Grand Rapids Community College Academic Governing Council 1 Team members: Stephen Barton*, Jennifer Batten, Dillon Carr*, Laurie Chesley, Katie Daniels*, Roland Gani, Daniel Gelder, Jodie Gee, Nora Neil, Deb Nordman, Lynnae Selberg, Bryan Vliem *presenting today

 GRCC currently does not have a process to determine where a course fits into the General Education distribution system  GRCC lacks a process to determine if a course fits into the General Education distribution  The College does not articulate the learner outcomes it expects students to achieve as a result of satisfying the General Education distribution requirements 2

 Establish a definition of each distribution area 3 Completed, March 2012

 Define the criteria that will be used in making decisions about inclusion of courses in the distribution areas 4

Criteria (The course…)YesNo 1. is transferable to other institutions as an equivalent course not as general transfer credit If no, then course is not Gen. Ed. 2. allows students ample opportunity to practice the basic competencies of one of the three distribution areas 3. content does not require specialized knowledge or skills (e.g., a foreign language, ability to read music). 4. provides a general survey, overview, or introduction to how knowledge is constructed and disseminated in a particular discipline or broad topic 5. promotes acquisition of knowledge and skills utilized to enhance the quality of life (e.g., budgeting, civic responsibility, maintaining good health, written communication). 5

 Review of new courses would occur within the New Course Approval process  Existing courses evaluated within the Course Review & Revision process  Expedited review option available upon request. 6

 Articulate expectations for outcomes upon successful completion of the distribution areas 7

A generally educated person at GRCC should:  Demonstrate basic competence in written and oral communication in English.  Demonstrate capacity to apply basic skills in scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, logic.  Express the life skills necessary for independent learning, physical wellness, and emotional wellbeing.  Describe basic tenets or ideas of scientific, historical, or social phenomena.  Describe characteristics of aesthetic and ethnical dimensions of the world. 8

 Review of criteria and outcomes to assess and provide feedback on three things:  Does the criteria and outcomes have balance between scholarly and practical?  Is there balance between breadth and specificity?  Do the criteria work in the context of general education at GRCC? 9

 Begin reviewing now with your departments by using criteria and outcomes as a reference point in discussions (i.e. course review, new course development, etc.)  We would like to incorporate your feedback in preparation of final draft.  Ric or Steve with feedback by March 15th 10

 Make General Education relevant to daily work  Need to balance our concerns here at GRCC with our closest transfer institutions  Emphasis on how courses achieve Gen Ed outcomes (professional development), rather than could courses do so.  Help faculty identify ways their courses intersect with General Education outcomes at GRCC 11