general education at usfsm – our stamp on the future
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General Education at USFSM – Our Stamp on the Future. Erin P. Martin, Ph.D. Instructor of Biology Coordinator of General Education. Exciting Times for USFSM. Our first freshman! Design and teach courses never taught on our campus. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
General Education at USFSM – Our Stamp on the FutureErin P. Martin, Ph.D.Instructor of Biology Coordinator of General Education
Exciting Times for USFSM• Our first freshman!• Design and teach courses never taught on our
campus.• Develop a meaningful and intentional
curriculum with transparent goals and outcomes.
• Provide students with an additional edge for their future endeavors.
USFSM General Education Workshop• Part 1– General Education 101– General Education at USFSM– Goals and Outcomes
• Part 2– The old requirements– New State regulations– Group curriculum discussions– The future
What is a Generally Educated Person?
Many countries look to us“At the same time that many in the United States are encouraging higher education to emulate existing European models, numerous international universities have the opinion that graduates of American Universities are more innovative, more able to transfer knowledge across disciplinary boundaries, and more adept at applying their knowledge to unscripted problems and situations.”
– Paul Gaston, General Education & Liberal Education Principles of Effective Practice.
What’s the secret?• The combination of general education with
the major leads to innovation and creativity in American graduates.
Current Views – The Hart Survey
• 78% of AAC&U member institutions say they have a common set of intended learning outcomes for all their undergraduate students.
• 56% of administrators say general education has increased as a priority for their institution.
Source: Hart Research Associates. 2009. Trends and Emerging Practices in General Education. 16pp.
Current Views – The Hart Survey
Business executives felt the following areas were most in need of increased emphasis at higher education institutions:• Science and technology (82% more
emphasis• Applied knowledge (73% more
emphasis)• Critical thinking and analytical
reasoning skills (73% more emphasis)
• Communication skills (73% more emphasis)
• Global Issues (72% more emphasis)
Current Views – The Hart Survey• 89% of institutions are in some stage of assessing
or modifying their general education program.
Source: Hart Research Associates. 2009. Trends and Emerging Practices in General Education. 16pp.
Intentionality and Coherence
• Institutions, faculty, and students have a clear idea of what should be accomplished in general education.
• Students are able to make connections and integrate their knowledge.
General Education Program
Course Design and Outcomes
Program Requirements
Course Scheduling
Assessment
Accreditation
Our Students
New Hires
Courses Faculty Teach
Do you see your role as an educator as…..
A. Filling the vessel B. Igniting the fireC. I don’t do either
Have you ever wondered why some students arrive in upper division courses lacking the skills necessary to succeed?
A. Yes, oftenB. Yes, sometimesC. No, never
The General Education Task ForceErin Martin Coordinator of General Education/ College of Arts and SciencesKeith Cavedo College of Arts and Sciences Heather Lively College of BusinessAndrew Whitmore College of BusinessLynn McBrien College of EducationStephen Rushton College of EducationJohn Walker College of Hospitality and Technology LeadershipRick Walsh College of Hospitality and Technology LeadershipMary Beth Wallace Dean of Students
Timeline – Fall 2012
• Develop the philosophy and purpose of the General Education program at USFSM
• Propose General Education Program goals and outcomes
• Plan General Education Curriculum – Courses that fit within the program
Reporting process for USFSM General Education Task Force
General Education Task Force
(subcommittee of APC)
Academic Programs
Committee
All Colleges, Students,
Stake holders
General Education Assessment Loop
3. Interpret findings
2. Gather evidence
1. Set goals, ask questions
4. Use for improvement
Think-Pair-Share
1. What are our institution’s values, intellectual traditions, or guiding principles that should be evident in the general education program?
Think-Pair-Share
2. What do you think all students graduating from our institution, regardless of their major, should know and be able to do?
Think-Pair-Share
3. Are there any other particular competencies that would be needed to prepare our students for today’s complex, diverse, and globally interdependent world?
Think-Pair-Share
4. What could make our general education program distinctive from those at comparable campuses?
Part II: USFSM - General Education Workshop
The “Old” USF Gen. Ed. RequirementsGeneral Education Requirements - 36 Sem. Hours• English Composition - 6• Quantitative Methods - 6• Natural Sciences - 6• Social Sciences - 6• Historical Perspectives - 6• Fine Arts - 3• African, Latin American, Middle Eastern or Asian
Perspectives (ALAMEDA) - 3
State Mandated Changes2012 Florida Statutes: Title XLVII 1007.25 I. Limiting the Course Offerings in the Gen Ed Curriculum
FROM TOAn unlimited number of courses qualified in each area
Allowing a limit of 5 courses to qualify in each area
Institutional latitude to create and approve courses
State-wide consensus among institutions on which 5 courses should exist in each area* Until statewide consensus is reached, we should move forward on our own.
State Mandated Changes
II. Decreasing the Amount of Credits Required for the Gen Ed Curriculum
FROM TO
36 credits, 12 courses 30 credits, 10 courses
10 of the 12 courses prescribed (2 per area)
5 of the 10 courses prescribed (1 per area)
Proposal 1: Require USFSM students to take 2 courses in each subject area.
The Five Subject Areas
Communication Mathematics Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Humanities
Rational: - Students still need to take 30 GE credits- Maintains breadth- Practical: course offerings/ scheduling
Proposal 1: Require USFSM students to take 2 courses in each subject area.
The Five Subject Areas
Communication Mathematics Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Humanities
Vote:a. Support proposalb. No, do not supportc. Abstain
Discipline Group Discussions1. Decide which five courses USFSM will offer in each subject area of the General Education Curriculum. – Input needed by 9/17/2012
The Five Subject Areas
Communication Mathematics Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Humanities
Discipline Group DiscussionsProposed courses were selected based on:a. need (requirements for our majors) b. educated guess (what 5 courses the state will
mandate in each subject area).c. faculty resources to teach
The Five Subject Areas
Communication Mathematics Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Humanities
The Five Subject Areas
Communication Mathematics Natural Sciences Social Sciences Humanities
ENC 1101 – Composition 1
MAC 1105 - Algebra
BSC 1005 – Intro. Biology for non-
majors
PSY 2012 – Psychology
LIT 2030 – Intro to Poetry
ENC 1102 – Composition 2
MAC 1140 – Pre-calculus
BSC 2010/L – Cellular Processes
SYG 2000 - Sociology
FIL 1002 – Intro to Film Studies
MAC 2311 – Calculus 1
BSC 2011/L – Biodiversity
ANT 2000 – Intro.
Anthropology
REL 2300 – Introduction to World Religions
MGF 1106 – Finite Math
CHM 2045/L – Chemistry 1
POS 2041 – American National
Government
PHI 1600 – Intro to Ethics
STA 1022 – Basic
Statistics /STA 2023 -
Introductory Statistics I
EVR 2001/L – Intro to
Environmental Sciences
ECO 2013 Macroeconomics
/ ECO 2023 Microeconomics
AMH 2010 - American History 1 /
AMH 2020 - American History 2
Working Group Discussions
2. Faculty in each program should decide whether:
a. certain general education courses will be required for their majorb. if other lower-level courses need to be pre-
requisites for the major.
Input needed by 9/17/2012
• ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 will be pre-requisites for all students in the major.
• Transfer students • What about oral
communication?
Example – Draft Biology Curriculum
• Students taking the MCAT must take PSY 2012 and SYG 2000
• In Biology, we will strongly advise students take courses based on their occupational goals.
- Use information generated today to draft goals and outcomes of the General Education curriculum at USFSM.
- Use feedback from faculty to select which courses are part of General Education
General Education Tasks - Fall 2012
- Design assessment tools for General Education outcomes.
- Create an assessment cycle/process to implement in Fall 2013.
- Communication with advisors
General Education Tasks – Spring 2013
What’s next for General Education• What will make General Education at USFSM
unique?
Source: Hart Research Associates. 2009. Trends and Emerging Practices in General Education. 16pp.
What’s next for General Education• General Education design and assessment as
scholarly work.• Continued evolution of our General Education
Program.• Formation of learning communities and/or
workshops focused on best practices.
Have a Wonderful Semester!Special Thanks --- Stephanie Fuhr, Barbara Melfi, Dina Kathman, Marilyn Nunan and members of the General Education Task Force: Keith Cavedo, Heather Lively, Andrew Whitmore, Lynn McBrien, Stephen Rushton, John Walker, Rick Walsh, Mary Beth Wallace