Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Natural World
Focused by engagement with enduring and contemporary big questions
Integrative Learning
Demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems
Civic knowledge and engagementlocal and global Intercultural knowledge and competence Ethical reasoning and action Foundations and skills for lifelong learning
Communications Rule # 1
Know Your Audience What do they already think about your issue? How do you communicate about the issue? (where, how, who, to whom)
Discussion Questions
For this group, are these outcomes important for all college students? Should colleges place more emphasis, less emphasis, or about the same emphasis on these outcomes? Who is responsible for advancing students achievement of these outcomes? How should campuses advance these outcomes?
PSRNeglected But Essential Mixed Data on Commitment & Results Rhetorical Commitment but not matched fully by action Confusion about responsibility and timing assumed rather than made explicit by faculty and college leaders
Evidence of Commitment
Mission Statements Core Commitments Campus Compact Explosion of Service and Community-based learning programs
% Strongly Agree
58 74
% Strongly Agree
49 38 37 35
Internships
1st year academic seminars Diversity studies/experiences Learning communities
(courses linked by theme)
Glass Half-Full?
AAC&U Member Survey AAC&U Employer Survey NSSE PSRI
Among respondents from campuses WITH campus-wide goals, percent saying their institutions common set of learning goals/outcomes addresses each area of knowledge/intellectual skills & ability
Areas of Knowledge
Humanities Science Social sciences Global/world cultures
92% 91% 90% 87% 87% 73% 61% 49% 42%
Intellectual Skills/Ability
Writing skills Critical thinking Quantitative reasoning Oral communication Intercultural skills Information literacy Ethical reasoning Civic engagement Application of learning
79% 76% 75% 68% 66% 65% 63% 99% 95% 91% 88%
Mathematics
Diversity in U.S. Technology U.S. history
Languages
Sustainability
Research skills
Integration of learning
24%
Key findings from survey among 305 business leaders and 510 recent college graduates conducted November 2 December 5, 2006 for The Association of American Colleges and Universities
Mean rating*
7.0 6.9 6.9 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.5 6.3 6.3 6.1 5.9 5.7
17% 19% 19% 21% 23% 23% 26% 30% 31% 37% 42% 46%
*ratings on 10-point scale: 10 = recent college graduates are extremely well prepared on each quality
(How Should Colleges Assess and Improve Student Learning? AAC&U/Peter D. Hart, 2008)
This campus has helped me expand my own awareness of the importance of being involved in the community and contributing to the greater good
Current academic standing First Year % Strongly Agree 38
Sophomore
Junior
33
33
Senior
Student sample: N = 23,950 Source: pers. comm., Eric Dey, University of Michigan
32
Communications Rule #2Use All Opportunities to Communicate; Repeat the Message Again and Again Messages are sent: -curriculum--What is requiredin gen ed; in majors; syllabi -Web site -admissions
Faculty publicly advocate the need for students to become active and involved citizens
Current academic standing
First Year Sophomore Junior
% Strongly Agree
44 35 36
Senior
Student sample: N = 23,950 Source: pers. comm., Eric Dey, University of Michigan
34
The discussions focused on personal aspirations relating to college and not on outcomes of college as they relate to society as a whole.
career choices and opportunities skills and knowledge in chosen field knowledge to help me throughout life both in and off the job knowledge, capabilities, ethics and values essential for professional success
These issues should be developed in k12 education These are important, but developing them is not the job of college Your values are not my values PSR outcomes not connected to professional success goals
www.aacu.org/core_commitments
humphreys@aacu.org