Three GE Projects at SJSU

Compass Project Stephen Branz & Maureen Scharberg (Debra David)

GE Program Assessment Stephen Branz & Scot Guenter

Integrated Team-Taught Multi-Semester GE Course Sequences Scot Guenter & Stephen Branz

Compass ProjectSJSU & Evergreen Valley College

Part of the Association of American Colleges & Universities’ “Give Students a Compass” Initiative. Its main goals are: 1) To redesign GE to help students,

especially underrepresented ones, be more successful in achieving liberal education outcomes;

2) To help state systems become generative “catalysts” for change.

Compass ProjectTransfer Students – Why? Transfer students are

“underrepresented” on several levels: They complete lower division GE at a

community college, which may not be a good match with GE expectations at the CSU campus and may make their GE experience especially disjointed.

They are more likely to come from educationally disadvantaged populations.

They experience unique transition issues.

Compass ProjectTransfer Students – Partnerships

Promoting transfer student success involves partnerships across state systems: Community colleges In California, both CSU and UC systems

are 4-year “stakeholder” institutions. There is considerable autonomy at the

campus level within each system.

Compass ProjectProject Goal

To promote a meaningful and successful transfer experience through: Focus on liberal education “essential

learning outcomes” (especially written communication)

Increased participation in high-impact practices (e.g., service-learning, learning communities, internships, study abroad)

Compass ProjectProject Components “Transfer-year experience” partnership

between SJSU and Evergreen Valley Second semester English composition

prior to transfer, with service-learning Peer mentoring before & after transfer Expanded advising Co-curricular activities

Compass ProjectWhat Has Worked Well

Strong support from faculty and administrators at both SJSU and EVC

EVC English 1B taught at SJSU with supplementary orientation to campus resources, policies, and procedures

Service Learning – Writing Partners with local 6th grade students

Peer Mentors (e.g., Robert Corpus)

Compass ProjectChallenges Cohort was not primarily Fall 2010

transfers (as had been anticipated) Not all SJSU resources were fully

accessible to EVC students (eg, library) 2nd semester composition content and

articulation not a good match EVC class size 35+ (SJSU would have

been 20-25)

Compass ProjectQ & A

GE Program AssessmentWhy? Course level assessment of GE Area

Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) well established, but no direct assessment of Program Learning Objectives (PLOs)

Integrative learning is more than the sum of the parts; culminating assessment

Supports WASC accreditation, EO 1033 expectations, and SJSU Mission

GE Program AssessmentPilot Project Design Nine PLOs in the SJSU GE Guidelines

were mapped to the 4 AAC&U LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes #1 – Knowledge of Human Cultures and

the Physical and Natural World AAC&U VALUE Rubrics may be used

for assessment of LEAP Outcomes 2, 3, & 4 #2 – Intellectual & Practical Skills #3 – Personal & Social Responsibility #4 – Integrative Learning

GE Program AssessmentPilot Project Working Groups Working groups of 5-6 faculty each for

the 3 upper division GE Areas (approximately Science, Social Science, & Humanities)

Multiple colleges represented on each working group

Decide upon assignments & rubrics to assess PLOs, then all read anonymous student work

Facilitator = Steve Branz

GE Program AssessmentProgress Report Fall 2009 – Working Groups recruited Spring 2010 – Working Groups meeting

regularly have selected one GE area SLO and 3-4 PLOs Matched assignments to SLO/PLOs Devised and/or modified rubrics as needed Preliminary look at student work

Fall 2010 – full implementation with same Working Groups

GE Program AssessmentQ & A

Integrated Team-Taught GEThree Models at SJSU

What the models share Multi-semester sequence (two or four) Cohort model (with priority registration

after first semester) True interdisciplinary (as opposed to

multidisciplinary) structure True team-teaching (not a “hand-off”

model) Emphasis on Integrative Learning

Integrated Team-Taught GEHumanities Honors – structure

24 units of lower division GE over a 4-semester cycle (6 units per semester)

Double count of 6 units of CA State American Institutions requirement

Large group lecture followed by breakout seminars

3-4 faculty & 90-120 students per team

Integrated Team-Taught GEHumanities Honors – content

Globally inclusive, humanities centered, interdisciplinary survey

Humanities 1A/B: Foundations of Western Culture & Society

Humanities 2A/B: Modern Cultural & Social Institutions

Integrated Team-Taught GEAmerican Civilization – structure

12 units of lower division GE over a 2-semester cycle (6 units per semester)

Double count of 6 units of CA State American Institutions requirement

Large group lecture followed by breakout seminars

3 faculty & 90 students per team

Integrated Team-Taught GEAmerican Civilization – content

American culture examined through political, literary, artistic, economic, and social development

American values, ideas, and institutions from popular culture as well as traditional sources

Integrated Team-Taught GEGlobal Climate Change – structure

9 units of upper division GE over a 2-semester cycle (6 units Fall, 3 units Spring)

Double count of 3 units of CA State (Jr. level writing) requirement

Faculty from different disciplines jointly create lectures and assignments

3 faculty & 75 students

Integrated Team-Taught GEGlobal Climate Change – content

Current faculty from Communication Studies, Environmental Studies, & Science (Meteorology or Geology)

Essential service learning component Culminating “Community Action

Project” & class presentations in 2nd semester Best are presented at Public Forum

Integrated Team-Taught GEWhat all three models create

Cohort teaching and learning creates a strong sense of community at a large, primarily commuter university

Student success – improved retention and graduation

Integrated Team-Taught GEQ & A