Presentation for the Harris-Stowe State University Faculty Symposium, Retooling the General Education Curriculum for the Twenty-First Century, May 6, 2011

1. General Education Revision at Webster University: Process and Lessons Bruce Umbaugh Professor, Philosophy Director, Global Citizenship Project Task Force

2. 1972 KC 1967 1962 1924 1915 2011 1931 Loretto College Webster College Men admitted Study abroad Secular

3. Thailand 1992: Gen Ed 1983 1978 2004 1986 1981 1999 World Traveler Geneva Webster University London Leiden Vienna

4. By the numbers Worldwide 107 Campuses 21,000 students (headcount) 8100 St. Louis 184 full-time faculty 1700 adjunct faculty Undergraduate Undergraduate: St. Louis and Kansas City, 3 other states, 4 Europe, 1 Asia Four years St. Louis, Europe, Asia 4900 undergraduates 3300 St. Louis 184 full-time faculty St. Louis 600 adjunct faculty St. Louis

5. General Education revision began in 2009

6. Three things converged: New University mission statement HLC Visit and Report: “Improve assessment practices.” Presidential search: Significant changes ahead.

7. (Old) Mission Statement Mission & Values Although the Sisters of Loretto no longer oversee the day-to-day operation of Webster University, the general mission they established when they founded the university remains unchanged — to satisfy unmet educational needs. Webster today operates as an independent, comprehensive, non-demominational university with campus locations around the world. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a wide array of disciplines, including the liberal arts, fine and performing arts, teacher education, business and management. In striving to fulfill educational needs that may be underserved, Webster University: * Creates a student-centered environment accessible to individuals of diverse ages, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. * Sustains a personalized approach to education through small classes and close relationships among faculty and students. * Develops educational programs that join theory and practice, and instill in students the spirit of systematic inquiry. * Encourages creativity, scholarship and individual enterprise in its students and faculty. * Promotes international perspectives in the curriculum and among students and faculty. * Encourages in its students a critical perspective, a respect for diversity and an understanding of their own and others’ values. * Fosters in its students a lifelong desire to learn and a commitment to contribute actively to their communities and the world. * Educates diverse populations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. * Strengthens the communities it serves through support of civic, cultural, corporate and educational organizations.

8. 2007-2008 Strategic Planning Mission Statement Strategic Plan Planning Process and Institutional Planning Committee

11. 2008: Self-study process for reaccreditation completed Higher Learning Commission Visit Higher Learning Commission -- 10-year reaccreditation General Education – criterion met, assessment needs attention

12. 2008-2009: Presidential Search Summer 2009 Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) Stroble joins Webster University as our 11th President

13. February 2009: Webster submits proposal to the Association of American Colleges & Universities for a team to attend the summer Institute on General Education and Assessment

16. Arrow Process The General Education Reform Process Why use graphics from PowerPointing.com? What do we want for students? “transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence” What students experience Program Design; Assessment Plan University Mission Learning Goals & Outcomes Program Content Program Mission “core competencies for responsible global citizenship in the 21st century” Purposeful pathways and a plan for telling whether they work

18. Mission, charge The mission of the Global Citizenship Program is to ensure that every undergraduate student emerge from Webster University with the core competencies required for responsible global citizenship in the 21st Century. The Global Citizenship Project Task Force is charged with making recommendations to the Senate for the creation and implementation of the Global Citizenship Program.

19. Global Citizenship Project Task Force Charge The GCPTF shall be consultative and transparent in its processes and report monthly to the Senate. The GCPTF shall identify the core competencies of global citizenship. The GCPTF shall identify best practices in assessment of general education. The GCPTF shall explore multiple models of general education program. The GCPTF shall explore best practices in general education which may include but is not limited to learning communities, paired classes, e-portfolios and co-curricular experiences. The GCPTF shall identify examples of best practices that currently exist within our curriculum. The GCPTF shall request of the Senate additional resources and/or support as the need arises, including changes in the membership of the GCPTF. The GCPTF shall strive have a plan ready for approval of the Faculty Assembly by Spring 2010. The GCPTF shall work through the academic year 2010-2011 to build out the GCP. The GCPTF shall be dissolved once the Global Citizenship Program is implemented. It is expected ha undergraduate students entering Webster University in Fall 2011 will be required to fulfill the GCP.

20. Global Citizenship Project Task Force Bruce Umbaugh, Director Stephanie Schroeder, Assessment Director Gary Glasgow, LGCFA Kit Jenkins, SOC Paula Hanssen, CAS Chris Risker, SBT Vicki McMullin, SOE Gary Kannenberg, Gen Ed Coordinator Kate Parsons, Interdisciplinary Programs Donna Campbell, International Studies John Aleshunas, Curriculum Committee Ron Daniel, Geneva Academic Director Larry Baden, Freshman Seminars Robin Assner, Freshman Seminars John Watson, General Studies Benjamin O. Akande, Dean Debra Carpenter, Dean Brenda Fyfe, Dean Peter Sargent, Dean David Carl Wilson, Dean Emily Bahr, Student Ted Hoef, Dean of Students Kim Kleinman, Undergraduate Advising Sarah Tetley, First-year Experience

21. Consultative and Transparent Coffees Lunches Numerous meetings w/ individual faculty 43% non-admin, f-t faculty Brown Bag presentation Total attendance > 250 Wiki, Tumblr, Slideshare SGA Executive Board Journal stories Senate reports Faculty Institute Assembly meetings Journal Photo by Theo Welling

23. COMM Gen Ed

24. NEH Ethics Across the Curriculum

25. Title VI Language Across the Curriculum

26. Title III Teaching with Technology

27. Learning Communities: Pathways (undeclared), Biology, Communications, Fine Arts

28. Writing Across the Curriculum/Writing Intensive Courses

29. World Traveler

30. International Distinction

31. Webster Works Worldwide

33. The Task Force, therefore, recommends that, so long as an adequate assessment plan can be formulated, Webster University adopt the following goals for all undergraduate students, and proposes to move forward to develop an educational program to achieve such outcomes, along with a means of assessing that program: Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, achieved through study drawing upon the resources of traditional disciplines, focused by engagement with the "big questions," both contemporary and enduring Intellectual and practical skills, including inquiry and analysis, creative and critical thinking, written and oral communication, quantitative literacy, information literacy, teamwork, and problem solving. These skills should be practiced across the curriculum, not only in the Global Citizenship Program, with the challenge of projects, problems, and standards for performance increasing through the course of students' educations. Understanding of personal and social responsibility, including civic knowledge and engagement, intercultural knowledge and competence, ethical reasoning and action, and foundations and skills for lifelong learning. This understanding should be fostered through active learning and engagement with diverse communities and real-world challenges. Abilities to integrate and apply what is learned. These abilities should be demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems.

34. As the assessment plan takes shape, the Task Force may suggest the addition of a specific outcome in the area of international understanding or global awareness, beyond what is already referenced above. Our intention is that the same set of goals should apply to all undergraduate, degree-seeking students. We further intend that no undergraduate program be compromised or disadvantaged by the Global Citizenship Program. To promote achieving the objectives of integration and application, we intend for the new program be interdisciplinary from the first year of study. We further intend to build upon those practices identified in research as being "high-impact" in structuring the program.

36. Discussion with SGA Executive Board

37. Global Citizenship Project Task Force wiki begun

38. Session with extended campus and international academic directors

39. Team of eight attends Integrative Learning

40. GCPTF recommends program learning outcomes (November)

41. Faculty Assembly (November)

43. Team of twelve attends General Education and Assessment conference

45. Application to Greater Expectations Institute for summer work on developing and implementing Global Citizenship Program

47. Spring Faculty Institute (March)

48. Discussion with Curriculum Committee

49. Discussion with Senate

50. Faculty Assemblyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/miikas/141434315/ Some Rights Reserved: CC-By-SA 2.0

51. Things we learned

53. Distribution requirements only is now unusual in General Education: Source: “Trends and Emerging Practices in General Education,” Hart Research Associates for AAC&U, May, 2009

54. High Impact Practices First-Year Seminars and Experiences Common Intellectual Experiences Learning Communities Writing-Intensive Courses Collaborative Assignments and Projects “Science as Science Is Done”/Undergraduate Research Diversity/Global Learning Service Learning, Community-Based Learning Internships Capstone Courses and Projects

55. Impact of Educationally Purposeful Practices on First Academic Year GPA by Pre-College Achievement Level *Source: George Kuh, High Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter (AAC&U, 2008) and Carol Geary Schneider, “Helping Students Connect”

56. Impact of Educationally Purposeful Practices on First Academic Year GPA by Race/Ethnicity *Source: George Kuh, High Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter (AAC&U, 2008) and Carol Geary Schneider, “Helping Students Connect”

57. Impact of Educationally Purposeful Practices on the Probability of Returning for the Second Year of College by Race *Source: George Kuh, High Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter (AAC&U, 2008) and Carol Geary Schneider, “Helping Students Connect”

58. UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCE GEN ED How do these (all) integrate? How do these (all) complement and align? MAJOR CO-CURRICULUM

59. From The New Yorker Collection. Used by permission.

60. Things we learned Raising the Bar: Employers’ Views on College Learning in the Wake of the Economic Downturn, Hart Research Associates, for the AAC&U, January, 2010

61. Core Requirements:PLU’s Study

62. How should learning be organized to achieve the outcomes? Basic design choices: Limited number of carefully constructed courses Large, varied array of courses Any course at any time Developmental model Involve complete undergraduate experience Academic class experience only

63. Basic design choices: Limited number of carefully constructed courses Large, varied array of courses Any course at any time Developmental model Involve complete undergraduate experience Academic class experience only

64. How should learning be organized to achieve the outcomes? Limited number of carefully constructed courses Large, varied array of courses ? Any course at any time ? Developmental model Involve complete undergraduate experience ? Academic class experience only

65. 2010-2011 Team of fifteen attends Greater Expectations Institute New Provost, Julian Schuster Task Force Report and Recommendations (November) Senate revises recommendations, proposes to Faculty Assembly Amendment process Faculty vote (February) Global Citizenship Program of general education approved

66. March, 2010 Arrow Process The General Education Reform Process Why use graphics from PowerPointing.com? You are here. “transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence” What students experience Program Design; Assessment Plan Learning Goals & Outcomes University Mission Program Content Program Mission “core competencies for responsible global citizenship in the 21st century” Purposeful pathways and a plan for telling whether they work

67. Product Learning outcomes Program structure (Program content)

68. Learning outcomes

69. Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, Roots of Cultures Social Systems & Human Behavior Physical & Natural World Global Understanding Arts Appreciation Intellectual and practical skills, Critical Thinking Written and Oral Communication Quantitative Literacy These skills should be practiced across the curriculum, not only in the Global Citizenship Program, with the challenge of projects, problems, and standards for performance increasing through the course of students' educations. Understanding of personal and social responsibility, Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Ethical Reasoning This understanding should be fostered through active learning and engagement with diverse communities and real-world challenges. Abilities to integrate and apply what is learned. Demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems.

70. PurposefulPathways: A begining, middle, and end First-year seminar, introduces program, emphasizes critical thinking, interdisciplinarity, integration 1 Courses address knowledge, communication, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, global understanding, intercultural competence, integrative thinking 2 Global Keystone Seminar serves as capstone course for the Global Citizenship Program of general education 3

71. Program Requirements (Native/Four-year Students) Eight other courses Two seminars Roots of Cultures (two) Social Systems & Human Behavior (two) Physical & Natural World Global Understanding Arts Appreciation Quantitative Literacy Great Thinkers (1st year) Global Keystone (3rd year) Emphasize integration, lifelong learning Collection points for student work for assessment Also address Written and Oral Communication, Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning, and Intercultural Competence

72. GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP PUZZLE Knowledge Roots of Cultures Social Systems & Human Behavior Physical & Natural World Global Understanding Competences Written Communication Oral Communication Critical Thinking Quantitative Literacy Arts Appreciation Ethical Reasoning Intercultural Competence Integrative Learning

73. Lessons and Advice

74. Lessons and Advice Be serious about process, but don’t forget you have a goal.

75. Lessons and Advice Because they are general, the skills that are general education outcomes should be addressed throughout students’ education, not only in the general education program. There are many pathways to get to the goals.

76. Lessons and Advice Make use of the resources provided by the AAC&U. publications www.aacu.org conferences summer institutes

77. Lessons and Advice Communication is unbelievably hard.

78. Lessons and Advice Think about assessment from the very beginning.

79. Lessons and Advice Don’t be cheap. Invest resources in the process.

80. Lessons and Advice Only rarely do faculty as a body address curricular change. Understand differences in language, expectations, disciplinary temperament.

81. Lessons and Advice Faculty have to address general education together. General education change can facilitate other positive changes.

82. Bruce Umbaugh bumbaugh@webster.edu 2011 2010 2009 2007 2006 2005 2004 2008 2012 Develop, adopt First class bound by new requirements Build, implement