2008 Woodie Awards
This year the General Education task force is continuing with its year-long revamping process of the General Education program through numerous discussions, open forums and careful review.
"It's definitely time for it to be re-examined," said Andrew Borden, a junior political science and history major who attended Wednesday's open forum. "It has its strengths and weaknesses, but it's moving in the right way."
The review of the General Education Program began in fall 2007 semester when the Gen Ed Task Force began reviewing possible modifications to the program in order to enhance the effectiveness of the program for students and faculty, the intention being that the task force would review the curriculum to see what modifications can be made to make the program more accessible to students of all majors.
"We were asked to look at the gen ed program and modify the program so it is more student centered," said Linda Maule, coordinator of general education and associate professor of political science and women's studies. "We need to show that the learning objectives are explicit and are being met and speak to the quality of the learning experience."
The task force is made up of 20 faculty members representing every college at ISU as well as Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Accreditation and Assessment.
Along with the task force staff, open online forums are provided to students and faculty in order to receive the input of those actually going through the General Education program. One anonymous writer on the forum has criticized the new specifications created by the task force are "not much different than the existing structures."
One of the task force meetings held Wednesday was open to the public where both positive and negative feedback were heard and taken into account.
One of the main topics for discussion in the revamping process is lack of motivation for students to take low-level general education courses that don't seem to connect to their intended major. At ISU all students have the same general education requirements with all majors, the idea being that all students, regardless of major, should be able to graduate in eight semesters. The job of the task force in this area is to create a greater connection between the required general education courses and the chosen major of the student.
"It's definitely time for it to be re-examined," said Andrew Borden, a junior political science and history major who attended Wednesday's open forum. "It has its strengths and weaknesses, but it's moving in the right way."
The review of the General Education Program began in fall 2007 semester when the Gen Ed Task Force began reviewing possible modifications to the program in order to enhance the effectiveness of the program for students and faculty, the intention being that the task force would review the curriculum to see what modifications can be made to make the program more accessible to students of all majors.
"We were asked to look at the gen ed program and modify the program so it is more student centered," said Linda Maule, coordinator of general education and associate professor of political science and women's studies. "We need to show that the learning objectives are explicit and are being met and speak to the quality of the learning experience."
The task force is made up of 20 faculty members representing every college at ISU as well as Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Accreditation and Assessment.
Along with the task force staff, open online forums are provided to students and faculty in order to receive the input of those actually going through the General Education program. One anonymous writer on the forum has criticized the new specifications created by the task force are "not much different than the existing structures."
One of the task force meetings held Wednesday was open to the public where both positive and negative feedback were heard and taken into account.
One of the main topics for discussion in the revamping process is lack of motivation for students to take low-level general education courses that don't seem to connect to their intended major. At ISU all students have the same general education requirements with all majors, the idea being that all students, regardless of major, should be able to graduate in eight semesters. The job of the task force in this area is to create a greater connection between the required general education courses and the chosen major of the student.
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