2008 Faculty Orientation Liberal Education and Writing-

Enriched Curriculum

2002 Assessment of Student Learning

Accreditation

Student Learning Outcomes

Writing Task Force

Baccalaureate Writing Initiative/WEC

Liberal Education Revision

Strategic Positioning 2004

Student Development Outcomes

2007-10 Curricular Initiatives

Liberal Education Requirements Background1991: “Howe Committee” revision of

Liberal Education Requirements• Provided common set of LE

requirements across all colleges• Established Council on Liberal

Education• Developed structure that provided

breadth (“Diversified Core”) and interdisciplinary examination of contemporary issues (“Designated Themes”’)

2006-08 Review Process

• Council on Liberal Education (21 members) met twice a month beginning Fall 2006

• Chaired by Leslie Schiff, Professor of Microbiology

• Reviewed historical and conceptual basis of liberal education nationally and at the U of M

• Examined current requirements and reforms at peer institutions– Case study: Harvard Core Curriculum

• Discussed assessment of general education

Revision Process

Students told us that liberal education is viewed as an important component to a university education:

“…to create well-rounded graduates”

BUT although it is viewed as important, the outcomes are not made clear:

“…just get through it or pick classes that are fun and easy”

Revision ProcessFaculty and staff told us that the current liberal

education structure is workable and meets a variety of needs and goals:“ . . . the flexibility is appreciated and topics appropriate”

BUT that implementation of the LE requirements needs more coherence and clearer communication:

“Articulate the coherence and objectives in the context of undergraduate education”

Recommendations: Goals• Sustain a campus-wide commitment to

liberal education• Clearly articulate and uphold the

standards that LE courses have to meet• Transform our communication with

students about what we expect of them • Assess outcomes and hold colleges

and departments accountable.

Recommendations: Revitalizing the Core

1. Arts and Humanities

2. Biological Sciences

3. Historical Perspectives

4. Literature

5. Mathematical Thinking

6. Physical Sciences

7. Social Sciences

Students will take one course in each of the following:

All courses in the Core must : • help students understand what liberal education is, and

what this means for them as students and as citizens. • employ teaching and learning strategies that engage

students with doing the work of the field.• include small group experiences (such as discussion

sections or labs) and use writing as appropriate to the discipline

• not have prerequisites beyond the University‘s entrance requirements.

• be offered on a regular schedule. • be taught by regular faculty (except under extraordinary

circumstances).

Example: CURRENT Social ScienceCourses admitted to the Social Sciences Core must

address the following issues

• How social scientists describe and analyze human experiences and behavior;

• The interrelationships among individuals, institutions, structures, events and ideas; and

• The roles that individuals play in their cultural, social, economic, and political worlds.

Example: NEW Social ScienceKEEPS those three (slightly revised ) and adds four new criteria:•Students manipulate social science data (primary or secondary) using one or more of the primary quantitative or qualitative methods for collecting and/or analyzing these data.•The course identifies key disciplinary resources and evaluates their quality. •The course promotes multidisciplinary ways of thinking that can be used to synthesize and analyze local, national, and global issues, and the connections among these. •Students work collaboratively and individually to construct new knowledge.

Recommendations: Rethinking the Themes

The Themes focus on relevance to society and have the common goal of cultivating in students a number of habits of mind:

•thinking ethically about important challenges facing our society and world;

•reflecting on the shared sense of responsibility required to build and maintain community;

•connecting knowledge and practice;

•fostering a stronger sense of our roles as historical agents.

Recommendations: Rethinking the Themes

1. Civic Life and Ethics

2. Diversity and Social Justice in the U.S.

3. Environment

4. Global Perspectives

5. Technology and Society

Students will complete one course that meets each of the following themes:

Example: Current Environment Theme

To qualify for designation a course must:a. focus on the interdependency of humans and the

natural environment and use critical issues of this interaction for illustrative and explanatory purposes,

b. consider the regenerative capacity of the biosphere, and c. consider both the cultural and social implications of

human intervention in biophysical planetary processes.

Example: NEW Environment Theme•The course raises environmental issues of major significance.•The course gives explicit attention to interrelationships between the natural environment and human society.•The course introduces the underlying scientific principles behind the environmental issues being examined.•Students explore the limitations of technologies and the constraints of science on the public policy issues being considered.•Students learn how to identify and evaluate credible information concerning the environment.•Students demonstrate an understanding that solutions to environmental problems will only be sustained if they are consistent with the ethics and values of society.

Other major changes

•Double-dipping still allowed, but themes must be completely integral to the core course proposed (no more “add-on” or “one-third” rule)

•Courses may not meet two themes (proposers must choose one)

•Possibility of “liberal education minors”

•Possibility of individualized liberal education proposals (to be piloted in UHP)

Preliminary draft October, 2007

•Web site for comments

•Four open forums for feedback

•Revision of report; final report submitted to SCEP in February 08; passed by SCEP and FCC

•Will go to University Senate (Twin Cities Assembly) April 3, 2008 for vote

Consultation Process

ImplementationIf approved by the Senate, these new requirements will go into effect for new freshmen beginning fall, 2010.

All courses currently certified for LE designation will need to be revised and resubmitted to meet the new guidelines. A timeline for submission will be sent to colleges in April.

Writing-Enriched Curriculum

The Undergraduate Writing Strategic Positioning Task Force recommended the creation of writing-enriched baccalaureate degrees:

“Faculty in each major should create a comprehensive curriculum of writing-enriched courses based on both central guidelines for effective writing instruction and departmental assessment of writing objectives.”

Bush Grant Support for Writing

• In Spring 2007 the University received a grant of almost $1 million from the Bush Foundation in support of the development of writing enriched degree programs.

• The Bush Grant jump-started the WEC process

• Pamela Flash is leading the initiative

The WEC Process

•WEC team surveys faculty members, students and professional affiliates on writing values, writing assignments, and concerns.

•Samples of student writing are collected. The team compiles survey responses and creates a history of the department’s involvement in the University’s Writing-Intensive initiative.

•Faculty meetings to review results from all three surveys, to articulate writing characteristics and writing abilities they hope to foster in undergraduates, and to plan for writing assessment and instructional support.

•Departmental WEC Liaison drafts Writing Plan in collaboration with WEC Team; drafts of the Writing Plan are circulated and revised.

•Following consultation with colleges, the Writing Plan is submitted to the faculty-run Campus Writing Board for approval.

•WEC team compiles findings into a Final Report which is presented to the department.

•Faculty and instructors, in collaboration with WEC team, implement and assess their Writing Plan.

•Writing plan is adjusted as necessary and continues to be implemented.

The WEC Process (continued)

Update on Current Status

•Two “pre-pilot” departments (spring 07): Mechanical Engineering and Political Science (now implementing writing plans)

•Three departments in fall 2007: History, Horticulture, Design, Housing and Apparel, all in final stages of the first phase (completing writing plans)

•Four departments starting fall 08: Geography, Spanish and Portuguese, EEB, and one to be named

Transition from WI to WEC

The development of writing enriched degree programs will take some time. The WI requirement will remain in place during the transition.

As departmental plans are approved by the new Campus Writing Board and with an appropriate phase-in period, students in those majors may no longer need to meet the current WI graduation requirement. This process will be handled major-by-major via APAS.

Goals of Curricular Initiatives

• A more meaningful, more coherent undergraduate experience

• Graduates who have the skills and knowledge they need to be effective citizens and productive members of society