: Implementation
: Curriculum & Pedagogy
Charge
At the core of the College’s future, as is both presently
true and has been true throughout our history, will be the
faculty, their curriculum, and the pedagogy. This will be
what attracts students, retains them, and allows them to
graduate and proceed to lives of meaning and achievement.
While extensive research has been conducted on the blueprint
for our curriculum and pedagogy, this group will recommend
how to turn that blueprint into reality. In so doing, I invite
the faculty to invest in this curriculum and pedagogy and
to take ownership for the benefit of students. I charge and
challenge you to be bold and creative, to be authentic and
distinctive in your recommendations.
More specifically, the working group should:
Phase I. DATA GATHERING AND ANALYSIS
Review the following and request any additional data or
information that the group believes will assist in its deliberations.
- The current curriculum, including its history, requirements,
and expectations (including general education requirements,
trends in majors, and actual credits to degree).
- The current pedagogical approaches, including the College
pedagogical culture, use of technology, and student engagement.
- Any data that might be impacted by curriculum and/or
pedagogy (e.g. freshman – sophomore retention rates;
4 and 6 year graduation rates; NSSE results; other student
surveys; student – faculty ratio; average class size;
study abroad percentages/trends.)
- The market research and analysis conducted by Art & Science.
- Any data and information for aspirational institutions.
(The group should identify institutions of similar size
and mission that have distinctive and successful curriculum/pedagogy
and create an “aspirational group of institutions.”)
- Suggestions and input from members of the College community.
(The working group should probably have one or more open
meetings and should provide a suggested format for written
and electronic submissions.)
- Review of national and association reports on curriculum
change.
- Examination of recent curricular/pedagogy innovation
(see North Carolina A&T University studies, for example)
at other institutions.
Phase II: CRAFTING PROPOSALS
- Consider all data, information, and input in light of
the College’s future.
- Develop a distinctive curriculum proposal that responds
to the needs of students, that recognizes the global environment,
and that celebrates the liberal arts.
- Develop a distinctive pedagogical proposal (including
necessary faculty development) to support and to expand
the impact of the curriculum.
- Share proposals with the College’s community to
seek input, while recognizing that the working group is
ultimately responsible for a bold proposal.
- Share proposals with Art & Science and other external
expertise for comments and suggestions.
- Test proposals with focus groups of current and prospective
students.
Phase III: FRAMING RECOMMENDATIONS
- Draft recommendations in the approved format.
- Send to faculty curriculum committee for review and comment.
- Send recommendations, as well as curriculum committee’s
comments, to the Steering Committee.
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