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Task force weighs in on general education
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"What we need to do is to make it clear to our students and to ourselves why general education is something that plays an integral role in promoting success in their chosen fields."
A task force on general education is recommending that the university leverage existing courses and strengths to develop a program that emphasizes global perspectives and ethical reasoning while showing students how a broad base of knowledge can help them succeed in their disciplines and careers.
In a 20-page report published in February, the General Education Task Force, commissioned by Provost Satish K. Tripathi and the Faculty Senate, suggested the following:
• Transforming the general education program into the “UB Core Curriculum: Learning for Life,” a change that would reflect the importance of general education in producing graduates with a respect for human rights and tolerance for the diversity of cultures; an interest in dealing responsibly with natural resources and the cultural environment; and a sense of citizenship as members of local, national and global communities. This signature program, distinct to UB, will help recruit and retain students and introduce the public to the university’s expertise.
• Orienting “World Civilizations” and introductory science courses toward themes such as the environment, justice or health and wellness. Students would be able to enroll in classes focusing on topics relevant to their major, enabling them to see how a broad base of knowledge can be useful in their fields.
• Linking required writing courses to other introductory courses. Under this plan, essays students compose and edit in writing courses would be the same essays they are drafting for “World Civilizations” or other introductory courses.
• Emphasizing in all courses the need to acquire, practice and perfect basic skills, including writing, reading and articulating arguments in a logical way.
• Expanding a library skills workbook that students must complete to cover such topics as intellectual property on the Web and privacy in social networking culture.
• Equipping students with the skills they need to function and flourish in a globalized world. The university should involve all undergraduates in the exploration of foreign languages and/or international communication, and create incentives for faculty and departments to develop entry-level courses highlighting global perspectives and problems like international conflict, global markets and environmental issues that cross borders.
• Preparing students for ethical challenges in their personal and professional lives by highlighting moral issues and values linked to diverse philosophies, religions, political systems and professions. Students should learn how to practice ethical decision-making in their fields and how to handle personal health and finances responsibly. First- and second-year courses in the core curriculum should include the examination of an ethical issue and relate ethical dilemmas from the past to contemporary problems.
Andreas Daum, associate dean for undergraduate education and a co-chair of the task force, says the group is not proposing a dramatic overhaul of existing requirements.
While some new classes could help UB build a general education program fit for the 21st century, Daum says the objective is to utilize existing courses in creative ways to fulfill goals, including making general education more relevant in the minds of both undergraduates and professors. The proposed theme-based introductory classes are a perfect example: “World Civilizations” already exists, but many undergraduates view the course as another item to check off on their general education laundry list. Tying “World Civilizations” to select subjects—which could be as diverse as international economics or natural resources—will encourage teachers and students alike to take a new interest in their sections.
“One of the current pitfalls of our general education program is that students perceive it to be largely detached from their intended majors. So let’s say a student intends to study philosophy or history or pharmacy. As it is today, it is hard for that student to see the rationale—why fulfilling general education requirements make sense for their discipline. It’s not that they dislike these courses or that the instruction is not good,” Daum says. “What we need to do is to make it clear to our students and to ourselves why general education is something that plays an integral role in promoting success in their chosen fields.”
Daum and colleagues on the task force, including co-chairs Diane Christian, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of English, and John Thomas, director of the HSBC Center for Global Leadership and dean emeritus of the School of Management, have spent the past couple of months discussing their ideas with stakeholders, including students, the Faculty Senate, deans, vice presidents, vice provosts, and campus groups and offices concerned with undergraduate education.
Daum says reaction to the report has been positive and encouraging. The task force will continue soliciting feedback from across the university, engaging all of UB’s schools in a dialogue with the intent of submitting refined recommendations to the provost by the end of the calendar year.
For a full copy of the report, which includes a list of task force members, click here.
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