Transcript Missions and Majors: What we’ve promised and how we’ll get

Report from a project funded
by the Teagle Foundation to
Beloit, Knox, Monmouth, Ripon
Marion Fass, Kevin Hastings,
Frank Gersich, Robin Woods
 “[R]ather than divide the undergraduate experience into
separate camps, general versus specialized education, the
curriculum of a college of quality will bring the two together.”
Ernest Boyer
 We proposed a collaborative project to examine this complementary
relationship between general education and the major, and, in
particular, to establish methods of assessment that allow us to learn
about, improve, and strengthen the achievement of liberal learning
goals by all of our students, irrespective of the major they choose.
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How do departments contribute to
students’ achievement of all college
goals? Do departments see their
contributions in the same way?
Faculty from Beloit, Knox, Monmouth and
Ripon are exploring
 how departments define and teach critical
thinking, quantitative reasoning and civic
engagement, and
 how they measure the successes of
students in reaching their
educational goals.
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As expected, quantitative reasoning in
Philosophy differs from that in Mathematics,
but what about critical thinking?
We will discuss some of our experiences and
findings, and identify issues that are
important in our ongoing efforts at
assessment.
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Align learning goals with mission, general
education goals and with major
◦ Our institutions varied in amount of structure in
general education program
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Look at how general education goals are
enhanced by the major and by advising
Develop systems for feedback
Share among the participating colleges, at
institutional and departmental levels
None of our colleges have Center for
Teaching and Learning
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What do we know about what we do on
each campus?
◦ NSSE
◦ Collegiate Learning Assessment
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What do we want to share between
campuses?
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Each department developed a plan, but not
all the same plan
What are the basic criteria for plans?
Strategies
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Focus groups
Review of student work and transcripts
Links to NSSE, CLA
Embedded assessments
Logs of advising
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Civic engagement
Quantitative reasoning
Critical thinking
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How do we measure these?
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We let the departments decide, based on their
needs and their disciplinary orientations.
Institution
Beloit
Knox
Ripon
Monmouth
Year One
Philosophy/
Religion
Anthropology
Mathematics
English
Physics
Sociology/Anthrop
ology
Art
Biology
Year Two
Biology
Psychology
Education
Economics
French
Economics
Communications
and Theater Arts
Accounting
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Explore the role of major courses and
advising in assuring that students
◦ Achieve depth in a disciplinary or interdisciplinary
area
◦ Develop skills of liberally educated individual
◦ Connect with co-curricular and experiential
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Identify how to use this information to
improve student academic experiences
1. Review course structure and content.
2. Examine the sequencing of courses;
3. Identify patterns of elective course selection by
majors
4. Survey about co-curricular activities to identify
if/how those activities are consistent with
discipline and general education goals;
5. Review and devise methods of assessment used
in major;
6. Identify actions to strengthen the major and the
students’ total educational experiences
At the heart of the educational
process
Critical thinking asks students
to engage actively in their own
learning
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As many definitions as departments, but all
see it as a central part of what we do:
◦ “This is the area where we found the most
assumptions and took the most for granted, given
that we believe this concept to be at the very heart
of every single thing toward which the English
Department strives.” (Knox)
◦ Some see it as rooted in the discipline
(Anthropology, Beloit);
◦ Others as more open, usually as process (Sociology,
Ripon)
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All departments chose to examine critical
thinking
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Eight different departments=eight different
definitions
Despite differences, all departments see
critical thinking as essential to what they
do, and as a constitutive element of their
disciplines and of a liberal education
Most definitions include two essential
components:
◦ Perception: seeing the subject clearly
◦ Analysis: questioning the subject
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Beloit: goals statement includes logical
thinking and problem-solving
Knox: goals statement includes the critical
exchange of ideas and demands for rigorous
thinking
Monmouth: one of five educational elements
identified in all-college gen ed goals
Ripon: all-campus discipline-based model:
all departments required to have plan and
assessment procedures in place
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Beloit Religion:
◦ students’ ability to think critically about religious
thought and practice
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Ripon Anthropology: extrapolates from
mission statement:
◦ Comparative thinking and analysis; contextual
understanding of human behavior;
◦ awareness of the effects of study on object of study
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Ripon Physics: from divisional mission:
◦ hypothesis formation and testing
◦ original research
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Direct measures of student learning:
embedded assignments, writing/ portfolio
analysis
Indirect measures: student surveys (Beloit
Religion:
Students responsible for gauging their own
progress),
Course evaluations
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Monmouth Art: measures over time
Beloit Religion: students responsible for
measures of progress
Ripon Physics: specific gains in knowledge
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What does the CLA tell us?
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◦ “We are committed to the idea that thinking
critically involves being able to recapitulate a line
of reasoning and engage in dialogue, raising
objections and concerns, to see if that reasoning
approaches truth.” (Philosophy Department,
Beloit)
◦ “Drawing on the work of other scholars….the
sociology department defines critical thinking as
thinking that requires students to evaluate and
interpret evidence, identify and evaluate relevant
arguments, develop and defend a position on an
issue, and/or consider all sides of a question or
issue without bias.” (Sociology Department,
Ripon)
◦ ….We are not always conscious of thinking
critically, that is, engaging with texts to assess
both for their value and their meaning. To assess
a text for value and meaning requires marshalling
evidence from the text itself, employing logical
reasoning, being attentive to emotional and
psychological charges of the text, and
considering relevant connections between the
text and the larger world in which it is produced.”
(English Department, Knox)
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…We believe that by its very nature, anthropology
is inherently about critical thinking. Cultural
anthropology works to make the strange familiar
and the familiar strange. To do this, students must
question their basic assumptions and in
questioning these assumptions they engage in
critical thought.” (Anthropology Department, Beloit)
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Quantitative literacy
◦ Graphs, charts
◦ Basic life skills math
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Logical problem solving
◦ Systematic analysis
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Mathematical skills
◦ Statistics
◦ Mathematics
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Integration of literacy, problem solving, using
appropriate tools correctly
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NSSE and other surveys ask students to selfreport,
This assumes that this is one of the most
measurable educational goals.
This project demonstrates, however, that a
wide campus discussion is necessary to
reinforce the need for this particular liberal
education outcome, and to decide what it
means. We don’t really agree.
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Interpret mathematical models such as formulas,
graphs, tables, and schematics, and draw
inferences from them.
Represent mathematical information symbolically,
visually, numerically, and verbally.
Use arithmetical, algebraic, geometric and
statistical methods to solve problems.
Estimate and check answers to mathematical
problems in order to determine reasonableness,
identify alternatives, and select optimal results.
Recognize that mathematical and statistical
methods have limits.
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Out of our discipline,
◦ but value Logical Problem Solving◦ But Life Skills are critical to success
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Would be nice, not required
◦ (how to measure baseline, success?)
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Important to our discipline, require courses
◦ Taught by other departments, like Mathematics
◦ Taught by “our” department, Social Statistics
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Central to disciplinary mastery
◦ Physics, Mathematics
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As long as you abstract from the specific to
the general by representing a system or
process symbolically (which is abstracting),
setting down rules for it and manipulating
that symbol system within those rules, it is
quantitative. (Chemistry reaction equations?
Logic? Language syntax?)
◦ (Kevin Hastings, 2008)
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Having students approach problems and
projects and think of them in quantitative
ways (CLA)
Rational/ symbolic analysis
Review writing to diagnose whether students
are applying quantitative techniques.
◦ If bold statements are made, are they willing to
support with data?(Carleton approach)
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Develop disciplinary measures when
appropriate
Civic Engagement
• Broadly defined: preparing students
to be involved in their community
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Formal curriculum
Co-curriculum
Volunteer activities
Student/Faculty research
• Participating departments “wrestled”
with definition for study
College Goals Include
• Beloit  One of seven curricular goals is: “Active,
responsible citizenship.”
• Knox  One of four curricular goals is: “applying
classroom learning through hands-on experience.”
• Monmouth  General Education Capstone course:
Citizenship (informed, conscientious action)
• Ripon  Communicating Plus Program supports
engagement in issues confronting citizens of the
21st century.
Civic Engagement Participation
and Assessment
• Level of CE in formal curriculum may be
dependent upon resources
• Departmental commitment to CE may be
dependent upon campus priorities
• Assessment of CE outside of formal
curriculum often is student reported
participation levels
• Assessment of CE within formal curriculum
may best be through “guided” participant
reflections
CE in First-round Reports
• One department in first round included CE
as part of departmental mission – focused
on community service
• Six departments discussed role of preparing
students to act (generally through
ethics/values discussions)
• Two departments indicated a need to
incorporate into future assessments
• One department collected information
about student involvement in activities
outside of departmental courses
Humanities Civic Engagement
Knox
English
“how to respect the opinions, and emotions, the thoughts
and articulations of others, thus preparing students for
broader engagement at the civic and moral level.”
Engage with artists and scholars beyond the classroom,
participate in community of scholars in journals, readings,
etc.
Beloit
Philosophy
Beloit
Religious
Studies
Preparation to act through applied ethics courses
Monmouth
Art
Civic engagement student survey given as part of review
process, including voting and art-related events on
campus
Address directly questions of how communal values are
shaped, communicated, and contested. Helping students
to cultivate a sense of responsibility as developing global
citizens, and a sense of wonder about religious
experiences and frames of reference. Evaluate by course
evaluations.
Social
Sciences
Ripon
Sociology
Civic Engagement
Ripon
Anthropology
Used embedded assessments ethical perspectives on
anthropology in community – Need to be more explicit
in curriculum
Beloit
Anthropology
Couldn’t agree on definition – Exposed to tools and
ethical considerations in classes, faculty model
engagement, students study abroad, Nicaragua class,
“pragmatic solidarity”
Not systematically assessed – will do in Fall 2008
All students reported 2 to 4 activities
Sciences
Civic Engagement
Ripon
Physics
Part of departmental mission, including Learning about
and sharing information about the applications of physics
to issues in society (e.g., energy conservation) and
Community service in the form of sharing physics
activities with others, especially school children and their
teachers.
Knox
Mathematics
Outlined civic engagement, through requirement and will
verify with NSSE
Monmouth
Biology
Through investigative case-based learning. Will assess
when implemented.
Conclusions and
recommendations
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We all agree that these are important goals,
but we don’t agree on how they are defined
There are legitimate differences between
disciplines
Someone who thinks critically as a biologist may differ
from someone who thinks critically as a philosopher
◦ By giving students “majors” on their diplomas we
acknowledge this
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These findings can catalyze important all
college discussions about shared values,
essential skills and disciplinary interpretation
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Departments are at different levels of
readiness to take on review
◦ Personalities, changes in discipline
◦ Departments need periodic retreats to revisit goals
and courses articulation
◦ Goals may have been set before working faculty
arrived, departments split in programs
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Departments that depend on the “kindness of
others” to meet skill needs of majors need to
sit down and talk about expectations
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Smallness doesn’t preclude need to discuss
and review
“Friendly” departments may not always
discuss educational issues
Because of desire for flexibility in
departments, students don’t always take
courses in sequenceThis increases need for communication about
goals and how they are reinforced in
curriculum
Student Educational Experience
Our college
graduate with
liberal arts
skills framed
by disciplinary
orientations
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Resources
◦ Assessment committees
◦ Centers for teaching and learning
◦ Administrative
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Recognition
Links of course, curriculum and mission
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Thanks to the Teagle Foundation for
supporting this work and to ACM FaCE, Lake
Forest College and Rachel Ragland for inviting
us to speak at this conference
Thanks to Kevin Hastings at Knox who has
worked with us on this project, but couldn’t
be here today.