John Smail's Group on Gen Ed Redesign: Thoughts on Themes and Competencies by Joanne Maguire https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e en-us 2021-04-07 19:34:39 UTC 2026-01-17 05:47:06 UTC hello@padlet.com jmrobin2 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397069225 2021-04-08 17:51:53 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397069225 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397604145 The idea seems like a reasonable one, and certainly is better than some kind of disciplinary/field/pre-professional distribution of courses. I would want to know a bit more about what themes are being selected, and the chance to revise them over time. (Are we too driven by the moment or too driven by some fantasy of a "broad history"?) I would also want to know how courses that are part of Gen Ed are being assessed and evaluated for meeting/illuminating a theme. What, for example, would indicate that a course on "power" or "identity" is a good version of that course? (Kent Brintnall)]]> 2021-04-08 20:13:15 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397604145 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397618989 In applying themes, making sure that all disciplines are capable of applying the concepts by supporting the faculty/instructors in their knowledge of the concepts. (Regena Brown, OADI)]]> 2021-04-08 20:18:30 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397618989 One ongoing concern is the colonizing of certain competencies by certain academic disciplines. For example, critical thinking as something that happens only in text-based curricula (when we know that it happens in all rigorous curricula regardless of the dominant learning platform being employed). How can we deploy competencies without contributing to this colonizing process? https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397620729 2021-04-08 20:19:07 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397620729 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397624787 I like the idea of themes that provide coherence across courses and disciplines, and I appreciate these examples of themes that would excite students and help them understand how their education here is relevant to current issues.  I think I’m having trouble seeing how these themes are populated with courses.  I also think that these themes can provide the content through which we can develop students in core competencies listed as well.  What would requirements look like within these themes? (Luke Reinke)]]> 2021-04-08 20:20:31 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397624787 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397624868 Skills seem like a vital part of a general education program, and the ones listed here make good sense. These skills could, of course, be folded into thematic courses in various kinds of ways. Again, I would want to think about definition and implementation. What counts as evidence of "intercultural awareness"? Also, how do we imagine teaching it? And who will monitor/evaluate if course design meets the plan for the competencies?

Similarly, what is evidence of quantitative literacy? The ability to do algebra, or the ability to read an argument that depends strongly on statistical information, can they understand it and evaluate it?]]> 2021-04-08 20:20:33 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397624868 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397630931 Digital literacy?]]> 2021-04-08 20:22:32 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397630931 good citizenship - we need students who are ready to participate and understand both sides of the political spectrum civilly. https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397631413 2021-04-08 20:22:44 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397631413 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397632827 A strong thematic approach is a way of transcending disciplinary/field specificity, which makes good sense for general education. Potentially, students get a good sense of what an "education" means that is broader than a major or a preparation for some specific job/industrial sector.]]> 2021-04-08 20:23:14 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397632827 Students need core competencies. If our goals are to make the world a better place, wouldn't it be better to make sure students have the core competencies to go out to make the world a better place? https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397637131 2021-04-08 20:24:48 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397637131 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397638823 Resist falling into established binaries and silos about where in the curriculum critical thinking or intercultural awareness or quantitative literacy can be found?

]]> 2021-04-08 20:25:24 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397638823 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397648668 Should we begin thinking about a dedicated portion of faculty who are committed to general education? Senior faculty, with subject-matter expertise, and deep pedagogical experience who will be teaching a small set of gen ed courses over a period of time to become experts at the courses they are offering--experts in what the course is about and how it is delivered.]]> 2021-04-08 20:29:00 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397648668 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397671907 something related to the scientific method--as a way of processing information, orienting to the world, making sense of data


]]> 2021-04-08 20:37:42 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397671907 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397676652 Thinking of these competencies makes me think of "21st century skills" and I note that creativity is there but not here. This might be one to consider. ]]> 2021-04-08 20:39:40 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397676652 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397693554 Can research skills be a critical skill, especially to prepare students for upper-lever classes. Different fields may have different research skills, but some may be common, such as solid evidence/data, analytical skills, formulating arguments, and communicating the findings. Some of them may overlap with critical thinking and communication, but research skills should have a higher standard. ]]> 2021-04-08 20:46:19 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397693554 https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397703776 Is it possible to focus on specific projects that students should accomplish in GenEd courses, along with themes and competencies?

]]> 2021-04-08 20:50:22 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397703776 jsmail https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397742404 Notes from the discussion: 1) are we aiming too high? example of a student who messed up on a POLS exam because he didn't knwo the meaning of the word "seldom" 2) Concern about the potential for dilution of theme courses ( akin to what has happened in lbst) -- how to make sure that a course about "power" is substantive. but that is coupled with a sense that themes are really important and ought to be something we as a faculty commit to. 3) need to really invest in faculty development to pull this off -- it is a different kind of teaching.]]> 2021-04-08 21:05:32 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397742404 Comments from Discussion: jsmail https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397750624
generally positive reaction to the competency approach, several people clearly got the way that competencies could be integrated into theme and major courses.  Group did not particularly respond (positive or negative) to the implication of competencies extending into the upper division.

there was a question about how to ensure that a competency like critical thinking meant the same to people from different disciplinary traditions.

Important: comment from Bill Tolone in CCI on 'computational' competency. We need to amend our description of 'quantitative' to include what he and others in CCI are getting at. Computational competency has to do with thinking about and organizing data. Not necessarily numeric]]> 2021-04-08 21:09:12 UTC https://padlet.com/jmrobin2/n5odpo6cc1u4d12e/wish/1397750624