THE GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AT INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY (ISU)

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1 THE GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AT INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY (ISU) Edited by Shouhong Wang, CCB (Thanks to Dr. Linda Maule, General Education Program at ISU, for her generous help)

2 THE GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AT INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY IS A PROMISING MODEL - AAC&U

3 OVERVIEW OF GE2000 MODEL AT ISU All students working toward a bachelor's degree at Indiana State University are required to complete at least 47 hours of General Education course work, including at least 11 hours in Basic Studies and 36 hours in Liberal Studies. (You will see that ISU is moving to FS2010 program in Fall The total hours for entire general education seem to be about the same.) )

4 COMMON GOALS OF THE GE2000 PROGRAM: Critical Thinking -To develop students' capacities for independent thinking, critical analysis, and reasoned inquiry. Communications Skills - To enhance students' writing, speaking, reading, and listening abilities. Issues of Value and Belief - To enhance students' capacities for making informed and reasonable choices. Lifelong Learning - To help students develop the knowledge and intellectual skills that encourage participatory citizenship, acknowledge the value of learning, and facilitate adaptation to change.

5 OVERVIEW OF GE2000 BASIC STUDIES The Basic Studies requirements promote refinement of communication, quantitative literacy, and information technology skills, encourage the study of a foreign language, and g g g g advocate physical fitness for life.

6 OVERVIEW OF GE2000 LIBERAL STUDIES The Liberal Studies requirements encourage students to understand the value of a traditional university education in the arts, humanities, and sciences and to explore the relation of a liberal education to any major course of study.

7 NEW MODEL OF ISU ISU is moving away from GE2000 and beginning Foundational Studies Program in Fall 2010 (FS2010). FS2010 simplifies the structure of GE2000 It is worth learning from this movement at ISU

8 NEW MODEL FS2010 LEARNING OUTCOMES Locate, critically read, and evaluate information to solve problems; Critically evaluate the ideas of others; Apply knowledge and skills within and across the fundamental ways of knowing (natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, arts and humanities, mathematics, and history); Demonstrate an appreciation of human expression through literature and fine and performing arts; Demonstrate the skills for effective citizenship and stewardship; Demonstrate an understanding of diverse cultures within and across societies; Demonstrate the skills to place their current and local experience in a global, cultural, and historical context; t; Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical implications of decisions and actions; Apply principles of physical and emotional health to wellness; Express themselves effectively, professionally, and persuasively both orally and in writing.

9 FS2010: THIRTEEN CATEGORIES OF GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES: I. Composition II. Communication IIIa. Quantitative Literacy IIIb. Mathematics IV. Non-Native Language V. Health and Wellness VI. Science and Laboratory VII. Social and Behavioral Sciences VIII. Literary Studies IX. Fine and Performing Arts X. Historical Studies XI. Global Perspectives and Cultural Diversity XII. Ethics and Social Responsibility XIII. Integrative and Upper

10 FS2010 DETAILS OF EACH CATEGORY: I. Composition (Freshman composition 1-2 courses, Junior composition 1 course) II. Communication (1 course) III. Mathematics or Quantitative literacy (MATH115, MET215, FIN108, MATH102, ECON101) (1 course or high SAT) IV.. Non-native language (2 courses) V. Health and Wellness (Health111 or PE101 and its lab) (1 course and lab)

11 FS2010 DETAILS OF EACH CATEGORY: Eliminated ITL requirement (and made it a skill requirement in every FS course) VI. Laboratory science (ENVI110, PHYS101, CHEM100, BIO112) (1 course or 2 science courses in different disciplines) VII. Social or Behavioral science (AET461, ECON101, EPSY202, EPSY221, PSCI130, PSY101, SOC101) (1 course) VIII. Literary studies (1 course)

12 FS2010 DETAILS OF EACH CATEGORY: IX. Fine and performing arts (1 course) X. Global perspective and cultural diversity (1 course) XI. Ethics and social responsibility (1 course) XII. Upper, Division integrative electives (9 ch) - Upper division courses (3 ch) -Study abroad (6 ch) - Second major (6 ch) -Minor (6 ch)

13 LEARNING OBJECTIVES OF EACH CATEGORY: Each category has its specific learning objectives. For example, VHealthandWellness V. and Understand how society benefits from healthy citizens; Demonstrate safe and effective physical activities and nutritional strategies and describe informed decisions/choices about other issues that may affect one s health; Articulate the effect of lifestyle on physiological and cognitive functions, and psychological well being; and Describe values and behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle. (Please see the website for other categories)

14 STEPS FOR PROPOSING AN FOUNDATIONAL STUDIES COURSE I. Determine as a department how the department is going to participate in the FS Program (e.g., identify to which categories the department is going to propose courses) II. Develop a new course or modify an existing course III. Include in your course proposal the following a. Cover page for FS course proposals b. One page narrative describing how the course meets the program and category learning objectives c. An exemplar syllabus with annotations IV. Go through your College s curricular process making sure that your department s course proposal reaches the General Education Office by the submission deadline.

15 COMPARISON OF FS2010 AND OUR MODEL The FS2010 model has detailed categories (12 categories) while our GenEd categories are a bit aggregated. While the FS2010 model covers more categories than our model does, it does not require ITL. The FS2010 model emphasizes upper and integrative electives, while our model does not have this part.

16 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR PROGRAM: 1. Make our GenEd categories more details 2. Each category has specific learning outcomes and objectives, which will be used for GenEd course approval 3. Add Health&Wellness ll and capstone GenEd course to our GenEd program 4. Eliminate IT literacy from GenEd program, and leave the ITL part to majors