Overview

2. Overview • Tuning Defined • Tuning in the US • The Tuning Process • Benefits of Tuning • Why Tuning is Different

3. What is Tuning? A collaborative, faculty-driven process that “harmonizes” curricula around defining what a student should know and be able to do in a chosen discipline at the completion of a degree by: • Defining areas of competency • Identifying learning outcomes • Scaling competencies and outcomes to degree level

4. Tuning’s Key Premises • Curricula should not be standardized • Faculty control the discipline • Academic autonomy and flexibility are essential

5. Harmonized Distinctiveness Given these premises, Tuning: • Does not align curricula • Preserves distinctiveness of curricula • Harmonizes curricula around shared ideas of appropriate student learning

6. Harmonized Distinctiveness Tuning as Sculpture: • Discipline competencies & outcomes provide armature • Programs determine the sculpture’s shape through: • Distinct curricular approaches • Unique sets of resources • Institutionally-specific missions

7. Harmonized Distinctiveness

8. Tuning Educational Structures in the US Lumina Foundation initiated Tuning to address the foundation’s Goal 2025: Increase the percentage of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials from 39 percent to 60 percent by the year 2025

9. Tuning in the US Researched and imported by Lumina Foundation to address the foundation’s Goal 2025: Quality = Student Learning

10. Tuning’s Contribution to Quality • Makes discipline experts (faculty) the drivers • Emphasizes student learning (what a student knows and is able to do) • Creates space for innovative approaches to education (curriculum design, transfer, etc.) • Synergizes with other educational priorities • Underrepresented / ‘At-Risk’ populations • Student preparation and success • NGA’s Common Core State Standards

11. Tuning in the US • Biology • Physics • Chemistry • Mathematics • Civil Engineering • Electrical Engineering • Industrial Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Chemical Engineering • Biomedical Engineering • Elementary Education • Physics Education • History Education • Marketing • Nursing • Social Work • History • Psychology • Business • Graphic Design

12. Tuning in the US • Indiana • Minnesota • Utah • Texas • Kentucky • Midwest Higher Education Compact • American Historical Association • Accrediting Commission for Community & Junior Colleges

13. The Process Tuning: A Brief Introduction

14. The Tuning Process Five Components

15. The Tuning Process • Builds on existing learning outcome work (by institutions, national groups, and professional associations, etc.) to set reference points for curricula • Emerges from three elements • Discipline profile • Core competencies • Demonstrable learning outcomes • Scales expectations higher as students progress Define the discipline core

16. Identifies who employs graduates and in what occupations • Informs faculty about ‘consumers’ of degree holders • Identifies targets of consultations The Tuning Process Map career pathways

17. The Tuning Process Seeking feedback/input from: • Colleagues • Students • Alumni • Potential employers • Campus advising personnel Using: • Focus groups • Surveys • Focused interviews Consult stakeholders

18. Consult Stakeholders Consultation and conversation with stakeholders should be regular and ongoing

19. The Tuning Process Revise with thought given to: • Stakeholder input on competencies • Faculty input on discipline core • Differentiation among degree-levels Hone the discipline core

20. The Tuning Process Implement Locally

21. Implement Locally Planning for local-level support & activity yields greater effectiveness

22. Tuning’s Products • Discipline Core • Explanation of the discipline • Competencies & learning outcomes scaled to degree level • Career Pathways • List of occupations and fields, perhaps with explanations & recent examples • May include charts for informing students about possibilities • Degree Specifications • Unique to each institution • One specification for each degree offered Tuning yields three final documents:

23. Tuning’s Products • Discipline Core • Explanation of the discipline • Competencies & learning outcomes scaled to degree level • Career Pathways • List of occupations and fields, perhaps with explanations & recent examples • May include charts for informing students about possibilities • Degree Specifications • Unique to each institution • One specification for each degree offered Tuning yields three final documents:

24. Tuning’s Products • Discipline Core • Explanation of the discipline • Competencies & learning outcomes scaled to degree level • Career Pathways • List of occupations and fields, perhaps with explanations & recent examples • May include charts for informing students about possibilities • Degree Specifications • Unique to each institution • One specification for each degree offered Tuning yields three final documents:

25. The Benefits Tuning: A Brief Introduction

26. Benefits of Tuning • Puts faculty on the leading edge of defining academic quality • Builds trust among institutions through faculty collaboration • Encourages comparability among institutions • Defines student success in terms of student learning • Emphasizes student proficiency as part of transfer • Encourages INTENTIONALITY in educating students

27. Benefits of Tuning From the student perspective: • Clear pathways to degree • Explicit expectations for success • Early support for career identification • Tools for communicating these to students

28. Why Tuning is different Tuning: A Brief Introduction

29. Why Tuning Is Different Not just writing outcomes Student-progress-oriented Not isolated within programs Shared core facilitates transfer Not insulated from practicalities Supports students’ career aspirations Not just navel-gazingIntegrates general & specific learning +

30. Shelly Valdez svaldez@iebcnow.org David W. Marshall dmarshall@iebcnow.org