At the Juncture of “My Course” and “Our Program”

December 10, 2018

So, you teach a course. You like teaching the course. You know your subject, you know what the students are like, and you value your role. But that course is not an isolated entity: it is part of a vertical (i.e. – for a major, certification, or track) or horizontal (i.e – part of a general education curriculum, provides broad skills for life-long learning) program of study. Maybe both.

To what extent do we know what our colleagues are doing in their own courses, and how can we learn from each other?

A strong premise of faculty development in higher education – supported by research – is that providing opportunities for faculty to think about and work collaboratively on their teaching raises the quality of our individual classes and our collective programs.

Collaborations: Our Assignments

In spring 2019, OTEI and the Division of Undergraduate Studies will sponsor a short, high-impact, hands-on series for faculty teaching courses in the general education program. (Click here to sign up for workshops in March and April.) The series is based upon the evidence-based literature and will involve the peer review of faculty members’ own assignments or assignment ideas, connecting them to the revised student learning outcomes and general education vision statement that will be in the undergraduate catalog effective fall 2019. (Links to revision language and to student learning outcomes with rubrics.)

This series will be two parts: an “Assignment Tuning” and a “Design Wrap,” both in a small group with a faculty facilitator. Faculty collaborations on assignment tuning, design, and/or implementation of assignments are important intellectual exercises for the craft of teaching, and engage us in general education development rather than just looking toward accreditation compliance. A holistic general education program is more than just isolated courses.

Additionally, the Clemson Faculty Manual indicates that peer evaluation of teaching materials is a source of evidence of student learning in faculty teaching evaluation. (See page 110.) To this end, faculty attending the series will receive a certification that can be used in their own annual reports.

Status of General Education Re-Envisioning:

Here is a quick primer.

• Anything and everything that involves curricular changes goes through Curriculog so it is open for viewing by all faculty.
• There are no structural changes (i.e. – change in areas or courses in those areas) at this time.
• At this time, there are also no changes to the student learning outcomes or student learning assessment rubrics for the requirements in science, technology and society (STS), cross-cultural awareness (CCA), ethical judgment, or critical thinking, so faculty teaching in those areas were not sent the message below. The General Education Committee hopes to have some models ready for faculty to consider by the end of this term.
• The blog is always a good resource for the process as it moves along.

For questions, comments, or other information, contact:

Taimi Olsen, OTEI Director, taimio@clemson.edu

Bridget Trogden, Associate Dean, trogden@clemson.edu