Core Curriculum Revision

Dr. Don PrattAssociate Professor Biology

Chair Core Curriculum Advisory Committee

Presentation ObjectivesO Provide a history of the Core and

Core revision processO Discuss new Core ObjectivesO Identify some unresolved issuesO Present the Core Application Process

History

Current CoreO Established in 1997

O 42-46 SCHO 37 EEOs

O Why change the core?O THECB wants the core to help

students build real world skills and capabilities

Philosophical ShiftOld Core

O Accumulate credits

O Across a wide academic background

O EEOs were unique to a discipline

New CoreO Master six key

skillsO In a variety of

academic disciplines

O Core objectives are shared across the institution

Purposes of the CoreO Students will gain

O Knowledge of human cultures and physical and natural world

O Principles of personal and social responsibility

O Intellectual and practical skills

Workforce ReportO Interviewed

O 400+ employersO Expectations and experiences with

O High School GraduatesO Jr College GraduatesO University Graduates

Workforce Report SkillsO Basic Knowledge

O EnglishO Reading/writingO MathO ScienceO ArtO Social Studies

O Applied SkillsO Critical ThinkingO CommunicationO Quantitative

ReasoningO TeamworkO Personal and

Social Responsibility

Core ObjectivesFoundational Areas

Crit. Think

Comm

Empir.Quant. Team

Soc.Resp.

Pers.Resp.

CommunicationMathNat. Sci.Language, Philosophy,CultureCreative ArtsAm. HistoryGovernmentSocial & Behavioral Sci.CAO

Current 42-46

Revised 42

Communication 12-14

Communication 6

Math 3 Math 3Science 6-8 Science 6

Humanities 3Language/Philosophy/Culture

3

Fine Arts 3 Fine Arts 3US History 6 US History 6Government 6 Government 6Social Science 3 Social Science 3Institutional Option 0 Component Area

Option 6

EEOs 37 Core Objectives 6

Core Objectives

Critical ThinkingO Includes

O Creative thinking and innovationO InquiryO Analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of

informationO Addressed in ALL core courses

CommunicationO Effective development,

interpretation, and expression of ideas

O IncludesO Written communicationO Oral communicationO Visual communication

O Addressed in ALL core courses

Empirical and Quantitative

O IncludesO Manipulation and analysis of

numerical data or observable factsO Create informed conclusions

O Addressed in Math, Science, and Social sciences

TeamworkO Includes

O Ability to consider different points of view

O Ability to work with others towards a shared goal

O Addressed in Communication, Sciences, and Fine Arts

Personal ResponsibilityO Ability to connect personal choices,

actions, and consequences to ethical decision making

O Addressed in Communication, Language/Philosophy/Culture, History, Government

Social ResponsibilityO Includes

O Intercultural competenceO Civic responsibilityO Ability to engage in regional, national,

and global communitiesO Addressed in

Language/Philosophy/Culture, Fine Arts, History, Government, Social Sciences

Unresolved Difficulties

The Issues1. How to handle four credit hour

coursesO Science coursesO Foreign Language courses

2. How to allocate the Component Area Option

Four SCH DilemmaO New core allocates

O 6 hours to sciencesO 3 hours to Language, culture, and

philosophyO But

O Science and foreign language courses are 4 SCH

Option 1O Account for extra hours at the

degree levelO Science

O Six hours count towards coreO Two hours accounted for in each

degreeO The Math

O Current Core ranges from 42-46 SCHO New Core 42 SCH

Option 2O Account for extra science hours

using credits from the Component Area OptionO Leaves four hoursO Decreases flexibility in how we use

the CAO

Component Area Option

O 6 SCH to be applied by the UniversityO Common opinions so far

O Fourth Science hourO CommunicationO Ethics

O Address student weaknesses

ETS DataO Compares performance of Freshman

and Senior studentsO SFA Students

O Weak inO Critical ThinkingO ReadingO Writing

O VERY weak inO Math

Core Application Process

Stages1. Submit application to the Core

Curriculum Advisory Committee2. Submit assessment documents to

Assessment Committee3. Submit course changes to

Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

TimelineO Feb. 15, 2013- Application to CoreO Fall 2013- Course changes to

Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

O Oct. 1, 2013- Core documentation, justification, assessment due to Provost

O Nov. 30, 2013- Core documentation, justification, assessment due to THECB

O Fall 2014- Begin new core