Undergraduate Education Advisory Committee Core Curriculum Revision Project

1. Undergraduate Education Advisory CommitteeCore Curriculum Revision Project Accountability System Peer Groups November 2010

2. What are the UEAC recommendations so far? • Six Core Objectives • Critical Thinking Skills • Communication Skills • Empirical & Quantitative Skills • Teamwork • Social Responsibility • Personal Responsibility • Component Areas • Titles & Definitions (content and skills) • Semester Credit Hours Assessed across the core curriculum THECB

3. Mapping Core Objectives to Component Areas (continues on next slide) * Currently Humanities † Currently Visual & Performing Arts THECB

4. Mapping Core Objectives THECB

5. Definitions: Example: Government/Political Science • Government/Political Science focuses on consideration of the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the states, with special emphasis on that of Texas. • Courses involve the analysis of governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations. • The core objectives of critical thinking skills, communication skills, teamwork, and social responsibility are addressed by each course in this component area. THECB

6. Where are we in the process? • UEAC Group: drafting report with committee curriculum recommendations • UEAC Group: drafting report with committee assessment recommendations • CB Staff: drafting revisions/developing Rules & Guidelines based on committee recommendations and what the CB approves • course selection criteria and parameters • Revisions to applicable sections of Chapter 4 and Chapter 9 in CB Rules THECB

7. Timeline Goals Rules & Guidelines sent to Institutions Course selections sent to CB staff for approval THECB

8. What is the process for revising the core? THECB

9. What about assessment? • Institution • Responsible for assessment process re: Core Objectives • Certify that a course meets the Core Objectives for its component area • Process for evaluation of each Core Objective • Core Objective attainment assessed across the institution, NOT by component area • Give examples, not necessarily all the data THECB

10. What about assessment? • Framework • Similar to SACS • Should be able to incorporate into SACS self-study • Outcome-based assessment to improve program • Shared with all at the Institution THECB

11. What about assessment? • Framework • Faculty • Institution • Coordinating Board • Assessment Advisors • Loraine Phillips, Texas A&M University • Danita McAnally, Amarillo College THECB

12. What about assessment? • Coordinating Board • Approve courses in component areas • Core Curriculum Evaluation Report (similar to Rule §4.30) • 2 years before deadline for submitting certification of compliance documentation • Provides framework for statewide consistency (important for transfer) THECB

13. Questions & Comments

14. Contact Information • Dr. Catherine Parsoneault • catherine.parsoneault@thecb.state.tx.us • (512) 427- 6214 • Lucy Bloor Heston • lucy.bloor@thecb.state.tx.us • (512) 427-6228 • UEAC Website • http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/ueac THECB

15. Core Curriculum Assessment – Current Process • Rule §4.30 - Criteria for Evaluation of Core Curricula • Part A • Part B THECB

16. Criteria for Evaluation of Core Curricula (Part A) (a) Each public institution of higher education shall review and evaluate its core curriculum every ten years on the schedule that accords with the institution's accreditation reaffirmation self-study report to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or its successor, and report the results of that evaluation to the Board. The evaluation should include: (1) the extent to which the core curriculum is consistent with the elements of the core curriculum recommended by the Board; (2) the extent to which the core curriculum is consistent with the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS); (3) the extent to which the core curriculum is consistent with the elements of the core curriculum component areas, intellectual competencies, and perspectives as expressed in Core Curriculum: Assumptions and Defining Characteristics adopted by the Board; and (4) the extent to which the institution's educational goals and the exemplary educational objectives of the core curriculum recommended by the Board are being achieved; THECB

17. Criteria for Evaluation of Core Curricula (Part B) (b) Each institution's evaluation report must contain at least the following: (1) a table that compares the institution's core curriculum with the core component areas and exemplary educational objectives of the core curriculum recommended by the Board; (2) a brief description of the purpose and substance of the institution's core curriculum; (3) a description of the processes and procedures used to evaluate the institution's core curriculum; and (4) a description of the ways in which the evaluation results are being or will be utilized to improve the core curriculum at the institution. THECB

18. Current Core Curriculum • Current core remains in effect right now; business as usual • Assessing and Reporting should continue • Longevity of current core curriculum THECB