Madeleva Society Steering Committee

April 23, 2010

Reforming General Education

at Saint Mary’s

A. Historical Context for General Education at SMC

B. Why reform General Education now?1. President Mooney’s priorities2. 2008 Strategic Plan

C. The Current GenEd Program

D. Features of the New Curriculum§ Learning Outcomes§ A reassertion of our Holy Cross heritage

A. Historical Context for General Education at SMC

B. Why reform General Education now?1. President Mooney’s priorities2. 2008 Strategic Plan

C. The Current GenEd Program

D. Features of the New Curriculum§ Learning Outcomes§ A reassertion of our Holy Cross heritage

Era of the Academy 1850s to mid-1890sBasic literacy for an immigrant population

Mother Pauline Era 1895 to mid-1930sFemale refinement befitting a “convent school”

Sister Madeleva Era 1934 to 1970sWell-rounded education to match increasing opportunities for women

Lay Leadership Era 1970s to presentMaking a difference in the world (pluralism, global awareness, feminism)

The Four Eras of Saint Mary’s College*

*With thanks to Professor Gail Mandell, Humanistic Studies Department

BA, 1959-1960•16 hours of theology

•15 of philosophy•12 of English•8 of lab science•6 of history•6 of social science•6 of fine arts•5 of math•up to 16 of foreign language

90 hours!

BA, 2008-2009

•6 hours of religious studies•3 of philosophy•3 of English•8 of lab science•3 of history•6 of social science•3 of fine arts•3 or 4 of math•8 of foreign language•9 hours of additional courses•Writing Proficiency

53 hours

“The General Education Program will be re-examined, re-articulated, and re-configured. General Education touches every Saint Mary’s student and the articulation of its content telegraphs to our students the elements that the College judges to be essential to a Saint Mary’s education.….As we design an improved General Education Program, we will have our eyes on the total education we provide our students. Hence, during this process, we will reinforce Saint Mary’s learning goals and articulate the learning outcomes we hope to achieve in the four years our students are with us.”

“The General Education Program will be re-examined, re-articulated, and re-configured. General Education touches every Saint Mary’s student and the articulation of its content telegraphs to our students the elements that the College judges to be essential to a Saint Mary’s education.….As we design an improved General Education Program, we will have our eyes on the total education we provide our students. Hence, during this process, we will reinforce Saint Mary’s learning goals and articulate the learning outcomes we hope to achieve in the four years our students are with us.”

—The Path to Leadership 2012

LO1

LO2

LO3

Making Learning IntentionalMaking Learning Intentional

MissionMission StatementStatementMissionMission

StatementStatement

LearningOutcomesLearning

Outcomes

a a Knowledge Acquisition & Integration of LearningKnowledge Acquisition & Integration of Learning

b b Cognitive & Communicative SkillsCognitive & Communicative Skills

c c Intercultural Competence & Social ResponsibilityIntercultural Competence & Social Responsibility

a a Knowledge Acquisition & Integration of LearningKnowledge Acquisition & Integration of Learning

b b Cognitive & Communicative SkillsCognitive & Communicative Skills

c c Intercultural Competence & Social ResponsibilityIntercultural Competence & Social ResponsibilityCatholic education in the liberal arts tradition

values knowledge for its own sake and affirms

the interconnectedness of all learning.

Therefore….

A Saint Mary’s student exhibits sound knowledge of the

formation of human identities, the development and

functioning of diverse cultures and social groupings, the

practice of creative artistry, the multi-faceted nature of

religion and the Catholic tradition, the complexity of

fundamental philosophical questions, and the intricate

workings of the natural world.

Knowledge Acquisition & Integration of LearningKnowledge Acquisition & Integration of Learning

A Saint Mary’s student demonstrates the ability to look at

issues from multiple perspectives, recognizing the effect

that differences in areas such as gender, religion, values,

culture and privilege can have on the ways that people

interpret and act in the world; and she makes connections

across disparate settings and areas of study.

Knowledge Acquisition & Integration of LearningKnowledge Acquisition & Integration of Learning

a a Knowledge Acquisition & Integration of LearningKnowledge Acquisition & Integration of Learning

b b Cognitive & Communicative SkillsCognitive & Communicative Skills

c c Intercultural Competence & Social ResponsibilityIntercultural Competence & Social ResponsibilityAs a women’s college, Saint Mary’s

emphasizes the value of women’s voices and

their distinctive contribution to intellectual life.

Therefore….

A Saint Mary’s student masters a broad set of sophisticated

intellectual skills, including critical thinking, careful

interpretation of complex texts and artifacts, accurate

evaluation of data, investigative problem solving, quantitative

reasoning, historical sensitivity, and technological and

information literacy. She reflects analytically on her

experience as a woman, on the contributions of women’s

voices, and on constructions of gender.

Cognitive & Communicative SkillsCognitive & Communicative Skills

A Saint Mary's student communicates her ideas, insights,

thought processes, and conclusions with accuracy,

competence, and style in various media and contexts.

Cognitive & Communicative SkillsCognitive & Communicative Skills

a a Knowledge Acquisition & Integration of LearningKnowledge Acquisition & Integration of Learning

b b Cognitive Skills & Communicative AbilitiesCognitive Skills & Communicative Abilities

c c Intercultural Competence & Social ResponsibilityIntercultural Competence & Social Responsibility

Furthermore, as a Catholic women’s college, Saint

Mary’s fosters respect and compassion for all

persons and honors leadership that improves the

human community. Therefore….

A Saint Mary’s student develops reflective and

collaborative skills that enable her to learn from and

participate in dialogue with diverse people and cultures.

She does this by attaining competence in another

language and by study and experience that reveal both

cultural differences and the connections joining people in a

global society.

Intercultural Competence & Social ResponsibilityIntercultural Competence & Social Responsibility

In keeping with the mission of the Sisters of the Holy

Cross and their stance in solidarity with the poor and

powerless, a Saint Mary’s student will evaluate social

conditions, discern human needs, and be able to respond

as an agent of change.

Intercultural Competence & Social ResponsibilityIntercultural Competence & Social Responsibility

aa Knowledge Acquisition & Knowledge Acquisition & Integration of LearningIntegration of Learning

bb Cognitive & Cognitive & Communicative SkillsCommunicative Skills

cc Intercultural Intercultural Competence & Social Competence & Social ResponsibilityResponsibility

InformationInformation

FormationFormation

TransformationTransformation

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LO2LO3

Questions or Discussion