MIMOSAS WITH MARIA Discerning Perceptions of General Education
Are we speaking the same language?
Today’s Game Plan Meet Maria Employer Introduction Faculty Camaraderie Gen Ed Sleuthing You Did What!? Roadmap Mimosas
MARIA
Describe Your Maria
General Education: Importance to Students? Come up with five words encapsulating what general education means to YOUR Maria.
General Education: Importance to Employers? Come up with five words encapsulating what general education means to your graduates’ potential employers. Guiding question: What knowledge, skills, and capabilities will allow your graduates to succeed in a global, ever-changing workforce?
General Education: Importance to Faculty? Come up with five words encapsulating what general education means to your faculty. Guiding question: As faculty, what should your students know, or have learned, upon graduation from your institution?
Is this YOUR Gen Ed? Compare your institution’s description of general education with your 15 words. How are they similar? How are they dissimilar?
Maria thinks of general education as an obstacle. How can we reframe our language to communicate the value of general education to students?
Before Maria: VCCS General Education Goals 6. Quantitative Reasoning: A person who is competent in quantitative reasoning possesses the skills and knowledge necessary to apply the use of logic, numbers, and mathematics to deal effectively with common problems and issues. A person who is quantitatively literate can use numerical, geometric, and measurement data and concepts, mathematical skills, and principles of mathematical reasoning to draw logical conclusions and to make well-reasoned decisions.
VCCS Quantitative Reasoning (cont.) Graduates will demonstrate the ability to: ● use logical and mathematical reasoning within the context of various disciplines ● interpret and use mathematical formulas ● interpret mathematical models such as graphs, tables and schematics and draw inferences from them ● use graphical, symbolic, and numerical methods to analyze, organize, and interpret data ● estimate and consider answers to mathematical problems in order to determine reasonableness ● represent mathematical information numerically, symbolically, and visually using graphs and charts
After Maria * : Thomas Nelson Graduate Profile A Thomas Nelson graduate will be able to: • Obtain, evaluate, and synthesize information from a variety of resources utilizing appropriate technologies • Form logical arguments and distinguish between valid and invalid arguments • Value a diverse array of perspectives • Listen, interpret, create, and adjust messages to multiple audiences • Develop ethical relationships with people, communities, and organizations *and lots of mimosas
Thinking About General Education in a Different Light
Creating a General Education Roadmap Preamble In response, your (informed by Value and need institution will… Maria/Employer for GE (informed by Exercises) Questions #1-4)
QUESTION #1 • It’s 2025; Your school has earned national recognition as a leader in general education. What did we do to get there?
QUESTION #2 • Your largest local employer testifies to your state legislature that while they have gotten more graduates from your institution, they find that fewer of them have the employability skills they need (e.g., communication, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning). What went wrong?
QUESTION #3 • Your institution just earned a $100 million grant to improve general education at the college. What five priorities should be funded from this award?
QUESTION #4 • Your accreditor just put your institution on warning for concerns over general education. Why did that happen?
Guiding Questions What differentiates your institution Instead of thinking of the way things from other colleges in your region? are currently done, what could be How can you address general done to make improvements and to education in an innovative, advance general education at your compelling way that serves students institution? and employers in your service area? What knowledge, skills, and As faculty, what should your How do you collectively capabilities will allow your students know, or have advance the goals of general students to succeed in a learned, upon graduation education and get faculty global, ever-changing from your institution? buy-in across disciplines? workforce?
Cheers! Corey Buttram - buttramc@tncc.edu Justin Horton - hortonj@tncc.edu David Kleinman - kleinmand@tncc.edu Lynsey LeMay - lemayl@tncc.edu
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