General Education atIndiana University Bloomingtonhttp://gened.iub.edu/

Presentation to the College of Arts & Sciences, Dec 2011

Sonya StephensMunirpallam A. Venkataramanan (Venkat)

General Education Committee Co-Chairs, 2010.

HISTORY OF THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

Fall 20072006 2008-9Spring 2007 2009-10 2010-11

Trustees and President call for the faculty to consider a General Education program

Ted Miller presents paper to BFC

GenEd Committee constituted in the spring.

Herb Terry proposes BFC Circular B5-2009

BFC approves GenEd curriculum policy

Policy sets out shape of the curriculum

Policy includes a monitoring requirement.

Implementation Subcommittees formed

White Paper on Monitoring (April 2009)

Transfer Task Force

Policy Refinements

GenEd Bulletin

Implementation

1st Summer Session 2011

2011

Policy refinements

Enrolment forecasting undertaken

Degree Audit Coding completed

GEMS Principles & Procedures of Monitoring approved

846 COURSES APPROVED IN TOTAL, ROUNDS 1 to 5

77 COURSES APPROVEDIN ROUND 5

Administrative Organization

FACULTY-DRIVEN PROCESSFaculty scrutiny of all course

proposalsFaculty vote on all policies and

recommendations

Regular Reports to the BFC from the Co-Chairs

Co-Chairs nominated by BFC and the Provost

VPUE charged with the implementation and management of the GenEd curriculum

The Shape of the CurriculumI The Common Ground

I. The Common Ground (Required; up to 31 credits)a. Foundationsi. Writing: English Composition- 3 creditsii. Mathematical Modeling – 3-4 credits b. Breadth of Inquiryi. Arts and Humanities- 6 creditsii. Social and Historical studies- 6 creditsiii. Natural and Mathematical Sciences- 5-6 credit hours; two coursesOR a single 5-credit course that includes a substantial lab componentc. World Languages and CulturesSecond-year level of a world language (6 credits)OR World Culture courses (6 credits)OR International experience in an approved study abroad (6 credits)

The Shape of the Curriculum II The Shared Goals

II. Shared Goals (Recommended; to be structured by faculty in each degree program; may be completed by embedding these goals in current curricula, through coursework for credit, or non-credit bearing activities)

a. Intensive Writing

b. Information Fluency

c. Diversity in the United States

d. Enriching Educational Experiences

(service learning, internship, capstone project, student teaching, independent research/creative activity program, an approved study abroad experience, honors thesis, show, recital, performance)

Distribution of Courses in the Common Ground

CompMMA&HS&HW CultureW LangsN&MN&M*

GenEd Courses by School

Colleg

eHPE

RED

UCSW

KJOUR

OPT0

100200300400500600700800900

Total Courses

Total Courses

GenEd by the numbersSTUDENTS

Total number of beginners in Fall 2011: 7,424 (up 5.8% from 2010)

Total student enrollments in GenEd classes in Fall 2011: 75,264

Number of beginners in Fall 2011 entering with sophomore status (26 cr. or more): 348 (up 95% from 2010)

GenEd by the numbersCOURSES

Courses approved for the GenEd Curriculum: 846

Course proposals reviewed for the GenEd Curriculum: 1477

Course proposals not approved for the GenEd Curriculum: 631 (482 of which were 300-400 level courses)

GenEd classes offered in Fall 2011: 2,331

Program Goals

The Common Ground Curriculum of the IUB General Education Program should:

• Enable students to think critically and reason with conceptual and numerical information and data.

• Enable students to express, to understand and to interpret expressions and artifacts of human experience.

• Enable students to explore and understand phenomena by exposing them to the nature and methods of scientific inquiry.

• Enable students to examine individual, collective, and institutional behavior in social and historical contexts.

• Enable students to appreciate and engage in world affairs by expanding their knowledge of different cultures, societies and values.

Program Goals

The Shared Goals Curriculum of the IUB General Education Program should:• Enable students to engage in discourse specific to their field of study

through composition and critique of written communication (through the Shared Goals requirement for Intensive Writing);

• Enable students to find appropriate information and utilize information effectively in their specific field of study (through the Shared Goals requirement for Information Fluency);

• Enable students to develop an appreciation and understanding of issues dealing with the diversity of human sociality in the United States (through the Shared Goals requirement for Diversity in the United States);

• Enable students to engage in enriching educational experiences that provide opportunities to apply discipline-specific skills and knowledge to community issues and foster service and social responsibility as related to students’ chosen career fields (through the Shared Goals requirement for Enriching Educational Experiences).

The RubricsEnglish Composition

Students will1. employ strategies of pre-writing, drafting, and revising, taking into consideration

rhetorical purpose, the knowledge and needs of different audiences, and the feedback of instructors and peers.

2. engage in substantial revision of drafts, as distinguished from editing and proofreading.3. read critically, summarize, apply, analyze, and synthesize information and concepts in

written and visual sources as the basis for developing their own ideas and claims.4. engage in inquiry-driven research, making use of appropriate data repositories and

indexes, and properly attributing and citing the language and ideas of others to avoid plagiarism.

5. develop a focused thesis and link it to appropriate reasons and adequate evidence.6. use genre conventions and structure (e.g., introductions, paragraphing, transitions) in

ways that serve the development and communication of information and ideas.7. edit such that choices in style, grammar, spelling, and punctuation contribute to the

clear communication of information and ideas.

The RubricsMathematical Modeling

Students will

1. create mathematical models of empirical or theoretical phenomena in domains such as the physical, natural, or social sciences;

2. create variables and other abstractions to solve college-level mathematical problems in conjunction with previously-learned fundamental mathematical skills such as algebra;

3. draw inferences from models using college-level mathematical techniques including problem solving, quantitative reasoning, and exploration using multiple representations such as equations, tables, and graphs;

4. take an analytical approach to problems in their future endeavors.

The RubricsArts & Humanities

Students will be able to demonstrate any or all of the following:

1. Knowledge of origins, varieties, and meanings of the expressions and artifacts of human experience, including:

a. Original written texts in various literary forms b. Works of visual art and designc. Musical compositions d. Dramatic performance (live theater, dance, film, video, digital…)

2. Knowledge of the cultural, intellectual, and historical contexts through which these expressions and artifacts are interpreted.

3. Knowledge of the modes of symbolic expression and aesthetic and/or literary conventions that are used in these expressions and artifacts.

Arts & Humanities continued

4. Ability to develop arguments, ideas, and opinions about forms of human expression, grounded in rational analysis and in an understanding of and respect for the historical context of expressions and artifacts, and to express these ideas in written and/or oral form.

5. Ability to create or reinterpret artistic works, as performer or as critic, through the development of skills of performance or skills of analysis and criticism.

6. Ability to explain and assess the changing perspectives on the meanings of arts and humanities traditions, and to explore

The RubricsNatural & Mathematical Sciences

Courses in the Natural and Mathematical Sciences will meet at least some of the objectives.

Students will: 1. Become familiar with scientific inquiry and the bases for

technology; 2. Acquire tools to model and understand the physical and natural

world; 3. Acquire skills in the collection and interpretation of data, critical

thinking, and theoretically based inquiry; 4. Learn to solve problems; 5. Acquire analytical and/or quantitative skills allowing them to

become informed, active participants in society.

The RubricsSocial & Historical Studies

Students who successfully complete this requirement will improve their 1. Human culture knowledge through understanding of history, social situations,

and social institutions 2. Intellectual and Practical Skills

a. Critical and creative thinking b. Inquiry and analysis c. Quantitative and/or qualitative literacy through theory and methodology

3. Personal and Social Responsibility a. Intercultural knowledge b. Civic knowledge c. Skills for life-long learning

The RubricsWorld Languages & Cultures

WORLD LANGUAGES & CULTURESKnowledge: The Student1. Understands culture within a global and comparative context (that

is, the student recognizes that his/her culture is one of many diverse cultures and that alternate perceptions and behaviors may be based in cultural differences).

2. Demonstrates knowledge of global issues, processes, trends, and systems (that is, economic and political interdependency among nations, environmental-cultural interaction, global governance bodies, and nongovernmental organizations).

3. Demonstrates knowledge of other cultures (including beliefs, values, perspectives, practices, and products).

•

The RubricsWorld Languages & Cultures

WORLD LANGUAGES & CULTURESSkills: The Student4. Uses knowledge, diverse cultural frames of reference, and

alternate perspectives to think critically and solve problems. 5. Communicates and connects with people in other language

communities in a range of settings for a variety of purposes, developing skills in each of the four modalities: speaking (productive), listening (receptive), reading (receptive), and writing (productive).

6.Uses foreign language skills and/or knowledge of other cultures to extend access to information, experiences, and understanding.

The RubricsWorld Languages & Cultures

WORLD LANGUAGES & CULTURES

Attitudes : The Student 7. Appreciates the language, art, religion, philosophy, and material culture of different cultures. 8. Accepts cultural differences and tolerates cultural ambiguity. 9. Demonstrates an ongoing willingness to seek out international or

intercultural opportunities.

What will be monitored?

Student learning

The effectiveness of the curriculum in delivering the student learning outcomes and program goals

The program as a whole, in relation to concerns relating to student transfer, constituent satisfaction, and impact on academic units and the Bloomington campus

Source:

Assessment of Student LearningContext

92% of all institutions of higher learning have identified student learning outcomes and have institution- and program-level assessment of these.

National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment Press Release (Oct 26, 2009)Accountability-Improvement Tension

“Accreditation remains the primary vehicle for quality assurance in American higher education and the major driver of learning outcomes assessment, as it has for the last quarter century. Postsecondary education and accreditation groups must devote more attention to strengthening standards for learning outcome assessment and to judging the quality of these activities. Campuses must be held accountable for showing evidence of student learning outcomes assessment, for applying assessment information to changes in teaching and learning approaches, and for reporting how student learning is affected as a result of these changes.”

More than you think, less than we need (NILOA Annual Report, October 2009)

Assessment of Student LearningContext

The site visit report of February 2008 identifies a range of issues relating to the assurance of learning, pointing specifically to:

A lack of central oversight or institutional coordination of student outcomes assessment

A failure systematically to collect, analyze and share data for the purposes of monitoring and continuous improvement

Weaknesses in assessment, including in professionally accredited schools.

Lack of central oversight of well-established departmental/program review processes and outcomes An important opportunity for the campus to address

student learning outcomes assessment in the form of the new comprehensive General Education curriculum.

Assessment of Student LearningContext

Are we teaching in ways and in settings that are most meaningful for the students of today? Can we be using the technologies that were unavailable just a decade ago to educate more effectively? Are we teaching intentionally by identifying learning goals and outcomes and assuring that they are met? Have we identified the knowledge and skills that students need for a rewarding intellectual, economic, and community life, and how are we assuring ourselves that such knowledge and skills have been transmitted? We cannot wait for others to ask and answer these questions for us; we must accept this challenge ourselves, and as a matter of urgency.

President Michael McRobbie State of the University Address February 23, 2010

Assessment of Student Learning

The IAC requested that in the upcoming Focused Visit the institution should also address student outcomes assessment by producing evidence that the institution meets the issues raised by the team under Criterion Three Core Component 3a "Institutional attention needs to be given to student outcomes assessment at both the campus and unit levels. There is no campus coordination or oversight of the assessment of student outcomes nor is there a written record of unit assessment plans/activities including the identification of goals for student learning”.

Letter from Sylvia manning to President McRobbieJuly 3, 2008

Assessment of Student Learning

Mandated as a part of the GenEd curriculum by an overwhelming majority vote of the BFC in 2007

Approval to form a General Education Monitoring Subcommittee (GEMS) received from the GenEd Committee as a result of a recommendation in the GenEd Monitoring White Paper (April 2009)

GEMS Principles and Procedures of GenEd Monitoring approved by the GenEd Committee in April 2010.

Five-year roll-out plan beginning in 2011.

Follow-Up Report Required by HLC in September 2013, documenting TWO YEARS of GenEd assessment data collection and use.

Assessment of Student LearningThe Process

Assessment of Student LearningWhat this means for you

By an overwhelming majority vote in the April 2010 meeting of the full General Education Committee, the faculty approved the implementation of the monitoring of the GenEd program (including the Shared Goals).In so doing, the faculty committed to a broad and far-reaching assessment plan, as a result of which they will:

document, in a standard format, the learning outcomes of each course in the General Education curriculum;

assure the alignment of their individual course learning outcomes with the learning outcomes specified for each area of the Common Ground;

share their syllabus for the course, by the third week of its delivery, each time the course is taught;

identify activities or assignments for which they will devise a rubric map in relation to their specified outcomes and those of the Common Ground area in which the course is listed;

share data with GEMS so that effectiveness of the curriculum and student performance in GenEd can be continuously monitored, communicated and reviewed.

Assessment of Student Learning

Collect learning outcomes for every course

approved for inclusion in the Common Ground (Templates)

Learning outcomes will be required for all new course proposals

English and Mathematical Modeling now engaged in 2011-12 assessment cycle

World Languages and World Cultures prepare for assessment cycle in 2012-13

Timeline for GenEd Monitoring

Years of 1st GenEd Assessment*

Area to be monitored

1 2011-12 English CompositionMathematical Modeling

2 2012-13 World Languages & World Cultures3 2013-14 Natural & Mathematical Sciences4 2014-15 Arts & Humanities5 2015-16 Social & Historical Studies

Shared GoalsOngoing Curricular & Program Review

* Annually thereafter

Sharing the Data

Faculty are asked to shared data from just one assignment with GEMS

Assignment should measure one or more of the learning outcomes relevant to the course and aligned with the rubric from the pertinent area of the Common Ground.

To make this meaningful, there must be a rubric map for the assignment that is also shared with GEMS.

Data should be reviewed by the faculty member with a view to evaluating the effectiveness of the student learning so that, where necessary or appropriate, changes can be made.

Data will also be shared with GEMS so that campus-wide aggregation and analysis can occur.

How else will we assess the students?

• We may use standardized tests for sampling in some areas (e.g. information fluency)

• We will compare their performance against SAT data in certain areas

• We may use placement test data• We may use GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT and any other such

graduate admission tests as exit data in relevant areas.• We will work with faculty who wish to develop ePortfolios to

help with qualitative analysis of student artifacts, e.g. capstone projects

• We will use indirect assessment (e.g. NSSE survey) to monitor student engagement and reported learning.

How else will we monitor GenEd?

We will look at: the aggregated course assessment data to evaluate the effectiveness of the

curriculum. changes in quality of undergraduates’ learning experiences; changes in enrollment patterns in undergraduate courses; changes in undergraduate curriculum plans; relationship between general education and degree programs; budgetary impact of implementation of General Education Program in

academic units success/failure rates of students in courses to meet new requirements; rates and patterns of student completion of General Education

requirements; changes in four-year graduation rates;

Source:

variations among academic units in implementation of Shared Goals

impact on quality of advising in University Division and academic units;

student perceptions of the quality of General Education courses and impact

on undergraduate experience; faculty perceptions of student competence with General

Education requirements; impact of General Education requirements on admissions

rates; ease of transfer.

Questions for you

Who will define the learning outcomes for the courses in your department?

Who will be responsible for ensuring that all syllabi are sent to GEMS by week 3 of the course?

Who will ensure that ONE assignment in each section of a GenEd course is mapped to defined rubrics and that this information, along with the student data collected in relation to it, is available?

How can we help and support your department in this effort?

Questions for us?