UCORE Handbook v3.1 updated 04.22 - WSU University Common ... · 4/1/2019 · Similarly, capstone...

UNIVERSITY CORE

REQUIREMENTS FOR

GENERAL EDUCATION

UCORE HANDBOOKVERSION 3.0 | MARCH, 2018

Office of Undergraduate Education Washington State University

TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE...............................................................................................................................................................................................1

NEWINTHISEDITION.................................................................................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................4

RICHARDLAWAWARD.....................................................................................................................................................4

1. OVERVIEWOFUCORE..............................................................................................................................6

2. GENERALPOLICIES.................................................................................................................................. 8

SPECIFICADVISINGNOTES............................................................................................................................................8

HONORSSTUDENTS.......................................................................................................................................................... 9

TRANSFERSTUDENTS......................................................................................................................................................10

3. FORDEPARTMENTSANDFACULTY....................................................................................................11

DEPARTMENTALRESPONSIBILITIESFORUCORECOURSES.......................................................................11

CURRICULUMPROCESSESANDTOPICS................................................................................................................14

4. DESIGNINGACOURSEFORUCOREDESIGNATION........................................................................................15

SELECTYOURCATEGORY..............................................................................................................................................16

[ROOTS]...........................................................................................................................................................................19

[QUAN]............................................................................................................................................................................20

[WRTG]...........................................................................................................................................................................25

[COMM]...........................................................................................................................................................................31

[SSCI]................................................................................................................................................................................36

[HUM]..............................................................................................................................................................................44

[ARTS].............................................................................................................................................................................49

[BSCI,PSCI]...................................................................................................................................................................55

[DIVR]..............................................................................................................................................................................61

[CAPS]..............................................................................................................................................................................66

ASSIGNMENTDESIGN.....................................................................................................................................................74

5. ASSESSINGSTUDENTLEARNINGINUCORECOURSES..................................................................76

6. SUBMITTINGYOURCOURSEPROPOSALSUCCESSFULLY.......................................................... 79

7. APPENDICES............................................................................................................................................ 87

APPENDIXA:UCORECOMMITTEES.......................................................................................................................... 87

SEVENLEARNINGGOALSOFUNDERGRADUATEEDUCATIONINTHEUNIVERSITYCOMMONREQUIREMENTS(UCORE).............................................................................................................. 89

MAPOFUCOREREQUIREMENTSANDLEARNINGGOALS................................................................... 92

APPENDIXB:RESOURCES............................................................................................................................................. 93

LEARNINGOUTCOMESGRIDS......................................................................................................................... 94

[QUAN].................................................................................................................................................................. 94

[WRTG].................................................................................................................................................................. 96

[COMM]................................................................................................................................................................. 98

[SSCI]................................................................................................................................................................... 100

[HUM].................................................................................................................................................................. 102

[ARTS]................................................................................................................................................................. 104

[BSCI,PSCI]....................................................................................................................................................... 106

[DIVR].................................................................................................................................................................. 108

[CAPS].................................................................................................................................................................. 110

SAMPLECOMPLETEDLEARNINGOUTCOMESGRIDFOR[ROOT]................................................. 112

OTHERRESOURCES............................................................................................................................................... 114

APPENDIXC:UCOREASSESSMENTPLAN(ABRIDGED),2015-2023..................................................... 115

UCOREHandbookv.3|March2018|Page1

DearWSUstudents,facultyandstaff:

WeareverypleasedtopublishthisthirdeditionoftheUCOREHandbook,aguidetoWashingtonStateUniversity’sgeneraleducationcurriculumknownastheUniversityCommonRequirementsorUCORE. Since thenewprogramwas introduced inFall 2012,wehaveall learneda lot about thecomplexitiesofageneraleducationcurriculum:itisnotonlyanexpressionoftheuniversity’scorevaluesforundergraduateeducation,butisalsotiedtobothcommunitycollegesinWashingtonandtorequirementsofaccreditingbodies.Whilethecoursesareuniquelyours,theirtransferability(inbothdirections)mattersgreatlytoourstakeholders.

We’velearnedhowinformationsystemsandbudgetarystructuresaffectourcurricularchoicesinacomplex, statewide system.We’ve discovered some gaps in explanatorymaterials about generaleducation, and somepolicyholes aswell. We’ve learned thatUCORE learningoutcomes arenotwholly identicalwith theSevenLearningGoalsofUndergraduateEducation; forexample,majorshaveastrongerroletoplayinstudentachievementofdepthoflearning,whileUCOREhasaspecialroletoplayinbreadthandintegrationoflearning.We’vealsolearnedthroughassessmentthatsomeofthegoalsneedrephrasing,orevenrevising.Withthosethingsinmind,theUCORECommitteehasupdatedthisHandbooktoprovideclearerguidancetofaculty,advisors,andstudentsaboutWSU’sUCOREprogram.

Wearetremendouslyproudoftheaccomplishmentsofthelastfiveyears,whichhaveseenthenew,first-yearcourse“RootofContemporaryIssues”coursebecomeanaward-winningnationalmodel(https://history.wsu.edu/rci/). Many of the Foundational and Inquiry courses have undergonerestructuringtosupportstudentengagementandsuccess,andthoserevisionshaveincreasedcoursecompletionrates.Similarly,capstonecourseshavebecomeexcitingsitesforinnovativeassignmentdesignforlong-termretentionofknowledgeandskills,andforapplicabilitytotheworld’sbig,messychallenges.

There are now comprehensive websites for both UCORE (https://ucore.wsu.edu/) and UCOREassessment (https://ucore.wsu.edu/assessment/). A new Transfer Clearinghouse initiative hasaligned courses offered statewide with WSU’s new curriculum and provides transfer creditinformation about general education courses to prospective and current students(https://transfercredit.wsu.edu/).Facultyhaveassessedstudentlearninginavarietyofcoursesandcontexts,andthelatestcomprehensivereportgivesasnapshotofstudentlearningwecanbeproudof(https://ucore.wsu.edu/assessment/2018/02/12/2017-ucore-assessment-summary-of-student-achievement-available/).

TheRichardG.LawExcellenceAwardforUndergraduateTeachingrecognizesoutstandingteachingin UCORE courses. Five cohorts of faculty have nowwon this award: Theresa Jordan (History),Richard Zack (Entomology), Clif Stratton (History), Jeanette Clayton Martin (Mathematics), KenFaunce (History)andRobert J. Cooper (HumanDevelopment). Their educational leadershiphas


inspiredthousandsofstudentsandwearepleasedtorecognizetheirpedagogicalaccomplishmentsingeneraleducation.

Sincerely,

MaryWack ClifStrattonViceProvostforUndergraduateEducation Chair,UCORECommittee

March2018


NEWINTHISEDITION(v.3):

• Consolidatedoverviewofthecurriculum

• Newconsolidatedsectiononpolicies:thisisdrawntogetherfromthecurrentWSUCatalog,thepreviousHandbook,andUCORECommitteework,2013-18

• Newsectionondepartmentalandfacultyresponsibilities:thismakesexplicittheresponsibilitiesinvolvedinofferingaUCOREcourse

• ExpandedsectionondesigningaUCOREcourse

• LearningoutcomesgridsforeachUCOREcategory

• UpdatedguidanceonsubmittingcurricularchangesforUCORE


INTRODUCTION

ThishandbookisdesignedforfacultywhowishtodesignorteachaUCOREcourse,orforanywhoadvisestudentsaboutUCORErequirements. Itprovidesstudentsanoverviewofcoreuniversityrequirements. It contains general policies pertaining to the UCORE system of requirements andcourses, as well as detailed guidance on preparing courses for submission for Faculty Senateapproval.

For each of WSU’s baccalaureate students, the UCORE component of their degree provides thebreadthoflearningthatcomplementsmorefocusedstudywithinamajor.Thebalanceofbreadthanddepthineverydegreereflectstherecognitionthateffectiveleadersinallfieldsofworkneedtodrawonabreadthofknowledgeandskillsfromavarietyofdisciplines.AmarkeroftheimportanceofthiscomponentisthatUCOREencompassesmorethanaquarterofthetotalcredits(34ofthetotal120) astudentmustearn toreceiveaWSUbachelor’sdegree,equaling thecreditweightofmostmajors.

Inadditiontoplayinganimportantroleineachstudent’sdegree,UCOREcoursesmeritparticularattentionforseveralotherreasons.UCOREcoursesmaycompriseastudent’sfullcourseloadintheirfirst semester or first year at the university. Inmany cases, the particular UCORE course that astudenttakesinagivendesignationwillbetheonlycollege-levelcoursetakenfromthatdisciplinaryperspective.Forthesenon-majors,UCOREcoursesnotonlyintroducestudentstothespecifictopicofagivencoursebutalsotothemodesofinquiry,evidence,andcriticalthoughtthatgovernthewiderdisciplinaryarea.Inaddition,manyofthe100-levelUCOREcoursesfunctiontotransitionstudentsintoacademicdiscourseandinquirymoregenerally,oftendoingsowiththechallengeoflargeclasssize.Thecapstones,on theotherhand, functionto transitionstudentsout intoapplying their fullrangeoflearningintheirprofessional,personal,andciviclives.

Ultimately, all UCORE classes should focus clearly on the development of student learning:enhancement of the knowledge, skills and abilities articulated in the WSU Learning Goals andOutcomes, which encourage the development of lifelong learning skills of integrating andsynthesizingconceptsinordertosolverealproblems.

RichardG.LawExcellenceAwardforUndergraduateTeaching

EachyeartheRichardLawAwardisbestowedonafacultymemberwhodemonstratesoutstandingteachinginageneraleducation(UCORE)course.HonoringDickLaw'sservicetoWSUasDirectorofGeneral Education from 1990 to 2009, the award values the important role played by generaleducationfacultyacrosstheuniversityinhelpingundergraduatesattainabroadarrayofknowledgeandskillsasabasisforfurtherstudyandcareersuccess.TherecipientoftheLawAwardisrecognizedinspringattheWSUUndergraduateEducationawardsceremony.

Thisawardisopentoallinstructorsofrecord(instructorsandclinicalfacultyaswellastenure-trackfaculty)onallWSUcampuseswhoseteachinghasincludedatleastoneUCOREclassineachofthepastthreeyears(2015-16through2017-18);gapsduetosabbaticalleavesdonotaffecteligibility.

Eachyear,theawardscommitteeissuesacallfornominations/applicationsthatincludesdetailsofthe application/nomination process. Previous Law Award recipients have been described as


educatorswho inspire curiosity and understanding in an area of study. Their classes encouragedevelopment of the lifelong learning skills of integrating and synthesizing concepts to solve realproblems.


1. OVERVIEWOFUCORE

“WhydoWeHavetoTakeTheseCourses”?

TheUCORECommitteeasksthatfacultyandadvisorsconveytostudentstherationaleforgeneraleducation.WSU’sgeneraleducationprogram,whichisrequiredforuniversityaccreditationandthusforfederalfinancialaid,helpsstudentsacquirebroadknowledgeoftheworldthatcomplementstheirspecificareasofstudy.Throughthisexposuretomultipledisciplines,studentsdevelopintellectualandciviccompetencies,practicalskillsandtheabilitytoapplyknowledgeandskillsinreal-worldsettings. WSU graduates are prepared to address diverse, complex issues for the benefit ofthemselves,theircommunities,theiremployers,andforsocietyatlarge.Faculty-developedin2009-2011,thisvisionandstructureforgeneraleducationwasendorsedbytheFacultySenateonbehalfofthefaculty,andapprovedbytheRegents.

While the greaterpart of a student’s course of study is devoted to theirmajor field, the UCOREcurriculum provides balance between the specialized focus of themajor and higher education’sbroader objectives of preparation for a fulfilling life and career. UCORE offers awide variety ofelectivechoicesandprovidesmanyindividualpathwaysthroughallareas,butespeciallythroughtheInquiryandDiversityrequirements.

When we considered the level of proficiency we expect from students completing the UCOREcurriculum,wecouldtermit“citizen-levelproficiency.”Asinglecourseorrequirementareawillnotdevelop an expert in the field, but it should enable the student to develop the level of skill andknowledgethatallowsthemtoactasaresponsibleandinformedcitizen:abletoseekoutneededinformation,abletointerpretit,andabletomakereasonedandethicaljudgmentsonthewidearrayofissuesfacingpeopleintheirlivesandcareers.

SequencingofCoursesandRequirements(seeWSUCatalog)

The structure of requirements and course work sequences is intentional, intended to providefoundationalknowledgeandskills,andtodevelopthemovertimeinhighercurricularlevels.

TheUCOREcurriculum has four broad categorieswhich are divided into ten requirements; onlyapprovedcourseswillfulfillthem.Ofthe34totalcredits,nomorethanthree,three-creditcoursesmaybetakenwithinthemajor.Thisistopreserverequiredbreadthofstudyinanalreadyveryleangeneraleducationcurriculum,whileacknowledgingthatallmajorshavearoletoplayindevelopingbroadoutcomessuchascritical thinking, information literacy,communication,and integrationoflearning.

FoundationalRequirements

RootsofContemporaryIssues[ROOT]The required first-yearRoots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] course introduces five of the sevenUCORE learninggoalsthroughanexplorationof thehistoryofmodernglobalissues.Thosegoalsinclude:criticalthinking,informationliteracy,communication,diversity,andintegrationoflearning.RCI(History105and305)beginswiththepremisethatWSU’sstudentswillbebetteratfacingthe


challenges of today and tomorrow, nomatter their major or career path, if they are capable ofaddressing controversial and pressing issues in mature, reasoned ways using evidence, criticalthinking,andclearwrittenandoralcommunicationskills.Thus,thecourseformsthefoundationalscaffoldingforfutureexplorationofcriticalskillsstudentswilldevelopincollegeandbeyond.Formoredetails,seethecomprehensiveRCIwebsite:https://history.wsu.edu/rci/.

Communication[WRTG,COMM]andQuantitativeReasoning[QUAN]In addition to the RCI course ([ROOT] requirement), Communication [WRTG] and [COMM] andQuantitative Reasoning [QUAN] are foundational requirements. As such, like [ROOT], they areintended tobe fulfilled in the first year;pre-enrollmentof first-year students supports this goal.Studentstakeone[QUAN]courseandtwoCommunicationscourses,ofwhichatleastoneis[WRTG].

InquiryCourses:WaysofKnowing

Five Inquiry courses spanwaysof knowing in social sciences, humanities, arts, andphysicalandbiologicalsciences.Theorganizationoftherequirementsintothesefourbroadareasensuresthatstudentsexperienceawidevarietyofmethodsofscholarlyinquiry(e.g.,rhetoricalanalysis,aestheticanalysis,ethnography,historical,scientificmethodandqualitativemethods). Studentsgainbroadexposuretoandcomfortwithcriticalandcreativethoughtprocessesacrossavarietyofdisciplinaryareas.Byaskingandattemptingtoanswerthe“bigquestions”inarangeofdisciplines,studentslearnhowtogenerate,evaluate,disseminateandapplyknowledgewithinthosedisciplinarycontextsandbeyond.

Diversity

ADiversity course [DIVR] introduces students todifferences and similarities among cultures byexploringthemultiplicityofindividualandgroupexperienceswithinandacrossvarioushistoricalperiods, societies, and cultures. This exploration contributes to stronger, more complex cross-cultural understanding and communication, helping students engage various social and culturalcontextsandinteractionsusingknowledge,criticalthinking,andaflexibilityinperspective.Italsoencourages students to ask more complicated questions about cultural systems and systems ofpower,andtopursueanswersthatconsidermultipleculturalandintellectualperspectives.

IntegrativeLearning

Capstone[CAPS]Finally, a senior capstone experience [CAPS] allows students to demonstrate consolidation andintegrationofundergraduateknowledgeandskills.Integrativecapstonecoursesbringopportunitiesforintegration,application,andclosuretotheundergraduateexperience,andpreparestudentsforpost-baccalaureate work and life-long learning. Critical thinking, communication, informationliteracy,andintegrativelearningskillsarerequiredandpracticedexplicitlyincapstonecourses,inadditiontootherlearninggoalsasappropriatetothecourseanddiscipline.Somecoursesalsotargetquantitativereasoning,scienceliteracy,multimodalcommunicationand/ordiversity.


2. GENERALPOLICIES

SPECIFICADVISINGNOTES(SeetheWSUCatalogfor1-3).

1. Gradebasis:NocoursedesignatedasaUniversityCommonRequirement(UCORE)canbetakenonapass,failbasis.AllUCORE-designatedcoursesmustbeletter-graded(i.e.,A,B,C,D,andF),withonlyafewexceptionsforalimitednumberofCAPScourses,whichcarryS,Fgrading.WhilesomecourseswithaUCOREdesignationcanbetakenonapass/failbasisaselectivesortofulfillmajorrequirements,theywillnotsatisfyUCORErequirementsifnottakenforalettergrade.

2. OverlapwithMajor:Inordertomaintainbreadthofstudyrequiredforaccreditedbachelor’sdegrees,amaximumofthree(3or4credit)UCOREcoursesmaybetakenwithinthemajor.Forthepurposeof this limitation, three1-creditUCOREcoursesmaybecombinedtocount forasingle3-creditUCOREcourse.

3. QuantitativeReasoning[QUAN]: This requirement canbe satisfiedbypassingadesignatedcourseorcoursesinmathematics,throughsatisfactoryperformanceontheAdvancedPlacementexamination,orbypassingacalculuscoursebeyondMath171.

4. Pre-enrollment: in order to provide studentswith necessary foundational skills,meet statetargetsfortimelycompletionofwritingandquantitativecourses,andtoassistdepartmentswithenrollmentmanagementtopreventcoursebottlenecks,followingreceiptofplacementscores,first-yearstudentsarepre-enrolledintoRootsofContemporaryIssues,IntroductoryEnglish,andQUANcourses(2015-16).

5. Capstonecourses:Becausecapstonesareasummationof learningatWSU,andbearspecialresponsibilityfordemonstratingstudentlearningthroughassessment,ideallystudentswilltaketheircapstoneasseniors.EffectiveFall2019,studentsmusttakeCAPScoursesinresidence.“Inresidence”meansacourseeithertaughtonaWSUcampusortaughtbyWSUfaculty,whereverthecoursemaybelocated.Transferandstudyabroadcoursesarenotsuitableforfulfillingthecapstonerequirement(March2018).

6. Conjointcourses:ConjointcoursesarenotpermittedforCAPS.Anyotherconjointcoursesmustprovide a separate undergraduate syllabus showing how the UCORE learning goals aremet(October2014).


HONORSSTUDENTS

Students leaving the Honors College and switching to UCORE general education will have theirHonorscoursesappliedtoUCORErequirementsasfollows:

1. StudentswhohavecompletedallHONORScourseworkexceptthethesiswillbeconsideredtohavecompletedallUCORERequirementsexceptCAPS.

a. ThegraduationsareawillenteramilestonetoshowUCORErequirementsascomplete.

b. Themilestonewill notbe applied if anyHONORSrequirementshavebeenwaivedorchanged.Coursedirectives(substitutions)willbeallowed.

2. StudentswhomovefromHONORStoUCOREpriortocompletionoftheHONORScurriculumwillhavetheircourseworkappliedasfollows:

a. CourseworkthatwillautomaticallybedirectedtotheUCORErequirements:

i. HONORS270[SSCI]ii. HONORS370[SSCI]iii. ECONS198[SSCI]oranyHonorsLevelEnglish[WRTG],Math[QUAN]orScience

Course[SCI,BSCIorPSCI]

b. HONORScourseswithoutadirectUCOREequivalentwillbeenteredasexceptionsbythegraduationsareaatthetimeofconversiontoUCOREasfollows:

i. HONORS280and380forARTSorHUMrequirement.ThedesignationisspecifiedbyHonorsCollegebasedonthespecificcoursetopicforthatsession.

ii. Completion of both HONORS 290 and 390 will fulfill the UCORE Sciencesrequirement.CASstudentswillstillneedtocompleteanadditionallabcourse.

iii. Coursedirectives (substitutions) thatwere allowedbyHonorsCollegewill beappliedtothecorrespondingUCORErequirement.

c. HONORSrequirementsthatwerechangedorwaivedwillnotbeconsideredtohavebeencompletedforUCORE.

(July2016)


TRANSFERSTUDENTS

CourseandcreditarticulationA course from another institution that articulates (transfers) as a direct equivalent to aUCOREcategorywillsatisfyaUCOREcategoryrequirementifitisatleasttwo(2)creditsforathree(3)creditrequirement,andthree(3)creditsforafour(4)creditrequirement.ThetotalUCOREcreditsmustbenofewerthanthirty-four(34),andnocategorymaybemorethanone(1)creditshortofthetotalcategoryrequirement(e.g.,nolessthanfive[5]creditsfortheCOMMcategory,nolessthansix[6]forBSCI+PSCIorSCI).CoursestakenatWSUdonot fall under this policy (two one-credit WSU courses will not fulfill a three-creditrequirement;onetwo-creditWSUcoursewillnotfulfillathree-creditrequirement).

PetitioningforcreditStudentswhowerenotawardedthecourseequivalencyorcredittheywereexpectingtoreceivemayinquirewiththeTransferClearinghouse(https://transfercredit.wsu.edu/tools/course-evaluation-request/).

Transferableassociates’degrees(seeAcademicRegulation6,TransferCredit)1. Twofullyearsofcreditandcompletionoflower-divisionUniversityCommonRequirements

normallywillbegrantedtostudentswhohavebeenawardedtheDirectTransferAssociate(AA)degreefromaWashingtoncommunitycollege.

2. The Associate of Arts—Oregon transfer degree from an Oregon community collegeguaranteescompletionofthelower-divisionUniversityCommonRequirements,butdoesnotguaranteejuniorstandingor60semestercredits.

3. Certainapprovedassociate’sdegreesfromArizona,California,Hawaii,andIdahomayalsobeconsidered to have fulfilled the lower-division University Common Requirements forgraduation,butdonotguaranteejuniorstatus(60semestercredits).FordetailsonspecificdegreesconsulttheOfficeofAdmissions.

4. Transferstudentswillstillberesponsibleformeetingtheotherrequirementsforgraduation,includingthoseinthecollegeandmajordepartment.TheUniversityWritingPortfolioandthe upper-division Integrated Capstone [CAPS] are not lower-division requirements andthereforecannotbesatisfiedbytheapprovedAAorASdegrees.

5. Pleasenote that otherkindsof degrees fromcommunity colleges, ordegrees fromstatesotherthanWashington,Oregon,Idaho,California,HawaiiandArizona,donotautomaticallyfulfillUniversityCommonRequirements.SeeAcademicRegulation6forfurtherdetails.

SpecialSectionof“RootsofContemporaryIssues”forTransferStudentsHistory305isintendedforstudentswith60ormoretransferredsemestercreditsbutwholacka transferable associates’ degree.While the course structure is the sameasHistory 105, thepedagogicalapproachisaimedatthejuniorratherthanthefreshmanlevel.NotopentostudentswhobeginatWSUwithfewerthan60transferredcredits.


3. FORDEPARTMENTSANDFACULTY

DepartmentalResponsibilitiesforUCORECourses

ResponsibilityforaUCOREcourserestswiththedepartment,undertheleadershipofthechair.Adepartmentisresponsiblefor:

• Keeping syllabi; they should alignwith the approved “master” syllabus (see “Alignment”below).

• Communicatingtheoriginalor,afterrenewal,updatedsyllabustonewinstructors.• Ensuring that a sufficient number of qualified faculty are available to teach the course

regularly.• Preparing,supervising,andprovidingongoingguidancetograduatestudentswhomaybe

involvedwithUCOREcourses.• Developingappropriate instructional formats forcoursesproposed forgeneraleducation,

andmonitoringclasssizeinrelationtocoursegoalsandpedagogy.• Assessingstudentlearninginthecourseandmakingimprovements,acrossvariouscampuses

andmodalities(online,hybrid,campus-based).• Providing requested information during periodic reviews of UCORE courses, curriculum,

requirements,orgoals.

UCORERequirementAreasInkeepingwiththegoalsofabroadliberaleducationandwithUCORE’sparticulargoalsandoutcomes,majors-only,orsubstantiallymajor-orientedcoursesshouldnotbeproposedforUCOREdesignation,withtheexceptionofcapstonecourses.ROOT,QUANandCOMM/WRTGcourses shouldbe foundational lower-division courseswith the expectation that enteringfreshmenwillcompletetheminthefirstyear.WSUmustreportdatatothestateonenteringstudents’completionofWRTGandQUANbystudents’ fourthsemester,andso theymustbegin their sequences in the first year. Inquiry courses should also be lower-divisionintroductionstodisciplinaryapproachesandbigideasorgrandchallengesinthedisciplines,suitedforabroadaudiencewithdiverseintendedmajors.

UCORERequirementAreaandFacultyResourcesInstructorsassignedtoUCOREcoursesareexpectedtohaveatminimumamaster’sdegreein the subject of the requirement area,which in some caseswill align clearlywith theirdepartment’ssubjectarea(e.g.,MathandQUAN).

For interdisciplinary departmentswhere facultymay have a variety of backgrounds, theexpectation is that instructors will have at a minimum a master’s degree in the arearequested. For any Inquiry UCORE course proposal (BSCI, PSCI, HUM, SSCI, ARTS), it isexpectedthatinstructorspossessadvancedmethodologicalexpertisewithintherequirementarea,e.g.,PSCIcourseswillbetaughtbyfacultywithmasters-levelqualificationinphysicalscience; HUM by faculty with masters-level qualification in a discipline within thehumanities.

Itisalsotheexpectationthatthedepartmentwillhaveasufficientnumberofqualifiedfacultyavailablefortherequisitefrequencyofofferingnotedbelow.


SupervisionofGraduateStudentsTeachingUCORECoursesGraduatestudentsmayteachUCOREcourses,includingautonomoussections,underthecloseandregularsupervisionofafacultymemberwhoisqualifiedtoteachtheUCOREcourseinquestion. Departments offering UCORE courses have responsibility for developingappropriatemeansforpreparing,supervising,andprovidingguidancetograduatestudentsteachingUCOREcourses.Itisexpectedthatthesupervisingfacultymemberensuresthattheinstruction and student learning outcomes are comparable to those of masters-qualifiedfacultyasdescribedabove.

ClasssizeDepartmentsarealsoresponsibleforassuringadequateinstructionalstaff-to-studentratiosin UCORE courses to be able to provide students the appropriate feedback necessary todevelopdisciplinarythinking,communicationskills,informationliteracy,andotherskillsandknowledgethatarecross-cuttingobjectivesofgeneraleducation.

AlignmentwithApprovedCourseSyllabusAdepartmentofferinganapprovedUCOREcourseisresponsibleforassuringthatthecourseis taught in line with the approved proposal and syllabus. Departmentsmust have clearprocedures for informing instructors about the UCORE criteria governing the approvedcourse. These proceduresmay be requested during the course approvalprocess or in areviewprocess.

To this end, departments are advised tomaintain a copy of the approvedUCORE courseproposalandsyllabus,and toprovide it toany instructor teaching thatparticularUCOREgeneraleducationcourseforthefirsttime.InstructorsmayrefertotheUCOREHandbookatanytimefordescriptionsofthecategoriesandtheirintendedoutcomes.

AUCOREsyllabusmustclearlyindicatewhichUCOREdesignationthecourseholds.Itmustalsoincludelanguageaboutthecourse’splacewithinUCOREandwhichcomponentsofthecoursewilladvancerequiredUCORElearninggoalsandoutcomesforthatcourse’sUCOREdesignation. See https://ucore.wsu.edu/faculty/proposing-revising-renewing-courses/ forsamplesyllabi,sampleUCORElanguageforsyllabi,andfillablelearningoutcomesgrids.

InstructionalFormatsDepartmentsareresponsible fordevelopingappropriate instructional formats forcoursesproposedforUCORE.Thecourseformatshouldnotonlybeappropriatetothedisciplineandcourse content, but also should be consistent with the aims of general education andengagementofstudents.Inmostinstancesthegoalsofgeneraleducationassetforthintheseguidelineswillnotbemetbyinstructioninmasslectureswithoutsubstantial,well-developedactivelearningcomponents,ordiscussionorlaboratorysections,orwell-structuredfieldorservicelearningcomponentsthatdeveloptargetedlearningoutcomesandengagestudents.

EvaluationofInstructionandCourseDepartmentsareresponsibleforassuringthatthereisappropriateandthoroughevaluationof instruction in all courses approved for UCORE, and formaking a summary of results


availabletotheUCOREcommitteeifrequestedinareviewprocess.ToassuretheongoingimprovementoftheirUCOREcourses,departmentsareencouragedtodevelopandregularlyemploy discipline-appropriate methods of assessing instructional quality that includefeedbackfrombothpeerreviewormentoring;fromstudentcourseevaluations;andfromtheassessmentofstudentlearning.Inmostcases,thiswillbethesameastheevaluationpracticeforothercoursesinthedepartment.DepartmentsshouldencourageinstructorstomakeuseofWSU’steachingresourcestorefineandimproveUCOREcourseinstruction:

• Provost’sOfficeteachingwebsite:https://provost.wsu.edu/teach/• LearningInnovationssite:https://li.wsu.edu/• AssessmentofTeachingandLearninginstructionalresources:

https://atl.wsu.edu/

FrequencyofOfferingSincestudents,includingtransferstudentsatcommunitycolleges,dependonthesecoursestobuildschedulesseveralyearsinadvance,andtorepeatcoursesifneeded,UCOREcoursesneed to be offered regularly. Statewide or other degree pathways involving generaleducationcourses(direct transferagreements,major-readypathways,specialarticulationagreements) also require regular offering of general education courses. During thecomprehensive review of the UCORE curriculum, the frequency a given course has beenofferedsinceitsapprovalwillbeaconsiderationinthedecisiontorenewUCOREstatus.

DepartmentalUCORECapstonePolicyEachdepartment,schoolorprogramdeterminesitsCAPSpolicyforitsmajors.StudentsmayberequiredtotakeaCAPScourseinsidethemajorORoutsidethemajor;orthechoicemaybelefttothestudent.Inaddition,thedepartment,schoolorprogramdecideswhethernon-majorsmayenrollinaspecificdepartmentalCAPScourseformajors.CAPScoursesshouldkeepenrollmentstolessthan50studentsinordertoprovideadequatetimeforappropriatefeedbackon studentworkneeded todevelopdisciplinary thinking, communication skills,informationliteracy,integrativethinkingandapplication.IfadepartmentchoosestoofferaCAPScoursewithanenrollmentceilingofmorethan50,thecourseproposalshouldindicatehowtheevaluationofassignmentswillbestructuredtomeetthelearningoutcomesandtodealwith therealitiesoffaculty time.Departmentsarestronglyadvisedagainstassigninghigh-enrollmentCAPScoursestograduatestudentinstructorsandfacultynewtoteachingUCOREcourses.Advisorsarediscouragedfromadvisingjuniorsintohigh-enrollmentCAPScoursesaswell.

PeriodicRenewalCoursesnaturallyevolveovertime;similarly,theUCOREcriteriathemselveswillevolveinresponse to the experiences of implementing the changed requirements. Good practicedictatesthatUCOREcoursesberenewedperiodically toensurecontinuedalignmentwithUCOREoutcomesandcriteria. Inaddition,aspecial reviewmaybe initiated ifan issue isbroughttotheattentionoftheUCORECommittee,forexample,substantialmisalignmentofa current syllabuswith the course as originallyapproved.UCORE course renewalwill beconductedbyeithertheUCORECommitteeorasubcommitteethereof.Departmentswillbeexpected to submit materials for each course seeking renewal. The overall system ofrequirementsmaybechangedthroughregularSenateprocesses.


CURRICULUMPROCESSESANDTOPICS

SubmittingaUCORECourseSeetherelevantsectioninthishandbook.

DroppingaUCOREDesignationDepartmentsmaywishtodropUCOREdesignationsforavarietyofreasons,includinglackofqualified faculty, insufficient enrollment, change in departmental curriculum, or otherreasons.Todoso,departmentsfilea“ReviseCourse”FormwiththeCatalogSubcommittee.

Rationale:UCOREstatusofindividualcoursesisembeddedinmyWSU,thetransfertables,community college transfer articulation advising sheets, test credit equivalencies, a statelook-upengine,andotherdatarepositories.Changes tocoursesorrequirements involvesnotificationstomanyinternalandexternalstakeholders,andsoasolidrecordandaudittrailisneeded(Fall2017).

DuplicationofCoursesCoursesthatduplicateexistingUCOREcourseswillnotbegivenaUCOREdesignation.IftheCatalogSubcommitteediscoversaduplicationthattheUCORECommitteewasunawareof,itcanrejectthecoursewithoutreturningitbacktotheUCORECommittee(Fall,2017).

MajorChangestoApprovedUCORECoursesIfadepartmentwishestoreviseanapprovedUCOREcoursetoincreaseordecreasecredits,or to make similar changes that could affect the course’s support of student learningoutcomes,theUCORECommitteewillreviewthecoursetomakesureitstillmeetsUCOREcriteria(Fall,2015).

StipulatingUCORERequirementsWhilecollegesanddepartmentsmayrequirestudentstotakecertaincoursesthathavebeengivenUCOREstatusaspartoftheircollegeormajorrequirements,theycannotstipulatehowastudentistofulfillauniversity(UCORE)requirementintheabsenceofacollegeormajorrequirementapprovedbytheFacultySenateandlistedintheWSUCatalog(Fall,2016).

TemporaryCoursesandUCOREDesignationsIf a course enters the curriculum approval process late in the year, temporary status issometimes sought. Temporary courses may apply for UCORE designations, but thedesignationexpireswiththetemporarystatus.Inmostcases,whenacourseissubmittedforbothtemporaryandpermanentstatus,theUCOREdesignation,ifapproved,willapplytoboth(Fall,2014).


4. DESIGNINGACOURSEFORUCOREDESIGNATION

ThedecisiontoteachaUCOREcourserepresentsacommitmenttoWSU’sUndergraduateLearningGoals.ThesevengoalsspanbothUCOREandthemajors.Theinterrelationcanbeconceptualizedasfollows:

Courses approved for the UCORE curriculum must incorporate the learning goals and requiredelementsdescribedforeachcategorybelow.AnessentialelementofanyUCOREcourseisasetofwell-defined course learning outcomes which align with WSU’s learning goals. Course learningoutcomesstateinspecificandmeasurabletermswhatastudentwillknoworbeabletodoastheresult of having successfully completed a course. Clear articulation of course learning outcomescommunicates expected standards of performance to students and serves as a foundation forevaluatingtheeffectivenessoftheteachingandlearningprocess.

• These outcomes will help determine the activities, assignments and assessments in thecourse. It is important to note that students require multiple opportunities to making

WSU Mission

Theme 2: Transformative Learning Experience

UCORE and Degrees Contribution to decision-making, strategic planning and monitoring used to advance the university’s education mission: Ø Contributes to decisions about curriculum,

instruction, and faculty development; advising, scheduling, and facilities; high-impact programs

Ø Influences faculty approaches to teaching andlearning in courses and curriculum

Ø Contributes to assessment planning,implementation, and decision making

Faculty-Developed Learning Outcomes: 7 Undergraduate Learning Goals

UCORE Learning

Outcomes

Degree Program Learning

Outcomes

Results shared for discussion with faculty and leadership

Student achievement assessed by faculty

Mission Fulfillment through the Lens of Curriculum


progress toward meeting learning outcomes and should receive timely, specific, andunderstandableinstructorfeedbacktomakeadjustmentsandimprovements.

• Therearenohardandfastrulesonthenumberoflearningoutcomesacourseaddresses.However,morethan8outcomescanbeunwieldytofocuson,developandassesswithinacourse,andfewerthan4couldindicatethatthestatedoutcomesaretoobroad,limitingtheirusefulness.

• Thecourse learningoutcomesstated inyoursyllabusmustbeconsistentwiththeUCORElearninggoalsandcourserationale.

ForfacultyteachinganapprovedUCOREcourse:

Thissectiondescribeseachcategoryofcourseandrequiredcontent.IndividualfacultymayadaptthesyllabusapprovedbytheUCORECommitteeandtheFacultySenate,aslongastheykeeptherequiredelementsoftheUCOREcourse.Approvedsyllabiarenormallyavailableinthe department office or from a colleague who previously taught the approved course.Departments are expected to develop clear plans of dissemination of approved syllabi,includingupdatesasaresultofrenewal.

ForfacultyplanningandproposinganewUCOREcourse:

Thissectiondescribeseachcategoryofcourseandrequiredcontent,toguidedevelopmentof the syllabus and key assignments. These faculty should also consult the sections onAssignmentDesign,AssessingStudentLearning,andProposingaUCORECourse.

SELECTYOURCATEGORY

ThefollowingpagesofferspecificinformationaboutUCORErequirements,bycategory.Thesepagesdescribe the required learning goals as well suggest activities that may contribute to studentprogresstowardmeetingtheUniversity’sSevenLearningGoals.

Whether submittinga course for the first timeor resubmitting anupdated course aspart of theUCOREcommittee’speriodicrenewal,facultyshouldsubmitacompletedLearningOutcomesGridfor the appropriate UCORE category designation along with the course syllabus in order todemonstrate clearly the relationship among WSU/UCORE learning goals, UCORE categorydesignationlearningoutcomes,courselearningoutcomes,assignments,andassessmentofstudentlearning.Pleaseconsultthesamplecompleted[ROOT]LearningOutcomesGridintheAppendixforamodel.

REQUIREDCONTENTFORALLUCORECOURSES

AllUCOREcoursesmustincludethesefourelements:writing,criticalthinking,informationliteracy, and assessment/evidence of student progress toward meeting WSU’s SevenLearningGoals.

1. Writing


Writing is an effective tool for learning and therefore should be diffused throughout theUCORE curriculum to reinforce and extend abilities fostered in composition courses. AllUCOREcoursesrequirestudentwritingofvariouskinds,bothformalandinformal,inorderto provide adequate instruction inwriting skills and to provide awide range of studentexperiencesinwritingformultiplepurposesandaudiences.WritinginUCOREcoursesalsopreparesstudentsfortheUniversityWritingPortfolio,arequirementforgraduation,whichconsists of a portfolio of papers from previous course work as well as a timedwritingexercise.FacultyshouldconsiderthewritingportfoliowhendevelopingwritingassignmentsinUCOREcourses.

TheUCOREcommitteeisreluctanttostipulateaone-size-fits-allwritingrequirement,giventhevarietyofdisciplinesandinstructionalmodels.Atthesametime,facultyanddepartmentsmay wish for clear guidance on writing expectations as they prepare materials forsubmission.InevaluatingwhethercoursesmeetUCOREwritingexpectations,thecommitteewillexamine:

• theamountofformalandinformalwriting(minimumpageorword-equivalents);• theextenttowhichwrittenworkisgradedandfiguresinthefinalgrade;• theextent towhichwriting—gradedorungraded—receives feedback toguide

improvedperformanceonthenexteffort;• theextenttowhichrigorandexpectationsseemdistinctandappropriatetolower

divisioncoursesandtoupperdivisioncourses

The committee will exercise its collective professional judgment, bearing in mind thediscipline,courselevel,coursestructure(e.g.,multi-section)andintendedcourseoutcomes,toevaluateanappropriatebalanceamongtheseelements.Toaidthecommittee,besureto include in the syllabus sufficient detail about writing assignments, including allwritingassignmentprompts.

2. CriticalandCreativeThinkingEveryUCOREcourseadvancesstudentlearningtowardtheCriticalThinkingGoal.Thatis,everyUCOREcoursedevelopsstudents’capabilitiestousereason,evidence,andcontexttoincrease knowledge, to reason ethically, and to innovate in imaginative ways, as fits thecoursefocus,context,contentanddiscipline(s).

3. InformationLiteracy

EveryUCOREcourseadvancesstudentlearningtowardtheInformationLiteracyGoal.Thatis,aUCOREcoursedevelopsstudents’capabilitiestorecognizewheninformationisneeded,and to locate, evaluateanduse effectively theneeded information.Thus, in everyUCOREcourse,studentsmustpracticeInformationLiteracyandgetfeedbackontheirefforts.WSUlibrary faculty canpartnerwithdepartmental faculty to assist students inpracticing andachievingthegoalofinformationliteracy;instructionallibrarianscanalsoassistwithdesignofassignmentsandactivities.

Similartothecasewithwriting,theUCOREcommitteeisreluctanttostipulateaone-size-fits-all information literacy requirement, given the variety of disciplines and instructional


models. In evaluating whether courses advance the WSU information literacy goal, thecommitteewillconsiderwherestudentspracticeinformationliteracyandtheextenttowhichrigorandexpectationsseemdistinctandappropriatetolowerdivisioncoursesandupperdivisioncourses,sothatstudentsengageinmoredemandinginformationliteracytasksinupperdivisioncourses.

University accreditation requires that students receive instruction in library-use andinformationliteracyskills.UCORE’sdesignensuresthatstudentsreceiveinstructionintheseskills,especiallyinROOTSandInquirycourses.

4. Assessment/EvidenceofStudentProgresstowardMeetingWSU’sSevenLearningGoals

Foreachlearninggoalthecourseseekstoadvance,thesyllabusmustindicatehowstudentperformance(viawriting,groupactivities,exams,andessaysandreports,amongothers)willbeevaluatedinthecourse.Furthermore,itmustbeclearinthesyllabuswhichclasstopics,activities, and graded work advance and/or evaluate progress toward meeting whichlearning goals. Studentsmust be provided with repeated opportunitieswith feedback todevelop targeted skills. As part of the course, faculty assess student learning on theseoutcomes. What evidence does student work provide that students have acquired theknowledgeorskillsthatthecourseteaches?

Evidence collected to support evaluation of student learning may later contribute toassessmentofUCORE’seffectiveness.Forinstance,toaidUCOREassessment,instructorsmaybe asked for “artifacts” of some their students’ work, or for summary data of students’masteryoflearning.TheprimarypurposeofinstructorevaluationofstudentlearningistohelpstudentsgaugetheirprogresstowardmeetingspecificWSUlearninggoalsaswellasspecificcourse-level learningoutcomes.Formativeassessmentofstudentachievement,orthosein-processevaluationsofstudentlearningduringacourse,caninformdecision-makingto ensure effective teaching and learning and contribute to often small, but meaningfulcontinualcourse improvements.Such formativeassessmentsarean importantpartof theoverallUCOREassessmentprocess.

OtherRequirements

InquiryandCapstonecourseshaveadditionalrequirementsasnotedintherelevantsections.

FormatNote:Thefollowingsectionsaredesignedtoformfree-standingsectionsontheweb.Thus,informationaboutrequiredelementsisrepeatedineachsectionforeaseofaccessonline.Apologiesfortheredundanciesinprintformat.


FIRST-YEAREXPERIENCE

RootsofContemporaryIssues[ROOTS]AstheacademiccenterpieceofWSU’sFirst-YearExperience,RootsofContemporaryIssues(HIST105or305)mustprovideastrongintellectualfoundationforcollegelearning,uponwhichstudentscanbuild for the rest of their careers. ROOTS is among the first courses students take atWSU, andintroducesstudentstomorelearninggoalsthandootherUCOREcourses.

TheHIST105andHIST305syllabi,instruction,andassessmentsareallcoordinatedbytheROOTSDirector, Assistant Director, and Curriculum Coordinator. History 105 is a single course for allfreshmen,with the305upper-divisionversion for transfer studentswith60+ credits; it is notacategorywithmultiplecourses.

Inparticular,ROOTSaddressesasfundamentallearningoutcomes:

• Integrativelearningbyintroducingstudentstohowhistoricalunderstandingenrichesallieddisciplinaryapproaches tocriticalglobal issues thataffecthumanlife inthe21stcentury,including environmental change, globalization, inequality, diversity perspectives, andconflict.Individualinstructorsdetermineonwhichglobalissuestofocustheirsections.

• Information literacy by introducing all students to the library and digital scholarshipresourcesoftheuniversity,andbyrequiringthemtocompleteascaffoldedandassessableresearchassignmentthatdemonstratesuseofthoseresources.

• Criticalandcreativethinkingthroughprimarysourceanalysis,introductiontokeyscholarlydebates, and practice formulating appropriate analytical questions. Correspondingassignmentsmusthelpstudentsdevelopconfidenceinchoosing,evaluating,andinterpretingsourcesandinformingargumentsaboutthem.

• Writtenandoralcommunication throughwrittenworkevaluatednotjustforitsanalyticaleffectivenessbutforthesisdevelopmentandacademicwritingskills.Studentsalsodeveloporalcommunicationskillsthroughsmall-groupdiscussionanddebate(inpersonoronline).

• Multiple cultural, political, and disciplinary perspectives so that students are capable ofengagingwiththediversityofthehumanexperience,acrossbothtimeandspace.

• Note:ROOTSmustincorporateacademicwritingandlibraryuseaspartoftheinstructionalactivitiesthatcontributetomeetingtheInformationLiteracylearninggoal.

Givenitsspecialpositionwithinthecurriculum,theROOTScoursecarriesastrongresponsibilityforbaselineevidenceofstudentlearning.Assessmentreportsfrompreviousyearsareavailableat:

https://history.wsu.edu/rci/assessment-and-training/andhttps://ucore.wsu.edu/assessment/key-assessments/roots/

FOUNDATIONALCOURSES:QuantitativeReasoning[QUAN]

Courses in quantitative reasoning must advance the learning goals of quantitative reasoning,informationliteracy,andcriticalandcreativethinkingaswellasmeetthebasicexpectationsforallUCORE courses (see above/link). For [QUAN] courses this entails some measure of writtencommunication and evidence of student progress toward meeting learning goals. Although the


fundamentalsofquantitativereasoning(e.g.,calculationsandmemorizationofnumericalequationsandformulas)areimportantandmustbeincludedinanycourse,studentsshouldbeabletomovebeyondthesebasicsanddevelopanunderstandingofhowtointerpret,evaluate,andcritiquetheresultsofsuchanalyses,andhowtoidentifythestrengthsandweaknessesofquantitativemethods.

DescriptionandRequiredContentfor[QUAN]coursesTheseguidelinesdescribetherequiredlearninggoalsaswellsuggestactivitiesthatmaycontributetostudentprogresstowardmeetingtheUniversity’sSevenLearningGoals.

RequiredcontentforallQUANcourses

[QUAN]coursesarerequiredto:

• Broadenstudents’understandingandfacilitywithmathematicaland/orstatisticalreasoning.• Developstudents’abilitiestounderstand,createandevaluateinformationinmathematical

orquantitativeformats,suchasequations,inequalities,charts,graphs,ortables.• Providemanyopportunitiestoexplorereal-worldapplicationsusingquantitativereasoning.• Helpstudentsdeveloptheskilloftranslatinginformationintoquantitativeformats.• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,

andassessmentofstudentprogressonlearninggoals.

Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggests*thatQUANcourses:

• Helpstudentsidentifymethodsofdataevaluationcommontomanyfieldsofstudy.• Foster an appreciation for long-range planning or modeling based on mathematical

assumptions.• Helpstudentsto formulate theirargumentswithquantitativemethodsappropriateto the

subject.*ThesesuggestionsprovideasenseofthepossiblebreadthofapproachesinQUANcourses,butwillnotbecriteriaintheapprovalprocess.

UCOREwebsitepagesforfacultyastheybecomeavailable(ucore.wsu.edu).



1. Writing

Writing is an effective tool for learning and therefore should be diffused throughout theUCORE curriculum to reinforce and extend abilities fostered in composition courses. AllUCOREcoursesrequirestudentwritingofvariouskinds,bothformalandinformal,inorderto provide adequate instruction inwriting skills and to provide awide range of studentexperiencesinwritingformultiplepurposesandaudiences.WritinginUCOREcoursesalsopreparesstudentsfortheUniversityWritingPortfolio,arequirementforgraduation,whichconsists of a portfolio of papers from previous course work as well as a timedwriting


exercise.FacultyshouldconsiderthewritingportfoliowhendevelopingwritingassignmentsinUCOREcourses.






2. CriticalandCreativeThinking

EveryUCOREcourseadvancesstudentlearningtowardtheCriticalThinkingGoal.Thatis,everyUCOREcoursedevelopsstudents’capabilitiestousereason,evidence,andcontexttoincrease knowledge, to reason ethically, and to innovate in imaginative ways, as fits thecoursefocus,context,contentanddiscipline(s).



Similartothecasewithwriting,theUCOREcommitteeisreluctanttostipulateaone-size-fits-all information literacy requirement, given the variety of disciplines and instructionalmodels. In evaluating whether courses advance the WSU information literacy goal, thecommitteewillconsiderwherestudentspracticeinformationliteracyandtheextenttowhichrigorandexpectationsseemdistinctandappropriatetolowerdivisioncoursesandupperdivisioncourses,sothatstudentsengageinmoredemandinginformationliteracytasksinupperdivisioncourses.




Foreachlearninggoalthecourseseekstoadvance,thesyllabusmustindicatehowstudentperformance(viawriting,groupactivities,exams,andessaysandreports,amongothers)willbeevaluatedinthecourse.Furthermore,itmustbeclearinthesyllabuswhichclasstopics,activities, and graded work advance and/or evaluate progress toward meeting whichlearning goals. Studentsmust be provided with repeated opportunitieswith feedback todevelop targeted skills. As part of the course, faculty assess student learning on theseoutcomes. What evidence does student work provide that students have acquired theknowledgeorskillsthatthecourseteaches?Evidence collected to support evaluation of student learning may later contribute toassessmentofUCORE’seffectiveness.Forinstance,toaidUCOREassessment,instructorsmaybe asked for “artifacts” of some their students’ work, or for summary data of students’masteryoflearning.TheprimarypurposeofinstructorevaluationofstudentlearningistohelpstudentsgaugetheirprogresstowardmeetingspecificWSUlearninggoalsaswellasspecificcourse-level learningoutcomes.Formativeassessmentofstudentachievement,orthosein-processevaluationsofstudentlearningduringacourse,caninformdecision-makingto ensure effective teaching and learning and contribute to often small, but meaningfulcontinualcourse improvements.Such formativeassessmentsarean importantpartof theoverallUCOREassessmentprocess.

Note:WhethersubmittingacourseforthefirsttimeorresubmittinganupdatedcourseaspartoftheUCOREcommittee’speriodicre-review,facultyshouldsubmitacompletedLearningOutcomesGridalongwiththecoursesyllabusinordertodemonstrateclearlytherelationshipamongWSU/UCORElearninggoals,UCOREcategorydesignationlearningoutcomes,courselearningoutcomes,assignments,andassessmentofstudentlearning.Consultthesamplecompleted[ROOT]LearningOutcomesGridintheAppendixasamodel.


Learning Outcomes Grid: [QUAN]. Complete and submit with other required materials.

WSU/UCORE Learning Goal

QUAN Category Learning Outcomes

Course-level Learning Outcomes Use active verbs and revise as needed to be specific to your own course

Class Topics & Learning Activities

Learning Outcomes Assessed by…

Critical & Creative Thinking

Students make judgments and draw appropriate conclusions based on quantitative analysis of data

Quantitative Reasoning

Students explain information presented in mathematical forms

Students apply quantitative reasoning to real-world problems

Students translate or convert information into quantitative forms

Information Literacy

Students evaluate information in mathematical or quantitative forms

Students identify and evaluate assumptions in estimation, modeling, and data analysis.

Students practice information literacy skills appropriate to lower or upper division expectations and departmental standards

Writing Requirement

Students produce a reasonable amount of writing, appropriate to lower or upper division expectations and departmental standards

Suggestions for course design. Courses in quantitative reasoning must advance the learning goals of quantitative reasoning. Although the fundamentals of quantitative reasoning (e.g., calculations and memorization of numerical equations and formulas) are important and must be included in any QUAN course, students should be able to move beyond these basics and develop an understanding of how to interpret, evaluate, and critique the results of such analyses, and how to identify the strengths and weaknesses of quantitative methods.


Thus, QUAN courses are required to:

• Broaden students’ understanding and facility with mathematical and/or statistical reasoning.• Develop students’ abilities to understand, create and evaluate information in mathematical or quantitative formats, such

as equations, inequalities, charts, graphs, or tables.• Provide many opportunities to explore real-world applications using quantitative reasoning.• Help students develop the skill of translating information into quantitative formats.• Meet requirements for all UCORE courses for critical thinking, writing, information literacy, and assessment of student

progress on learning goals.

Also, the UCORE committee suggests that QUAN courses: • Help students identify methods of data evaluation common to many fields of study.• Foster an appreciation for long-range planning or modeling based on mathematical assumptions.

Help students to formulate their arguments with quantitative methods appropriate to the subject.


FOUNDATIONALCOURSES:COMMUNICATION(Twocourses,6credits)

CommunicationisbothaWSUlearninggoalandacategoryofUCORErequirementsthatcanbefilledbycoursesdesignatedWRTGandCOMM.TheWSUlearninggoalrequiresstudentstodevelopandexpress ideas inwritingand inothermediums.This learninggoal includesadaptingcontentandconventionstocontext,audience,andpurpose.Typically,suchadaptationrequiresskillsinvolving:(a) workingwithmanydifferenttechnologies;(b)mixingtexts,data,andimages;and(c)useofhigh-quality,credible,relevantsources.Finally,studentswillhoneclarity,fluency,andaccuracy.

TomeettheCommunicationlearninggoalandrelatedUCORErequirements,studentstake:

• Onethree-creditcoursefocusedonthewrittenmedium[WRTG],and• Another three-credit coursewhich can be either [COMM] or [WRTG], focused onwritten

and/or non-written mediums (oral, multi-modal or other), such as public speaking,conversational foreign language, interpersonalcommunication,visualliteracy,multimediaauthoringorinterculturalcommunication.

• Additionally,allstudentstaketwoWritingintheMajor[M]courses,whichfurtheradvancetheirwritingskills,andwhichmayalsocarryaUCOREdesignation.

WrittenCommunication[WRTG]Writtencommunicationcoursesrequirestudentstodevelopandexpressideasclearly,concisely,andeffectively inwriting. As an outcome ofWRTG courses, student writerswill be able to increaseknowledge, foster understanding, or to promote change in readers’ attitudes or behaviors.Additionally,studentwriterswillhoneclarity,fluency,andaccuracy,andorganizationalskillsintheirwrittencommunication.

WritingskillsareeffectivelydevelopedinconcertwiththelearninggoalsofInformationLiteracyandDiversity because real-world writing must rest on accurate information and adapt content andconventionstodiversecontexts,audiences,andpurposesasenvisionedintheDiversitylearninggoal.

RequiredcontentforallWRTGcourses

AllWRTGcoursesarerequiredto:

• Developthestudent’sunderstandingoftheprinciplesandelementsofeffectivewrittencommunication.

• Provideextensiveappliedpracticeinwriting.• Havestudentsself-evaluateandrevisetheirwrittenwork.• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforinformationliteracy,criticalthinking,and

assessmentofstudentprogressonlearninggoals.


Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggests*thatWRTGcourses:

• Havestudentscritiquetheworkofpeers.• Honecriticalthinkingskillsthroughtheexplorationofrhetoric.

*ThesesuggestionsprovideasenseofthepossiblebreadthofapproachesinWRTGcourses,butwillnotbecriteriaintheapprovalprocess.



1. Writing
















Evidence collected to support evaluation of student learning may later contribute toassessmentofUCORE’seffectiveness.Forinstance,toaidUCOREassessment,instructorsmaybe asked for “artifacts” of some their students’ work, or for summary data of students’masteryoflearning.TheprimarypurposeofinstructorevaluationofstudentlearningistohelpstudentsgaugetheirprogresstowardmeetingspecificWSUlearninggoalsaswellasspecificcourse-level learningoutcomes.Formativeassessmentofstudentachievement,or


thosein-processevaluationsofstudentlearningduringacourse,caninformdecision-makingto ensure effective teaching and learning and contribute to often small, but meaningfulcontinualcourse improvements.Such formativeassessmentsarean importantpartof theoverallUCOREassessmentprocess.

Note:WhethersubmittingacourseforthefirsttimeorresubmittinganupdatedcourseaspartoftheUCOREcommittee’speriodicre-review,facultyshouldsubmitacompletedLearningOutcomesGridalongwiththecoursesyllabusinordertodemonstrateclearlytherelationshipamongWSU/UCORElearning goals, UCORE category designation learning outcomes, course learning outcomes,assignments,andassessmentofstudentlearning.Consultthesamplecompleted[ROOT]LearningOutcomesGridintheAppendixasamodel.


LearningOutcomesGrid:[WRTG].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.

WSU/UCORELearningGoal

WRTGLearningOutcomes

Course-levelLearningOutcome“Attheendofthiscourse,studentsshouldbeableto…”Useactiveverbsandreviseasneededtobespecifictoyourowncourse

ClassTopics&LearningActivities

LearningOutcomeAssessedby…

Communication

Studentsdemonstrateprinciples&elementsofeffectivewrittencommunication

Studentsdemonstrateclarity,fluency,andaccuracy,andorganizationalskillsintheirwrittencommunication.

Critical&CreativeThinking

Studentsanalyze,evaluateanduserhetoricalmeanstoincreasereaders’knowledge,fosterunderstanding,ortopromotechangeinattitudesorbehaviors.

InformationLiteracy

Studentspracticeinformationliteracyskillsappropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards

WritingRequirement

Courseprovidesextensiveopportunitiestowriteandrevise

Useofpeerreviewrecommended

Suggestionsforcoursedesign.Writtencommunicationcoursesrequirestudentstodevelopandexpressideasclearly,concisely,andeffectivelyinwriting.AsanoutcomeofWRTGcourses,studentwriterswillbeabletoincreaseknowledge,fosterunderstanding,ortopromotechangeinreaders’attitudesorbehaviors.Additionally,studentwriterswillhoneclarity,fluency,andaccuracy,andorganizationalskillsintheirwrittencommunication.

WritingskillsareeffectivelydevelopedinconcertwiththelearninggoalsofInformationLiteracyandDiversitybecausereal-worldwritingmustrestonaccurateinformationandadaptcontentandconventionstodiversecontexts,audiences,andpurposes.

AllWRTGcoursesarerequiredto:


• Developthestudent’sunderstandingoftheprinciplesandelementsofeffectivewrittencommunication.• Developstudents’rhetoricalskillssotheirwritingincreasesreaders’knowledge,fostersunderstanding,orto

promoteschangeinattitudesorbehaviors.• Developstudents’clarity,fluency,andaccuracy,andorganizationalskillsintheirwrittencommunication.• Provideextensiveappliedpracticeinwriting.• Havestudentsself-evaluateandrevisetheirwrittenwork.• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,andassessmentof

studentprogressonlearninggoals.

Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatWRTGcourses:• Havestudentscritiquetheworkofpeers.• Honecriticalthinkingskillsthroughtheexplorationofrhetoric.


Communication[COMM]COMM-designatedcoursesemphasizenon-writtenmediums,suchaspublicspeaking,conversationalforeign language, interpersonal communication, visual literacy, multimedia authoring, orinterculturalcommunication.

ThusCOMMcoursesrequirestudentstodevelopandexpressideasclearly,concisely,andeffectivelyin media beyond written communication alone. Students develop skills in creatively adaptingcontent and conventions to diverse contexts, audiences, and purposes, and skillfully using high-quality,credible,relevantsourcestodevelopideasthatareappropriateforthepresentationorothercommunication,asenvisionedintheInformationLiteracylearninggoal.

Developmentofcommunicationabilitiesmayinvolveworkingwithavarietyoftechnologies,suchasmixingtexts,data,andimages.Italsomayinvolveoralpresentationsanddiscourse,suchaspublicspeaking,small-groupinteraction,one-on-oneconversation,aswellaslisteningactively.Theseskillswillallowstudentstoincreaseknowledge,fosterunderstanding,orpromotechangeinaudiences’attitudesorbehaviors.

REQUIREDCONTENTFORALLCOMMCOURSES

AllCOMMcoursesarerequiredto:

• Developthestudent’sunderstandingoftheprinciplesandelementsofeffectiveoraland/ormediatedormultimodalcommunicationasoutlinedabove.

• Provide extensive applied practice in composing, creating, or expressing in two ormorecommunicationmodesasoutlinedabove.

• Havestudentsself-evaluateandrevisetheirwork.• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,


Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatCOMMcourses:• Havestudentscritiquetheworkofpeers.• Honecriticalthinkingskillsthroughtheexplorationofrhetoric.




1. Writing

















Note:WhethersubmittingacourseforthefirsttimeorresubmittinganupdatedcourseaspartoftheUCOREcommittee’speriodicre-review,facultyshouldsubmitacompletedLearningOutcomesGridalongwiththecoursesyllabusinordertodemonstrateclearlytherelationshipamongWSU/UCORElearning goals, UCORE category designation learning outcomes, course learning outcomes,


assignments,andassessmentofstudentlearning.Consultthesamplecompleted[ROOT]LearningOutcomesGridintheAppendixasamodel.


LearningOutcomesGrid:[COMM].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.


COMMCategoryLearningOutcomes

Course-levelLearningOutcomes“Attheendofthiscourse,studentsshouldbeableto…”Useactiveverbsandreviseasneededtobespecifictoyourowncourse



Communication

Studentsexpressideasclearly,conciselyandeffectiveinmultiplemedia

Studentsadaptcontentandmediatomultipleanddiverseaudiencesandpurposes


Studentsself-evaluateandrevisetheirwork

InformationLiteracyStudentsfindandusehigh-quality,credibleandrelevantsources

WritingRequirement

Studentsproduceareasonableamountofwriting,appropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards

Suggestionsforcoursedesign:

COMM-designatedcoursesemphasizenon-writtenmediums,suchaspublicspeaking,conversationalforeignlanguage,interpersonalcommunication,visualliteracy,multimediaauthoring,orinterculturalcommunication.

ThusCOMMcoursesrequirestudentstodevelopandexpressideasclearly,concisely,andeffectivelyinmediabeyondwrittencommunicationalone.Studentsdevelopskillsincreativelyadaptingcontentandconventionstodiversecontexts,audiences,andpurposes,andskillfullyusinghigh-quality,credible,relevantsourcestodevelopideasthatareappropriateforthepresentationorothercommunication,asenvisionedintheInformationLiteracylearninggoal.




AllCOMMcoursesarerequiredto:• Developthestudent’sunderstandingoftheprinciplesandelementsofeffectiveoraland/ormediatedor

multimodalcommunicationasoutlinedabove.• Provideextensiveappliedpracticeincomposing,creating,orexpressingintwoormorecommunicationmodesas

outlinedabove.• Havestudentsself-evaluateandrevisetheirwork.• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,andassessmentof




WAYSOFKNOWING:INQUIRYCOURSES

IncompletingtheseriesofInquirycourses,studentsgainbroadexposuretoandcomfortwithcriticalandcreativethoughtprocessesacrossavarietyofdisciplinaryareas.Byaskingandattemptingtoanswer the “big questions” in a variety of disciplines, students learn how to generate, evaluate,disseminateandapplyknowledgewithinthosedisciplinarycontextsandbeyond.

The organization of these requirements into these four broad areas—natural sciences, socialsciences, humanities, and arts1—ensures that students experience a wide variety of methods ofscholarly inquiry (e.g., rhetorical analysis, aesthetic analysis, ethnography, historical, scientificmethodandqualitativemethods).

WithintheoverallUCORErequirementstructure,Inquirycoursescarrythefollowingresponsibilitiesforstudentlearning:

• Teachthemethodsofinquiryandcommunicationwithinthedisciplinarycontext.• Teachbasic information literacyskillsapplicable to thediscipline. Aspartof information

literacyinstruction,thecoursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthataccompanyassignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.Thisuseandinstructionmustbedocumentedbecauseuniversityaccreditationrequiresevidencethatstudentsreceiveinstructionintheseskills.

• Requirestudentstocommunicateinwritten,oral,ormultimodalforms.

Thus,all Inquirycoursesaddress theuniversityundergraduate learninggoalsofCommunication,CriticalThinking,andInformationLiteracy.

Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggests*thatcoursesthatfulfilltheInquiryrequirements:

• Incorporateactivelearningexperiences(stronglyrecommended).• Developinquiryskillsusingthediscipline’s“BigQuestions,”“GrandChallenges,”orsimilar

large,open-endedframeworksofreal-worldsignificance.• Have students reflect onor analyze competingperspectives, contextual frames, or ethical

implicationsinthegeneration,evaluation,dissemination,orapplicationofknowledgewithinthegivenInquirydomain.

*ThesesuggestionsprovideasenseofthepossiblebreadthofapproachesinInquirycourses,butwillnotbecriteriausedfortheapprovalprocess.

Note:EachtypeofInquirycoursehasadditionalrequirements,asdescribedbelow.

WAYSOFKNOWING:INQUIRYCOURSES

1 Arts is broadly defined to include not only the fine arts and performing arts, but also the professional arts, such as architecture, graphic design, digital arts, etc.


InquiryintheSocialSciences[SSCI]InquiryintheSocialSciencesteachesstudentshowsocialsciencesapplyempiricalprinciplesandmethodstounderstandhumanbeingsassocialagentsincultural,group,andindividualcontexts.

RequiredcontentforSSCIcourses

SSCICoursesarerequiredto:

• Introducekeyconceptsormajorcriticalparadigmsinthesocialsciences.• Enablestudentstolearnandapplymethodsofinquiryappropriatetothediscipline(Critical

andCreativeThinking).• Havestudentsidentify,understandanduserelevantsourcematerial,suchasdemographic,

polling,orcensusmaterial(InformationLiteracy,QuantitativeReasoning).• Help students learn how to evaluate empirical research and conceptual theories (Critical

Thinking,InformationLiteracy).• Developstudents’quantitativereasoningskillsthroughworkevaluatedforthefinalgrade

(QuantitativeReasoning—seebelow).• Havestudentscommunicatetheirfindingsinwrittenform;oralormultimodalformsarealso

encouraged(Writing,Communication).• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,


Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatSSCICourses:

• Analyzecurrentissuesthroughthelensofsocialsciencediscipline(s).• Developquantitativereasoningskills inadisciplinarycontext.Forexample, studentsmay

demonstrate these skills in work comprising a significant (in relation to the disciplinarycontext)partofthefinalgradebymethodssuchas:

1. Explaining information presented in mathematical forms (e.g., equations, graphs,diagrams,tables,andwords).

2. Converting relevant information into variousmathematical forms (e.g., equations,graphs,diagrams,tables,andwords).

3. Understandingandapplyingquantitativeprinciplesandmethodsinthesolutionofproblems.

4. Making judgmentsanddrawingappropriateconclusionsbasedonthequantitativeanalysisofdata,whilerecognizingthelimitsofthisanalysis.

5. Identifyingandevaluatingimportantassumptionsinestimation,modeling,anddataanalysis.

6. Expressingquantitativeevidenceinsupportofanargumentorproject,orotherworkproduct.

RequiredcontentforInquirycourses


Within the overall UCORE requirement structure, Inquiry courses carry the followingresponsibilitiesforstudentlearning:

• Teach themethodsof inquiryandcommunicationwithin thedisciplinarycontext,andhavestudentsdemonstratecommunicationskillsinwritten,oral,ormultimodalforms.

• Teachbasicinformationliteracyskillsapplicabletothediscipline. Aspartofinformationliteracyinstruction,thecoursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbe done by library personnel, or be provided in detailed notes that accompanyassignment prompts. Inwhatever instructionmethod the course uses, the instructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.Thisuseandinstructionmustbedocumentedbecauseuniversityaccreditationrequiresevidence thatstudentsreceiveinstructionintheseskills.



1. Writing







LearningOutcomesGrid:[SSCI].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.


Inquiry-SSCIcategoryrequirements

Course-levelLearningOutcomeUseactiveverbsandreviseasneededtobespecifictoyourowncourse




Studentslearnkeyconcepts/majorcriticalparadigmsinthediscipline

Studentsapplymethodsofinquiryappropriatetothediscipline

Studentsevaluateempiricalresearchandconceptualtheories

InformationLiteracy

Studentsidentify,understandanduserelevantsourcematerial

InformationLiteracyInstructionandFeedback

Studentsreceiveinstructionwithfeedbackforinformationliteracyskills

QuantitativeReasoning

Studentsmakejudgmentsanddrawconclusionsregardingquantitativedatathroughworkevaluatedforfinalgrade

Pleasenotetheweightinfinalgradeofassignmentdevelopingstudents’quantitativeskills

Communication

Studentscommunicatetheirfindingsinwrittenform,oralormultimodalformsappropriatetothediscipline

WritingRequirement

Courserequiresreasonableamountofwriting,appropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards


Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign.InquiryintheSocialSciencesteachesstudentshowsocialsciencesapplyempiricalprinciplesandmethodstounderstandhumanbeingsassocialagentsincultural,group,andindividualcontexts.CourseshouldIncorporateactivelearningexperiencesandDevelopinquiryskillsusingthediscipline’s“BigQuestions,”“GrandChallenges,”orsimilarlarge,open-endedframeworksofreal-worldsignificance.(e.g.,ScienceandSociety,CulturesandValues,GlobalInterdependence,theChangingEconomy,HumanDignityandFreedom).Studentsreflectonoranalyzecompetingperspectives,contextualframes,orethicalimplicationsinthegeneration,evaluation,dissemination,orapplicationofknowledgewithinthegivenInquirydomain.

SSCICoursesarerequiredto:• Introducekeyconceptsormajorcriticalparadigmsinthesocialsciences.• Enablestudentstolearnandapplymethodsofinquiryappropriatetothediscipline(CriticalandCreative

Thinking).• Havestudentsidentify,understandanduserelevantsourcematerial,suchasdemographic,polling,orcensus

material(InformationLiteracy,QuantitativeReasoning).• Helpstudentslearnhowtoevaluateempiricalresearchandconceptualtheories(CriticalThinking,Information

Literacy).• Developstudents’quantitativereasoningskillsthroughworkevaluatedforthefinalgrade(Quantitative

Reasoning)• Havestudentscommunicatetheirfindingsinwrittenform;oralormultimodalformsarealsoencouraged

(Writing,Communication).• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,andassessmentof


UCOREcommitteesuggeststhatSSCICourses:• Analyzecurrentissuesthroughthelensofsocialsciencediscipline(s).• Developquantitativereasoningskillsinadisciplinarycontext.Forexample,studentsmaydemonstratetheseskills

inworkcomprisingasignificant(inrelationtothedisciplinarycontext)partofthefinalgrade.


InquiryintheHumanities[HUM]Thehumanitiesgrapplewiththehumanconditioninallofitscomplexitythroughtimeandacrosscultures.ThehumanitiesincludeknowledgeofAmericanandworldhistory,philosophicaltraditions,majorreligions,diverseculturallegacies,andcontestedquestions.Asfieldsofstudy,thehumanitiesemphasizeanalysis,interpretation,andreflectionratherthanthedirectcreativeexpressionofthearts. They engage centrally with questions of meaning and purpose, which serve as bridges ofrelevancebetweenpast,present,andfuture.

RequiredcontentforHUMCourses

AllHUMCoursesarerequiredto:

• Introducestudentstobasictheoriesofinterpretationortheoreticalmodelsinthehumanities.• Introduce students to key texts, monuments, artifacts or episodes within humanistic

traditionsordisciplines.• Help students develop the ability to construct their own artistic, literary, philosophical,

religious,linguistic,orhistoricalinterpretationsaccordingtothestandardsofahumanisticdiscipline.

• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,andassessmentofstudentprogressonlearninggoals.

Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatHUMCourses:

• Engagestudentsinthehistoryofideasorof“BigQuestions”• Acquaintstudentswithsignificantculturaltraditions.• Have students solve a problem, conceptualize an issue, or convey a concept, formal or

theoretical.

RequiredcontentforInquirycourses


• Teachthemethodsofinquiryandcommunicationwithinthedisciplinarycontext,andhavestudentsdemonstratecommunicationskillsinwritten,oral,ormultimodalforms.

• Teachbasic information literacyskillsapplicable to thediscipline. Aspartof informationliteracyinstruction,thecoursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthataccompanyassignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.Thisuseandinstructionmustbedocumentedbecauseuniversityaccreditationrequiresevidencethatstudentsreceiveinstructionintheseskills.

RequiredcontentforallUCOREcourses



1. Writing



• theamountofformalandinformalwriting(minimumpageorword-equivalents);• theextenttowhichwrittenworkisgradedandfiguresinthefinalgrade;• the extent to which writing—graded or ungraded—receives feedback to guide







EveryUCOREcourseadvancesstudentlearningtowardtheInformationLiteracyGoal.Thatis,aUCOREcoursedevelopsstudents’capabilitiestorecognizewheninformationisneeded,and to locate, evaluateanduse effectively theneeded information.Thus, in everyUCOREcourse,studentsmustpracticeInformationLiteracyandgetfeedbackontheirefforts.WSU


library faculty canpartnerwithdepartmental faculty to assist students inpracticing andachievingthegoalofinformationliteracy;instructionallibrarianscanalsoassistwithdesignofassignmentsandactivities.



4. Assessment/EvidenceofStudentProgresstowardMeetingUCORELearningGoals





LearningOutcomesGrid:[HUM].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.

WSU/UCOREgoalsHUMCategoryLearningOutcomes

Course-levellearningoutcome:“Attheendofthiscourse,studentswillbeableto…”

LearningActivities&Assignments


CreativeandCriticalThinking

Studentsdemonstrateknowledgeoftheoriesortheoreticalmodelsandabilitytoapplyoneormore

Studentsdemonstrateknowledgeofkeytexts,monuments,artifactsorepisodes

Studentsconstructowninterpretationwithindisciplinarynorms

InformationLiteracyStudentsfindanduserelevantinformationeffectively

Studentsreceiveinstructionwithfeedbackforinformationliteracyskillsappropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards

Communication Studentscommunicateinmodesappropriatetothediscipline

WritingRequirement


Thehumanitiesgrapplewiththehumanconditioninallofitscomplexitythroughtimeandacrosscultures.ThehumanitiesincludeknowledgeofAmericanandworldhistory,philosophicaltraditions,majorreligions,diverseculturallegacies,andcontestedquestions.Asfieldsofstudy,thehumanitiesemphasizeanalysis,interpretation,andreflectionratherthanthedirectcreativeexpressionofthearts.Theyengagecentrallywithquestionsofmeaningandpurpose,whichserveasbridgesofrelevancebetweenpast,presentandfuture.

HUMcoursesarerequiredto:• Introducestudentstobasictheoriesofinterpretationortheoreticalmodelsinthehumanities.• Introducestudentstokeytexts,monuments,artifactsorepisodeswithinhumanistictraditionsordisciplines.• Helpstudentsdeveloptheabilitytoconstructtheirownartistic,literary,philosophical,religious,linguistic,or

historicalinterpretationsaccordingtothestandardsofahumanisticdiscipline.• Teachbasicinformationliteracyskillsapplicabletothediscipline. Aspartofinformationliteracyinstruction,the

coursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthat


accompanyassignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.


Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign:Incorporateactivelearningexperience;anddevelopinquiryskillsusingthediscipline’s“BigQuestions,”“GrandChallenges,”orsimilarlarge,open-endedframeworksofreal-worldsignificance.Studentsreflectonoranalyzecompetingperspectives,contextualframes,orethicalimplicationsinthegeneration,evaluation,dissemination,orapplicationofknowledgewithinthegivenInquirydomain.


InquiryintheArts[ARTS]Creative expression, whether for personal expression or to communicate with others, is afundamentalhumanactivitythatresultsintheproductionofobjects,environments,andexperiencesthatengage thesenses,emotions,and/or intellect.The creativeandprofessionalartsofferdirectparticipationinsuchactivitieswhileprovidingaframeworkfortheirinterpretation,evaluation,andappreciation,pastandpresent.

RequiredcontentforARTScourses

AllCreativeandProfessionalArts[ARTS]coursearerequiredtoallowstudentsopportunitiesto:

• Perform, produce, fabricate, or generate an aesthetic object, installation, presentation,composition, performance or other creativework, either as an individual or as part of acollaborative. Students must also demonstrate that their creative work is grounded inexistinghistorical,critical,ormethodologicalscholarship,AND/OR

• Criticallyanalyze, interpret,and/orevaluate thecreativeactivitiesoraccomplishmentsofothers,pastorpresent.Studentsmustalsodemonstratethattheiranalysisandinterpretationisgroundedinexistinghistorical,critical,ormethodologicalscholarship.

Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatARTScourses:

• Havestudentsdemonstrateunderstandingofsomeformofcreativeexpressionasitrelatesto a significanthistorical period, their ownorother cultures, particular artist or creativework,orotherrelevantinquiry.

• Have students solve a problem, conceptualize an issue, or convey a concept, formal ortheoretical.

REQUIREDCONTENTFORINQUIRYCOURSES



• Teachbasic information literacyskillsapplicable to thediscipline. Aspartof informationliteracyinstruction,thecoursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthataccompanyassignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.Thisuseandinstructionmustbedocumentedbecauseuniversityaccreditationrequiresevidencethatstudentsreceiveinstructionintheseskills.




1. Writing















Foreachlearninggoalthecourseseekstoadvance,thesyllabusmustindicatehowstudentperformance(viawriting,groupactivities,exams,andessaysandreports,amongothers)willbeevaluatedinthecourse.Furthermore,itmustbeclearinthesyllabuswhichclasstopics,activities, and graded work advance and/or evaluate progress toward meeting whichlearning goals. Studentsmust be providedwith repeated opportunitieswith feedback todevelop targeted skills. As part of the course, faculty assess student learning on theseoutcomes. What evidence does student work provide that students have acquired theknowledgeorskillsthatthecourseteaches?

Evidence collected to support evaluation of student learning may later contribute toassessmentofUCORE’seffectiveness.Forinstance,toaidUCOREassessment,instructorsmaybe asked for “artifacts” of some their students’ work, or for summary data of students’masteryoflearning.TheprimarypurposeofinstructorevaluationofstudentlearningistohelpstudentsgaugetheirprogresstowardmeetingspecificWSUlearninggoalsaswellasspecificcourse-level learningoutcomes.Formativeassessmentofstudentachievement,orthosein-processevaluationsofstudentlearningduringacourse,caninformdecision-making


to ensure effective teaching and learning and contribute to often small, but meaningfulcontinualcourse improvements.Such formativeassessmentsarean importantpartof theoverallUCOREassessmentprocess.



LearningOutcomesGrid:[ARTS].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterial.

RequiredWSU/UCOREgoals

ARTScategoryLearningOutcomes

Course-levellearningoutcome“Attheendofthiscourse,studentswillbeableto…”Useactiveverbsandreviseasneededtobespecifictoyourowncourse


LearningOutcomeAssessedby


Studentssolveproblemstogenerateanaestheticobject,workorperformance

OR

Studentscriticallyevaluateaestheticobjects,performancesorworks

Communication

Communicateaboutaestheticworksinwritten,oralormultimodalforms,withindisciplinarycontext

InformationLiteracy

Studentsdemonstratethatcreativeworkisgroundedincritical,theoreticalorhistoricalscholarship


Studentsreceiveinstructionwithfeedback,forinformationliteracyskillsappropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards

WritingRequirement


Creativeexpression,whetherforpersonalexpressionortocommunicatewithothers,isafundamentalhumanactivitythatresultsintheproductionofobjects,environments,andexperiencesthatengagethesenses,emotions,and/orintellect.Theartsofferdirectparticipationinsuchactivitieswhileprovidingaframeworkfortheirinterpretation,evaluation,andappreciation,pastandpresent.AllArts[ARTS]coursearerequiredtoallowstudentsopportunitiesto:

• Perform,produce,fabricate,orgenerateanaestheticobject,installation,presentation,composition,performanceorothercreativework,eitherasanindividualoraspartofacollaborative.Studentsmustalsodemonstratethattheircreativeworkisgroundedinexistinghistorical,critical,ormethodologicalscholarship,AND/OR

• Criticallyanalyze,interpret,and/orevaluatethecreativeactivitiesoraccomplishmentsofothers,pastorpresent.Studentsmustalsodemonstratethattheiranalysisandinterpretationisgroundedinexistinghistorical,critical,ormethodologicalscholarship.

• Teachbasicinformationliteracyskillsapplicabletothediscipline. Aspartofinformationliteracyinstruction,thecoursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibrary


resourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthataccompanyassignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.


Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign:Incorporateactivelearningexperience;anddevelopinquiryskillsusingthediscipline’s“BigQuestions,”“GrandChallenges,”orsimilarlarge,open-endedframeworksofreal-worldsignificance.Studentsreflectonoranalyzecompetingperspectives,contextualframes,orethicalimplicationsinthegeneration,evaluation,dissemination,orapplicationofknowledgewithinthegivenInquirydomain..

Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatARTScourses:• Havestudentsdemonstrateunderstandingofsomeformofcreativeexpressionasitrelatestoasignificanthistorical

period,theirownorothercultures,particularartistorcreativework,orotherrelevantinquiry.• Havestudentssolveaproblem,conceptualizeanissue,orconveyaconcept,formalortheoretical.


InquiryintheNaturalSciences[BSCI,PSCI]Science is an approach to asking and answering questions about the natural world that valuesempiricalobservationasakeyfoundationfordevelopingtheoriesthatexplainobservations.Sciencearticulates theprocesses thatunderlie theworldaroundus. Inquiryusingascientific frameworkdraws upon empirical observations (including experimentation), drawing logical conclusionssupported by the evidence, and articulating an evidence-based argument to advance thoseconclusions within the scientific community. For conclusions to be accepted, they must becorroboratedbyothersandmakeaccuratepredictions,andyet,scientificinquiryisanongoingcycle,constantlydevelopingmoreuseful,accurateandcomprehensivemodelsandmethods.

REQUIREDCONTENTFORNATURALSCIENCESCOURSES

AllInquiryintheNaturalSciencesCoursesarerequiredto:

• Actively engage students in exploring the evidence underlying key theories and/ororganizing frameworks in the course’s field and help students to articulate the logicalinferencesthatarisefromthoseobservationsthatsupportthetheory/framework.

• Provide a foundation for students to practice the critical evaluation of positions andargumentsmadeinthepopularmediaaboutcontroversialtopics.

• Emphasizeboththeprocessofscienceasadisciplineandfactualinformationinordertohelpstudentsdevelopaknowledge-basedframeworkbywhichtoevaluatescientificclaims.

• Not only enhance a student’s understanding of natural phenomena, but also provide themore-widelyapplicableskillsetsoflogicalandcriticalthinking.

Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatInquiryintheNaturalSciencesCourses:

• Use interactive, student-centered activities focused on questioning, exploring, andposinghypotheses.

• Stress that the scientific process is an open-ended exploration rather than a search forprovablefacts.

REQUIREDCONTENTFORINQUIRYCOURSES



• Teachbasic information literacy skillsapplicable to thediscipline. Aspart of informationliteracyinstruction,thecoursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthataccompanyassignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.Thisuseandinstructionmustbedocumentedbecauseuniversityaccreditationrequiresevidencethatstudentsreceiveinstructionintheseskills.




1. Writing
















Evidence collected to support evaluation of student learning may later contribute toassessmentofUCORE’seffectiveness.Forinstance,toaidUCOREassessment,instructorsmaybe asked for “artifacts” of some their students’ work, or for summary data of students’masteryoflearning.TheprimarypurposeofinstructorevaluationofstudentlearningistohelpstudentsgaugetheirprogresstowardmeetingspecificWSUlearninggoalsaswellasspecificcourse-level learningoutcomes.Formativeassessmentofstudentachievement,orthosein-processevaluationsofstudentlearningduringacourse,caninformdecision-making


to ensure effective teaching and learning and contribute to often small, but meaningfulcontinualcourse improvements.Such formativeassessmentsarean importantpartof theoverallUCOREassessmentprocess.



LearningOutcomesGrid:[BSCI/PSCI].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterial.

WSUUCORELearningGoal

NaturalSciencesCategoryLearningOutcomes




ScientificLiteracy

Studentsuseevidence-basedreasoningtoformtestablehypothesesaboutthenaturalworld

Studentsdemonstrateunderstandingofkeyconceptsorbasicprinciplesinthediscipline

CriticalThinking

Studentsidentifyandevaluatethekeyevidenceunderlyingscientifictheories

Studentsdemonstrateunderstandingoftheroleofcontrolledexperimentsinthescientificprocess

OR

Studentstesthypothesesusingappropriatemethodsinvolvingdatacollectionandanalysis,andmakevalidinferencesfromresults


Studentsapplyquantitativemethodsandprinciplestosolvescientificproblemsorexplainscientificobservations

InformationLiteracyStudentsfind,evaluateandusescientificandotherinformationfromavarietyofsources

Writingandcommunication

Studentscommunicatefindingseffectivelyinformsappropriatetothediscipline


WritingRequirement

Studentsproducereasonableamountofwriting,appropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards



Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign:Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign:Incorporateactivelearningexperience;anddevelopinquiryskillsusingthediscipline’s“BigQuestions,”“GrandChallenges,”orsimilarlarge,open-endedframeworksofreal-worldsignificance.Studentsreflectonoranalyzecompetingperspectives,contextualframes,orethicalimplicationsinthegeneration,evaluation,dissemination,orapplicationofknowledgewithinthegivenInquirydomain.

AllInquiryintheNaturalSciencesCoursesmust:• Activelyengagestudentsinexploringtheevidenceunderlyingkeytheoriesand/ororganizingframeworksinthe

course’sfieldandhelpstudentstoarticulatethelogicalinferencesthatarisefromthoseobservationsthatsupportthetheory/framework.

• Provideafoundationforstudentstopracticethecriticalevaluationofpositionsandargumentsmadeinthepopularmediaaboutcontroversialtopics.


• Notonlyenhanceastudent’sunderstandingofnaturalphenomena,butalsoprovidethemore-widelyapplicableskillsetsoflogicalandcriticalthinking.

• Teachbasicinformationliteracyskillsapplicabletothediscipline. Aspartofinformationliteracyinstruction,thecoursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthataccompanyassignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.


UCOREcommitteesuggeststhatInquiryintheNaturalSciencesCourses:• Useinteractive,student-centeredactivitiesfocusedonquestioning,exploring,andposinghypotheses.• Stressthatthescientificprocessisanopen-endedexplorationratherthanasearchforprovablefacts.


Diversity[DIVR]Diversitycoursesintroducestudentstodifferencesandsimilaritiesamongculturesbyexploringthemultiplicity of individual and group experiences within and across various historical periods,societies, and cultures. This exploration contributes to stronger, more complex cross-culturalunderstandingandcommunication,helpingstudentsengagevarioussocialandculturalcontextsandinteractionsusingknowledge,critical thinking,anda flexibility inperspective. Italsoencouragesstudentstoaskmorecomplicatedquestionsaboutculturalsystemsandsystemsofpower,andtopursueanswersthatreflectmultipleculturalandintellectualperspectives.

REQUIREDCONTENTFORALL[DIVR]COURSES

AllDIVRcoursesarerequiredto:

• Helpstudentsmovebeyondperception-basedcomparisons,priorknowledge,andindividualexperiences to understand how social positioning and cultural differences and/orinterrelationsareconstructed.

• Help students recognize how factors including history; politics; economics; systems ofdiscriminationand inequality; structuresof power andprivilege; and/or cultural values,beliefs,andpracticesdeterminesocialandculturalconditions.

• Providestudentsvocabulary,language,concepts,methodologies,and/ortheoreticalmodelswithwhichtoengageandanalyzehowsocialrealitiesareshapedandhowstereotypesarecreatedbyculturalandsocio-economicdifferencesintheUSand/orglobally.

Studentsmaydemonstratetheirunderstandingsbysuchmeansas

• Analyzingandcritiquingtheculturalandsocialunderpinningsofknowledgeclaimsaboutindividualsandgroupsandtheirrelationstooneanother.

• Assessingtheirowncorevalues,culturalassumptions,andbiasesinrelationtothoseheldbyotherindividuals,cultures,andsocieties.



1. Writing

Writing is an effective tool for learning and therefore should be diffused throughout theUCORE curriculum to reinforce and extend abilities fostered in composition courses. AllUCOREcoursesrequirestudentwritingofvariouskinds,bothformalandinformal,inorderto provide adequate instruction inwriting skills and to provide awide range of studentexperiencesinwritingformultiplepurposesandaudiences.WritinginUCOREcoursesalsopreparesstudentsfortheUniversityWritingPortfolio,arequirementforgraduation,which


consists of a portfolio of papers from previous course work as well as a timedwritingexercise.FacultyshouldconsiderthewritingportfoliowhendevelopingwritingassignmentsinUCOREcourses.












LearningOutcomesGrid:[DIVR].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.


DIVRCategoryLearningOutcome



LearningOutcomesAssessedby…

Diversity

Demonstratehowsocialand/orculturaldifferencesareinfluencedbyfactorssuchashistory,politics,powerandprivilege,communicationstyles,economics,institutionalizedand/orpatternsofdiscriminationandinequality,orculturalvalues,beliefs,and/orpractices.Studentsareabletomovebeyondperception-based,priorknowledge,orindividualexperiencestosocialpositioningandculturaldifferencesand/orinterrelationsareconstructed.Studentsareabletousevocabulary,language,concepts,methodology,and/ortheoreticalmodelstoengageandanalyzehowsocialrealitiesareshapedandhowstereotypesarecreatedbyculturalandsocio-economicdifferencesintheUSand/orglobally.

Criticalthinking

Studentsdevelopthecapabilitytousereason,evidence,andcontexttoincreaseknowledge,toreasonethically,andtoinnovateinimaginativeways.

WritingRequirement

Studentswriteareasonableamount,appropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards


InformationLiteracy

Studentspracticeandreceivefeedbackoninformationliteracyskillsappropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalanddisciplinarystandards

Diversitycoursesintroducestudentstodifferencesandsimilaritiesamongculturesbyexploringthemultiplicityofindividualandgroupexperienceswithinandacrossvarioushistoricalperiods,societies,andcultures.Thisexplorationcontributestostronger,morecomplexcross-culturalunderstandingandcommunication,helpingstudentsengagevarioussocialandculturalcontextsandinteractionsusingknowledge,criticalthinking,andaflexibilityinperspective.Italsoencouragesstudentstoaskmorecomplicatedquestionsaboutculturalsystemsandsystemsofpower,andtopursueanswersthatreflectmultipleculturalandintellectualperspectives.

REQUIREDCONTENTFORALLDIVRCOURSES

AllDIVRcoursesarerequiredto:• Helpstudentsmovebeyondperception-basedcomparisons,priorknowledge,andindividualexperiencestounderstand

howsocialpositioningandculturaldifferencesand/orinterrelationsareconstructed.• Helpstudentsrecognizehowfactorsincludinghistory;politics;economics;systemsofdiscriminationandinequality;

structuresofpowerandprivilege;and/orculturalvalues,beliefs,andpracticesdeterminesocialandculturalconditions.• Providestudentsvocabulary,language,concepts,methodologies,and/ortheoreticalmodelswithwhichtoengageand

analyzehowsocialrealitiesareshapedandhowstereotypesarecreatedbyculturalandsocio-economicdifferencesintheUSand/orglobally.

Studentsmaydemonstratetheirunderstandingsbysuchmeansas:• Analyzingandcritiquingtheculturalandsocialunderpinningsofknowledgeclaimsaboutindividualsandgroupsand

theirrelationstooneanother.• Assessingtheirowncorevalues,culturalassumptions,andbiasesinrelationtothoseheldbyotherindividuals,cultures,

andsocieties.


IntegrativeLearning[CAPS]

Given their special positionwithin the curriculum,CAPS courses carry a strong responsibility toprovideevidenceofstudentachievementofthelearninggoals.

REQUIREDCONTENTFORALLCAPSCOURSES

AllCAPSCoursesarerequiredto:

• Provideaculminatingstudentexperienceforseniors,withasubstantialworkproduct(suchasapresentation,paper,creativeartifact,teamproject)forassessment.

• Require students todrawon the skills neededtodevelop their own researchor creativeproject,andtoinitiateinvestigationsandexplorationsofopen-endedissuesandproblems.

• RequirestudentstodemonstrateIntegrativeLearning:a. Byshowingadepthofknowledgewithinthechosenacademicfieldofstudybasedon

integration, for example, of its history, coremethods, techniques, vocabulary, andunsolvedproblems,OR

b. By applying the concepts of their general and specialized studies to personal,academic,servicelearning,professional,and/orcommunityactivities,OR

c. By integratingmethods and conceptsof the chosendisciplinewith thoseof otherdisciplinesandengagingincross-disciplinaryactivities.

• RequirestudentstodemonstrateCriticalandCreativeThinkingskills,InformationLiteracy,andCommunicationskills,includingwriting.MayalsotargetQuantitativeReasoning,ScienceLiteracy,multi-modelcommunicationand/orDiversity,asappropriate.

• Meet requirements for assessment of student progress on learning goals and additionalCapstoneassessments(seefollowingfordetails).

• Beatthe400(senior)level.• Haveatleastjunior-levelstandingasageneralprerequisite(senior-levelstandingstrongly

preferred).

TheUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatcapstonecoursesandassignmentsintentionallyofferstudents:

• authentic,contextualizedexperiencesorcomplexscenarios• independenceandagency,withfeedbackalongtheway• opportunitiestointegrateandextendpriorlearning,andtousecriticalinquiry




1. Writing

















DEPARTMENTALPOLICIESANDCONSIDERATIONSFORCAPS


Eachdepartment, school orprogramdetermines itsCAPSpolicy for itsmajors. StudentsmayberequiredtotakeaCAPScourseinsidethemajorORoutsidethemajor;orthechoicemaybelefttothestudent.Inaddition,thedepartment,schoolorprogramdecideswhethernon-majorsmayenrollinaspecificdepartmentalCAPScourseformajors.Ideally,CAPScoursesshouldkeepenrollmentstolessthan50students.Ifadepartmentchoosestoofferahigh-enrollmentCAPScourse,thecourseproposalshouldindicatehowtheevaluationofassignmentswillbestructuredtomeetthelearningoutcomesandtodealwiththerealitiesoffacultytime.

UCOREAssessmentRequirementsforCAPS—FacultyParticipation

CAPScoursesprovideevidencetointernalandexternalstakeholdersthatstudentsaremeetingthelearning outcomes of the UCORE general education program and of the Seven Goals of theBaccalaureate.Inteaching–ordesigningandproposing--aCAPScourse,carefulthoughtmustbegiventoprovidinganintegrative,culminatingexperienceandtotherelatedstudentworkproductsthatwilldemonstrateachievementofthecourse’soutcomes.TheUCOREassessmentprocesslooksfor proficiency achievement (for example, meets expectations for graduating senior) for thisculminating aspect of the undergraduate academic experience. (For assistance, see Section V onAssignmentDesignandResources,includingCAPSresources.)

WhenadepartmentoffersaCAPS-designatedcourse, itagrees toplace thecoursewithinahigh-visibility arena for assessing the overall educational success of the undergraduate curriculum,particularlythegeneraleducationcomponent.Together,evidencefromCAPScoursescontributestoanoverallunderstandingofhowwellstudentsarebeingservedbythecurrentcurriculum.

CAPSFacultyReport

Eachsemester,CAPSinstructorscompleteashortreportassessingstudentperformanceintheirclassonCAPS-UCORElearninggoals,adirectmeasureofstudentworkbasedontheinstructor’sexpertjudgement. Instructors also identify changesmade or planned in the CAPS course influenced byassessmentresults.Begunin2015,thisregularassessmentreportingprocessiscurrentlymanagedby the Office of Assessment of Teaching and Learning,which collects and analyzes the data forUCORE.CAPSreportsummariesandrelatedinformationareavailableontheUCOREAssessmentwebsite.Notes:

• AsyouplanorreviseyourCAPSsyllabus,grading,andassessment,pleasetakeafewminutestoreviewtheshortreportformforUCORE;thiswillallowyoutodevelopassessmentandgradingthatalignswiththerequestedinformation.Facultywhodosotypicallyfindtheycanquickly complete the UCORE report at the end of the semester. You can view the reporttemplate(andrecentresults)ontheUCOREassessmentwebsite:[addlink].

• CAPS instructors are encouraged to share their UCORE assessment reports with theirdepartmentandundergraduateassessmentcoordinator,particularlyforcapstonecoursesinthemajor,asthedatamayalsocontributetoprogram-levelassessment.ATLisaresourcetohelpfacultycoordinateapproachestocapstoneassessmentforUCOREandundergraduatedegrees.

• National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE):CAPS instructors are asked to encourageseniors in theircapstonecourses tocomplete theNationalSurveyofStudentEngagement


(NSSE)—offeredbi-annually,springsemesteronly—bysharingslidesandotherpromotionalmaterials provided by UCORE in their classes. NSSE asks students about their academicexperiencesandperceivedgainsonkeyskills.ResultsaresummarizedfortheuniversityandUCORE, and disaggregated for colleges and departments / majors, if response rates areadequate.SeeUCORE’sAssessmentwebsiteformoreaboutNSSEandtheyearsitisofferedatWSU,andtoviewresultsfromseniorsinpastyears.

• Other:Periodically,asassessmentquestionsandneedsevolve,UCOREmaycollectadditionalmeasures,withsomeassistancefromcapstonefaculty.Forexample,samplingsofidentifiedstudentworkmaybecollectedandratedbyanall-universitygroup,orstudentsorfacultymayparticipateinasurveyorfocusgroup.


ProposingaCAPSCourse:AdditionalInformationPleaseseetheCAPSCoursePlanningSheet,aswellasthenotesbelow.

AssignmentDesign.YourCAPScoursemustidentifyaspecific,cumulatingstudentworkproduct(presentation,paper,creativeartifact,teamproject)thatcanbeassessedfortheUCOREcurriculum.ProposalsmustindicatehowthisartifactdemonstratesachievementofCAPSoutcomesandhowthestudentproductisevaluatedtodeterminelevelofachievement.(Ifarubricorratingscaleorotherevaluativetoolalreadyexistsforthisassignment,pleaseincludeitwiththeproposal.)ForgreaterdetailondesigningandassessingCAPScourses,pleaseseesectionsonAssignmentDesignandResources.Asnotedelsewhere,ideally,CAPScourseskeepenrollmentstolessthan50students.IfaCAPScoursewillbealarge-enrollmentcourse,thecourseproposalshouldindicatehowtheevaluationofassignmentswillbestructuredtomeetthelearningoutcomes,providefeedbacktostudentsalongtheway,andtodealwiththerealitiesoffacultytime.

AssessmentTools/Rubrics.Somedepartmentshavewell-developedrubricsorotherratingschemesforcapstonelevelwork,particularlyfortheirmajors.Asyouaredevelopingassessmentcriteriaandgradingschemes,pleasecheckwithyourdepartment,especiallyifmajorswilltakeyourcourse.Inaddition,it’srecommendedyoureviewtheshortassessmentreportformforUCORE;thiswillallowyoutoplanyourassessmentandgradingtoalignwiththerequestedinformation.Facultywhodosotypicallyfindtheycanquicklyassesstheirclass’sperformanceandcompletetheUCOREreportattheendofthesemester.

Toassistwithdevelopingevaluationcriteria,facultymayadapttheVALUERubricsdevelopedbytheAmericanAssociationofCollegesandUniversities(http://www.aacu.org/value/abouttherubrics.cfm):

• IntegrativeLearning• InformationLiteracy• CriticalThinking• CreativeThinking• EthicalReasoning

• OralCommunication,• WrittenCommunication• Teamwork• LifelongLearning• QuantitativeLiteracy

• AnumberofWSUdepartmentshaveadaptedVALUErubricsforassessmentoftheirmajors.

• SeeUCORE’sassessmentwebsiteformoreinformation



LearningOutcomesGrid:[CAPS].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.

WSU/UCORELearningGoal CAPSTONECategory

LearningOutcomes




IntegrativeLearning

Studentsconceptualize,plan,andexecuteasubstantive,culminatingproject(presentation,paper,creativeproduct,poster,team-basedproject)Studentsrecognizeandusekeyconcepts,methods,vocabularyandtechniquesofchosenacademicfieldtosolvedisciplinaryproblemsStudentsapplyconceptsandmethodsfrommultipledisciplinestoexaminecross-disciplinaryissuesofconcern


Studentsapplymethodsofinquiryofoneormoredisciplinestopersonal,academic,service,professional,orcommunityactivities

Writing&Communication

Studentscommunicatefindingsinwritten,oralormultimodalformsappropriatetothedisciplineandcontext

WritingRequirement

Note:Reasonableamountofwriting,appropriatetosenior-levelexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards

InformationLiteracy

Studentsidentify,use,andevaluatemultiplebodiesofknowledgetoaddressreal-worldproblems

IntegrativeCapstone[CAPS].Integrativecapstonecoursesbringopportunitiesforintegration,application,andclosuretotheundergraduateexperience,andpreparestudentsforpost-baccalaureateworkandlife-longlearning.Criticalthinking,communication,informationliteracy,andintegrativelearningskillsarerequiredandpracticedexplicitlyincapstonecourses,inadditiontootherlearninggoalsasappropriatetothecourseanddiscipline.SomecoursesalsotargetQuantitativeReasoning,ScienceLiteracy,multi-modelcommunicationand/orDiversity.

AllCAPSCoursesarerequiredto:• Requirestudentstodrawontheskillsneededtodeveloptheirownresearchorcreativeproject,andtoinitiate

investigationsandexplorationsofopen-endedissuesandproblems.


• RequirestudentstodemonstrateIntegrativeLearning:byshowingadepthofknowledgewithinthechosenacademicfieldofstudybasedonintegration,forexample,ofitshistory,coremethods,techniques,vocabulary,andunsolvedproblems;ORbyapplyingtheconceptsoftheirgeneralandspecializedstudiestopersonal,academic,servicelearning,professional,and/orcommunityactivities;ORbyintegratingmethodsandconceptsofthechosendisciplinewiththoseofotherdisciplinesandengagingincross-disciplinaryactivities.

• MayalsotargetQuantitativeReasoning,ScienceLiteracy,multi-modalcommunicationand/orDiversity,asappropriate.

UCOREcommitteesuggeststhatcapstonecoursesandassignmentsintentionallyofferstudents:• Authentic,contextualizedexperiencesorcomplexscenarios• Independenceandagency,withfeedbackalongtheway• Opportunitiestointegrateandextendpriorlearning;andtousecriticalinquiry


ASSIGNMENTDESIGNTOPROMOTESTUDENTLEARNING

WhyFocusonAssignmentDesign?

As Dr. Pat Hutchings of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) haswritten,“Assignmentsarepowerfulteachingtools,andtheirdesignisoneofthemostconsequentialintellectualtasksthatfacultyundertakeintheirworkaseducators.”Assignments

• Assignmentssendpowerfulsignalstostudentsabouthowtolearn• Assignmentsbringhigh-levellearningoutcomestolife• Attheirbest,assignmentsbothfosterlearninganddocument/assessit.

PrinciplesofEffectiveAssignmentDesignDesigningeffectiveassignmentsisanintegralpartofteaching,anintellectuallychallengingactivityrequiring attention todetail, innovation, and recognitionof theprocess of student learning. It isintentional.Itconsidersthepedagogicalvalueofbothanassignmentandhowitisevaluated.Thedesign of effective assignments also considers how the process of completing the assignmentmotivates students to do their best work while promoting depth in student learning. Effectiveassignmentscanhelpinstructorssolveproblemstheyencounterintheirteaching,suchasstudents’over-relianceonnon-scholarlywebsitesinresearch.Effectiveassignmentsfocuslearningondesiredoutcomes,ratherthangrades.

1. AlignmentwithLearningOutcomes

Alignment is theprocessof identifyingwhere inacourse,syllabus,or larger learningexperiencestudent receives instruction in and opportunities to practice a particular learning outcome andreceiveuseful feedback.Aligningan assignmentwith aparticular learningoutcomealso involvesdistinguishinghowthatassignment fostersandcapturesstudent learning.This isan intentionalprocessthatasks:

• How do content and skills introduced in this course enable a student to complete thisassignmentsuccessfully?

• Howdoestheassignmentreinforcetheexpectedlearningoutcome–i.e.,“Assesscredibilityandapplicabilityofinformationsources?”(InformationLiteracylearningoutcome)

• Does theassignmentprovideopportunities forstudents tointegrateandbuilduponpriorknowledgeandskills?

• Howwillstudentlearningbeevaluated–notsimplygradedinitsentirety,buthowwillaninstructordeterminestudentprogresstowardmeetingaspecificlearningoutcome?

• Dostudentsunderstandhowtheassignmentbothpromoteslearningandbeassessed–i.e.,arubric?

• Forcoursesalsoassociatedwithamajor,doestheassignmentprovidetheopportunity toassessprogramlearningoutcomesinadditionaltospecificUCORElearningoutcomes?

2. TransparencyinAssignmentDesign


Awell-designedandtransparentassignmentcanpromotestudentlearningbyclarifyingthepurposeof the assignment for students, by decoding the tasks required to complete the assignmentsuccessfully,andbyspecifyingcriteriaforevaluation.

Recent research in higher education, sponsored by the AAC&U’s Inclusive Excellence Initiative,amongothers,hasdemonstratedthattransparentassignmentsimprovethelearningexperiencesofallstudentgroups.Transparencyinassignmentdesignhasalsobeenshowntodemystifythelearningprocess, improveretentionandgraduationrates(especiallyamongunderrepresentedgroups),aswellascreateconditionsforgreaterstudentsuccess.Inparticular,transparentteachingandlearningmethods benefit those students who are unfamiliar with college success strategies by clearlyexplaininglearningandteachingprocesses.(SeeResourcesbelow.)

3. PracticewithFeedback

“Practice with feedback” is a central element of teaching a UCORE course. Providing multipleopportunitiesforstudentstopracticedesiredskillsinacourse,coupledwithfrequentfeedbacktostudents, are widely recognized as best practices in instruction. These learning activities andtechniquesofassessmentandfeedbackneednotallbetime-consuming.

• Short,discretetasks–knownas“ClassroomAssessmentTechniques,”orCATs—areidealforprovidingtheseopportunitieswhilemanagingfacultyworkload.Learningactivitiessuchas“One Sentence Summaries,” “‘Muddiest Point’ Discussion Board Posts,” and “Think-Pair-Share”areamongmanylearningactivitiesthatcanprovidebothopportunitiesforstudentpracticeandforinstructorandpeerfeedback.Theyalsoprovidereal-timebriefassessmentsof student learning and allow for immediate adjustment to improve instructionaleffectiveness.

• Inmanyinstances,facultycanprovidestudentswithusefulfeedbackthroughwell-structuredpeer feedback activities, presentation anddiscussionof strong student examples, studentself-assessmentprocesses,orotheractivitiesthatprovidetimelyfeedback.


5. ASSESSINGSTUDENTLEARNINGinUCORECOURSESFaculty-drivenAssessment

UCOREfacultyconductongoingcourse-levelassessmentofstudentlearning.Theresultscontributetoprogram-level and institution–wide assessment, andhelp faculty, departments, anduniversityleadershipdeterminetowhatextentundergraduatesareachievingtheWSULearningGoals.Facultyuse of results to improve courses and instruction is documented in reports available at:https://ucore.wsu.edu/assessment.

Course-levelAssessment

FacultyarethekeytothesuccessofcoursesandplayavitalroleinthecontinuousimprovementofUCOREassessment.IndividualfacultyareresponsibleforincorporatinggoodpracticesinassessingstudentlearningintheirUCORE-designatedcoursesandforusingassessmentresultstoguidecourserefinements. Good practices in assessment take into account that students need multipleopportunities to demonstrate progress toward meeting learning outcomes and receive timely,specific,andunderstandablefacultyfeedbacktoguidelearninganddeepenskillsandknowledge.

Otherexamplesofgoodassessmentpracticeinclude:• clearlystatedlearningoutcomesthataresharedwithstudents• clearalignmentbetweenexpectedlearningoutcomesandwhatistaughtandassessed• qualityandtransparencyinassignmentdesign

Capstone [CAPS] instructors have specific additional assessment requirements, as described inSectionIVandtheCAPScoursesection.

UCOREAssessment

UCORE Assessment is guided by the National Institute of Learning Outcomes Assessment(NILOA)Transparency Framework. This framework helps make evidence of studentaccomplishmentreadilyaccessibleandpotentiallyusefulandmeaningfultofaculty,administration,students,andothers.UCORE’swebsiteforassessmenthighlightskeycomponentsfortransparencyandusesofassessmentasthenewgeneraleducationcurriculumevolvesovertime.

Assignmentsprovidethecornerstoneofauthenticassessmentofstudentlearning,andsoassessingstudentachievementoftheUCORElearninggoalsfocusesprimarilyonstudentwork.

UCOREhasdevelopedaframeworkforsystematicassessmentofallsevenundergraduatelearninggoals,usingassessmentofstudentworkbyfaculty.Thisapproachconnectsteaching,learningandassessment.AssessmentofstudentlearningandreportingofassessmentresultstoprogramfacultyandUCOREcommitteemembersisanessentialactivityforallfacultyteachingUCOREcourses.Inaddition, regularly participating inmeaningful assessment of UCORE courses can deepen facultyunderstandingofcommongoalswhilefocusingonsupportingstudentlearning.

KeyUCOREAssessments

UCORE’sassessmentframeworkincludes thesekeyassessmentsbelow. Additionaldetails–withsummary results and examples of use – are available on the UCORE assessmentwebsite,whereadditionalassessmentsarealsodiscussed:


First-YearExperience[ROOT](FacultyEvaluationofStudentWork)

TheRootsofContemporaryIssuesFinalPapersAssessmentProjectisintendedtoprovide[ROOT]facultywith information forprogram improvement, aswell as gauge student learning for fiveofWSU’sLearningGoalsatthefirst-yearlevel.[ROOT]facultyevaluatearandomsampleofstudents’writtenwork fromall campusesusinga faculty-developed rubric.With assistance from theWSULibrariesandtheOfficeofAssessmentofTeachingandLearning,[ROOT]leadershipcoordinateandreportkeyassessmentactivitiesonanannualbasis. ROOTSinstructorsuseassessmentresultstoimprove teaching and learning, andalso to provideUCOREwith a baseline of first year studentperformance.

ScienceLiteracyConceptInventoryExam

TheScienceLiteracyConceptInventory(SLCI),developedandvalidatedbyamultidisciplinaryteamfromfourCaliforniaStateUniversities,measuresthedegreetowhichstudentsrecognizescienceasawayofknowingandemployscience’sframeworkofreasoningundercircumstancesthatacitizenmayencounterineverydaylife.AtWSU,instructorsfromvariousfieldsoffertheSLCItostudentsintheircourses,withparticipantsincludingundergraduatestudentsfrombothscienceandnon-sciencemajorsandallacademiclevels.WSU’sSLCIresultsarecompiledtogaugelearningontheScientificLiteracyLearningGoal.FacultyhaveusedresultsfromtheSLCIinavarietyofwaystoinformandimprove their science literacy instruction, including adapting assignments and more explicitlyaddressingstudentmisperceptionsaboutscienceconceptsininstruction.

NationalSurveyofStudentEngagement

TheNational Survey of Student Engagement assesses the extent towhich seniors and first yearstudentsengageineducationalpracticesassociatedwithhighlevelsoflearninganddevelopment.This nationally validated survey is typically offered to WSU students every other year on allcampuses. NSSE results provide UCOREwith rich information from the student perspective. Inaddition, WSU receives reports with peer comparisons, from participating Carnegie classified“ResearchUniversities-VeryHighResearchActivity”institutions.UCOREinstructorshelppromotetheNSSEtoseniorsandfirstyearstudents.SeetheUCOREAssessmentwebsiteformoreinformation.

UCORECapstone[CAPS]AssessmentofStudentLearning(FacultyEvaluationofStudentWork)

UCORE Capstone [CAPS] Course Assessment Reports are intended to gauge student learning onWSU’sLearningGoalsatthenear-graduationlevel.[CAPS]facultysubmitashortreportofholisticstudentachievementoftheWSULearningGoalsdemonstratedintheircourse,aswellasinformationaboutstudentpreparednessforcapstonelevelwork.ResultsaresharedontheUCOREAssessmentwebsite.NOTE:Facultyteachingcapstonecoursesparticipateeachsemester–seesectiononIntegrativeLearningandCAPSfordetails.

UCORE’s website offers additional information on Assessment Planning, Current AssessmentActivities,EvidenceofStudentLearning,andUseofResults,aswellasdetailsofkeyassessments.https://ucore.wsu.edu/assessment/

DepartmentandUCOREAssessment

Althoughitdoesnotfullyreplaceprogramassessmentactivities,theassessmentofstudentlearninginUCOREcoursesmayprovidesubstantivedatatoaugmenttheresultsofindividualprogram-levelassessmentbydepartmentsandmaybeincludedinprogramannualassessmentreports.Assuch,UCOREassessment results can contribute to theWSU-wide summaries of undergraduate degree


programassessmentreportsthataresharedwithinstitutionalleadershipandthathelpsupporttheuniversity’sregionalaccreditation.

Thesystemofassessmentmaybevisualizedinthefollowingdiagram:

Learning Outcomes Assessment: Undergraduate

WSU Mission

Theme 2: Transformative Learning Experience

UCORE and Degrees Contribution to decision-making, strategic planning and monitoring used to advance the university’s education mission:

Ø Contributes to assessment planning, implementation, and decision making

Ø Decisions about curriculum, instruction, and faculty development; advising, scheduling, and facilities; HIP programs

Ø Influences faculty approaches to teaching andlearning in courses and curriculum

Faculty-Developed Learning Outcomes: “The Seven Goals”

UCORE Learning

Outcomes

Degree Program Learning

Outcomes

Results shared for discussion with faculty and leadership

Student achievement assessed by faculty


6. SUBMITTINGYOURCOURSEPROPOSALSUCCESSFULLYThankyouforyourinterestdevelopingandproposinganewcourseforUCORE.ThissectionoftheHandbookprovidesthelogisticsofproposingacourse.PleaseconsultothersectionsondesigningandteachingaUCOREcourse--andmakeuseoftheresourcesavailable--asyoudevelopasyllabusandkeyassignments,andplanthecourseandassessmentofstudentlearning.

UCOREapprovalispreliminarytotheFacultySenatecurricularprocess.IfacourseisapprovedbytheUCORECommittee,itautomaticallymovesforwardintotheFacultySenateapprovalprocess.

The following information pertains to submitting a course through the UCORE SharePoint site.PLEASENOTE: wehavebeenadvisedthattheworkflowfunctionsinSharePointthatallowelectronic signaturesandautomatic routingwillno longerbeavailableat some indefinitepointinthefuture. Wehopethatwedonothavetoreverttoapaperprocess;consulttheUCOREwebsiteforupdates.

Requiredelements• UCORENew/EstablishedCourseChangeFormwithrationale forUCOREcategoryand

needforcourse(ucore.wsu.edu/faculty/proposing-courses/)• MasterSyllabusthatincludes:

1. Clearlanguageaboutcourse’srolewithinUCORE2. CompletedUCORELearningOutcomesGrid3. RequiredsyllabuselementsasrequiredbyFacultySenate

• Assignment instructions and grading rubric or scheme for one or more majorassignmentsmeetingtheUCOREgoals

SuggestedSteps

1. Select your category, develop the learning outcomes grid, and revise the syllabus asneeded

a. StartbyreadingthefulldesignatordescriptionbeforedecidingonaUCOREcategory.Theinstructor should then write a course description that clearly and specificallyincorporates language showing the course's orientationand inclusionof the requiredelements,withtheexpectationthatthesamedescription(oraversionofit)willalsobein the syllabus itself. (Sometimes the committee sees these well-presented in theproposalformforacourse,butthesyllabuslacksthenecessarylanguage.)

b. Review the UCORE learning goals associatedwith the chosen designator and identifyspecificoutcomeswhichthecoursefulfills.Theprovidedgridsin“SelectYourCategory”willallowyoutoworkfromatemplate,thenmodifyasappropriate-fleshoutthelearninggridwithcontent,developassessmentcategoriesandtools,etc. -keeping inmindthecategoryrequirementsandthespecificlearninggoalsitaddresses.

2. AssembleelectroniccopiesofrequiredinformationanduploadtotheSharePointsite

ThefollowingwillbeuploadedtotheUCORESharePointsiteat:https://sharepoint.ir.wsu.edu/sites/ir/UCORE/default.aspx


a. UCORENew/EstablishedCourseChangeFormwithrationalefortheUCOREcategorysoughtandneedforthecourse.

b. Syllabuswithrequiredelements(seepreviouspage;seeUCOREwebsiteforfillablegrids)

c. Assignmentinstructionsandgradingrubricorschemeforoneormoremajorassignmentsthatmeet(s)theUCOREgoals

3. Respondtonotifications fromtheUCOREcommittee requesting further informationoraskingforrevisions.

4. TheCatalogSubcommitteemay request additional informationonce it receives the approvedcoursefromtheUCORECommittee,whichonlyvetsthecourseforUCORE-specificrequirements.


AppendixA

THEUNIVERSITYCOMMONREQUIREMENTSCOMMITTEE

The University Common Requirements Committee reports to the Provost or to the Provost’sdesignee.

Functions

1. Formulatespolicy recommendations concerninggeneral education for submission to theFacultySenate.

2. Determines general criteria and procedures for soliciting and approving proposals forgeneraleducationcoursesandforperiodicallyreviewingsuchcourses.

3. Reviewsrecommendationsfromsubcommitteesforaction.4. Regularly monitors all elements of the program through assessment, periodic course

reviews,andothermeansasneeded.5. RegularlyreviewsresultsofassessmentofstudentlearningonWSU’slearninggoalsofthe

baccalaureate; monitors and recognizes achievement, and suggests uses of assessmentresultstoinformorinfluencedecisionsintendedtoenhanceundergraduatestudentlearningachievement.

6. Reportsperiodically to theProvostanduniversitycommunityonundergraduatestudentlearningassessmentresultsandtheeffectivenessofthegeneraleducationcurriculum.

7. PeriodicallyreviewsandupdatestheUCOREhandbook.8. AdministerstheRichardLawAwardforOutstandingTeachinginGeneralEducation.

Membership

• Onefacultymemberfromeachundergraduatedegree-grantingCollege,eachinstructionalcampus, plus the Libraries shall be appointed by the Vice Provost for UndergraduateEducation inconsultationwith thedeansofcollegesor theirdesignees;allforthree-yearterms(F).

• Additionalfacultymaybeselectedfortheirknowledgeofeachmajorareaofthecurricularrequirements,andshallbeappointedbytheViceProvostforUndergraduateEducationinconsultationwiththedeansofcollegesortheirdesignees;forthree-yearterms(F).

• CoordinatoroftheRootsofContemporaryissuesprogram(F).• TwoundergraduatestudentsnominatedbyASWSU,onefromPullmanandonefromanother

instructionalcampus,fortwo-yearterms(U).• WSURegistrarordesignee(X).• ViceProvostforUndergraduateEducationordesignee,whowillserveassecretary(X)(#).• Coordinators of key functions related to general education, as appropriate (e.g.,Writing

Program,LearningCommunities,Advising)(X).• An advising representative appointed after consultationwith the UAAEC from anyWSU

campus,two-yearterm(X).• DirectoroftheOfficeoftheAssessmentofTeachingandLearning(X).

Key:(F)Faculty;(U)Undergraduate;(X)Exofficio(i.e.,becauseofpositionheld);(#)Non-voting.(F) and(U)arevotingpositions.Exofficiomembersmaynotholdthepositionofchair.

CommitteeLeadership


• The chair shall be appointed by the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education inconsultationwiththecommitteemembers;thetermofchairshallbeatleasttwoyears.

• Thecommitteemaydeterminethatavicechairisneededforspecificinitiativesorperiodicsurgesincommitteework(e.g.,coursereviews).Thevice-chairshallbeelectedforatwo-yearterm.Ifthereisavicechair,heorsheshouldideallyserveinastaggeredtermwiththechair.

rev.5/2012;11/2016

UCOREAssessmentSubcommittee

The UCORE Assessment Subcommittee is intended to help faculty, departments, and universityleadershipdetermine towhatextentundergraduatesareachievingWSU’sSevenLearningGoals.FacultyparticipateonUCORE’ssubcommitteeforassessmentandalsocontributetoassessmentofkeyprogramsandcourses.Assessment isacollaborativeprocess that includes faculty, students,staff,administrators,andothers.TheOfficeofAssessmentofTeachingandLearning(ATL)assistswithUCOREassessment,bysupportingormanagingspecificassessmentinitiatives,analyzingandreportingresults,andmaintainingthewebsiteandarchives.SeetheUCOREAssessmentwebsiteformore information about the subcommittee, and UCORE’s assessment (built on the NationalInstitute for Learning Outcomes Assessment’s transparency framework) – as well as specificassessmentinitiatives,resultsanduses.

• AssessmentSubcommitteehttps://ucore.wsu.edu/assessment/about/committee/• AssessmentTransparencyFramework:https://ucore.wsu.edu/assessment/

• NILOA:http://www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/


WSU’SSEVENLEARNINGGOALSOFUNDERGRADUATEEDUCATION

TheWSULearningGoalsandOutcomesdefinetheessenceofwhatitmeanstoearnadegreefromWSU.Allbachelor’sdegreerequirementsarerootedintheWSULearningGoalsandOutcomesasprintedintheWSUCatalog,andUCOREcoursescomplementstudyinthemajortoengagestudentsinmeetingthesegoals.

Theexampleoutcomeslistedundereachgoalprovideamodelsetofwell-writtenlearningoutcomesthroughwhichstudentscandemonstrateachievementofWSU’sSevenLearningGoalswhetherinUCOREormajorcourses.Instructorsareencouragetousethesemodeloutcomestodevelopcourseoutcomes.

WSUSevenLearningGoalsandUCORE

WSU’sSevenLearningGoalsastheyarereflectedintheUniversityCommonRequirementsappearbelow. UCORE’s embodiment of the seven university goals differs somewhat from the generalversionintheCatalog.Thebaccalaureate-levelgoalof“Depth,breadthandintegrationoflearning”applies to thedegreeasawhole;themajor focusesondepthof learning,whileUCOREprovidesbreadthandthecapstoneprovidesintegrationacrossbothgeneraleducationandthemajor.

CRITICALandCREATIVETHINKINGGraduateswillusereason,evidence,andcontexttoincreaseknowledge,toreasonethically,andtoinnovateinimaginativeways.

ExampleOutcomes:Graduatesmaydemonstratecriticalandcreativethinkingby:

1. Defining,analyzing,andsolvingproblems.2. Integratingandsynthesizingknowledgefrommultiplesources.3. Assessingtheaccuracyandvalidityoffindingsandconclusions.4. Examining how one thinks, reasons, and makes value judgments, including ethical and

aestheticjudgments.5. Identifyingdiverseviewpoints,includingdifferentphilosophicalandculturalperspectives.6. Combiningandsynthesizingexistingideas,images,orexpertiseinoriginalways.7. Thinking,reacting,andworkinginimaginativewayscharacterizedbyinnovation,divergent

thinking,andrisktaking.

QUANTITATIVEREASONINGGraduateswillsolvequantitativeproblemsfromawidevarietyofauthenticcontextsandeverydaylifesituations.

ExampleOutcomes:Graduatesmaydemonstratequantitativeandsymbolicreasoningby:

1. Explaininginformationpresentedinmathematicalforms(e.g.,equations,graphs,diagrams,tables,andwords).

2. Convertingrelevantinformationintovariousmathematicalforms(e.g.,equations,graphs,diagrams,tables,andwords).

3. Applyingquantitativeprinciplesandmethodsinthesolutionofproblems.4. Makingjudgmentsanddrawingappropriateconclusionsbasedonthequantitativeanalysis

ofdata,whilerecognizingthelimitsofthisanalysis.5. Identifyingandevaluatingassumptionsinestimation,modeling,anddataanalysis.6. Expressingquantitativeevidenceinsupportoftheargumentorpurposeofwork(interms

ofwhatevidenceisusedandhowitisformatted,presented,andcontextualized).


SCIENTIFICLITERACYGraduateswillhaveabasicunderstandingofmajorscientificconceptsandprocessesrequiredforpersonaldecision-making,participationincivicaffairs,economicproductivityandglobalstewardship.

ExampleOutcomes:Graduatesmaydemonstratescientificliteracyby:

1. Identifying scientific issues underlying global, national, local and personaldecisions andcommunicatingpositionsthatarescientificallyandtechnologicallyinformed.

2. Evaluatingthequalityofscientificandhealth-relatedinformationonthebasisofitssourceandthemethodsusedtogenerateit.

3. Posingandevaluatingargumentsbasedonevidenceandapplyingconclusions fromsuchargumentsappropriately.

4. Recognizing the societal benefits and risks associated with scientific and technologicaladvances.

INFORMATIONLITERACYGraduateswilleffectivelyidentify,locate,evaluate,useresponsiblyandshareinformationfortheproblemathand.

ExampleOutcomes:Graduatesmaydemonstrateinformationliteracyby:

1. Determiningtheextentandtypeofinformationneeded.2. Implementingwell-designedsearchstrategies.3. Accessinginformationeffectivelyandefficientlyfrommultiplesources.4. Assessingcredibilityandapplicabilityofinformationsources.5. Usinginformationtoaccomplishaspecificpurpose.6. Accessingandusinginformationethicallyandlegally.

COMMUNICATIONGraduateswill communicatesuccessfullywithaudiences throughwritten,oral,andothermediaasappropriatefortheaudienceandpurpose.

ExampleOutcomes:Graduatesmaydemonstratecommunicationskillsby:

1. Analyzing how circumstances, background, values, interests and needs shapecommunicationsentandreceived.

2. Tailoringmessagestoaudiencesaccordingtopurpose,occasion,andtechnologyused.3. Expressingconcepts,propositions,andbeliefsincoherent,concise,andtechnicallycorrect

form.4. Choosingappropriatecommunicationmediaandtechnology.5. Speakingconfidentlyandeffectivelyinfrontofgroups.6. Followingsocialanddisciplinarynormsforindividualandsmallgroupinteractions,which

includesactivelistening.

DIVERSITYGraduates will understand, respect and interact constructively with others of similar and diversecultures,values,andperspectives.

ExampleOutcomes:Graduatesmaydemonstratetheirrecognitionofdiversecultures,values,andperspectivesby:

1. Moving beyond perception-based comparisons, prior knowledge, and individualexperiences to understand how social positioning and cultural differences and/orinterrelationsareconstructed.


2. Recognizinghowfactorsincludinghistory;politics;economics;systemsofdiscriminationand inequality; structures of power and privilege; and/or cultural values, beliefs, andpracticesdeterminesocialandculturalconditions.

3. Usingvocabulary,language,concepts,and/ortheoreticalmodelstoengageandanalyzehowsocialrealitiesareshapedandhowstereotypesarecreatedbyculturalandsocio-economicdifferencesintheUSand/orglobally.

4. Analyzingandcritiquingtheculturalandsocialunderpinningsofknowledgeclaimsaboutindividualsandgroupsandtheirrelationstooneanother.

5. Assessingone’sowncorevalues,culturalassumptions,andbiasesinrelationtothoseheldbyotherindividuals,cultures,andsocieties.

BREADTHANDINTEGRATIVELEARNINGGraduateswilldevelopbroad,integrativelearningforthebenefitofthemselves,theircommunities,theiremployers,andforsocietyatlarge.

ExampleOutcomes:Graduatesmaydemonstratebreadthofstudyandintegrativelearningby:

1. Throughbroadstudyinthesciencesandmathematics,socialsciences,humanities,history,languages,andthearts.

2. Bydemonstratingadepthofknowledgewithinthechosenacademicfieldofstudybasedonintegrationofitshistory,coremethods,techniques,vocabulary,andunsolvedproblems.

3. By applying the concepts of the general and specialized studies to personal, academic,servicelearning,professional,and/orcommunityactivities.

4. Byunderstandinghowthemethodsandconceptsofthechosendiscipline(major)relatetothoseofotherdisciplinesandbyengagingincross-disciplinaryactivities.

5. Bysynthesizingmultiplebodiesofknowledgetoaddressreal-worldproblemsandissues.6. By reflecting upon changes in learning and outlook over time and bymaking personal,

professional,andcivicplansbasedonthatself-reflection.


MAPOFUCOREREQUIREMENTAREAS

Relationofcoursesinrequirementareastolearninggoals(updated3/2017)Studentstakecoursesinvariousorders,thusthepointofintroductionforonestudentmaybethepointofdevelopmentforanother;pedagogically,thecoursedesignsaimatearlydevelopmentoflearning.Blueshadingindicatesessentiallearninggoalswhichtherequirementscollectivelyseektoadvanceforsuccessfulperformanceinallcapstones.

Requirement Areas Mapped to Seven Learning Goals

Critical and Creative Thinking


Integrative Learning

Communication Quantitative Reasoning

Scientific Literacy Diversity

Written Oral / Other

Foundational Roots of Contemporary Issues(HIST 105, HIST305) [ROOTS]

Introduce Introduce Introduce Introduce / Develop

Introduce (formative) Introduce

Quantitative Reasoning (100-300) [QUAN]

Introduce / Develop

Introduce/ Develop

Introduce / Develop

Introduce / Develop

Writing (100-400) [WRTG]*

Introduce / Develop

Introduce / Develop

Introduce / Develop

Communication (oral, multimodal, writing) [COMM][WRTG]**

Introduce/ reinforce Develop Introduce /

Develop As appro-

priate

Ways of Knowing Inquiry – Social Sciences (100-300) [SSCI]

Develop Develop May develop Develop Develop Develop May

develop

Inquiry – Humanities (100-400) [HUM]

Develop Develop May develop Develop May

develop

Inquiry – Arts (100-400) [ARTS]

Develop Develop May develop Develop May

develop

Inquiry –Natural Sciences (100- 300) [BSCI, PSCI, SCI]

Develop Develop May develop Develop Develop Develop

Diversity

Diversity (100-400) [DIVR] Develop Develop Develop Develop Develop

Integrative Learning Integrative Capstone (400-level) [CAPS] Blue columns indicate essential CAPS outcomes Others as appropriate to discipline

Proficiency developed and assessed: Meets expectations for graduating senior***

Proficiency developed and assessed as appropriate to discipline

*** Meets expectations for graduating seniors [B+ level skills as reasonable target for proficiency AAC&U]


AppendixB:Resources

PleasealsochecktheUCOREwebsite,ResourcesforFaculty,wheresamplesyllabiwillbepostedandupdatedovertime.(https://ucore.wsu.edu/faculty/

UCORECATEGORYLEARNINGOUTCOMESGRIDS

SAMPLECOMPLETEDLEARNINGOUTCOMESGRIDFOR[ROOT]

OTHERRESOURCES


Learning Outcomes Grid: [QUAN]. Complete and submit with other required materials.

WSU/UCORE Learning Goal

QUAN Category Learning Outcomes

Course-level Learning Outcomes Use active verbs and revise as needed to be specific to your own course

Class Topics & Learning Activities

Learning Outcomes Assessed by…

Critical & Creative Thinking

Students make judgments and draw appropriate conclusions based on quantitative analysis of data

Quantitative Reasoning

Students explain information presented in mathematical forms

Students apply quantitative reasoning to real-world problems

Students translate or convert information into quantitative forms


Students evaluate information in mathematical or quantitative forms

Students identify and evaluate assumptions in estimation, modeling, and data analysis.

Students practice information literacy skills appropriate to lower or upper division expectations and departmental standards

Writing Requirement

Students produce a reasonable amount of writing, appropriate to lower or upper division expectations and departmental standards

Suggestions for course design. Courses in quantitative reasoning must advance the learning goals of quantitative reasoning. Although the fundamentals of quantitative reasoning (e.g., calculations and memorization of numerical equations and formulas) are important and must be included in any QUAN course, students should be able to move beyond these basics and develop an understanding of how to interpret, evaluate, and critique the results of such analyses, and how to identify the strengths and weaknesses of quantitative methods.

Thus, QUAN courses are required to:

• Broaden students’ understanding and facility with mathematical and/or statistical reasoning.• Develop students’ abilities to understand, create and evaluate information in mathematical or quantitative formats, such

as equations, inequalities, charts, graphs, or tables.


• Provide many opportunities to explore real-world applications using quantitative reasoning.• Help students develop the skill of translating information into quantitative formats.• Meet requirements for all UCORE courses for critical thinking, writing, information literacy, and assessment of student

progress on learning goals.

Also, the UCORE committee suggests that QUAN courses: • Help students identify methods of data evaluation common to many fields of study.• Foster an appreciation for long-range planning or modeling based on mathematical assumptions.

Help students to formulate their arguments with quantitative methods appropriate to the subject.


LearningOutcomesGrid:[WRTG].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.


WRTGLearningOutcomes




Communication

Studentsdemonstrateprinciples&elementsofeffectivewrittencommunication

Studentsdemonstrateclarity,fluency,andaccuracy,andorganizationalskillsintheirwrittencommunication.


Studentsanalyze,evaluateanduserhetoricalmeanstoincreasereaders’knowledge,fosterunderstanding,ortopromotechangeinattitudesorbehaviors.

InformationLiteracy

Studentspracticeinformationliteracyskillsappropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards

WritingRequirement

Courseprovidesextensiveopportunitiestowriteandrevise

Useofpeerreviewrecommended

Suggestionsforcoursedesign.Writtencommunicationcoursesrequirestudentstodevelopandexpressideasclearly,concisely,andeffectivelyinwriting.AsanoutcomeofWRTGcourses,studentwriterswillbeabletoincreaseknowledge,fosterunderstanding,ortopromotechangeinreaders’attitudesorbehaviors.Additionally,studentwriterswillhoneclarity,fluency,andaccuracy,andorganizationalskillsintheirwrittencommunication.

WritingskillsareeffectivelydevelopedinconcertwiththelearninggoalsofInformationLiteracyandDiversitybecausereal-worldwritingmustrestonaccurateinformationandadaptcontentandconventionstodiversecontexts,audiences,andpurposes.

AllWRTGcoursesarerequiredto:• Developthestudent’sunderstandingoftheprinciplesandelementsofeffectivewrittencommunication.


• Developstudents’rhetoricalskillssotheirwritingincreasesreaders’knowledge,fostersunderstanding,ortopromoteschangeinattitudesorbehaviors.

• Developstudents’clarity,fluency,andaccuracy,andorganizationalskillsintheirwrittencommunication.• Provideextensiveappliedpracticeinwriting.• Havestudentsself-evaluateandrevisetheirwrittenwork.• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,andassessmentof


Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatWRTGcourses:• Havestudentscritiquetheworkofpeers.• Honecriticalthinkingskillsthroughtheexplorationofrhetoric.


LearningOutcomesGrid:[COMM].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.


COMMCategoryLearningOutcomes

Course-levelLearningOutcomes“Attheendofthiscourse,studentsshouldbeableto…”Useactiveverbsandreviseasneededtobespecifictoyourowncourse



Communication

Studentsexpressideasclearly,conciselyandeffectiveinmultiplemedia

Studentsadaptcontentandmediatomultipleanddiverseaudiencesandpurposes


Studentsself-evaluateandrevisetheirwork

InformationLiteracyStudentsfindandusehigh-quality,credibleandrelevantsources

WritingRequirement


Suggestionsforcoursedesign:

COMM-designatedcoursesemphasizenon-writtenmediums,suchaspublicspeaking,conversationalforeignlanguage,interpersonalcommunication,visualliteracy,multimediaauthoring,orinterculturalcommunication.

ThusCOMMcoursesrequirestudentstodevelopandexpressideasclearly,concisely,andeffectivelyinmediabeyondwrittencommunicationalone.Studentsdevelopskillsincreativelyadaptingcontentandconventionstodiversecontexts,audiences,andpurposes,andskillfullyusinghigh-quality,credible,relevantsourcestodevelopideasthatareappropriateforthepresentationorothercommunication,asenvisionedintheInformationLiteracylearninggoal.




AllCOMMcoursesarerequiredto:• Developthestudent’sunderstandingoftheprinciplesandelementsofeffectiveoraland/ormediatedor

multimodalcommunicationasoutlinedabove.• Provideextensiveappliedpracticeincomposing,creating,orexpressingintwoormorecommunicationmodesas

outlinedabove.• Havestudentsself-evaluateandrevisetheirwork.• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,andassessmentof




LearningOutcomesGrid:[SSCI].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.


Inquiry-SSCIcategoryrequirements

Course-levelLearningOutcomeUseactiveverbsandreviseasneededtobespecifictoyourowncourse




Studentslearnkeyconcepts/majorcriticalparadigmsinthediscipline

Studentsapplymethodsofinquiryappropriatetothediscipline

Studentsevaluateempiricalresearchandconceptualtheories

InformationLiteracy

Studentsidentify,understandanduserelevantsourcematerial


Studentsreceiveinstructionwithfeedbackforinformationliteracyskills


Studentsmakejudgmentsanddrawconclusionsregardingquantitativedatathroughworkevaluatedforfinalgrade

Pleasenotetheweightinfinalgradeofassignmentdevelopingstudents’quantitativeskills

Communication

Studentscommunicatetheirfindingsinwrittenform,oralormultimodalformsappropriatetothediscipline

WritingRequirement



Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign.InquiryintheSocialSciencesteachesstudentshowsocialsciencesapplyempiricalprinciplesandmethodstounderstandhumanbeingsassocialagentsincultural,group,andindividualcontexts.CourseshouldIncorporateactivelearningexperiencesandDevelopinquiryskillsusingthediscipline’s“BigQuestions,”“GrandChallenges,”orsimilarlarge,open-endedframeworksofreal-worldsignificance.(e.g.,ScienceandSociety,CulturesandValues,GlobalInterdependence,theChangingEconomy,HumanDignityandFreedom).Studentsreflectonoranalyzecompetingperspectives,contextualframes,orethicalimplicationsinthegeneration,evaluation,dissemination,orapplicationofknowledgewithinthegivenInquirydomain.

SSCICoursesarerequiredto:• Introducekeyconceptsormajorcriticalparadigmsinthesocialsciences.• Enablestudentstolearnandapplymethodsofinquiryappropriatetothediscipline(CriticalandCreative

Thinking).• Havestudentsidentify,understandanduserelevantsourcematerial,suchasdemographic,polling,orcensus

material(InformationLiteracy,QuantitativeReasoning).• Helpstudentslearnhowtoevaluateempiricalresearchandconceptualtheories(CriticalThinking,Information

Literacy).• Developstudents’quantitativereasoningskillsthroughworkevaluatedforthefinalgrade(Quantitative

Reasoning)• Havestudentscommunicatetheirfindingsinwrittenform;oralormultimodalformsarealsoencouraged

(Writing,Communication).• MeetrequirementsforallUCOREcoursesforcriticalthinking,writing,informationliteracy,andassessmentof


UCOREcommitteesuggeststhatSSCICourses:• Analyzecurrentissuesthroughthelensofsocialsciencediscipline(s).• Developquantitativereasoningskillsinadisciplinarycontext.Forexample,studentsmaydemonstratetheseskills

inworkcomprisingasignificant(inrelationtothedisciplinarycontext)partofthefinalgrade.


LearningOutcomesGrid:[HUM].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.

WSU/UCOREgoalsHUMCategoryLearningOutcomes





Studentsdemonstrateknowledgeoftheoriesortheoreticalmodelsandabilitytoapplyoneormore

Studentsdemonstrateknowledgeofkeytexts,monuments,artifactsorepisodes

Studentsconstructowninterpretationwithindisciplinarynorms

InformationLiteracyStudentsfindanduserelevantinformationeffectively


Communication Studentscommunicateinmodesappropriatetothediscipline

WritingRequirement


Thehumanitiesgrapplewiththehumanconditioninallofitscomplexitythroughtimeandacrosscultures.ThehumanitiesincludeknowledgeofAmericanandworldhistory,philosophicaltraditions,majorreligions,diverseculturallegacies,andcontestedquestions.Asfieldsofstudy,thehumanitiesemphasizeanalysis,interpretation,andreflectionratherthanthedirectcreativeexpressionofthearts.Theyengagecentrallywithquestionsofmeaningandpurpose,whichserveasbridgesofrelevancebetweenpast,presentandfuture.

HUMcoursesarerequiredto:• Introducestudentstobasictheoriesofinterpretationortheoreticalmodelsinthehumanities.• Introducestudentstokeytexts,monuments,artifactsorepisodeswithinhumanistictraditionsordisciplines.• Helpstudentsdeveloptheabilitytoconstructtheirownartistic,literary,philosophical,religious,linguistic,or

historicalinterpretationsaccordingtothestandardsofahumanisticdiscipline.• Teachbasicinformationliteracyskillsapplicabletothediscipline. Aspartofinformationliteracyinstruction,the

coursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthataccompanyassignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.



Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign:Incorporateactivelearningexperience;anddevelopinquiryskillsusingthediscipline’s“BigQuestions,”“GrandChallenges,”orsimilarlarge,open-endedframeworksofreal-worldsignificance.Studentsreflectonoranalyzecompetingperspectives,contextualframes,orethicalimplicationsinthegeneration,evaluation,dissemination,orapplicationofknowledgewithinthegivenInquirydomain.


LearningOutcomesGrid:[ARTS].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterial.

RequiredWSU/UCOREgoals

ARTScategoryLearningOutcomes

Course-levellearningoutcome“Attheendofthiscourse,studentswillbeableto…”Useactiveverbsandreviseasneededtobespecifictoyourowncourse




Studentssolveproblemstogenerateanaestheticobject,workorperformance

OR

Studentscriticallyevaluateaestheticobjects,performancesorworks

Communication

Communicateaboutaestheticworksinwritten,oralormultimodalforms,withindisciplinarycontext

InformationLiteracy

Studentsdemonstratethatcreativeworkisgroundedincritical,theoreticalorhistoricalscholarship


Studentsreceiveinstructionwithfeedback,forinformationliteracyskillsappropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards

WritingRequirement


Creativeexpression,whetherforpersonalexpressionortocommunicatewithothers,isafundamentalhumanactivitythatresultsintheproductionofobjects,environments,andexperiencesthatengagethesenses,emotions,and/orintellect.Theartsofferdirectparticipationinsuchactivitieswhileprovidingaframeworkfortheirinterpretation,evaluation,andappreciation,pastandpresent.AllArts[ARTS]coursearerequiredtoallowstudentsopportunitiesto:

• Perform,produce,fabricate,orgenerateanaestheticobject,installation,presentation,composition,performanceorothercreativework,eitherasanindividualoraspartofacollaborative.Studentsmustalsodemonstratethattheircreativeworkisgroundedinexistinghistorical,critical,ormethodologicalscholarship,AND/OR

• Criticallyanalyze,interpret,and/orevaluatethecreativeactivitiesoraccomplishmentsofothers,pastorpresent.Studentsmustalsodemonstratethattheiranalysisandinterpretationisgroundedinexistinghistorical,critical,ormethodologicalscholarship.

• Teachbasicinformationliteracyskillsapplicabletothediscipline. Aspartofinformationliteracyinstruction,thecoursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthataccompany


assignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.


Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign:Incorporateactivelearningexperience;anddevelopinquiryskillsusingthediscipline’s“BigQuestions,”“GrandChallenges,”orsimilarlarge,open-endedframeworksofreal-worldsignificance.Studentsreflectonoranalyzecompetingperspectives,contextualframes,orethicalimplicationsinthegeneration,evaluation,dissemination,orapplicationofknowledgewithinthegivenInquirydomain..

Also,theUCOREcommitteesuggeststhatARTScourses:• Havestudentsdemonstrateunderstandingofsomeformofcreativeexpressionasitrelatestoasignificanthistorical

period,theirownorothercultures,particularartistorcreativework,orotherrelevantinquiry.• Havestudentssolveaproblem,conceptualizeanissue,orconveyaconcept,formalortheoretical.


LearningOutcomesGrid:[BSCI/PSCI].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterial.

WSUUCORELearningGoal

NaturalSciencesCategoryLearningOutcomes




ScientificLiteracy

Studentsuseevidence-basedreasoningtoformtestablehypothesesaboutthenaturalworld

Studentsdemonstrateunderstandingofkeyconceptsorbasicprinciplesinthediscipline

CriticalThinking

Studentsidentifyandevaluatethekeyevidenceunderlyingscientifictheories

Studentsdemonstrateunderstandingoftheroleofcontrolledexperimentsinthescientificprocess

OR

Studentstesthypothesesusingappropriatemethodsinvolvingdatacollectionandanalysis,andmakevalidinferencesfromresults


Studentsapplyquantitativemethodsandprinciplestosolvescientificproblemsorexplainscientificobservations

InformationLiteracyStudentsfind,evaluateandusescientificandotherinformationfromavarietyofsources

Writingandcommunication

Studentscommunicatefindingseffectivelyinformsappropriatetothediscipline


WritingRequirement

Studentsproducereasonableamountofwriting,appropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards



Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign:Inquiryfocussuggestionsforcoursedesign:Incorporateactivelearningexperience;anddevelopinquiryskillsusingthediscipline’s“BigQuestions,”“GrandChallenges,”orsimilarlarge,open-endedframeworksofreal-worldsignificance.Studentsreflectonoranalyzecompetingperspectives,contextualframes,orethicalimplicationsinthegeneration,evaluation,dissemination,orapplicationofknowledgewithinthegivenInquirydomain.

AllInquiryintheNaturalSciencesCoursesmust:• Activelyengagestudentsinexploringtheevidenceunderlyingkeytheoriesand/ororganizingframeworksinthe

course’sfieldandhelpstudentstoarticulatethelogicalinferencesthatarisefromthoseobservationsthatsupportthetheory/framework.

• Provideafoundationforstudentstopracticethecriticalevaluationofpositionsandargumentsmadeinthepopularmediaaboutcontroversialtopics.


• Notonlyenhanceastudent’sunderstandingofnaturalphenomena,butalsoprovidethemore-widelyapplicableskillsetsoflogicalandcriticalthinking.

• Teachbasicinformationliteracyskillsapplicabletothediscipline. Aspartofinformationliteracyinstruction,thecoursemustnotonlyrequirestudentstouselibraryresources,butalsoprovideinstructionontheuseoflibraryresourcesandservices.Instructioncanbedonebylibrarypersonnel,orbeprovidedindetailednotesthataccompanyassignmentprompts.Inwhateverinstructionmethodthecourseuses,theinstructorshouldworkwiththelibrarytodeveloporoffertheinstruction.


UCOREcommitteesuggeststhatInquiryintheNaturalSciencesCourses:• Useinteractive,student-centeredactivitiesfocusedonquestioning,exploring,andposinghypotheses.• Stressthatthescientificprocessisanopen-endedexplorationratherthanasearchforprovablefacts.


LearningOutcomesGrid:[DIVR].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.


DIVRCategoryLearningOutcome



LearningOutcomesAssessedby…

Diversity

Demonstratehowsocialand/orculturaldifferencesareinfluencedbyfactorssuchashistory,politics,powerandprivilege,communicationstyles,economics,institutionalizedand/orpatternsofdiscriminationandinequality,orculturalvalues,beliefs,and/orpractices.Studentsareabletomovebeyondperception-based,priorknowledge,orindividualexperiencestosocialpositioningandculturaldifferencesand/orinterrelationsareconstructed.Studentsareabletousevocabulary,language,concepts,methodology,and/ortheoreticalmodelstoengageandanalyzehowsocialrealitiesareshapedandhowstereotypesarecreatedbyculturalandsocio-economicdifferencesintheUSand/orglobally.

Criticalthinking


WritingRequirement

Studentswriteareasonableamount,appropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards


InformationLiteracy

Studentspracticeandreceivefeedbackoninformationliteracyskillsappropriatetolowerorupperdivisionexpectationsanddepartmentalanddisciplinarystandards

Diversitycoursesintroducestudentstodifferencesandsimilaritiesamongculturesbyexploringthemultiplicityofindividualandgroupexperienceswithinandacrossvarioushistoricalperiods,societies,andcultures.Thisexplorationcontributestostronger,morecomplexcross-culturalunderstandingandcommunication,helpingstudentsengagevarioussocialandculturalcontextsandinteractionsusingknowledge,criticalthinking,andaflexibilityinperspective.Italsoencouragesstudentstoaskmorecomplicatedquestionsaboutculturalsystemsandsystemsofpower,andtopursueanswersthatreflectmultipleculturalandintellectualperspectives.

REQUIREDCONTENTFORALLDIVRCOURSES

AllDIVRcoursesarerequiredto:• Helpstudentsmovebeyondperception-basedcomparisons,priorknowledge,andindividualexperiencestounderstand

howsocialpositioningandculturaldifferencesand/orinterrelationsareconstructed.• Helpstudentsrecognizehowfactorsincludinghistory;politics;economics;systemsofdiscriminationandinequality;

structuresofpowerandprivilege;and/orculturalvalues,beliefs,andpracticesdeterminesocialandculturalconditions.• Providestudentsvocabulary,language,concepts,methodologies,and/ortheoreticalmodelswithwhichtoengageand

analyzehowsocialrealitiesareshapedandhowstereotypesarecreatedbyculturalandsocio-economicdifferencesintheUSand/orglobally.

Studentsmaydemonstratetheirunderstandingsbysuchmeansas:• Analyzingandcritiquingtheculturalandsocialunderpinningsofknowledgeclaimsaboutindividualsandgroupsand

theirrelationstooneanother.• Assessingtheirowncorevalues,culturalassumptions,andbiasesinrelationtothoseheldbyotherindividuals,cultures,

andsocieties.


LearningOutcomesGrid:[CAPS].Completeandsubmitwithotherrequiredmaterials.

WSU/UCORELearningGoal CAPSTONECategory

LearningOutcomes




IntegrativeLearning

Studentsconceptualize,plan,andexecuteasubstantive,culminatingproject(presentation,paper,creativeproduct,poster,team-basedproject)Studentsrecognizeandusekeyconcepts,methods,vocabularyandtechniquesofchosenacademicfieldtosolvedisciplinaryproblemsStudentsapplyconceptsandmethodsfrommultipledisciplinestoexaminecross-disciplinaryissuesofconcern


Studentsapplymethodsofinquiryofoneormoredisciplinestopersonal,academic,service,professional,orcommunityactivities

Writing&Communication

Studentscommunicatefindingsinwritten,oralormultimodalformsappropriatetothedisciplineandcontext

WritingRequirement

Note:Reasonableamountofwriting,appropriatetosenior-levelexpectationsanddepartmentalstandards

InformationLiteracy

Studentsidentify,use,andevaluatemultiplebodiesofknowledgetoaddressreal-worldproblems

IntegrativeCapstone[CAPS].Integrativecapstonecoursesbringopportunitiesforintegration,application,andclosuretotheundergraduateexperience,andpreparestudentsforpost-baccalaureateworkandlife-longlearning.Criticalthinking,communication,informationliteracy,andintegrativelearningskillsarerequiredandpracticedexplicitlyincapstonecourses,inadditiontootherlearninggoalsasappropriatetothecourseanddiscipline.SomecoursesalsotargetQuantitativeReasoning,ScienceLiteracy,multi-modelcommunicationand/orDiversity.

AllCAPSCoursesarerequiredto:• Requirestudentstodrawontheskillsneededtodeveloptheirownresearchorcreativeproject,andtoinitiate

investigationsandexplorationsofopen-endedissuesandproblems.


• RequirestudentstodemonstrateIntegrativeLearning:byshowingadepthofknowledgewithinthechosenacademicfieldofstudybasedonintegration,forexample,ofitshistory,coremethods,techniques,vocabulary,andunsolvedproblems;ORbyapplyingtheconceptsoftheirgeneralandspecializedstudiestopersonal,academic,servicelearning,professional,and/orcommunityactivities;ORbyintegratingmethodsandconceptsofthechosendisciplinewiththoseofotherdisciplinesandengagingincross-disciplinaryactivities.

• MayalsotargetQuantitativeReasoning,ScienceLiteracy,multi-modalcommunicationand/orDiversity,asappropriate.

UCOREcommitteesuggeststhatcapstonecoursesandassignmentsintentionallyofferstudents:• Authentic,contextualizedexperiencesorcomplexscenarios• Independenceandagency,withfeedbackalongtheway• Opportunitiestointegrateandextendpriorlearning;andtousecriticalinquiry


SampleCompletedLearningOutcomesGridfor[ROOT]:History105

WSU/UCOREgoalsROOTCategoryLearningOutcomes




IntegrativeLearning Studentsbegintointegratemethodsandconceptsofthehistoricaldisciplinewiththoseofotherdisciplines.

Demonstratehowhistoricalunderstandingenrichesallieddisciplinaryapproachestocriticalglobalissuesthataffecthumanlifeinthe21stcentury.

Historicalop-edsrequirestudentstoidentifyand/orusesourcesproducedinoraboutphysicalandbiologicalsciences(carbonenergy)andsocialsciences(race/racism,war/terror,Israeli-Palestinianconflict).

Historicalop-edsassessedbyrubric/comment(formative).

Studentsshowdepthandbreadthofknowledgewithhistoricaldiscipline.

Demonstratehowcontemporaryissueshavebeenshapedbydeephistoricalprocessesacrossawiderangeofgeographiccasestudies.

Casestudiesincludecontentfromatleastbefore1800andgeographicalbreadththatextendsoutsideoftheUnitedStates.Historicalop-edsrequirethatstudentsdemonstratehowadeeperhistoricalandwidergeographicalunderstandinghelpmakesenseofacontemporaryevent/process.

Dailyparticipationviain-classsmallgroupdiscussion/writingassessedviacomment(formative);Historicalop-edsassessedviarubric(formative).

InformationLiteracy Studentsrecognizewheninformationisneededandareabletolocate,evaluate,anduseeffectivelytheneededinformation.

Demonstratefamiliaritywithandtheabilitytoaccessanduselibraryanddigitalscholarshipresourcesoftheuniversity.

Disciplinarylibrarianleadstwoclasssessions.Researchassignments1-3requirestudentstouselibraryresourcestolocateprimaryandsecondaryhistoricalsources.

Researchassignments1-3andfinalresearchessayassessedbyrubric/comment(formative/summative).

Identify,evaluate,anduseprimaryandsecondaryhistoricalsourcesappropriately.

Requiredweeklyreadings(primaryandsecondary)discussed/analyzedinsmallgroupsandaswholeclass(studentsidentify/produceexamples,questions,evidence).Globalcampusstudentsdiscussweeklyreadingsthroughdiscussionforums.

Dailyparticipationgroupsubmissionscheckedforcomprehension(formative);Globalcampusdiscussionforumsassessedbycommentfrominstructor(formative).

Scaffoldedresearchassignments1-3,historicalop-ed“lede”research,andintroductorynewsassignmentsallrequirethatstudentsconductprimaryand/orsecondaryresearchandemploysourcestosupportanargument.

Historicalop-edsandresearchassignments1-4andhistoricalop-edsassessedbyrubric/comment(formative).



Demonstrateanabilitytoformulateappropriateanalyticalquestions.

Introductorynewsassignmentsrequirestudentstopracticeposinghistoricalquestionsaboutcontemporaryevents/processes.

Introductorynewsassignmentssharedanddiscussedinclass(formative).

Researchassignments1-2requirestudentstoformulateandthenreviseanoriginalresearchquestionbasedonnewlyfoundsecondarysources.

Researchassignments1-2assessmentbyrubric/comment(formative)andfinalresearchessayassessmentbyrubric/comment(summative).


Critical&CreativeThinking(continued)

Studentsdevelopthecapabilitytousereason,evidence,andcontexttoincreaseknowledge,toreasonethically,andtoinnovateinimaginativeways(continued).

Demonstrateanabilitytouseprimaryandsecondaryhistoricalsourcestoformulateargumentssupportedbyevidence.

Historicalop-edsrequirestudentstouseprimaryandsecondarysourcestosupportanargumentaboutaconnectionbetweenacontemporaryevent/processandhistoricalcasestudiescoveredinclass(colonialism,carbonenergypolitics,racism,e.g.)

Historicalop-edsassessedbyrubric/comment(formative).

Researchassignment3requiresstudentstoproduceanannotatedbibliographyofallsourcesgatheredtodemonstraterelevanceofsourcesandintentiontouse.Finalresearchessayrequiresstudentstomarshalandorganizeevidencefromacquiredsources.

Annotatedbibliography(researchassignment3)assessedbyrubric/comment(formative);Finalresearchessayassessedbyrubric(summative).

Communication Studentsdemonstrateclarity,fluency,andaccuracy,andorganizationalskillsintheirwrittencommunicationinamountsappropriatetoa100levelHistorycourse.

Craftwell-supportedhistoricalarguments.

Historicalop-eds(4xat500-750words)andfinalresearchessay(1500words)requirestudentstopracticestatinghistoricalarguments.

Historicalop-edsandfinalresearchessayassessedbyrubric/comment(formative/summative)

Organizeideasandevidenceinclearways.

Historicalop-edsrequirestudentstopresenthistoricalevidenceinorganizedfashion;Researchassignment4requiresstudentstoproduceanoutlinefortheirfinalresearchessay.

Historicalop-edsassessedbyrubric/comment(formative);Researchassignment4assessedbyrubric(formative).

Studentsdemonstrateclarity,fluency,andaccuracyintheiroralcommunicationskills.

Developoralcommunicationskillswiththeirpeersandwithfacultyand/orteachingassistant.

Dailyin-classsmallgroupandwholeclassdiscussiononhistoricalcasestudies(colonialism,carbonenergy,racism,terrorism,Israeli-Palestinian)requirestudentstopose/answerhistoricalquestions,weighevidence,andarriveathistorically-informedconclusions.

Dailyparticipationassessedthroughin-classcomment/discussionleadershipbyinstructor;smallgroupwrittenresponsesrecordoraldiscussionandarereviewedregularlybyfacultyand/orteachingassistant(formative)

Diversity

Studentsmovebeyondperception-basedcomparisons,priorknowledge,andindividualexperiencestounderstandhowsocialpositioningandculturaldifferencesand/orinterrelationsareconstructed.

Demonstrateanunderstandingofdominantpowerstructures/narrativesandalternatesocial/culturalperspectivesusingevidence-basedhistoricalscholarship.

Coursetopicsandreadingsaboutcolonialism,politicsofcarbonenergy,racism,terrorism,andIsraeli-Palestinianconflictdirectlyengageissuesofinequality,institutionalpowerstructures,andtheirhistoricalroots.

Comprehensioncheckedviain-classdiscussion(formative);Historicalop-edsaddressaforementionedtopicsandareassessedbyrubric/comment(formative).

Studentsusevocabularyandconceptswithwhichtoengageandanalyzehowsocialrealitiesareshapedandhowstereotypesarecreatedbyculturalandsocio-economicdifferencesintheUSand/orglobally.

Studentsusedevelophistoricalunderstandingofhowinequalitiesarecreatedandhowideasareconstructedandperpetuated.

In-classdiscussionsofassignedhistoricalsources(primaryandsecondary)providehistoricalframingandunderstandingofcontemporaryinequalitiesandsociallyconstructedideasandstereotypes.Historicalop-edscheckhowwellstudentscanarticulatetheseconceptsusinghistoricalevidencethroughwriting.

Comprehensioncheckedviain-classdiscussion(formative);Historicalop-edsassessedbyrubric/comment(formative).


OTHERRESOURCES

• Teachsite:https://teach.wsu.eduAcentralrepositoryofinformationandopportunities,includinginformationondevelopingandadoptingOpenEducationalResources.

• AcademicOutreachandInnovation(AOI)LearningInnovationssite:https://li.wsu.edu/Supportforallthingsteaching--online,oncampus,andanythingin-between—includinginstructionaldesignconsulting,mediadevelopmentandsupportfordevelopingOpenEducationalResources(OERs).

• AssessmentofTeachingandLearninginstructionalresources:https://atl.wsu.edu/Informationonaddressingteachingissuesfromassessmenttolargeclasses,capstones,andotherinstructionalsituations.

• TeachingListserv:Aoi_learning_innovations@lists.wsu.eduSubscribebycontactingDeannaHamiltonatdhamilton2@wsu.edu

• SyllabusPolicies,RequiredContent,andChecklist:Vpue.wsu.edu/policies/


AppendixC:UCOREAssessmentPlanBelowisasummaryoftheUCOREAssessmentPlan,2015-2023.PleaseconsulttheUCOREassessmentwebsiteforthefullplanandanyupdates.https://ucore.wsu.edu/faculty/

PREFACE

ApproachtoAssessmentPlanningforGeneralEducation

• Collectmeaningfulassessmentdataonstudentlearning—usingamixofdirectmeasures,indirectmeasures,andotherindicators—inordertorecognizestrengthsandrecommendimprovementsinprograms,courses,pedagogy,facultydevelopment,policiesorotherdecisionsintendedtosupportlearningingeneraleducationcoursesandcurriculum.

• Prioritizethevalueandroleoffacultytoassessstudentlearning,ascriticaltoeffectivelyevaluatetheperformanceofWSUstudentsincontextandinourcurriculum,ratherthanrelyingonexternalstandardizedexamsfordirectmeasuresoflearning.

• Supportandimprovemeaningfulandsustainableassessmentprocessesforgeneraleducationcurriculum,courses,instruction,andrelatedservicesandsupport.

PurposesforAssessmentofSevenLearningGoals

1. MonitorAchievement:Determinetheextenttowhichstudentsaremeetingexpectationsneargraduationandmonitorresultsforanyredflags.Periodicallyconfirmifthebasicsuiteofmeasuresaremeetingneedsandrecommendimprovements.RegularlyreportonallSevenLearningGoals,foruniversityoverviewandaccreditation.

2. LookMoreDeeplyatParticularLearningGoalsorQuestions:Digdeeperintoparticularlearninggoalsorquestions,whichmayinvolvedifferentormorefine-grainedassessmenttoolsandprocesses.UCOREAssessmentPlanalternatestheseassessmentswitharegularbasicdashboardapproachtomonitorachievement,asdescribedabove.

3. UseResultsforImprovement:Designandimplementassessmentsthatcanbeusedformatively--toguideimprovementofcourses,instruction,andcurricula—andalsosummatively,foraccountabilityandaccreditation.UCOREintendsassessmentactivitiestobeusefultofacultyandprograms,andseekstowidelyshareresultswithconstituents.TheUCOREAssessmentwebsitesupportsregularcommunicationwithuniversitystakeholders,students,andthepublic.

RolesofUCORECommitteeandSubcommittee

FacultyguidanceandoversightoftheUCOREgeneraleducationcurriculumandachievementoftheSevenLearningGoalsareprovidedthroughtheUCORECommitteeandtheSubcommitteeforAssessment.TheSubcommitteeprovidesfacultyinput,coordinatedwithrepresentativesfromkeyprogramsandunits,indevelopingmeaningfulassessmentofgeneraleducation,interpretingresults,andprovidingsummariesandrecommendationstotheUCORECommitteeandVPUEforuses,improvementsandactions.


UCOREandGeneralEducationAssessmentPlan(Abridged2015-2023)

*Indicates pilot of measure for LG1QUANT, SCILIT, DIVR, and ORL COM are optional in [CAPS] course reports, depending on the student project, discipline, and

course2NSSE questions mapped to the INFOLIT are not part of the standard NSSE instrument and are only administered as part of

certain optional topical modules

DraftUCOREHandbookUpdate3.0|3.20.2018|Page117

UCOREAssessmentFocusandRelatedMeasuresbyLearningGoal

Critical and Creative Thinking: Assessment Measures and Collection of Data AY 2016-17 through AY 2022-23

Measures AY 2016-17

AY 2017-18

AY 2018-19

AY 2019-20

AY 2020-21

AY 2021-22

AY 2022-23

SENIOR-LEVEL [CAPS] Holistic Course Asmt Reports – Direct X X X X X

National Survey of Student Engagement – Indirect X X X X

FIRST YEAR-LEVEL [ROOT] Final Papers Asmt – Direct X X X X National Survey of Student Engagement – Indirect X X X X

Quantitative Reasoning: Assessment Measures and Collection of Data AY 2016-17 through AY 2022-23

Measures AY 2016-17

AY 2017-18

AY 2018-19

AY 2019-20

AY 2020-21

AY 2021-22

AY 2022-23

SENIOR-LEVEL [CAPS] Holistic Course Asmt Reports – Direct (optional) (optional) (optional) (optional) (optional)


FIRST YEAR-LEVEL Direct


Scientific Literacy: Assessment Measures and Collection of Data AY 2016-17 through AY 2022-23

Measures AY 2016-17

AY 2017-18

AY 2018-19

AY 2019-20

AY 2020-21

AY 2021-22

AY 2022-23


Indirect

FIRST YEAR-LEVEL

Direct

Indirect


UCOREAssessmentFocusandRelatedMeasuresbyLearningGoal,cont.

Information Literacy: Assessment Measures and Collection of Data AY 2016-17 through AY 2022-23

Measures AY 2016-17

AY 2017-18

AY 2018-19

AY 2019-20

AY 2020-21

AY 2021-22

AY 2022-23


National Survey of Student Engagement – Indirect (optional) (optional) (optional)

FIRST YEAR-LEVEL [ROOT] Final Papers Asmt – Direct X X X X National Survey of Student Engagement – Indirect (optional) (optional) (optional)

Written Communication: Assessment Measures and Collection of Data AY 2016-17 through AY 2022-23

Measures AY 2016-17

AY 2017-18

AY 2018-19

AY 2019-20

AY 2020-21

AY 2021-22

AY 2022-23



FIRST YEAR-LEVEL [ROOT] Final Papers Asmt – Direct X X X X [ROOT] Diverse Thinking Papers Asmt – Direct X X X

ENGL 101 Holistic Course Asmt Reports – Direct X X X X X


Oral Communication: Assessment Measures and Collection of Data AY 2016-17 through AY 2022-23

Measures AY 2016-17

AY 2017-18

AY 2018-19

AY 2019-20

AY 2020-21

AY 2021-22

AY 2022-23



FIRST YEAR-LEVEL

Direct



UCOREAssessmentFocusandRelatedMeasuresbyLearningGoal,cont.

Diversity: Assessment Measures and Collection of Data AY 2016-17 through AY 2022-23

Measures AY 2016-17

AY 2017-18

AY 2018-19

AY 2019-20

AY 2020-21

AY 2021-22

AY 2022-23



FIRST YEAR-LEVEL [ROOT] Diverse Thinking Papers Asmt – Direct X X X


Depth, Breadth, and Integration of Learning: Assessment Measures and Collection of Data AY 2016-17 through AY 2022-23

Measures AY 2016-17

AY 2017-18

AY 2018-19

AY 2019-20

AY 2020-21

AY 2021-22

AY 2022-23



FIRST YEAR-LEVEL [ROOT] Final Papers Asmt – Direct X X X National Survey of Student Engagement – Indirect X X X X

UCORE Handbook v3.1 updated 04.22 - WSU University Common ... · 4/1/2019 · Similarly, capstone...

Documents

Transcript of UCORE Handbook v3.1 updated 04.22 - WSU University Common ... · 4/1/2019 · Similarly, capstone...