
political forces at work in contemporary societies
University of South Carolina
• students will understand and critically evaluate,
interpret, and draw inferences from social behavior
SNC General Education Program:
Area 4--Natural Science
General Education Handbook
Listed in General Goals of General Education Program
• students will experience (become aware of the various)
methods used in studying the subject matter of the Natural
Sciences
Listed in Specific Goals for Area 4
• students will develop an understanding and an appreciation of
the order, dynamics, and essence of the physical world and will
learn the investigational methodology of the Natural Sciences
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 4
Longwood College (area 4?)
“Goals”: Students will develop...
• An understanding of the application of the methods of science to
the acquisition of knowledge, and an appreciation of the major
contributions of science to our cultural heritage and to the
solution of contemporary problems
– …understand the major methods of natural science inquiry
 UW-Superior
• Students will understand the guiding principles, intrinsic methodologies
of inquiry, and applications of the various disciplines in the…natural and
physical sciences…
 UW-Green Bay
• Students will (develop) a fundamental understanding of the Natural
Sciences, including the impact of scientific and technological activities
and products on individuals, on society, and on the physical environment
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 4
University of North Texas
Students will…
understand and apply method and appropriate technology to the
study of the natural sciences
recognize scientific and quantitative methods and the differences
between these approaches and other methods of inquiry, and to
communicate findings, analyses, and interpretation both orally and in
writing
identify and recognize the differences among competing scientific
theories
demonstrate knowledge of the major issues and problems facing
modern science, including issues that touch upon ethics, values, and
public policies
demonstrate knowledge of the interdependence of science and
technology and their influence on, and contribution to modern culture
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 4
University of South Carolina
Goal
Students will understand physical and/or life science phenomena and
the uses of scientific methods and theories
Objectives (Outcomes)
Students will understand the role, nature, and value of scientific
inquiry
• will understand in depth the role and limitations of science in addressing
contemporary quality of life issues (in areas of health, environment, food
production, population control, etc)
• will seek additional scientific understanding as a guide to action
Students will demonstrate their understanding of scientific theories
and perspectives
• will use deep understanding of theoretical frameworks, concepts, terms,
and important thinkers and ideas from several scientific disciplines to
explain contemporary scientific phenomena
• will make connections between scientific disciplines, identifying separate
contributions of disciplines to understanding
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 4
University of South Carolina (continued)
Objectives (Outcomes)
Students will critically evaluate various approaches to research by
identifying sound and unsound reasoning in scientific and lay
contexts
• students will judge the validity of findings as warranted or not by
evidence and research design
• students can articulate the strengths and weaknesses of various research
methods
Students understand the applications of different research designs
and approaches
• students understand the assumptions underlying various research
approaches and can match the appropriate design to the problem at
hand
Students will formulate research questions and test hypotheses as
part of using the scientific process
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 4
University of South Carolina (continued)
Objectives (Outcomes)
Students will use systematic, empirical approaches to address
questions as part of the scientific process
• students can correctly identify independent, dependent, and extraneous
variables, describe a research design to control the extraneous
variable(s), or identify why extraneous variables cannot be controlled
Students will identify and collect appropriate information as part of
the scientific process
• …will correctly identify and describe appropriate and realistic measures
for independent and dependent and extraneous variables, and describe
strengths and weaknesses for each measure
Students will draw appropriate conclusions from empirical results in
quantitative and qualitative formats
• …can express empirical findings in own words and identify the impact of
findings on theory development or practical application
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 4
Truman State University
Goals
Students will develop and understanding of the principles and laboratory
procedures of life and physical sciences
…will cultivate their abilities to apply the empirical methods of scientific
inquiry
…will understand how scientific discovery changes theoretical views of the
world, informs our imaginations, and shapes human history
…will understand that science is shaped by historical and social contexts
Objectives (Outcomes)
…will (conduct) scientific research in a laboratory setting, including
design, collection and analysis of data, and interpretation of results
…will understand the evaluative process by which scientific theories are
generated, tested, and either accepted, rejected or revised
…will understand scientific issues that impact society and will be able to
make informed decisions about public policy issues predicated on science
and technology
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 4
California State University campuses
Goals (among others similar to those mentioned in preceding slides)
Students will understand the synergism between science and technology
(Cal State Fullerton)
Students will be able to identify and integrate physical and life scientific
facets of two contemporary controversial issues, one local and one global
 See also…
attached handout compiled by Linda Suskie, Towson University,
entitled,
Examples of Goals and Assessment Strategies for General
Education Science Requirements
SNC General Education Program:
Area 5: Creative Expression
General Education Handbook
Listed in General Goals of General Education Program
• students will develop the capacity to understand and enjoy
uniquely human creative expression
• students will experience (become aware of the various)
methods used in studying the subject matter of the Humanities
and Fine Arts
Listed in Specific Goals for Area 5
• students will develop an understanding and appreciation of the
creative process through a study of at least one of the
(following:) visual arts, music, or literature
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 5
College of St. Scholastica
Outcome
• students will arrive at an analytical and reasoned appreciation of a
specific art form
• …will be able to communicate this appreciation to others either or in
written or verbal form, or in an artistic medium itself
• …will be able to respond creatively to or produce a work of art
Longwood College (area 5 or area 6?)
“Goals”: Students will develop...
• An understanding of our cultural heritage as expressed in artistic achievements
and understanding of the contribution of the creative process to the life of the
individual and to society
• An understanding of our cultural heritage as revealed in literature, its movements
and traditions, through reading, understanding, and analyzing the major works
that have shaped our thinking and provide a record of human experience
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 5
University of South Carolina
Goal
• students will demonstrate an understanding of the contribution
of the literary, visual, or performing arts and their cultural
context and express informed personal responses to artistic
creations
Objectives (Outcomes)
• students will demonstrate the ability to…
– develop an aesthetic response to at least one of the arts
– express a personal response to works of art and relate the
part(s) to the work(s) as a whole, using appropriate
concepts and relevant information
– relate art to the wider cultural context from which it
emerges
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 5
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
• Students will have a fundamental understanding of the
Humanities,…
– ...including a range of literature, representative of
different literary forms and historical contexts
– …including the role of the humanities in identifying and
clarifying individual and social values in a culture and
understanding implications of decisions made on the
basis of those values
• Students will have a fundamental understanding of at least
one of the Fine Arts…
– …including an understanding of the nature and
function(s) of art and one or more ways of distinguishing
good art
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 5
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
• Students will…
– …perform, read, or otherwise engage in artistic,
literary, and/or expressive forms of culture
UW-Superior
• Students will…
– …develop a greater awareness of the processes of
visual, performing, and literary creativity
– …understand the guiding principles, intrinsic
methodologies of inquiry, and applications of the
various disciplines in the fine and applied arts (and)
humanities...
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 5
University of North Texas
• Students will …
– demonstrate an awareness of the scope and variety of works
in the arts and humanities
– understand those works as expressions of individual and
human values within an historical and social context
– respond critically to works in the arts and humanities
– engage in the creative process or interpretive performance
and comprehend the physical and intellectual demands
required of the author or visual or performing artist
– articulate an informed personal reaction to works in the arts
and humanities
– develop an appreciation for the aesthetic principles that
guide or govern the humanities and arts
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 5
California State University (Fullerton)
Arts
• Students will…
– understand and appreciate one or more of the traditional artistic disciplines
(art, dance, drama, music)
– understand creativity in the arts through direct participation either in the
making or performing of art forms or through the experience of such a
process by direct observation (attending dance or music concerts, plays,
museums)
– distinguish between the subjective and objective responses to a work of art
and be able to articulate an informed opinion about the values of and
differences between those responses
Humanities
• Students will…
– understand the distinctive characteristics of the humanistic perspective and
its origins,
– understand differences between it and other perspectives, and understand
differences among the humanistic disciplines (continued)
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 5
California State University (Fullerton)
Humanities (continued)
• Students will…
– be familiar with and understand major texts (written and
oral), key figures, significant traditions, and important
themes in the humanities
Implications, Explorations, Participatory Experiences
• Students will…
– understand broad, unifying themes in the arts and/or
humanities from cross-disciplinary perspectives
– solve complex problems that require artistic or humanistic
understanding
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 5
Truman State University
Goals
• Students will develop an understanding of the ways in which humans have
addressed their condition through imaginative work in the humanities and fine
arts,
• Students will appreciate the world of creative imagination as a form of knowledge
“Competencies”
– Students will demonstrate (1) an understanding of specialized vocabularies
and symbols relative to this field of study, (2) an ability to analyze structures
and relationships inherent to a given artistic creation (formalism), (3) an
ability to respond or react to a given artistic creation using a range of tools
(aesthetic sensitivity, personal experience, understanding of social context,
recognition of a variety of cultural/historical references (referentialism), (4)
knowledge of a significant number of representative works in a chosen area
(or chosen areas) of creative production…
– Students will develop (1) the ability to interpret a text, (2)the ability to
analyze structural elements and relationships within a text or between
literary genres in order to explain how authors create responses in readers,
(3) analyze the values in the literature read and how our assumptions shape
our reading of a literary text
SNC General Education Program:
Area 6--United States Heritage
General Education Handbook
Listed in General Goals of General Education Program
• students will experience (become aware of the various)
methods used in studying the subject matter of the Social
Sciences
Listed in Specific Goals for Area 6
• students will develop an understanding of the diverse heritage
of the United States through a study of its institutional and
cultural traditions
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 6
California State University (Fullerton)
American history, Institutions, Values
• Students will understand critically the historical development of American
institutions and values and their impact on the individual and collective lives of
Americans
• …will assess critically how the Constitution of the United States and government
under the Constitution have shaped American democracy and contemporary
American society
• …will understand critically the political culture of citizen participation, including
political parties, pressure groups, public opinion, and the electoral process
American History
• Students will recognize the significance ...of important cultural, intellectual, moral,
and political struggles that have shaped contemporary American society
• …of the contributions of various ethnic and gender groups to American history,
political institutions, and values within the contexts of cultural accommodation
and resistance
Government
• Students will assess critically the Constitution of the US and the operation of
representative democracy under the Constitution (continued)
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 6
California State University (Fullerton)
Government
• Students will assess critically the Constitution of the US and the operation of
representative democracy under the Constitution (continued)
• …will explain the processes and interaction between and among local, state, and
national government, with particular reference to (our local state?)
• …will understand critically the structures, functions, and processes of the three
branches of government and resulting public policies
• …will assess critically behavior and institutional practices in the US and (our local
state?)
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 6
California State University (Monterrey Bay)
• Students will be able to provide a comparative description and analysis of the
diverse peoples and histories of the United States over a significant time period
(at least 100 years)
• …will be able to use critical thinking skills to read, understand, and interpret
historical scholarship
• …will employ basic methodological approaches that enable them to become their
own historians
• …will interpret and integrate historical knowledge, historical analysis, and
historical application in the form of essays and in another form
University of North Texas
• Students will understand the evolution and current role of the US in the world
• Students will comprehend the origins and evolution of the US political system
(especially political institutions, the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties, and
civil and human rights
SNC General Education Program:
Areas 7 and 11
Broad General Education Goals
• students will achieve an awareness of of the continuity and diversity of
human experience; will develop an awareness of the continuity of old
and new, past and present, far and near; will become aware that
heritages other than their own exist and become more familiar with
the unique heritages of others
• students will understand that we share the world with people who
have unique heritages of their own and that ours is not the only one
Area 7--Lower Biennium
• students will develop a deeper understanding of the world’s
diverse heritages and peoples through a study of their
languages, history, literature, and/or culture
Area 11--Upper Biennium
• students will become aware of the relationships between the
developing and the more developed world, and of issues or
themes of international significance
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Areas 7 and 11
IUPUI
• students should demonstrate the ability (a) to compare and contrast the
range of diversity and universality in human history, societies, and ways of
life, (b) to analyze and understand the interconnectedness of global and
local concerns, and (C) to operate with civility in a complex social world
University of South Carolina
• Students will demonstrate the ability to...
– Recognize multiple perspectives and appreciate perspectives which
produce a world view different from one’s own
– Use another perspective to analyze current or historical, social, and
cultural events and practices
College of St. Scholastica
• The student will (a) identify challenges posed by living and working in a
multicultural nation and in a world community, (b) will comprehend how
ethnicity, race, class, and gender have contributed to the shaping of
personality and American cultures, and ( c) comprehend how the
assumptions and values of other people provide a framework for making
choices that can be valuable to the student’s own assumptions and values
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 7--Language
California State University-Monterey Bay
• Students will be capable of effective and ethical communication in
at least two languages with widely diverse audiences…
– including the ability (a) to identify the audience (and the
concerns, viewpoints, and primary language of the audience),
(b) to use a means of expression that best communicates to
the audience as well as fits the message to be
communicated…( c) to demonstrate versatility in the language
and mode of communication used, including oral and written
modes…(and) (d) demonstrate a sense of ethics in the use of
communication
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 7--Language
University of South Carolina
• Goal
– Students will be able to communicate orally and in writing in
another language
• Objective
– …will be able to read in one foreign language and comprehend
the topic and main ideas in written texts
– …will understand spoken discourse and converse in a foreign
language on familiar subjects
SNC General Education Program:
Area 8--Quantitative Skills
General Education Handbook
Listed in General Goals of General Education Program
• students will develop essential skills, including the ability to
analyze, quantify, interpret, …
• students will experience (become aware of the various)
methods used in studying the subject matter of the Natural
(and Social) Sciences
Listed in Specific Goals for Area 8
• students will develop computational, problem-solving, and
logical skills through the study of pure and applied
mathematics, computer science, and/or statistical skills
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 8
University of North Texas
• Students will be able to…
– apply arithmetic, algebraic, geometric, higher-order
thinking, and statistical methods to modeling and
solving real-world problems
– represent and evaluate basic mathematical
information verbally, numerically, graphically, and
symbolically
– expand mathematical reasoning skills and formal
logic to develop convincing mathematical arguments
– use appropriate technology to enhance
mathematical thinking and understanding and to
solve mathematical problems and judge the
reasonableness of results
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 8
University of North Texas (continued)
• Students will be able to…
– interpret mathematical models such as formulas,
graphs, tables, and schematics, and draw inferences
from them
– recognize the limitations of mathematical and
statistical models
– develop the view that mathematics is an evolving
discipline, interrelated with human culture
Longwood Community College
• Students will develop an understanding of mathematical
thought and the ability to conceptualize and apply
mathematical logic to problems solving
• ..the ability to use computers for acquiring, processing,
and analyzing information
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 8
California State University--San Francisco
• Overall Objectives
– Students will develop conceptual understanding, skills, and
confidence in interpreting, creating, and using descriptions
stated in mathematical terms
– …an appreciation for the importance of quantitative skills and
the relevance of quantitative reasoning in everyday life
– …an awareness of issues concerning the appropriate use of
quantitative data and procedures
• Specific Competencies
– Students will develop skills in…
– …translating both ways between verbal statements and
mathematical expressions,
– …understanding mathematics as a descriptive language
versus a set of techniques
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 8
California State University--San Francisco (cont’d)
• Specific Competencies
– Students will develop skills in…
– …applying quantitative information and procedures to
contexts outside of the classroom
– ...summarizing and presenting information in quantitative
form
– ...interpreting, making judgments about, and drawing
conclusions from quantitative material
– …critically evaluating the uses of quantitative procedures and
description, including appropriate applications and deceptive
or erroneous reasoning
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 8
California State University-Fullerton
• Students will understand and appreciate the varied ways in which
mathematics is used in problem-solving
• …the varied applications of mathematics to real-world problems
• …will be able to perform appropriate numerical calculations, with
knowledge of the underlying mathematics, and draw conclusions
from the results
• …will demonstrate knowledge of fundamental mathematical
concepts, symbols, and principles
• …be able to use inductive and deductive mathematical reasoning
skills in finding solutions to problems
University of South Carolina (among others)
• Students will accurately comprehend and draw appropriate
inferences from numeric data assembled in a variety of forms
(e.g., graphs, charts, summary statistics, etc.)
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 8
California State University-Monterey Bay
• Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze,
interpret, and model real-life problems, both
collaboratively and independently
• …the ability to articulate inductive, deductive, and
quantitative reasoning towards solutions both in writing
and in group discussion
• …an understanding of measurement, estimation, and
the use of standardized units
• …an ability to critique and evaluate the scope and limits
of mathematical models (for example, by being able to
articulate underlying assumptions and the limits such
assumptions set on the proposed solution)
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 8
UW-Superior
• Students will understand the guiding principles, intrinsic
methodologies of inquiry, intrinsic methodologies of
inquiry, and applications of various disciplines in the
mathematical and computer sciences
• Students will be able to reason mathematically, perform
correct computations, and/or understand the use of
computer systems to support such skills
Northern Virginia Community College
• Students will develop skills in understanding and
interpreting numerical data, skills to manipulate data in
a logical way, and knowledge of basic computer
elements, functions, and applications
SNC General Education Program:
Area 10: Western Tradition
General Education Handbook
Listed in General Goals of General Education Program
• students will achieve an awareness of of the continuity of
human experience; will develop an awareness of the continuity
of old and new, past and present, far and near
Listed in Specific Goals for Area 10
• students will develop an understanding of the sources and the
development of the ideas and the values that pervade our
society, and of the influence of the past on the present
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 10
Longwood College (area 10? Applies to Western
cultures)
“Goals”: Students will develop...
• An understanding of our cultural heritage as expressed in artistic
achievements and understanding of the contribution of the
creative process to the life of the individual and to society
• An understanding of our cultural heritage as revealed in
literature, its movements and traditions, through reading,
understanding, and analyzing the major works that have shaped
our thinking and provide a record of human experience
• An understanding of the application of the methods of science to
the acquisition of knowledge, and an appreciation of the major
contributions of science to our cultural heritage and to the
solution of contemporary problems
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 10
UW-Superior
• Students will be able to understand and appreciate the diverse heritage of ideas,
values, and their literary and artistic expressions in Western cultures
Rose-Hulman Institute
• Students will demonstrate an awareness of how their own (Western) culture
predisposes them to particular values and perspectives…
University of South Carolina (amended)
• Students will demonstrate understanding of the historical development of
(Western) culture over time and its relation to the present
• …will know the major chronologies and patterns of historical developments of
Western culture
• …will understand the relevance of history to understanding present developments
in the Western world and will articulate appropriate connections
UW-Green Bay
• Students will have a fundamental understanding of the Humanities, including the significance
of major events and movements in Western Civilization
• Students will have a fundamental understanding of the Social Sciences, including the impact
of social institutions and values on individuals and groups within (our) culture
SNC General Education Program:
Area 12--Senior Colloquium
General Education Handbook
Listed in General Goals of General Education Program
• students will be able to integrate knowledge from a variety of
sources
• students will be able to “take a connected view of the old and
the new, the past and the present, the far and the near…”
• themes of continuity and comparison are mentioned
Listed in Specific Goals for Area 12
• mentions interdisciplinary nature of courses; emphasis on
integration
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 12
IUPUI
• Students will develop the ability to compare and contrast
the range of diversity and universality in human history,
societies, and ways of life
• …will be able to understand the interconnectedness of
global and local concerns
University of North Texas
• Students will develop an understanding of the
interconnectedness of human experiences among and
between societies
Bowling Green State University
• Students will articulate an understanding of the
similarities (and differences) between their own and
alternate value systems or cultures
Sample Learning Outcomes:
Area 12
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
• Students will demonstrate an awareness of the
relationships among nations and the interdependence of
peoples around the globe
California State University-Fullerton
• Students will be able to understand holistically the
origins and historical development of world civilizations
within a global context
• …will be able to describe and analyze critically the
reciprocal influence of Western and non-Western
institutions, values, and ideas
• …will be able to understand and describe major political,
economic, intellectual, and cultural themes recurring
throughout history