Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
WCET Annual Meeting Presentation
Citation preview
Designing General Education for
Distance and Adult Students
Cynthia Davis, PhDUniversity of Maryland University College
Kara VanDam, PhD, MBAKaplan University
Enrollment patterns◦ Stop in and out◦ Variable loads◦ No cohorts
Multiple institutions◦ Transfer credit◦ Not optimal sequences
Variable backgrounds◦ Ages◦ Educational background◦ Developmental stage◦ Related experience
IssuesGeneral Education for Adult Online Students
Two Models
State institution◦ Distribution requirements◦ Transferability from other Maryland colleges
Open access◦ Flexible degrees◦ Many options for requirements◦ Recommendations in degree plans
Cross-curricular hallmarks ◦ Embedded across curriculum◦ Apply to all degrees
Hallmark and Gen Ed learning outcomes Recommended Gen Ed courses Common theme: “technological
transformations” Criteria for designing Gen Ed courses Faculty development and support
Effectively communicate ideas, information, arguments, and
messages to achieve a specific goal. Access, analyze, interpret and evaluate information to foster
learning and to guide decisionmaking.
Make choices based on awareness of global, social, and ethical contexts.
Apply understanding of roles, responsibilities, and relationships in order to advance the goals of a community or organization.
Evaluate, select, and integrate technology to enhance communication, learning, and decisionmaking.
UMUC General Education Learning Outcomes
Proprietary institution with a professionally-focused mission◦ Adult learners, 20% military, 74% female
Flexible degree programs accommodate prior learning (transfer, CLEP, experiential)
Kaplan Commitment ensures right fit Strong focus on core skill proficiency
◦ ETS Proficiency Profile: 10.4 point increase vs. 7.9 point national average
◦ Core and distributed General Education◦ Academic Support Centers (Writing, Math, Science)
9
KU General Education program
The Goal: Ensure that students understand and can apply the skills associated with ethics, critical thinking, research, technology, arts and humanities, communication, mathematics, science, and social science professionally and personally
The Core: Six courses within the bachelor’s degree programs in communication/composition, mathematics, science, social science, and arts and humanities
The Connections: Each required or elective course includes:◦ A writing assignment and the use of technology, reinforcing the
communications and technology literacies. ◦ An assignment based on one of the remaining seven literacies,
addressing practical issues and engaging students.
10
Innovative Assignments Help Students Make Connections
Social Science GEL: Accounting students evaluate the cultural impact of scandals like Enron
Communication GEL: Criminal Justice students create a crisis negotiations training used to introduce police officers to the types of situations requiring a crisis negotiator, common negotiating tactics, and the indicators of negotiation progress
Science GEL: Legal Studies students write a policy analysis on whether the U.S. should conduct offshore drilling on the east and west coasts and what effects offshore drilling may have on the environment, marine life, and the public health
Implementation Challenges
Helping all schools and programs understand and implement the General Education Program
Ensuring proper integration across all programs
Continuous training Improving data reporting and analysis to
drive continuous curricular improvement
SCHOOL 100--200 300--400 DifferenceArts & Sciences 2.97 3.60 +.63Business & Management 3.77 3.87 +.09Criminal Justice 3.78 3.99 +.21General Education 3.61 3.63 +.02Health Sciences 3.71 4.16 +.45Information Systems & Technology 4.11 4.33 +.23Legal Studies 3.98 3.94 -.03Nursing 2.93 3.83 +.90
Note. GEL scores represent the three-year moving average (2009--2011)
COURSE LEVEL
2.9
3.1
3.3
3.5
3.7
3.9
4.1
4.3
4.5
100--200 300--400
Ave
rage
GEL
Sco
re
Course Level
AVERAGE GENERAL EDUCATION LITERACY SCORES BY SCHOOL AND COURSE LEVEL
Arts & Sciences
Business & Management
Criminal Justice
General Education
Health Sciences
Information Systems & Technology
Legal Studies
Nursing
Key Finding:
Increased GEL scores from lower-level to upper-level courses across most schools.
“I enjoyed this course primarily because it opened my eyes up to the strategies involved with making conclusions and diagnoses in a clinical setting. Most disorders and issues that need attention can be properly assessed by following ethical guidelines while administering specific assessments. Great course.”
KU Ethics & Communication Study
Longitudinal design to assess learning across specific GEL outcomes
Cohort design to assess learning outcomes at specified time intervals
Compare specific GEL areas at various course-level subgroups to assess learning outcomes
KU Future Research Studies
Embed throughout full curriculum Support individual courses with cross-
curricular approaches Curriculum design
◦ Outcomes definition◦ Assessment◦ Integration of experience◦ Supporting tools and resources
Lessons Learned
