Proposed Changes to the Goals of the General Education Program

Background
As the General Education Committee was developing an assessment plan for the program, it became clear that we had two basic problems with the goals of the program as they are currently written. One is that given the wording of the majority of the goals, measurement of outcomes is exceedingly difficult. That is, four of the six goals refer to understanding very broad topics, such as the humanities; "human functioning and behavior in individuals, groups, institutions, and societies;" and "understanding and appreciating various art forms." These goals contrast with the other two, which are stated in terms of studying and applying principles of mathematics and of oral and written communication. Whether or not we are achieving these two goals is quite easy to measure. The other problem is that the program has developed an emphasis that is not mentioned in any of the goals. It is the library research component that is now a part of the across-the-general-education curriculum approach in the same way as writing, oral communication and math.

We propose that the goals of the program be restated to include the library research component, to make the natural science, social science, humanities and fine arts components measurable, and to put them in an order that matches the structure of the program. WE DO NOT INTEND or foresee that the proposed changes will affect the content of the program in any way.

Current Goal Statements
• to understand the humanities and how they explore the complexity of the human experience;
• to understand and appreciate various art forms;
• to understand human functioning and behavior in individuals, groups, institutions, and societies;
• to understand the natural sciences, their application in technological innovation and development, and their impact on society;
• to study and apply basic mathematical principles; and
• to study and apply principles of written and oral communication.


Proposed Goal Statements
• to study and apply basic mathematical principles;
• to study and apply principles of written and oral communication;
• to study and apply basic library research skills including basic assessment of various kinds of sources;
• to study the natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, humanities and fine arts.