recent trends in general education design, learning outcomes, and teaching approaches
TRANSCRIPT
AAC&U Members on Recent Trends in General Education Design, Learning Outcomes, and Teaching ApproachesKey findings from a survey among 325 Chief Academic Officers or designated representatives
at AAC&U member institutions, conducted July 15 to October 13, 2015,by Hart Research Associates for the Association of American Colleges and Universities
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Profile of the Sample
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Carnegie ClassificationAssociate’s degreeBachelor’s degreeMaster’s degreeDoctoral degree/researchOther
11%30%39%19%
1%
AffiliationPublicPrivate/religiousProprietary
46%53%
1%
The survey was conducted among 325 Chief Academic Officers or designated representatives at AAC&U member institutions from a list of 1,001, with a response rate of 32%.
November/December 2008 July – October 2015
Does your institution have a common set of intended learning goals or learning outcomes that apply to ALL undergraduate students?
Most AAC&U member institutions have a common set of learning outcomes for all of their undergraduate students.
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AAC&U members with common learning outcomes have outcomes that apply to a broad range of skills and knowledge areas; significant consensus exists on outcome areas.
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Proportions saying their institution has learning outcomes for ALL undergraduate students that address specific skills and knowledge areas*
* Among members at institutions that have a common set of learning outcomes for all undergraduate students
Writing skillsCritical thinking and analytic reasoning skillsQuantitative reasoning skillsKnowledge of scienceKnowledge of mathematicsKnowledge of humanitiesKnowledge of global or world culturesKnowledge of social sciencesKnowledge of the artsOral communication skillsIntercultural skills and abilities
201599%98%94%92%92%92%89%89%85%82%79%
200899%95%91%91%87%92%87%90%N/A88%79%
(continued)
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* Among members at institutions that have a common set of learning outcomes for all undergraduate students
Information literacy skillsResearch skills and projectsEthical reasoning skillsKnowledge of diversity in USIntegration of learning across disciplinesApplication of learning beyond the classroomCivic engagement and competenceKnowledge of technologyKnowledge of languages other than EnglishKnowledge of American historyKnowledge of sustainability
201576%75%75%73%68%65%63%49%48%47%27%
200876%65%75%73%63%66%68%61%42%49%24%
AAC&U members with common learning outcomes have outcomes that apply to a broad range of skills and knowledge areas; significant consensus exists on outcome areas.
Proportions saying their institution has learning outcomes for ALL undergraduate students that address specific skills and knowledge areas*
(continued)
Educational leaders at institutions with common learning outcomes do not report that students have a greater understanding of these goals in 2015 than they did in 2008.
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November/December 2008 July – October 2015
What is your sense of how many of your students understand your institution’s intended learning outcomes for undergraduate learning?*
45%55%
42%
58%
* Among members at institutions that have a common set of learning outcomes for all undergraduate students
Many institutions are implementing evidence-based practices, and they are most likely to require those that support the successful transition to college.
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What approach is your campus taking with regard to these types of learning practices?This is
offered asan option
31%
30%
41%
23%
53%
79%
59%
87%
90%
92%
94%
Totaloffered
91%
82%
93%
65%
87%
93%
71%
96%
97%
98%
96%
First-year experiences that support transition to college
First-year academic seminars
Global/world culture studiesOrientations to liberal
education, purpose/valueDiversity studies/
experiencesService learning in courses
Learning communities
Undergraduate researchPracticums and
supervised fieldworkInternships
Study abroad
Required for all students
Some campuses are exploring ways to engage students in more problem-based learning. For instance, institutions are providing opportunities to students to do significant learning projects that are integrative and/or applied and that take a semester of study or longer. These projects may be conducted within capstone courses, research projects, or in field-based activities or internships.Which describes your campus’s current approach to significant learning projects like these?
Required for some students
Offered option for all students
Offered option for some studentsNot a current option
Nearly all AAC&U member institutions offer significant applied learning projects for at least some students; fewer than one in four require all students to participate.
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Most administrators think that at least some of their teaching faculty is effectively using digital learning tools, but they see room to expand their effective use.
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How many of your current faculty are using digital learning tools effectively in their courses?
“All/most of our teaching faculty should be using more digital learning in undergraduate courses.”
At your institution, how high a priority is increasing the number of undergraduate online courses?
* Described as programs designed around demonstrated mastery rather than completion of courses and credits
Most
Some
Very few
Agree 44% Strongly agree 89%
High
Medium
Minor/not
45% Somewhat agree
(1% all programs, 10% some programs)
Attitudes Toward Digital Learning and Online Courses, by Key Subgroups
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“All/most of our teaching faculty should be using more digital learning in undergrad-uate courses.”
At your institution, how high a priority is increasing the number of undergraduate online courses?
Strongly agree
29%53%52%
51%36%
42%
By Carnegie Classification: Bachelor’s degree Master’s degree Doctoral degree/research
By Affiliation: Public Private/non-religious independent institutions Religious
Some-whatagree
53%38%42%
42%48%
48%
Highpriority
14%28%27%
34%16%
22%
By Carnegie Classification: Bachelor’s degree Master’s degree Doctoral degree/research
By Affiliation: Public Private/non-religious independent institutions Religious
Mediumpriority
23%42%41%
44%24%
35%
Minor/nota priority
63%30%32%
22%60%
43%
In regard to electronic portfolios, which describes your campus?
Required of almost all students
Used for some students and programs
Not used/exploringfeasibility of using
Not used/no plans to use
November – December 2008 July – October 2015(64% required/used)(57% required/used)
Many AAC&U member institutions use e-portfolios, but few require the for all students.
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How has general education changed as a priority for your institution in the past five years?
The majority of AAC&U member institutions continue to say that general education is more of a priority than it was five years ago.
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Has become moreof a priority
Has not changedas a priority
Has become lessof a priority
Institutions are placing greater emphasis on integration of knowledge, skills, and application than on broad knowledge acquisition in their general education programs.
Integration of knowledge, skills, and application
Applied learning experiences
Cross-cutting skill development
Broad knowledge acquisition
Proportions saying their institution is placing more emphasis on each practice in their general education program
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Clear learning outcomes
Assess student achievement of learning outcomes
Has requirements linked to outcomes
Ensures all develop ability to integrate/apply learning to complex questions
Proportions saying each describes* their institution’s general education program
* 4 + 5 ratings on a five-point scale, 5 = describes the program very well
2008
63%
49%
62%
N/A
Large majorities describe their gen ed programs as “having clear learning outcomes,” “assessing achievement of learning outcomes,” and “having requirements linked to outcomes.”
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Proportions saying each describes* their institution’s general education program
* 4 + 5 ratings on a five-point scale, 5 = describes the program very well
2008
35%
N/A
Few institutions describe their general education programs as coherent or having structured pathways.
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Coherent sequence of courses and/or educational experiences
Structured pathways that progressively develop proficiencies in key areas
Includes global courses
Includes first-year seminars
Includes diversity courses
Includes interdisciplinary courses
Includes service learning opportunities
Includes civic learning or engagement activities
Requires experiential learning opportunities
Proportions saying each describes* their institution’s general education program
* 4 + 5 ratings on a five-point scale, 5 = describes the program very well
2008
60%
58%
56%
51%
38%
38%
36%
AAC&U member institutions report similar curricular patterns for their general education programs today as in 2008 and are most likely to include global courses and first-year seminars.
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The majority of institutions use a distribution model with addition-al integrative features. Fewer use only a distribution model in 2015 than did so in 2008.
Which of these features are part of your institution’s general education program?
Other features:Common intellectual experience
Thematic required courses
Upper-level requirements
Core curriculum
Learning communities
November – December 2008 July – October 2015
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Distribution model
Capstone or culminating studies (taken in major programs)
Upper-level general education requirements
Core curriculum
Thematic required courses
A common intellectual experience
Capstone or culminating studies (taken as part of general education)
Learning communities
Proportions saying each is included as part of their institution’s general education program
Institutions incorporate various general education program design elements.
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The majority of member institutions think that their general education programs are well integrated with students’ major requirements, but there is still room to improve.
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November/December 2008 July – October 2015
How well integrated would you say that your general education program is with students’ major requirements?
58%
42%48%
52%
Only minor shifts have occurred since 2008 in the required number of general education credits at AAC&U member institutions.
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Nov/Dec 2008 July–Oct 2015
How many total general education credits are required at your institution for this degree?
Nov/Dec 2008 July–Oct 2015
Bachelor’s degree* Associate’s degree*
* Among members in institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees or higher * Among members in institutions that grant only associate’s degrees
Mean: 46.6Median: 44
Mean: 44.6Median: 42
Mean: 33.5Median: 29
Mean: 35.1Median: 33
Very familiar withthe LEAP initiative
AAC&U’s Liberal Education and America’s Promise initiative (LEAP initiative) champions the importance of--and assists campuses in providing--a 21st century liberal education through a focus on principles of excellence, Essential Learning Outcomes, high-impact educational practices, and the creation and effective use of authentic assessments.How familiar are you with the LEAP initiative?
Nearly all of AAC&U’s member institutions are familiar with the LEAP initiative.
Fairly familiar withthe LEAP initiative
Only somewhat (9%)/not at all (2%) familiar with the LEAP initiative
89% VERY/FAIRLYFAMILIAR
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Increasing development of and participation in engaged learning practices *
Defining or updating common student learning outcomes
Improving the assessment of student learning outcomes
Reforming general education programs
Advancing civic and global learning
Advancing equity and student success
Does your institution use AAC&U’s LEAP initiative to advance goals in these areas?
Among those who are familiar with LEAP, most institutions are already using or are planning to use LEAP to achieve specific goals.
* Described as high-impact practices such as learning communities, undergraduate research, applied hands-on projects, internships, etc.
78%
75%
75%
73%
67%
53%
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