Outline Principles of Excellence (LEAP) Liberal Education: the American Tradition

High Quality of Undergraduate Programs: Perspectives from a US State University7th China Study Abroad ForumMarch 12, 2010Dr. Yenbo Wu

Outline • Principles of Excellence (LEAP) • Liberal Education: the American Tradition • General Education: Tool for Liberal Education • SF State Undergraduate Requirements • SF State Expectations of Undergraduates • SF State Curriculum and its Strategic Goals • High Impact Practices • Learning Outcome-Based Assessment

Seven Principles of Excellence(Liberal Education and America’s Promise - LEAP)Aim High – and Make Excellence InclusiveGive Students a CompassTeach the Arts of Inquiry and InnovationEngage the Big QuestionsConnect Knowledge with Choices and ActionForster Civic, Intercultural, and Ethical LearningAssess Students’ Ability to Apply Learning to Complex Problems

Principle One Aim High – and Make Excellence Inclusive Make the essential learning outcomes a framework for the entire educational experience, connecting school, college, work, and life

Principle Two Give Students a Compass Focus each student’s plan of study on achieving the essential learning outcomes – and assess progress

Principle Three Teach the Arts of Inquiry and Innovation Immerse all students in analysis, discovery, problem solving, and communication, beginning in school and advancing in college

Principle Four Engage the Big Questions Teach through the curriculum for far-reaching issues – contemporary and enduring – in sciences and society, cultures and values, global interdependence, the changing economy, and human dignity and freedom

Principle Five Connect Knowledge with Choices and Action Prepare students for citizenship and work through engaged and guided learning on “real-world” problems

Principle SixForster Civic, intercultural, and Ethical LearningEmphasize personal and social responsibility, in every field of study

Principle Seven Assess Students’ Ability to Apply Learning to Complex Problems Use assessment to deepen learning and to establish a culture of shared purpose and continuous improvement

Promoting Liberal EducationLiberal education is an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. It provides students with broad knowledge of the wider world as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest. A liberal education helps students develop a sense of societal responsibility, as well as strong and transferrable intellectual and practical skills such as communication, analytical and problem- solving skills, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.

General Education as an Important Tool for Liberal Education CSU General Education Breadth Requirements CSU Executive Order 1033 SF State General Education Course and Units Distribution

General Education at SF State Area A: English Language Communication and Critical Thinking Area B: Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning Area C: Arts and Humanities Area D: Social Sciences Area E: Lifelong Learning and Self- Development Lower Division

General Education at SF State Upper Division Topical Perspectives Option 1. Creativity, Innovation, and Invention2. Enduring Ideas, Values, and Achievements3. Environmental Interconnections4. Ethical Reasoning and Action5. Human Diversity6. Life in the SF Bay Area and/or California7. Personal and Community Well-Being8. Social Justice & Civic Knowledge/Engagement9. World Perspectives

Overlay Requirements Any course with the overlay designation, minimum of 3 units American Ethnic and Racial Minorities (AERM) (0-3 additional units) Global Perspectives (GP) (0-3 additional units) Social Justice (SJ) (0-3 additional units)

Requirements for Majors • 1. Educational goals • 2. Writing and capstone courses • 3. Technology • 4. Units required and prerequisites • 5. Electives and complementary studies • 6. Lower division classes, and • 7. Flexibility and advising

Expectations of Undergraduates At SF State A breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding developed from integrating their course work and academic experiences in both general education and in the major. The abilities, knowledge, and qualities of mind fostered by general education will be reinforced, extended, and deepened in the major.

Six Expectations 1. Competencies for Lifelong Intellectual Endeavor 2. Intellectual Attainments 3. Appreciation of Diversity 4. Ethical Engagement 5. Integration and Application of Knowledge 6. Qualities of Mind and Spirit

Competencies for Lifelong Intellectual Endeavor • Competent in critical questioning and analysis • Creative and independent thought • Attentive reading and interpretation • Written and other forms of communication • Quantitative reasoning • Research drawing upon a variety of resources • Problem solving, and Collaboration • Knowledge of a language other than English

2. Intellectual Attainments • Conversant with the principal domains of knowledge associated with liberal learning: the sciences and mathematics, the social sciences, the humanities, and the arts. • Able to apply the modes of inquiry associated with these domains and will have engaged questions and issues of enduring importance. • Gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of at least one major course of study.

3 Appreciation of Diversity • Know, understand, and appreciate multiple forms and variations of human diversity, both within the United States and globally. • Respect themselves and others. They will have obtained a historical perspective about the development of our diverse nation and will be able to engage in informed, civil discourse with persons different from themselves in intellectual and cultural outlook.

4.Ethical Engagement • Appreciation of the necessity and difficulty of making ethical choices, both private and public, and will be able to identify and analyze the values that inform those choices. • Demonstrate ethical conduct in their own work and their acknowledgement of the work of others. • Recognize their responsibility to work toward social justice and equity by contributing purposefully to the well-being of their local communities, their nations, and the people of the world, as well as to the sustainability of the natural environment.

5. Integration and Application of Knowledge • Know how to make connections among apparently disparate forms of knowledge and modes of inquiry across academic disciplines and between the principal domains of knowledge and their majors. • Be able to place such knowledge and approaches within their cultural, historical, and sociopolitical contexts. • Be able to apply academic knowledge to what is important in their own lives and to local and global communities.

6. Qualities of Mind and Spirit • The dispositions that facilitate lifelong learning • and growth, including: • Curiosity • A sense of wonder • Intellectual flexibility and adaptability • A refusal to simplify what is inherently complex and ambiguous • A sense of responsibility and accountability • Critical self-reflection • Independence of mind • Respect for wellness and healthy living • A readiness to assume leadership roles • Reverence for all that unites us as human beings

Intellectual and Practical Skills • Inquiry and analysis • Critical and creative thinking • Written and oral communication • Quantitative literacy • Information literacy • Teamwork and problem solving

Relationship Between Curriculum Design and SF State’s Strategic Plan and Mission SF State’s Strategic Plan for 2005-2010 identifies seven goals: (1) Social justice (2) Writing (3) Post baccalaureate education (4) International development (5) Full Participation (6) Resource to the community, and (7) Institutional purpose

Ten High-Impact Practices • First Year Seminars and Experiences • Common Intellectual Experiences • Learning Communities • Writing-Intensive Courses • Collaborative Assignments and Projects • Undergraduate Research • Diversity/Global Learning • Service Learning, Community-Based Learning • Internships • Capstone Courses and Projects

ChangingTrends From: Access and completion To: Vision for learning From: Input-based measurement To: Learning outcome-based assessment From: Getting narrow knowledge and job skills To: Emphasizing critical thinking, ethics, personal and social responsibility, and civic engagement From: Over reliance on standardized tests outside of students required courses To: Utilizing multiple expert judgments of the quality of student work

Make Educating Students for Personal and Social Responsibility The Core Commitments of Higher Education Five key dimensions of personal and social responsibility that describe developmentally appropriate goals for students in college: Five Dimensions: • Striving for excellence • Cultivating personal and academic integrity • Contributing to the larger community • Taking seriously the perspectives of others • Developing competence in ethical and moral reasoning and action

Thank You! ywu@sfsu.edu

Outline Principles of Excellence (LEAP) Liberal Education: the American Tradition