Transcript Science General Education at DPU

Science and Math General
Education at DePauw
Pam Propsom
Jackie Roberts
Agenda
 Introduction and Goals (5-10 min)
 Small group discussions (20 min)
 Large group discussion (20 min)
 Our summary of survey results (5-10 min)
 Learning goals (20 min)
 Working group (5 min)
 Future plans (5 min)
Curricular change occurs when it:
 Comes from the faculty rather than an administrative
mandate (but the administration supports the efforts)
 Is transparent, with broad input from all constituencies
(discussions, reading groups, surveys, etc)
 Is sustainable (not a “one-and-done” meeting)
 Involves departments as the unit of change
 Uses a representative smaller working group
 Reflects the dynamics and mission of the individual
institution. Not “one size fits all.”
Goals for semester:
 We want to have division-wide discussions, allowing an
opportunity for everyone and all departments to have
input
 At the end of the semester we want to have a tangible
product:
Divisional Science/Math General Education Learning
Goals (non-majors).
Small Group Discussion (20 min):
 Split into 5 tables, each with a discussion leader/notetaker. Each table gets data for a different survey
question.
 TASK: Read written comments and look for themes,
discuss, add to, refine, etc.
 When we get back together each recorder will give a 12 minute summary.
Large Group Discussion (20 min)
Table 1: What do you think is positive about our current general education
requirement in science/math (i.e., two courses with SM designation) for
non-science majors?
Table 2: What could be improved?
Table 3: How important is it for undergraduate non-science majors to learn
science/math content (important concepts, facts, knowledge, etc.)
versus science/math skills (understanding the process of science and
research, interpreting graphs, etc.)
Table 4: In your opinion, what are the three most important skills for
students to master in a general education science/math course that
meets the SM requirement?
Table 5: In your opinion, what are the three most important concepts for
students to master in a general education science/math course that
meets the SM requirement?
Q2: What do you think is positive about our current
general education requirement in science/math (i.e., two
courses with SM designation) for non-science majors?
 Better than 0 or 1 course/at least science is required (56%)
 Breadth (courses in two different science departments) (17%)
 Exposure to how science works/scientific inquiry/principles
(14%)
Q3: What could be improved?
 No common goals/student outcomes/intentionality (29%)
 Does it ensure exposure to scientific method/literacy? (29%)
 No lab course required
(20%)
 Interdisciplinary/non-major or theme courses better
 It’s not prescriptive/structured enough
(14%)
(20%)
Q4: How important is it for undergraduate non-science majors
to learn science/math content (important concepts, facts,
knowledge, etc.) versus science/math skills (understanding the
process of science and research, interpreting graphs, etc.)
 Skills more important than content
31%
 Skills a little more important than content
31%
 Skills and content equally important
33%
 Content a little more important than skills
0%
 Content more important than skills
5%
Q4: How important is it for undergraduate non-science majors
to learn science/math content (important concepts, facts,
knowledge, etc.) versus science/math skills (understanding the
process of science and research, interpreting graphs, etc.)
 Skills will allow them to learn new content/apply later (23%)
 Content will be forgotten
(21%)
 Can’t learn/have skills without content/context
 Skills will last longer
(13%)
(13%)
Q5: In your opinion, what are the three most important skills for
students to master in a general education science/math course
that meets the SM requirement?
 Interpreting a graph/data
(37%)
 Statistical/quantitative skills
(34%)
 Evaluating quality of evidence
(23%)
 Using science for everyday/life decision-making (14%)
 Skepticism
(14%)
Q6: In your opinion, what are the three most important
concepts for students to master in a general education
science/math course that meets the SM requirement?
 Scientific method/process
(31%)
 Statistics/probability/quant skills
(16%)
 Relationships and differences between the sciences (12%)
 Energy
(12%)
What is a Learning Goal?
 What do you want students to learn by the time they
graduate that will still be with them several years later?
 Examples: “Identify a valid scientific argument” or “Solve
problems using quantitative skills including probability and
statistics”
 Are they skills based, content based or a mixture?
 How do we meet these learning goals?
 They should be assessable (but how do we do this?)
Working Group
 Would like one representative from each department
(We will facilitate these meetings, but not be the
representatives from our departments)
 Will read a few short papers and look at what other
institutions have done for S/M learning goals
 Based on survey information, division meeting and
departmental feedback draft preliminary learning goals
 Present these at the Divisional meeting in April
Semester Plans
 Launch of website with resources
 Brown Bag (first one next Tuesday) and Brown Bottle
meetings to continue these conversations
 Working group meets to draft divisional learning goals
 Second division-wide meeting to look at draft and think
about how to meet these goals
 Departments provide feedback on learning goals
 Workshop this summer (survey on topic/timing to follow
this meeting)