LAC Transformation

1. LAC Transformation Professional Development Day August 20, 2008

2. Presentation Outline Brief History of LAC Transformation Work plan for 2008/2009 Proposed Structure of the LAC First-Year Curriculum First-Year Seminar Articulation with MTC Years 2 – 4 Assessment Seminar Ties to the Majors Capstone Activity

3. LAC Transformation Brief History of LAC Transformation

4. Spring 2004 February – Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Site Visit April – First Contact with The Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts (CILA)

5. Fall 2004 August – Initial workshop facilitated by CILA September – Formation of LAC Task Force Began work of formulating LAC outcomes

6. Outcomes Based Education Outcomes Based Education focuses on student learning by: Using learning outcome statements to make explicit what the student is expected to be able to know, understand or do; Providing learning activities which will help the student to reach these outcomes; Assessing the extent to which the student meets these outcomes through the use of explicit assessment criteria.

7. Spring 2005 February – Second workshop facilitated by CILA April – Completion and ratification of LAC outcome statements

8. LAC Outcomes Understand the techniques and habits of thought in a variety of academic disciplines, having attained an adequate foundation of knowledge in those disciplines. Communicate effectively. Be creative thinkers able to identify, formulate, and solve problems using interdisciplinary perspectives. Be critical thinkers who evaluate information wisely and examine how assumptions and positions are shaped. Understand both physical and social aspects of the world and their place in it.

9. LAC Outcomes (cont) Embrace the similarities among peoples and appreciate the diversity that enriches the human experience. Analyze moral judgments and engage in moral discourse. Practice responsible citizenship in their local and global communities Continue life-long learning. Integrate mind, body, and spirit, the essential elements of a flourishing life.

10. Fall 2005 Twice weekly open sessions focused on one outcome Questions considered What types of experiences should students have at SMSU related to this outcome? 
 What should students be able to do as a result of these experiences?  How should these experiences change students?  How can we tell? 
 To get the most out of these experiences, what do students need to know beforehand? Formation of the LAC Transformation web site.

11. Spring 2006 Initial discussions on LAC structure Initial discussions of LAC - MTC articulation Initial testing of an assessment mechanism

12. Fall 2006 Weekly task-force meetings Each meeting focused on developing specific learning objectives for one outcome statement. Committee considered: The ideas expressed during the outcome discussions from Fall 2005 National studies and trends related to each outcome First draft of each set of learning outcomes was completed by December 2006.

13. Spring 2007 Continued discussions of LAC – MTC articulation Completion of specific learning objectives associated with each outcome

14. Outcome 1 Understand the techniques and habits of thought in a variety of liberal arts disciplines, having attained an adequate foundation of knowledge in those disciplines. Summarize major themes and discoveries of these disciplines and understand how new work is created and evaluated. Apply the methods by which practitioners of these disciplines process information and solve problems. Articulate how these disciplines are interconnected and how they relate to the student’s major areas of study.

15. Outcome 2 Communicate effectively. Determine the nature and extent of information needed to formulate and develop a coherent and unified thesis. Comprehend and synthesize messages conveyed in both oral and written contexts. Recognize and employ various methods of verbal, nonverbal, cultural, and emotional communication. Consider and account for the nature of audiences when presenting written and oral arguments. Present ideas with comfort and confidence in written and oral formats. Develop an appreciation for the significance and aesthetics of language.

16. Outcome 3 Be creative thinkers able to identify, formulate, and solve problems using interdisciplinary perspectives. Break a complex issue or task into incremental steps. Comprehend the differences and similarities among fields of study, and how these augment our understanding of important issues. Employ multiple modes of inquiry and analysis to arrive at a range of possible solutions to a problem or task. Apply a range of methods for producing creative results. Exhibit increasing development of characteristics essential to being a creative thinker, including: • Curiosity • Aesthetic appreciation • Acceptance of and willingness to learn from mistakes and failures. • Enjoyment of challenge • Ability to suspend judgment • Desire to make things better

17. Outcome 4 Be critical thinkers who evaluate information wisely and examine how assumptions and positions are shaped. Demonstrate information literacy by accessing, utilizing, formatting, citing, and documenting relevant material accurately and correctly. Interpret arguments by correctly identifying relevant premises, conclusions, and key assumptions. Evaluate the extent to which evidence is reasonable, relevant, accurate, and sufficient to support intended claims. Formulate clear, well-supported arguments. Engage in civil discourse, self-reflection, and consideration of other points of view.

18. Outcome 5 Understand both physical and social aspects of the world and their place in it. Demonstrate knowledge of concepts, methods, and theories designed to enhance understanding of the natural world and human society. Access, comprehend, compare, and evaluate contemporary scientific and social literature. Demonstrate an awareness of multiple worldviews, and how each is shaped by the interaction of physical and social factors. Critically consider the ethical and physical ramifications of scientific decisions on society and the environment.

19. Outcome 6 Embrace the similarities among peoples and appreciate the diversity that enriches the human experience. Demonstrate awareness of personal identity as the result of a broad set of influences. Engage in a variety of cross-cultural interactions. View cultures and social norms from multiple perspectives. Explore one’s biases while developing independent attitudes regarding the “difficult differences” in society. Integrate and apply diverse perspectives to increasingly challenging questions and real-world problems. Develop an informed concern for the greater good.

20. Outcome 7 Analyze moral judgments and engage in moral discourse. Demonstrate understanding of the meaning, application, and justification of a number of core ethical values, including, but not restricted to: Demonstrate understanding of and respect for a variety of ethical viewpoints. Recognize and critically reflect on one’s own moral values and their determinants. Identify and address moral issues in a variety of contexts, including coursework, personal life, and global society. • Individual dignity • Human rights • Honesty • Integrity • Justice • Compassion • Personal and social responsibility

21. Outcome 8 Practice responsible citizenship in their local and global communities. Develop the combination of knowledge, skills, values, and dispositions necessary to make a difference in local and global communities. Recognize themselves as part of a larger social fabric, with public lives and personal ownership of social problems. Explore the nature and use of power and authority in various contexts. Engage in democracy as a life-enhancing, everyday practice of skills such as: Attentiveness to public affairs and current events Regular volunteering Creative use of conflict Active group membership Collective problem solving Express their voices through informed citizenship and participation in civic and political processes. Confidently engage in civil discourse, self-reflection, and consideration of other points of view.

22. Outcome 9 Continue life-long learning. Continuously evaluate their ever-changing environment across multiple dimensions. Engage in self-directed learning with an emphasis on “learning how to learn.” Cultivate curiosity and openness to varied experiences. Integrate prior knowledge with newly obtained information. Pursue formal and informal educational opportunities throughout life.

23. Outcome 10 Integrate mind, body, and spirit, the essential elements of a flourishing life. Explore how mind, body, and spirit function in interconnected ways. Reflect on the intellectual, physical, and spiritual factors that shape personal and social identities. Understand their individual wellness from various disciplinary perspectives. Acquire knowledge and skills to pursue their full human potential.

24. Fall 2007 September – Brainstorming session focused on the following question What specific skills, knowledge and attitudes, pertaining to our LAC outcomes, should ALL students have at the end of their first year? Developed proposed first-year curriculum November – Presented proposed first-year curriculum and elicited feedback

25. Spring 2008 Subcommittee formed to address the First-Year Seminar Proposed LAC – MTC articulation completed

27. Publications – LEAP College Learning for the New Global Century, AAC&U, 2007 • Liberal Education Outcomes: A Preliminary Report on Student Achievement in College, AAC&U, 2005 • Communicating Commitment to Liberal Education: A Self-Study Guide for Institutions, AAC&U, 2006

28. Publications – Assessment The Art and Science of Assessing General Education Outcomes: A Practical Guide, AAC&U, 2005 • Assessment in Cycles of Improvement: Faculty Designs for Essential Learning Outcomes, AAC&U, 2007 • General Education and the Assessment Reform Agenda, AAC&U, 2006

29. Publications – Assessment Levels of Assessment: From the Student to the Institution, AAC&U, 2005 • General Education: A Self-Study Guide for Review and Assessment, AAC&U, 2005

30. Publications Greater Expectations: A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to College, AAC&U, 2002 • General Education and Student Transfer: Fostering Intentionality and Coherence in State Systems, AAC&U, 2005 • Strong Foundations: Twelve Principles for Effective General Education Programs, AAC&U, 1994

31. Conferences Attended The Institute on General Education – June, 2008 Integrative Designs for General Education and Assessment -- Feb, 2008 27th Annual Conference on the First Year Experience– Feb 2008 I-Teach Conference-- Feb 2008 INTENTIONAL LEARNING UNSCRIPTED CHALLENGES: Knowledge and Imagination for an Interdependent World -- Jan, 2008 Civic Learning at the Intersections: U.S. Diversity, Global Education, and Democracy's Unfinished Work-- Oct 2007 THE REAL TEST: Liberal Education and Democracy’s Big Questions-- Jan, 2007 DEMANDING EXCELLENCE: Liberal Education in an Era of Global Competition, Anti-Intellectualism, and Disinvestment-- Jan, 2006 Advising and the Liberal Arts at CILA -- Mar 2004

32. LAC Transformation Work plan for 2008/2009

33. Timeline 2013 – 2014 HLC visit 2010 – 2011 Start accreditation self study Fall 2010 First offerings of new LAC April 2010 All new catalog copy approved March 2010 All new catalog copy to Assembly January 2010 All new catalog copy to Curric Com

34. 2008 – 2009 Workplan Fall 2008 Draft assessment plan Report on assessment due to President Danahar in October Draft oversight structure of LAC Focus groups on first year components and assessment rubrics Spring 2009 Complete 4-year design of LAC and assessment rubrics Ratification of LAC structure and assessment plan

35. LAC Transformation Proposed Structure of the LAC

36. Outline of Proposed LAC Structure All students will take 12 credits their first year consisting of the following courses. First Year Seminar Introduction to Rhetoric and Composition Essentials of Speech and Group Communication Introduction to Critical Thinking Communication and Critical Thinking are Core Skills of LAC

37. Outline of Proposed LAC Structure

38. Outline of Proposed LAC Structure The courses include 40 credits to satisfy the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum and begin achievement of the ten LAC outcomes. While completing these courses, students cannot count more than two courses with the same prefix. Taking a course that satisfies more than one area does not reduce the overall credit total.

39. Outline of Proposed LAC Structure

40. Outline of Proposed LAC Structure

41. Outline of Proposed LAC Structure After completing a majority (24 credits) of their LAC courses, students will take a 3-credit, 300-level contemporary issues seminar. These seminars will be designed to develop interdisciplinary problem-solving skills and enhance students’ communication and critical thinking abilities. Formative assessments of these skills will be administered. Students will participate in a culminating capstone experience designed to showcase achievement of the outcomes.

42. Outline of Proposed LAC Structure

43. Outline of Proposed LAC Structure Each major must include one or more upper-level courses that emphasize the Core Skills of written communication, oral and group communication, and critical thinking. Those courses will include assessments to which the common rubrics will be applied. These courses may be departmental courses OR they may be courses offered by other departments. Programs are encouraged to explicitly show the connections between majors and as many of the LAC outcomes as possible.

44. Outline of Proposed LAC Structure The outcome –Integrate mind, body, and spirit, the essential elements of a flourishing life–should be achieved throughout a student’s entire curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular experience. We plan to engage Student Affairs in discussion of how this can be structured, documented and assessed. Completion of the LAC and major should prepare students for achievement of the outcome Continue life-long learning.

45. LAC Transformation The First-Year Seminar

46. LAC Transformation LAC Development in Years 2 – 4

47. LAC Transformation LAC Capstone

48. ACTIVITY