THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE EDUCATION COLLEGE EDUCATION

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1 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL Luke Bugbee, Christin Fisher, Marissa Ische, Hilary Ramage, Winston Stearns, Katt Tyler, Madison White Point Loma Nazarene University April

2 1 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL Abstract There is a growing body of literature that both advocates for and against general education requirements in a University. Ninety four percent of four year college graduates borrow money to get their degree. (Martin & Lehren, 2012) Today s students dealing with piling debt and increasing price of college, must weigh in on If general education classes are worth it. This study focuses on the impact of general education requirements in higher education. More specifically how students feel about general education classes and their impact on grades and time. The literature on general education reveals an argument for and against them. One study concluded that students felt that the classes were irrelevant and held no significance to them. (Hawthorne, Kelsch and Steen, 2010). While another study found that letting students get experience with difficult topics that they wouldn t be exposed to in their major, gave them valuable experience and opened up career paths not previously available. (Baran, Chen, Fagette, Kian, Samuel. 2014). Whether or not which side of the argument is correct, it is a real issue plaguing those deciding on going to college. This study will look to explore what students feel they gain or lose by taking their general education courses. It will focus on the students perspective on how general education courses have made an impact on their college education, grades, and time. Quantitative information will be gathered by surveys given to upperclassmen throughout different colleges in America. They will answer questions on a Strongly Agree/Strongly Disagree scale about how General Ed courses have affected their time at university. Qualitative information will be gathered by holding focus groups to get more in depth analysis of a student s perspective on general education courses. This methodology is appropriate because it gets perspective from the ones

3 2 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL most affected by the general education courses. Understanding students perspective is paramount to understanding The Importance of General Education Classes for a Successful College Education.

4 3 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL Background of the study As the price of college skyrockets students are now asking the question more than ever, Is College worth it? Ninety four percent of college graduates borrow money to get their degrees. (Martin & Lehren, 2012) The price of private universities has almost tripled in the last 30 years, so this is a question that is very relevant when deciding to attend a university or not. Students must decide if taking the general education courses at a Liberal Arts School, is worth it to them over a trade school. General education classes are classes designed to broaden a student s perspective outside of their field. Introducing students to subjects such as engineering exposes them to fields that they d normally not get to experience. This makes the well rounded, productive, and civic minded individuals, while also giving them a door to a career path they wouldn t have imagined before. (Baran, Chen, Fagette, Kian, Samuel. 2014) It seems that the question of, Is college worth it? turns into Is general education worth it? With so much time and units being given towards general education courses, students must decide if a bachelor s degree is worth the extra time and money over trade school. Every major at the Fermanian School of Business at Point Loma Nazarene University except for accounting have less units than the general education courses at the university. (Point Loma Nazarene University, 2015) This study will try to delve more into the question of Are general education classes worth it? Schools must balance giving students the best skills and knowledge for their field as possible while also making them well rounded individuals. Some argue that general education courses open doors to fields that students haven t thought about before. (Baran, Chen, Fagette, Kian,

5 4 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL Samuel. 2014). Others argue that content of general education is not relevant to the student or student s future profession and they will not have to use skills learned in these classes in everyday life. There is also the question of difficulty of general education classes. Accounting professor at Point Loma Nazarene University, Steve Consentino, told the story of the only 4.0 GPA Accounting major at the Fermanian School of Business one year, and that her hardest class by far she had taken at the university was a lower division history class. Literature Review Historically, colleges and universities had the purpose of educating students to be productive and civic minded. General education was the tool used to promote this purpose by creating well rounded and knowledgeable individuals. As the norms of society and higher education have changed, problems arise making the strategies of collegiate institutions questionable. General education courses can serve students by making them more versatile in their career whereas the trade school specifies in one field. However, many of the liberal arts schools missions are often weighed down by the general education requirements. Mandating students to take classes in specific fields takes away the freedoms that are supposedly essential to a liberal arts education. While many argue that these extra courses benefit the students, there are a variety of reasons for arguing that these classes are a waste of time. This literature review will consist of 1). the disadvantages to general education requirements 2). the advantages to general education requirements, and 3). a solution to general education. Disadvantages of General Education Requirements

6 5 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL The average cost of a private four year university has increased tremendously from $16,000 to $42,000 over the past 30 years (College Board, 2015). This increase creates the incentive for students to obtain the highest level of education while keeping the costs down. In keeping costs down, students don t have the time and finances to take classes that are irrelevant to their chosen career. The University of North Dakota created the study Integrated General Education, which discovered that many students experienced that general education courses were not relevant and the professors teaching those courses did not explain further other than the importance of a well rounded education (Hawthorne, Kelsch and Steen, page 23, 2010). While already carrying the burden of extortionate tuition, why should students be further weighed down by taking classes that have little to no relevance to them? Higher education institutions are recognizing the need for reform in the current curriculum of required general education. Charles R. White of Portland University states in his work, The Journal of General Education, that his research group found [the university s] current approach to the first year of general education does little to engage students actively in their educations (White, 1994). He goes further by mentioning that the students spend their first years in introductory classes while listening to lectures, taking notes, and finishing this process with a multiple choice test. They solemnly go to the library for research purposes or pick up other necessary skills preparing them for their upper division classes. When they reach these advanced classes, White notes that we expect them to have been prepared through their lower division work to be able to frame questions, identify and examine relevant original source materials, and produce a paper, project, or experiment which demonstrates advanced academic ability (White, 1994). Because of the lack of depth in the general education classes the students

7 6 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL are not equipped for the performance standards. This leaves the professors dissatisfied in the work of their students creating an overwhelmed, frustrated student. Another disadvantage to general education classes stems from the difficulty of the classes. Students become frustrated when the only factors bringing their GPA down are lower division general requirement courses that have little relevance to their studies and most importantly, are extremely difficult. How are pre med students supposed to keep their grades for graduate school relatively high when they are balancing the majority of their study time for classes in ancient civilizations and art? Shenandoah University claims in their executive summary that students feel the professors are unengaged with their students, teaching in a lecture format or explaining the information in an advanced way... students know these General Education courses are at the 101 levels and should not be factors in bringing down their GPA; although many times this is the case (Shenandoah). This furthermore confirms the students belief that their major courses are more important and their general education classes are a waste of time. Universities find difficulty in generating the curriculum requirements because of the varieties in resources and students. The journal of Educational Requirements states that colleges and universities approach general education requirements from different perspectives and contexts Each school must tailor its general education to its particular educational goals, resources, and students. (Koeppel and Warner, page 257, 2009). When creating a curriculum to test on multiple universities in the same area many differences need to be taken into account such as the size of the university, the student to professor ratio, and technology. Advantages of General Education Requirements

8 7 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL While there are many arguments for the change of required general education requirements, there are many considerations that need to be taken into account of the existing traditional curriculum. The initial philosophy of a liberal arts education was to gain a general knowledge in a variety of different subjects in order to be a productive and culturally educated citizen. The article Why Study the Liberal Arts argues that a liberal arts education is not intended to train you for a specific job, though it does prepare you for the world of work by providing you with an invaluable set of employability skills, including the ability to think for yourself, the skills to communicate effectively, and the capacity for lifelong learning (Sigurdson, 2015). One of the most prominent reasons to a general education is the emphasis of a well rounded individual. Enhancing the students basic skills in mathematics, english, communication, and science will help them be successful in the long run. The article titled Engineering a General Education Program: Designing Mechanical Engineering General Education Courses looks at the question of introducing general education courses that are harder topics (such as engineering) to incorporate students that are not in that field of study. This study gave students the option to take a course and gain some knowledge of a difficult topic separate from students that are more focused on that field of study (Baran, Chen, Fagette, Kian, Samuel. 2014). This was a successful study done that added two general education courses open for any student and has received great feedback causing many students to reevaluate their career path and change their field of study as well. A lot of the students from this study agreed that they learned a lot from this class and more students have been influenced to take the class causing the course to double in size almost every year since it has been offered. Solution to General Education Requirements

9 8 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL While universities continue to have mandated curriculums and battle critics who think otherwise, forward thinking institutions have set a new standard that keeps tradition yet allows the freedom of choice. In 1850, Brown University s fourth president, Francis Wayland, argued that students should have greater freedom in pursuing a higher education, so that each would be able to study what he chose, all that he chose, and nothing but what he chose (Brown, 2015). This vision eventually led to the concept of an open curriculum, which empowers students to have the ability to focus on their major and choose their desired general education classes. This concept of open curriculum has been shown through the success of [their] graduates in professional degrees, graduate programs, and in a wide range of careers and the satisfaction of undergraduates as measured on frequent comparative surveys attest to the continuing vitality and coherence of the curriculum's underlying philosophy (Brown, 2015). Brown University still holds true to the western idea of liberal arts and the methods of grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. Rather than forcing these subjects in a curriculum, [they] challenge [the student] to develop [their] own core... Our open curriculum ensures great freedom in directing the course of education, but it also expects [them] to remain open to people, ideas, and experiences that may be entirely new (Brown, 2015). Brown University s innovative philosophy on the freedom of choice regarding general education is forward thinking and should be considered by all higher education institutions. Because the general education classes are beneficial in creating a depth for well rounded knowledge, they should not be completely omitted. This would defeat the purpose of the Liberal Arts philosophy. The curriculum should be similar to Brown s model in giving the freedom of choice for classes. This solves many of the presented disadvantages to the mandated general

10 9 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL courses. If a student s semester is particularly hard, they can choose some of the easier general courses so their GPA for graduate school will not decrease; They can tailor these classes to their interests and career goals taking out the issue of wasted time; Finally, the students can take their classes cohesively with their major requirements giving them the time to build the necessary skills for their future. Statement of Problem The importance of general education courses for an overall successful college education is influenced by multiple factors found within the research provided. General education classes directly affect the high standards that students place on receiving a well rounded college education. Attending a Liberal Arts University allows students to receive a comprehensive education, which is achieved by requiring general education classes to be completed by the time one graduates. However, majority of the literature on taking general education courses highlight the disadvantages of taking these classes, while students are in pursuit of a specific major and degree, which include the requirements of completing general education courses create higher costs for students, they require students to take classes are not relevant to their major and the difficulty level of these courses can have negative effects on a student s grade point average. By further investigating the advantages and disadvantages of the importance of general education course, an open curriculum would give students the freedom to focus on their desired major, while also giving them the power to select their desired general education classes. This allows college students to focus on their education as a whole while pursuing their desired degree because they are choosing the general education classes that they find relevant. In all, general education courses can serve students by giving them a well rounded education, but not

11 10 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL all students benefit in the same way from taking generalized courses. Through research, it will be determined whether or not general education classes are necessary for students to receive a successful college degree. Purpose of Study/ Research Question The purpose of this study is to find out if general education classes are important for overall success for a college student. By looking at the following research questions, we will have a better understanding of the importance of general education classes and the weight they carry for a college student. The questions for this study are as follows: 1) Are General Education classes essential for a college education? a) If so, what classes are more important for success? 2) Are General Education classes overall more difficult for students than their major classes? 3) Are General Education classes more time consuming than other classes (major/ minor classes) Overview of Methodology The study plan is to conduct research by both qualitative and quantitative studies. For the qualitative studies we will have focus groups of ten upper division students and conduct interviews with them (see appendix A for interview questions). By interviewing a small group of students throughout campuses in America we will be able to get in depth answers and really have them expand upon their college experiences with General Education classes. This method will be

12 11 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL measured by looking at trends from the answers given. These trends will be compared between schools, majors, genders, and other factors. The study will look to see if General Education classes helped or hurt students throughout their college career. After receiving the results it will be easy to see if General Education is necessary for students to succeed in college. The quantitative data will be gathered by distributing surveys to upperclassmen throughout different colleges in America (see appendix B). The surveys will be similar to the interview questions but will help to broaden the variety of students. The surveys will help to gather data that can be record quickly and numerically. To analyze the data Excel spreadsheets will be used which will calculate the results and display if there is a certain trend among students. These results will be displayed using graphs that will show if the data sways more to one side or the other. One side being that students found General Education to be helpful, the other side being students found General Education to be hurtful. These graphs will show if students believe General Education helped, hurt, or did not affect their college careers. Limitations of Study The primary limitation of our study will be the persuasion of opinions and the willingness of the students to share what they believe. It is important to give everyone a chance to speak and share how they feel so students do not get lost in the group and just end up repeating other students opinions, instead of their own. There is also a chance that students might give false information. Another limitation is that we have to have approval from the universities in order to interview the students which could possibly limit our focus groups to certain types of schools in certain areas, which could have a particular primary field of study. It is important to have a range of majors and types of schools because the answers can be swayed depending on the student s

13 12 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL major and what the school s requirements are for that particular major. The limitations will hopefully be avoided as much as possible through actions taken by the interviewers and the schools of choice to be interviewed. Significance of Study This study is significant because it will help universities to better prepare their students in the future, throughout their education, by requiring certain courses, in a particular level of difficulty for specific students; it has the potential to create a customizable education. This study will be able to show university staff that general education courses can help students with their knowledge in their major and prepare them for their lives after college, if the courses are applied correctly without wasting valuable time and efforts of the students and professors. The universities are able to use the study to benefit in the future through making the right decision when it comes to choosing required general education courses for their students by using their resources wisely.

14 13 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL References Baran, G. Chen, S. Fagette, P. Kian, M. Samuel, S. (2012). Engineering a General Education Program: Designing Mechanical Engineering General Education Courses. Innovative Higher Education. Springer Science and Business Media. Brown University (2015). The Brown Curriculum. Retrieved from: Koeppel, K. & Warner, D.B. (2009). General education requirements: A comparative analysis. The Journal of General Education, 58(4), Martin, A., & Lehren, A. W. (2012). A generation hobbled by the soaring cost of college. The New York Times, 5(12), 12. Point Loma Nazarene University (2014, Aug 1) Course Catalog. Retrieved from Shenandoah University, College of Arts and Sciences (Dec 2014). General Education Courses. Executive Summary. Retrieved from: summary/ Sigurdson, R. Why Study the Liberal Arts. University of Northern Illinois. Retrieved from:

15 14 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL Svinicki, M. Wehlburg, C editors. (2010). Integrated General Education. Series: New Direction for Teaching and Learning No Tuition and Fees and Room and Board over Time, to , Selected Years. Trends in Higher Education. College Board. Retrieved from: pricing/figures tables/tuition fees room board time selected years White, C.R. A Model for Comprehensive Reform in General Education:Portland State University. (1994) Journal of General Education, 43 (3).

16 15 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL Appendix A: Interview Questions for Students 1. Have your General Education classes overall been more difficult for you than your major classes? 2. What was your hardest General Education class? What did it entail that made it difficult? 3. Are General Education classes more time consuming than your major/minor classes? 4. Which General Education class has been most time consuming? What did it entail that made it time consuming? 5. Did any of your General Education classes help you to decide what you wanted to major in? 6. Have any of your General Education classes helped you in your major classes? 7. Have you benefited in anyway from taking General Education classes? 8. Do you feel that your General Education classes were a waste of time? If so why? 9. What were the effects of your General Education classes on your GPA? 10. Overall do you believe your General Education classes have helped or hurt your college career?

17 16 THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR A SUCCESSFUL Appendix B: Survey Questions for Students Choose from a scale of 1 5 (1 = Strongly Agree to 5=Strongly Disagree) 1. My General Ed courses have become a valuable part of my education My General Ed courses have helped me to become a more educated person My General Ed courses have helped me to identify my major My General Ed courses have been manageable My General Ed courses have been time consuming My General Ed courses have helped my GPA My General Ed courses have helped college career