Building Essential Abilities
Building Essential Abilities 4-10 Credits
In 2019-20, an ad hoc committee will be formed consisting of the registrar, a member of Programs, a member of the Curriculum Oversight Committee, and the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning to review existing courses that will be designated as Writing Intensive or Encounters, QR Intensive or Encounters,or IL Intensive or Encounters. The role of the committee is to work with faculty to ensure that courses are addressing the learning outcomes.
Starting in 2020-21, proposals for new and existing courses that will be designated as Writing Intensive or Encounters, QR Intensive or Encounters,or IL Intensive or Encounters will be reviewed by the Academic Programs Committee. The role of the committee is to work with faculty to ensure that courses are addressing the learning outcomes.
Writing —1 credit Intensive course and 1 credit Encounter course; or 3 credits Encounter courses
In addition to the All-College Seminars that emphasize writing, students must also either take one Writing Intensive and one Writing Encounter course or take three Writing Encounter Courses. Students must take one of these designated Writing courses (either an intensive or encounter) within one of their majors.
- Students will formulate a clear thesis or frame a topic of inquiry. (Inquiry, Communication)
- Students will, as appropriate to the discipline, sustain an argument using a variety of evidence and/or sources. (Inquiry, Reasoning, Communication)
- Students will make writing decisions (including stylistic choices) based on knowledge of audience, genre, and/or disciplinary conventions. (Communication)
- Students will revise their writing to address both higher-order and lower-order concerns. (Communication)
- Students will reflect on their writing and their writing processes. (Communication)
Faculty should:
- Assign formal and informal writing so that students are writing regularly throughout the course. Informal writing assignments (e.g., journals, blog posts, reading responses) are low-stakes, often non-graded assignments, that assist students in exploring and understanding course material. Formal writing assignments are high-stakes assignments that students use to develop their own arguments or ideas about course material.
- Assign multiple substantial writing assignments. At least one of these assignments should be staged, allowing for faculty feedback throughout the process.
- Devote substantial class time to the writing process (which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing) Writing instruction should focus on discussing assignments and rubrics, writing techniques and strategies, approaches to particular types of papers or writing problems, and students’ work-in-progress.
- Provide timely feedback in writing and in-person through individual or small-group writing conferences.
- Require students to employ feedback in several subsequent drafts, papers, or assignments and to reflect on their work, process, and goals.
Faculty should:
- Assign formal and/or informal writing so that students are writing regularly throughout the course. Informal writing assignments (e.g., journals, blog posts, reading responses) are low-stakes, often non-graded assignments, that assist students in exploring and understanding course material. Formal writing assignments are high-stakes assignments that students use to develop their own arguments or ideas about course material.
- Assign one substantial, preferably staged, formal writing assignment, thus allowing for faculty feedback throughout the process.
- Devote class time to the writing process (which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing). Writing instruction should focus on discussing assignments and rubrics, writing techniques and strategies, approaches to particular types of papers or writing problems, and students’ work-in-progress.
- Provide timely feedback in writing and/or in-person through individual or small-group writing conferences.
- Require students to employ feedback in a subsequent draft, paper, or assignment and to reflect on their work, process, and goals.
Quantitative Reasoning—1 credit Intensive Course or 2 credits Encounter Courses
Quantitative reasoning is the developed ability to analyze quantitative information and to determine which skills and procedures can be applied to a particular problem to arrive at a solution. Quantitative reasoning has an essential problem-solving focus and includes the ability to create and clearly communicate (in a variety of formats) arguments supported by quantitative evidence.
- Students will read and understand quantitative information given in various formats. (Knowledge, Inquiry, Reasoning)
- Students will communicate quantitative information. (Communication)
- Students will interpret quantitative information and draw inferences from it. (Inquiry, Reasoning)
- Students will solve problems using arithmetic, algebraic, geometric, or statistical methods. (Reasoning)
- Students will estimate answers and check for reasonableness. (Reasoning)
- Students will recognize the limitations of mathematical or statistical methods. (Inquiry, Reasoning, Ethical Behavior)
An intensive course devotes the majority of course time to addressing the required outcomes and two or more of the selected learning outcomes. Faculty must identify which of the QR learning outcomes each of their QR Intensive courses addresses, and briefly describe how these learning outcomes are addressed and assessed.
An encounter course devotes approximately 25 percent of course time to addressing the required outcomes and one or more of the selected learning outcomes. Faculty must identify which of the QR learning outcomes each of their QR Encounter courses addresses, and briefly describe how these learning outcomes are addressed and assessed.
Intercultural Literacy—1 credit Intensive Course or 2 credits Encounter Courses
Intercultural literacy is the possession of knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to appropriately and effectively include, communicate, cooperate, and collaborate with diverse individuals in a variety of settings. In Intercultural Literacy-designated classes, students focus on developing intercultural literacy, communication and critical thinking abilities, and understanding power structures, in order to prepare them for local and global citizenship. Courses focus on identifying and comparing cultural patterns and the relationship between experiences, ideologies, and culture; focusing on cultural self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and intercultural communication.
Students will recognize the realities and consequences of difference, discrimination, or inequality.
- Students will gain awareness of cultural rules and biases and an understanding of how both their own and others’ identities, worldviews, and experiences are shaped by culture. (Knowledge, Intercultural Literacy)
- Students will gain a basic understanding of domestic and/or global power structures as they relate to individuals. (Knowledge, Intercultural Literacy)
- Students will gain a basic understanding of how the intersection of identities and differences shape individuals’ experiences. (Knowledge, Intercultural Literacy)
- Students will gain a basic understanding of the perspectives of individuals from different cultures and backgrounds. (Intercultural Literacy, Ethical Behavior, Citizenship)
- Students will develop their ability to recognize, navigate, and communicate verbally and/or nonverbally across cultural differences. (Communication, Intercultural Literacy)
- Devote the majority of course time to addressing the required outcome and three or more of the above learning outcomes. Faculty must identify which of the IL learning outcomes each of their IL Intensive courses addresses, and briefly describe how these learning outcomes are addressed and assessed.
- Create multiple assignments that encourage students to reflect on or creatively address the realities and consequences of difference, discrimination, or inequality.
- Incorporate texts written or spoken by those who represent non-dominant cultures and perspectives.
- Design course content that requires students to consider their own positionality and how to challenge their own biases about other cultures.
- Devote approximately 25 percent of course time to addressing the required outcome and two or more of the above learning outcomes. Faculty must identify which of the IL learning outcomes each of their IL Intensive courses addresses, and briefly describe how these learning outcomes are addressed and assessed.
- Create at least one assignment that encourages students to reflect on or creatively address the realities and consequences of difference, discrimination, or inequality.
- Incorporate texts written or spoken by those who represent non-dominant cultures and perspectives.
Foreign Language
Demonstration of foreign language competency at the 103 level or above. (Students who take the language placement test and place into the 205 level or above have demonstrated competency at the 103 level and are considered done with the foreign language requirement.) International students whose native language is other than English satisfy this requirement through meeting the admissions requirements.
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- Students will learn to speak, read, write, and understand a second language at a basic functional level. (Knowledge, Communication)
- Students will recognize that participating in a global community requires languages other than English, and will see themselves as participants in the global community. (Intercultural Literacy, Citizenship)
- Students will gain a metacognitive awareness of how language is structured and a better understanding of their native language. (Knowledge)
- Students will develop an awareness that language is shaped by the culture in which it is spoken. (Intercultural Literacy)