system collaboration what can we do together?. leap states discussion thomas b. steen university of...
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System CollaborationWhat can we do together?
LEAP States Discussion
Thomas B. Steen
University of North Dakota
Larry R. Peterson
North Dakota State University
North Dakota General Education Council
The big LEAP
When people in a system come
together, what is it, exactly, that we
do?
Finding Purpose
Transferability
Faculty development
Assessment sharing
Curriculum alignment
Degree tuning
Forum for discussion & review
Finding Balance
Too much – system effort is diluted, competing priorities, doesn’t get it done.
Too little – minimal accomplishment, low interest, doesn’t matter
Sharpening our aim: LEAP
Improving student learning
Refining what kind of learning matters
Broad essential learning AND specialized majors
Shifting from courses taken
Move away from disinterested learning “that’s just good for you”
Disconnect between GE and the major
Collaborations for UG LearningThree Examples
BolognaProc
ess
The European collaboration
CompassProj
ect
Three States & the AACU
North Dakota’s GE Council
18 schools: public, tribal, private
Started meeting Spring/09
“Summits” twice/year
Formal organization in progress
Focus: general education – both portability and quality
WhatWhat is the state of your state?
WhoWho is involved in your state or system?
WhyWhat are the main reasons why your system came together?
Food for Thought:
What are the key obstacles that systems (Yours? Any?)
need to over come?
The Transfer Issue
How does transfer support or hinder collaboration
across a system?
The Vision Question
What should a system work together on? For?
Framing Questions for System Collaboration
Organizational structure?
Human relations support?
System political considerations?
Symbolic work?
(After Bolman & Deal, 2008)
Organizational
Is there an ideal structure for a system collaboration?
What are the key essentials for an effective organization?
Support for Human Relationships
What do faculty need to do a great job at teaching GE across the system?
What do students need to learn well? When they move across the system?
What key staff—registrars, enrollment, system office--play crucial roles? What do they need to do well?
Political Interests
What are the interests of “insiders” (e.g., faculty, academic staff, admin.)?
What are the interests of important “outsiders” (e.g., politicians, business, ???)
What are the critical interests of students across the system? At different institutions?
How do we balance the interests of individual schools with the interest of the system as a whole?
Symbolizing Success
What is the key system message? Tagline?
What kind of event will symbolize the system when it works well?
What kind of persons do you want to lead? What do you hope they do?
Now what?
Gettin' good players is easy. Gettin' 'em to play together is the hard part.
--Casey Stengel
What’s Next?
The Big Goal:Increase high quality college degrees in the
U.S. to 60%* by 2025
(Department of Education; Lumina Foundation)
*currently about 40%
Michael, if you can’t pass, you can’t play.
Coach Dean Smith to Michael Jordan, In his freshman year at UNC
Systems Share Students
Within institutions
From one institution to the next
From other systems into yours, and from yours into others
Students change majors
Student learning connects and links in quality GE
Transfer numbers are rising
Online instruction eases intra-institutional work
Will We Play Well?
In basketball, the ultimate expression of a great team is their passing.
In higher education, the indicators of a great system are …….. ?