An Oregon State University Perspective

Susie Brubaker-ColeBill BogleyJohn Bailey

Beyond SAD

(Sequential Ad hoc Dysfunction)

General Education Reform

National Trends and the AAC&U•LEAP •Essential Learning Outcomes•Principles of Excellence

General Education Reform

The Oregon State experience•History 1989-2008•Review & Revision 2008-2010

Learning Goals for GraduatesFaculty-Administration CollaborationFirst-Year SuccessExperiential Learning

•Implementation 2010-

Student Perspectives on General Education

Q: “X” contributes to my lifelong personal growth

Student Perspectives on General Education

Importance of Baccalaureate Core Category by Major College

Skills Perspectives SynthesisSkills Perspectives Synthesis

Potholes of General Education Revision (Gaston and Gaff 2009)

Potholes 1-42: Review, Planning & Approval Potholes 43- 50: IMPLEMENTATIONPothole 49: Take it for granted that the program will work well the first time.Pothole 50: Regard assessment as someone else’s job.

The “LAST Pothole”

The “LAST Pothole”

Why isn’t it working? Who’s in charge?

Implementation is forever

Implementation is for everyone

Three Principles of Implementation

AnticipateSuccessful implementation depends on foresight during the review/(re)design process.

EngageSuccessful implementation depends on support and commitment of faculty, administration, advisors, students, recruiters, marketers, alumni, donors...

Converge and alignWhat does success look like at your institution?

(Hypothetical?) Case Studies

•Grateful College•Liberal arts college adopts visionary curriculum that implodes.

•Comp State Tech•Large state comprehensive boasts transformed curriculum that devolves to adjunct faculty.

•Hypergrant U•Composes new learning outcomes and gen ed categories that are then re-populated with same old courses.

Scenarios: Identifiable challenges everywhere

What does it take to effect meaningful, lasting change in student learning?Will anything change day to day?Course changes?

Structural changes to the constellation of courses available?Advising, messaging and marketing?Faculty and students

Your Task NOW

1. Anticipate how this scenario will affect general education planning, approval, AND implementation.

2. Describe how to engage the “forces” in this scenario to improve general education planning, approval, AND implementation

3. Imagine how resolution of this scenario can support successful general education planning, approval, AND implementation.

Scenarios Overview

1. Professor Passionwood and academic freedom2. Goodheart Foundation’s endowed GE program3. Executive VP Beemy’s marketing campaign4. Hypergrant University’s distant departments5. Tad Checkbox’s advising strategy6. The Marge A. Knull School of General Studies7. Professor Outrage and administrative mistrust

Thank you