PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND GENERAL EDUCATION JOIN FORCESStephane E. BoothVerna FitzsimmonsKent State UniversityFebruary

Slide 1:PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND GENERAL EDUCATION JOIN FORCES Stephane E. Booth Verna Fitzsimmons Kent State University February 22, 2008

Slide 2:OUR STORY INSPIRATION: Previous topics presented at AAC&U conference last year. NEED: “Something’s got to give” PLAN: Look at what is needed and “solve the problem” Inspiration: Verna’s Story Need: professional accreditation; state mandates; employers’ expectations Plan: defining the problemInspiration: Verna’s Story Need: professional accreditation; state mandates; employers’ expectations Plan: defining the problem

Slide 3:Underlying Beliefs Aims of liberal education and professional education are similar. Even the vocabulary is similar. General versus Specific… Complementary – not at odds. If so, why not leverage the strengths of each? Play well together – Ah, this really was the question…Can we play well together? Professional (specific): ABET General Education: acquire critical thinking and problem solving skills, •   apply principles of effective written and oral communication, •   broaden their imagination and develop their creativity, •   cultivate their natural curiosity and begin a lifelong pursuit of knowledge, •   develop competencies and values vital to responsible uses of information and technology, •   engage in independent thinking, develop their own voice and vision, and become informed, responsible citizens, •   improve their understanding of issues and behaviors concerning inclusion, community and tolerance, •   increase their awareness of ethical implications of their own and others' actions, •   integrate their major studies into the broader context of a liberal education, •   strengthen quantitative reasoning skills, and •   understand basic concepts of the academic disciplines.   Professional (specific): ABET General Education: acquire critical thinking and problem solving skills, •   apply principles of effective written and oral communication, •   broaden their imagination and develop their creativity, •   cultivate their natural curiosity and begin a lifelong pursuit of knowledge, •   develop competencies and values vital to responsible uses of information and technology, •   engage in independent thinking, develop their own voice and vision, and become informed, responsible citizens, •   improve their understanding of issues and behaviors concerning inclusion, community and tolerance, •   increase their awareness of ethical implications of their own and others' actions, •   integrate their major studies into the broader context of a liberal education, •   strengthen quantitative reasoning skills, and •   understand basic concepts of the academic disciplines.  

Slide 4:Course – Lean Manufacturing College of Technology Special Topics Course: 40000/50000 level 10 students (7/3) Team Taught

Slide 5:Course Outcomes (Intended) Define Lean Manufacturing Define the 14 foundational management principles behind a Lean production Identify the roles and responsibilities of people in the development and implementation of the Lean philosophy Identify and develop mechanisms for eliminating the many types of waste Apply the tools of the lean philosophy in various situations Identify and implement a process for continuous improvement Identify key traps that prevent applying these principles effectively Demonstrate the different types of learning Demonstration of how you value others in a particular type of situation Discuss in relation to LEAP OutcomesDiscuss in relation to LEAP Outcomes

Slide 6:LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World Intellectual and Practical Skills Personal and Social Responsibility Integrative Learning

Slide 7:Student Engagement Simulations Projects outside the classroom Class discussions Reflective journals

Slide 8:LEAP Principles of Excellence Aim High – and Make Excellence Inclusive Give Students a Compass Teach the Arts of Inquiry and Innovation Engage the Big Question

Slide 9:LEAP Principles (continued) Connect Knowledge with Choices and Action Foster Civic, Intercultural, and Ethical Learning Assess Students’ Ability to Apply Learning to Complex Problems

Slide 10:ACTIVITY Describe how you learned to integrate knowledge and skills that were developed in various but separate situations.

Slide 11:STUDENTS What did they tell us? Reflective writing was challenging They learned more from this class than they expected They did not feel prepared for this type of learning experience Encouraged us to do it again!!!

Slide 12:INSTRUCTORS What did we learn? And how does this fit with the next set of slides… We were not doing the job we thought we were Discovered strengths from each side Broadened our experiential knowledge Presented us with more questions

Slide 13:WHAT’S NEXT? University conversation: PREPARING THE 21ST CENTURY GRADUATE

Slide 14:EXPECTATIONS OF 21ST CENTURY GRADUATES Think critically – act creatively Contribute meaningfully to teamwork in a diverse world Possess a global awareness in a complex world Understand the context and implications of a global society and economy Apply effective communication skills to their life

Slide 15:To ensure the success of each student, we need to address Four Elements of Excellence Philosophy of a Kent State undergraduate education First Year Experience Liberal Education Requirements Curriculum

Slide 16:Discussions Defined: Elements of Excellence Conversation Series Series 1: Spring 2008 Philosophy of the Kent State undergraduate education First Year Experience

Slide 17:Discussions Defined Series 2: Fall 2008 Liberal Education Requirements (LERs) Undergraduate Curriculum

Slide 18:Planning Phase January 2009-July 2009 Implementation Planning August 2009-July 2010 Partial implementation of the Four Elements of Excellence August 2010 Full implementation of the Four Elements of Excellence

Slide 19:CONTACT INFORMATION Stephane E. Booth Verna Fitzsimmons Associate Provost Assistant Dean Kent State University Kent State University sbooth@kent.edu vfitzsim@kent.edu (330) 672-2220 (330) 672-7064