“FYE Design” First Year Experience Workshops 1

Key to Transformation of Gen Ed “What we need to do is move away from teaching and learning as a private practice. It’s public work that should be learned with colleagues.” - Edward Taylor, UW, Inside the Undergraduate Teaching Experience (2014) 2

Key to Transformation of Gen Ed “Our educational practice has…emphasized information transfer without a great deal of thought given to the meaning, pertinence, or application of the information in the context of the student’s life.” - Learning Reconsidered, ACAP/NASPA (2004) 3

The Transformation of Gen Ed at EWU CurrentCritical Foundations Hasn’t been substantially revised in 20 years Will undergo program review every 5 to 7 years Of the same basic type as CWU, WSU and UW A distinctive “signature” program useful in recruitment credits for students who don’t require developmental courses credits (some courses may be taken within the major) Owned by certain departmentsBuilt to encourage interdepartmental & intercollegiate curricular development “Cafeteria-style” distribution list of courses Outcomes-based with cross- disciplinary content, emphasizing synthesis abilities and connections between areas of knowledge 4

Outcomes-based General Education Outcomes-based general education “…emphasizes the connectedness of disciplines, knowledge and skills, and recognizes the achievement of general education outcomes outside the traditional classroom and across university divisions.” –Bloomsburg University “Faculty must be engaged from the beginning of the process of re-examining the learning goals and writing assessable outcomes for them.” --WSU 5

Critical Foundations: 6 Key Outcomes THINK CRITICALLY COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY ANALYZE QUANTITATIVELY ENGAGE CREATIVELY ASSESS PERSONAL and ETHICAL WELL-BEING (BE WELL, DO GOOD) RECOGNIZE DIFFERENCE 6

Critical Foundations: Outcomes & Objectives Example: Communicate Effectively Sample objective: “Develop and deliver prepared, purposeful presentations designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding, or to promote change in the listeners’ attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors.” Sample Tasks At the FYE level: “Individually present a 5-7 minute presentation incorporating PowerPoint, Prezi, or other visually designed document that successfully impacts an audience.” For Foundation Core courses: “Work collaboratively with team members to design and present a professional minute presentation that instructs or explains complex ideas to an audience.” For Senior Capstone: “Participate in the greater community by presenting a poster or oral presentation at an academic conference such as the EWU Research Symposium or by submitting written work to a publication such as a newspaper, magazine or journal. 7

Critical Foundations: Outcomes & Objectives Example: Recognize Difference Sample objective: “Demonstrate a complex understanding of history and the role of human organizations to develop appropriate actions to solve complex problems both in human and natural worlds.” Sample Tasks At FYE level: “Interview a person with a different racial, ethnic or cultural background and identify differing experiences and ideologies as well as new perspectives.” For Foundation Core courses: “As part of a study abroad experience, prepare a multimedia diary identifying historical, government, or geographic landmarks and cultural sites in your host country and explaining their importance.” For Senior Capstone: “Take a leadership role in a service learning or community engagement project that engages with issues of diversity, equity, and/or justice.” 8

Creating a FYE Course For each Key Outcome, choose objectives & tasks that will be assessed Stress integration & application of knowledge Stress cross-disciplinary inquiry Stress intellectual breadth, depth, and adaptiveness Think Critically (critical reading in every course) Communicate Effectively (must include writing in English) Analyze Quantitatively Engage Creatively Be Well, Do Good Recognize Difference Cohort of 25 students 3 different instructors Fall-Winter- Spring (3 cr each) Basic considerations Each course in the sequence addresses 2-3 key goals Build Assessment into Course Design Disciplinary Content in Course Design 9 FALL Humanities/Fine Arts WINTER Social Sci. SPRING Science/STEM

Sample FYE topics Science, Technology and Society Stream:  Psychology and Social Media  Chemistry and Society  Morality and War 10

More Sample FYE topics Art, Culture and Identity FYE stream:  French Language and Culture  Native American Oral Traditions  Genetics and Identity 11

Workload considerations 490/ Each section of FYE counts as 3 credits in student course load. Each section of FYE counts as 5 credits in faculty workload. The additional 2 credits of workload are to compensate ongoing collaborative curricular design and the involvement of each FYE quarter instructor in co- curricular and mentoring activities taking place in other quarters.

Brief timeline for implementation 490/ AY : 25-student pilot taught by Lynn Briggs, ENGL (F 2014), Robin O’Quinn, BIOL (W 2015), and Tom Hawley, GOVT (S 2015) AY : Extended pilot. 5 to 10 separate streams of FYE; 15 to 30 faculty; 125 to 250 students (In AYs and , students who take the entire FYE sequence will receive credit for one course on each of the three current general education distribution lists) AY : FYE for all first-time freshmen; 60 faculty maximum; 1500 students

Resources 490/ For finding apt partners with whom to design an FYE stream: Tony Flinn, Critical Foundations Planning Director Julia Smith, Chair, Critical Foundations Council For approaching your chair to discuss workload: Tony Flinn, Critical Foundations Planning Director For assistance in curricular design: Critical Foundations Curriculum Design & Instruction Committee For further understanding: National Resource Center for First Year Experience & Students in Transition ( Portland State University Freshman Inquiry pages (

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