2014-2015

Liberal Education & America’s Promise

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

2014-2015

Provided by LEAP Interns: Kayln Maxfield 2013-2014 Khloe Andreoli 2014-2015 Ilona Tkach 2014

Aim to Explore the Boundaries

New Student Seminar LEAP Workbook: Course Activity

“In Support of Your Liberal Education”

New Student Seminar LEAP Workbook Course Activity: Aim to Explore the Boundaries

Introduction: This activity is structured in support of students’ Liberal Education at UW-Whitewater. This exercise will help first year students develop an understanding of the necessary skills employers are demanding in the 21st Century and will instruct them how to further develop these skills through Liberal Education & America’s Promise (LEAP) at UW-Whitewater. The activity begins answering the burning question of: “How does this apply to me?” Students first put themselves in the position of their future employer where they are asked to define what they believe are valuable skills and experiences a good candidate should possess. By asking students several reflective questions, they will develop many skills such as, reasoning and critical thinking skills described in the Essential Learning Outcomes. After students have discussed their expectations as an employer, they are asked to reflect where their abilities and experiences relate to expectations of employers, followed by opportunities through LEAP at UW-Whitewater to develop these skills. Within this packet, we have provided the Association of American Colleges and University’s (AAC&U) Principles of Excellence, Essential Learning Outcomes, and High Impact Practices. Also included is the Hart-Research Associates “Key Findings from 2013 Survey of Employers” conducted by AAC&U as references for faculty and staff to share with the students. Classroom materials are provided in Student Workbook. For more information about LEAP at UW-Whitewater, please visit our website at www.uww.edu/leap. This workbook has been created to develop students understanding of LEAP at UW-Whitewater and the importance of a liberal education. After experiencing this activity, students will be enlightened to opportunities on campus, in their courses, and through LEAP that will further prepare them with a diverse set of workforce skills to apply throughout their career and lifetime.

All of the following information is drawn from the AAC&U website (http://aacu.org ) and UW-Whitewater’s LEAP webpage (www.uww.edu/leap).

Table of Contents

Learning Objectives 2

Case Study: Managing Personal Transitions 2

In-Class Activity: Aim to Explore the Boundaries 3

Student Workbook 4

Appendices 5

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Learning Objectives:

Student learning will be demonstrated through the following ways:

1. Forming a basic to intermediate level of understanding about Liberal Education & America’s Promise.

2. Establishing an awareness of the Principles of Excellence.

3. Linking college, work, and life and to connect knowledge with choices and action.

4. Developing an awareness of High-Impact Educational Practices to be involved in at UW-Whitewater.

5. Engaging in reflection and self-evaluation of one’s strengths and areas of improvement as a learner.

6. Cultivating strategies within the LEAP’s High Impact Educational Practices to improve the articulation of one’s strengths and areas of improvement.

7. Exploring the Essential Learning Outcomes. These intellectual and practical skills will include critical and creative thinking, oral communication, and inquiry and analysis.

Case Study: Managing Personal Transitions (adapted from AAC&U)

After two semesters as a general member of your student organization and participating in the organizations activities, you are thinking about applying for a vice president position. The vice president is responsible aiding the president with leading the organization at full force. It also calls for recruiting new members and helping them adjust. You feel that the prior vice president did a fantastic job at making sure you felt included in the activities just as much as prior members. But, you also feel that the vice president could have done more for the organization. As an applicant for the vice president of the student organization, you emphasize your skills learned from your hometown job. You believe that those skills, along with the skills and ideas that you have learned from your classes, will allow you to excel in the position.

• What would be some of the advantages and disadvantages of switching from a general member to a

vice president position?

• Who on your campus might help you with your plans for advancement? How should you approach the topic with these individuals?

• What type of off campus leadership development opportunities would support your growth in the

student organization?

• How can you “package” your current skills in a way that reflects your goals for a career? What additional types of leadership opportunities should you seek at your current institution to support these goals?

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In-Class Activity: Aim to Explore the Boundaries Please prepare for a 20 to 30 minute lesson plan. This activity is based on an open dialog with the students. To begin this section, have the students watch a short segment (start at 1:57 until 3:23) from the Liberal Education and America’s Promise video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9Bg7sAFJsA . Questions for discussion:

1. You are a hiring manager looking to hire someone with a degree that is the same as the degree you are pursuing. What are some attributes and experiences that you would like the candidates to possess?

a. List answers on the board. Substitute and fill-in the Essential Learning Outcomes that may not have been brought up through open discussion. (see appendix A).

2. How do your experiences and abilities compare to those an employer is seeking? What

skills do you believe you need to work on? What do you need to do to stand out to your future employer?

a. This portion of the activity can be written down individually or in -class

discussion.

b. Discuss the importance of establishing a well-rounded skill base.

c. Demonstrate and share the importance of these skills by sharing Hart-Research Associates “Key Findings from 2013 Survey of Employers” included in this workbook (see appendix D).

3. A. How can you improve your skills?

a. Introduce High-Impact Educational Practices.

i. Give examples of High-Impact Educational Practices on the UW-Whitewater Campus (see appendix B).

B. Through your courses and instructors, how are these skills developed in your education? a. This question ties the Essential Learning Outcomes and High-Impact Practices

and establishes the Principles of Excellence (see appendix C).

To learn about more opportunities for how to be more involved will LEAP, visit our website at www.uww.edu/leap. If you have any questions please email LEAP@uww.edu

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Student Workbook

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2014-2015

Liberal Education & America’s Promise

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

2014-2015

Provided by LEAP Interns: Kayln Maxfield 2013-2014 Khloe Andreoli 2014-2015 Ilona Tkach 2014

Student Workbook

Aim to Explore the Boundaries

New Student Seminar LEAP Workbook: Course Activity

“In Support of Your Liberal Education”

Case Study: Managing Personal Transitions

After two semesters as a general member of your student organization and participating in the organizations activities, you are thinking about applying for a vice president position. The vice president is responsible aiding the president with leading the organization at full force. It also calls for recruiting new members and helping them adjust. You feel that the prior vice president did a fantastic job at making sure you felt included in the activities just as much as prior members. But, you also feel that the vice president could have done more for the organization. As an applicant for the vice president of the student organization, you emphasize your skills learned from your hometown job. You believe that those skills, along with the skills and ideas that you have learned from your classes, will allow you to excel in the position. Case Study Questions

1. What would be some of the advantages and disadvantages of switching from a general member to a vice

president position?

2. Who on your campus might help you with your plans for advancement? How should you approach the topic with these individuals?

3. What type of off campus leadership development opportunities would support your growth in the student organization?

4. How can you “package” your current skills in a way that reflects your goals for a career? What additional types of leadership opportunities should you seek at your current institution to support these goals?

Activity: Aim to Explore the Boundaries 1. You are a hiring manager looking to hire someone with a degree that is the same as the degree you are

pursuing. What are some attributes and experiences that you would like the candidates to possess?

2. How do your experiences and abilities compare to those an employer is seeking? What skills do you believe

you need to work on? What do you need to do to stand out to your future employer? 3. How can you improve your skills? 4. Through your courses and instructors, how are these skills developed in your education? To learn about more opportunities for how to be more involved will LEAP, visit our website at www.uww.edu/leap. If you have any questions please email LEAP@uww.edu

Evaluation of Learning Objectives: Please answer the following questions on your level of agreement, where 1 is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree.

1. I have a basic understanding about Liberal Education & America’s Promise (LEAP).

1 2 3 4 5

2. I am aware of the Principles of Excellence (POE).

1 2 3 4 5

3. I can link college, work, and life through my knowledge with choices and action.

1 2 3 4 5

4. I am aware and can practice High-Impact Educational Practices (HIP’s) at UW-Whitewater.

1 2 3 4 5

5. I was able to engage in reflection and self-evaluation of my strengths and areas of improvement as a learner.

1 2 3 4 5

6. I was able to improve articulation of my strengths and areas of improvement through the LEAP’s High Impact Practices (HIP’s).

1 2 3 4 5

7. I was able to explore the Essential Learning Outcomes (ELO’s).

1 2 3 4 5

Student Workbook

Appendices

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Appendix A: Essential Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world through the study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts.

2. Intellectual and practical skills including inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, written and

oral communication, quantitative literacy, information literacy, and teamwork and problem solving.

3. Personal and social responsibility including, civic knowledge and engagement-local and global, intercultural knowledge and competence, ethical reasoning and action, foundations and skills for lifelong learning.

4. Integrative learning including synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized

studies demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems.

Appendix B: High Impact Practice Examples

1. First-year seminars and experiences 2. Common intellectual experiences 3. Learning communities 4. Writing-intensive course 5. Collaborative assignments and projects 6. Undergraduate research 7. Diversity/Global Learning 8. Service learning, community-based learning 9. Internships/student employment 10. Capstone courses and projects

Appendix C: Principles of Excellence

1. Aim high-and make excellence inclusive by making the essential learning outcomes a framework for the educational experiences, connecting school, college, work, and life.

2. Give students a compass by focusing each student’s plan of study on achieving the essential learning

outcomes and assessing progress.

3. Teach the arts of inquiry and innovation by immersing all students in analysis, discovery, problem solving, and communication beginning in school and advancing in to college.

4. Engage the big questions teach through the curriculum to far-reaching issues-contemporary and

enduring-in science and society, cultures and values, global interdependence, the changing economy, and human dignity and freedom.

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5. Connect knowledge with choices and action to prepare students for citizenship and work through emerged and guided learning on “real-world” problems.

6. Foster civic, intercultural, and ethical learning emphasized in personal and social responsibility in

every field of study.

7. Assessing students’ ability to apply learning to complex problems using assessment to deepen learning and to establish a culture of shared purpose and continuous improvement.

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Appendix D: Key Findings from 2013 Survey of Employers

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