Attachment A
Faculty Senate Agenda
August 25, 2010
Sacramento State Studies: A
Pilot GE “option”
Draft Resolution: The Faculty Senate endorses the development
and implementation and evaluation--in terms of effectiveness of student
learning outcomes--of a pilot GE strand, Sacramento State Studies with no more
than 20% of first time Freshman students for no longer than 6 years, pending
extension by the Senate, with annual report to and from the Senate and further charges
the GE/GRPC Committee with oversight of the process and with the preparation of
periodic progress reports to the Faculty Senate, Departments and Colleges,
focused on evidence of what and how well
students are meeting the recently adopted Baccalaureate Learning Goals.
Background:
A
joint CPC-GE workgroup researched and developed a proposal in response to the
Provost’s request to design a GE pathway for approximately 20% of the incoming
Freshman for Fall 2011 that would reflect contemporary pedagogy and practices
(nationally and system specific) in General Education; would be cost effective,
take advantage of scale-up teaching facilities, and incorporate multiple
modalities for teaching and learning (field based, e-learning, large class,
small discussion).
After
a long process of discussion, negotiation and consultation this proposal
(substantially modified from the original one) was presented to and approved by
the GE/GRPC and CPC in May 2010. It was
shared at the final Faculty Senate meeting of the 2009-10 AY and determined at
that time that it would be brought forward for further discussion during Fall
2010.
The
pilot will provide students with an alternative pathway for completing 36 units
of lower-division courses. In contrast to the current “pick your own” approach
to GE, students who opt into Sacramento State Studies will choose four 9-unit,
interdisciplinary courses designed for the freshman and sophomore years. This
pilot is designed for non-high unit majors; includes the required lab, and
reaches all GE Areas except A2 (Written Communication) and B4 (Quantitative
Reasoning).
The
proposed GE strand reflects three important matters. First, it connects with the
national dialogue on learning in General Education in a meaningful and dramatic
way. Second, it responds to the recent
Executive Order 1033, Section 3.2, calling on campuses’ GE programs to align
with the LEAP outcomes (http://www.calstate.edu/eo/EO-1033.html). Third, it elaborates on and operationalizes Sacramento
State’s Baccalaureate Learning Goals.
Sacramento
State joins sister institutions in the CSU system in seeking to refine and
improve our General Education Curriculum. (http://www.calstate.edu/app/compass/) The proposed pilot promises
insights that can enrich not just our campus, but also our family of campuses.
It seeks to answer direct questions about the relationship between a curriculum
with clear outcomes at its core and student learning, with important
ramifications on a wide range of challenges confronting our institution—not the
least of which is accreditation.
The
Proposal:
In
Fall 2011, a pilot GE pathway will begin with up to three clusters
(approximately 150 students each) composed of first time Freshman who are
eligible (undeclared and/or not in “high unit” majors) enrolling in one of
three “learning collaboratives,” consisting of already approved GE courses modified
in terms of delivery and assessment. Three instructors will integrate their
courses and assignments and carry out instruction with students using previously
mentioned modalities. These modalities
will be carefully applied to promote the kinds of learning most reasonably
associated with the technique.
For
example, weekly Web-supported activities will likely prepare students for small
group workshops or lectures; they will also give opportunities for creative and
critical dialogue about readings and issues. Small groups will be scheduled for
workshops and labs relevant to the theme or essential question guiding the
curriculum. Large lectures will serve to
integrate ideas, introduce crucial content with flexible and even electronic
question and answer, and provide “big picture” up-to-date summaries of current
studies within disciplines and fields.
The
effectiveness of the design will be assessed using a portfolio platform at
commercially available through TaskStream, Inc. A group of First Year Experience
seminars will work with TaskStream during the Fall 2010 semester, and the use
of TaskStream will expand in spring 2011.
Research
Questions
The following questions will
guide the substance of annual reports to the Senate. Note that this is a pilot
and is subject to change over time. Without doubt the nature and scope of
reports in future years will change to reflect lessons learned.
1.
What evidence can be
produced to show that the pilot course(s) have resulted in student learning
across time and instructors?
2.
What has been changed about
the design of the course(s) based on analysis of evidence of student learning?
3.
What can be said about the
effectiveness of changes made to the course(s) based upon subsequent assessment
(i.e., closing the loop)?
Key
Features of the Proposal:
·
Eligible students will be recruited via advising during summer 2011 orientation
·
Courses will meet current GE requirements in the Areas and Sub-Areas as
currently constructed
· Transcripts will reflect individual course grades
·
Classrooms will be set aside for Learning Collaborative Courses
·
Students will be able to drop in/drop out without penalty semester by
semester
·
Instructors will receive 6 units toward Workload for each section of
Learning Collaboratives
·
An Electronic portfolio platform accessible through Sac CT will
“capture” student learning artifacts and evidence used for program assessment
Administrative
Support:
·
Assist with scheduling collaboratives in scale up classrooms
·
Work with Colleges and Departments to assist with developing GE
learning collaboratives
·
Provide professional development support for developing collaboratives
via already existing avenues and external funding (system, national)
Resources:
·
There are no resource costs, and intentionally, there should be cost
savings
·
There is a trade-off potential of preserving major programs by
delivering GE more efficiently given the scarcity of resources
Examples of Learning Collaboratives:
Course Name: Privacy: An Outdated Concept?
Description: Is the notion of privacy disappearing?
Advances in computing power and new data mining and electronic surveillance
methods have enabled governments, corporations, and individuals to intrude on
others’ privacy in unprecedented ways, but have also contributed greatly to our
convenience. This class explores the human need for (varying degrees of)
personal privacy, as it has manifested itself in diverse cultures and in the
legal and policy systems of different nations. In considering the interplay of
culture and technology, students will debate whether an erosion of privacy is
occurring—and if so, whether it is worth worrying about.
Theme: Technology, Society, and the Digital Age
GE Areas Covered by
Course: C1, D1, E
Course Name: Environmental Chemistry and Justice for
Minority Communities
Description: Nuclear waste dumps on reservation land. Smokestacks
and incinerators in poor urban neighborhoods. Coal mines in rural Appalachia.
The toxic burden of persistent environmental chemicals often falls upon the
powerless. Building on a foundation of basic chemical and physical concepts,
this course equips the student to understand the long-term harm imposed on
minority communities by chemical toxins, Monday, May 3, 2010and to analyze
alternative waste and emission policies in terms of fairness, ethics, and
justice. Students will do 20 hours of experiential learning with the Sacramento
office of the Environmental Working Group or the Department of Toxic Substances
Control.
Theme: Social Change and Social Justice
GE Areas Covered by
Course: A2, B1, D2
Evaluation/Outcome Measures:
The pilot
courses will be designed to operate in a TaskStream environment. Faculty and
students will have access to local training to ensure their ability to use the
tools to both design curriculum and assess student learning. All assessment,
both direct measures of learning via classroom assignments, and surveys of
student satisfaction as well as confidence, motivation, etc., will be carefully
connected to the Baccalaureate Learning Goals. Our measures will vary across
instructors intentionally; the design allows for maximum flexibility to capture
individual teachers’ funds of knowledge and experience.
Appendix A
Sacramento State Studies
Themes and Interdisciplinary Core Experiences
[1]SSS Proposed Common
Interdisciplinary Themes---to which faculty may adjust or repurpose or invent
interdisciplinary courses. The themes
below will guide faculty as they develop curriculum.
·
Globalization
·
Sustainability
·
Technology, Society and the
Digital Age
·
Social Change and Social Justice
·
Culture and Ideas
·
Sacramento and California in 21st
Century
·
Body, Mind, Well Being
[2]Interdisciplinary Core
Experiences (Sacramento State Studies Pilot courses will infuse the following
features developmentally and evidence of achievement in these areas will be
demonstrated in the e-portfolio and evaluated via the use of the VALUE rubrics
as revised to reflect Sacramento State Studies and the BLG/GE Outcomes):
·
Leadership
·
Service in and Engagement with
Community
·
Information Literacy, including
Research with Faculty
·
Global Literacy/Intercultural
Perspectives
·
Communities of Practice/Learning
Communities
Appendix B
Faculty Participation:
Faculty (as
individuals looking for a “team” or as “teams”) interested in designing (or
redesigning) interdisciplinary pilot courses would do so in the typical fashion
with support and facilitation for faculty development from the Compass Project,
the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Academic Affairs. Pilot FTES and WTUs (6 for each 9 unit course)
would flow back to the College proportionally.
There should be no net loss since the students will still be enrolled in
courses in colleges typically providing Lower Division GE. Any logistical issues such as course codes
etc. would be addressed accordingly.
Faculty Participation:
The following faculty volunteered/were invited to participate in the
discussions and other activities related to drafting this proposal and are to
be commended for their time, energy and persistence.
GE/CPC Work Group Members:
Ben
Amata, Library, CPC
Stephanie
Biagetti, EDTE, CPC
Dana
Kivel, RPTA, GE
Vivian
Llamas Green, Associate Registrar, CPC
Virginia
Matzek, ENVS, GE
Dan
Melzer, English, WAC, CPC
Joan
Neide, Kineseology, GE
Kat
Pinch, RPTA
Reza
Peigahi, Library, GE
Ann-Louise
Radimsky, ECS, GE Review
Elizabeth
Strasser, Anthropology, GE Assessment, GE Review
Invited Ex Officio
Roberto
Pomo, Theater Arts, Honors Director
Terry
Underwood, EDTE, Assessment Coordinator
Mark
Stoner, COMS, CTL
Additional Contributors and
Feedback:
Juanita
Barrena, Biological Sciences
Jesse
Cuevas, ASI Representative to Faculty Senate Executive
Dennis
Dahlquist, Computer Science
John
Forrest, Design
Carolyn
Gibbs, Design
Amy
Heckathorn, English
Sue
Holl, Mechanical Engineering
Noelle
McCurley, Student Advising
Beth
Merrit Miller, Student Advising
Sheree
Meyer, English
Greg
Shaw, RPTA
Anthony
Sheppard, RPTA and Faculty Senate Chair
Ken
Sprott, Mechanical Engineering
Angelica
Tellechea, Student, ASI Representative to GE/GRPC
Greg
Wheeler, Geology and Associate Dean of General Education
[1] The workgroup identified
the following themes were synthesized from three major sources: a “straw poll” of Sacramento State students,
staff and faculty conducted in March, 2010 (n=100 students, 25 faculty, 18
staff); Portland State FYE and Sophomore Themes, Santa Clara General Education
Themes
[2] Sometimes referred to as High Impact Practices, Excerpt from High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter, by George D. Kuh (AAC&U, 2008), These have a positive correlation with retention and graduation, for all students-- in particular first generation college students and those from underrepresented and minority communities