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This draft plan outlines the objectives and purposes of general education, including critical thinking, communication, collaboration, ethical evaluation, and quantitative reasoning. It also introduces a new core curriculum structure and emphasizes diversity competency and co-curricular engagement. The plan proposes a capstone requirement and addresses the challenge of balancing major requirements with general education.
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Draft implementation plan for our new purposes and objectives for General Education. Interim report of the Task Force on General Education and the Faculty Senate General Education Committee March 2, 2015
Purposes • Engaged citizens, involved in the world around them, and who understand the major challenges and debates of the day; • Aware of their intellectual strengths and interests and of their ethical values and commitments; • Capable of interpreting the arts and culture of contemporary and past societies; and, • Equipped with the essential skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly evolving world including the ability to be a lifelong learner, creator, and innovator. Objectives (1) Read critically, analyze arguments and information, and engage in constructive ideation. (2) Communicate effectively in writing, orally, and through creative expression. (3) Work collaboratively and independently within and across a variety of cultural contexts and a spectrum of differences. (4) Critically evaluate the ethical implications of what they say and do. (5) Reason quantitatively, computationally, and scientifically.
Draft Fall meetings & summits April 1!
Key Themes – Four C’s End “check-the-box” Choice, but real choice, intentional Common intellectual experience. Learning outside the classroom Greater cohesion Academically rigorous core Not “one and done” Diversity Competency Strong foundation
Core Builds strong foundation of general education objectives for all students. Spans Freshman and Sophomore years. Taught by a Faculty Senate approved cadre of outstanding teachers. Common “minimal syllabus.” CORE 120 – “The Grand Challenges, Great Debates, and Big Ideas of the Future.” This course, aligned with University of Delaware strategic initiatives, explores the Grand Challenges, Great Debates, and Big Ideas facing modern society. This course provides a basis for student exploration of modern big problems throughout their academic career. CORE 210 – “The Grand Challenges, Great Debates, and Big Ideas of the Past.” This course provides the intellectual foundation necessary for a liberal education. Through the lenses of arts and culture, the humanities, the social sciences, and the sciences, it explores the Grand Challenges, Great Debates, and Big Ideas of the past.CORE 110 – “Critical Reading and Writing.” This course provides foundational skills in expository and argumentative composition through the analysis of selected readings. Readings are selected to support the purposes of general education, in particular, preparing “Engaged citizens, involved in the world around them, and who understand the major challenges and debates of the day.” Core 110, 120, 210 Diversity competency an explicit part of the core.
Intentional plan developed by students with their departments. Oversight by the faculty senate. Empower departments and faculty to customize plans for their students, strengthen competency in general education objectives, and take advantage of learning outside the classroom. Co-Curricular Choice Engagement and Encounters Requirement Requires construction of a new “EE” list for courses. 6 credits minimum of coursework to satisfy. Can include a wide variety of other activities, undergraduate research, service learning, etc.
Capstone Requirement Capstone A senior-thesis or project-based capstone becomes a requirement for all degree programs.
The Central Conundrum of General Education In theory, ~20% of an undergraduate students education at UD takes place within “general education.” In practice, we allow “double-counting,” with courses designed for majors also serving as general education courses. For some degree programs, it may be argued that this reduces the percentage of that degree program taking place within general education to as little as 5%. Historically, the national trend has been for larger and larger percentages of degree programs to be tailored to the “major” and smaller and smaller percentages to the aims of general education. How do we at UD intend to balance the somewhat competing interests of “majors” and general education? Fully educated student
Well-educated students graduate through close partnership between major requirements and general education requirements. Capstone Requirement
