1. Core Curriculum Revision Dr. Don Pratt Associate Professor Biology Chair Core Curriculum Advisory Committee

2. Presentation Objectives O Provide a history of the Core and Core revision process O Discuss new Core Objectives O Identify some unresolved issues O Present the Core Application Process

3. History

4. Current Core O Established in 1997 O 42-46 SCH O 37 EEOs O Why change the core? O THECB wants the core to help students build real world skills and capabilities

5. Philosophical Shift Old Core O Accumulate credits O Across a wide academic background O EEOs were unique to a discipline New Core O Master six key skills O In a variety of academic disciplines O Core objectives are shared across the institution

6. Purposes of the Core O Students will gain O Knowledge of human cultures and physical and natural world O Principles of personal and social responsibility O Intellectual and practical skills

7. Workforce Report O Interviewed O 400+ employers O Expectations and experiences with O High School Graduates O Jr College Graduates O University Graduates

8. Workforce Report Skills O Basic Knowledge O English O Reading/writing O Math O Science O Art O Social Studies O Applied Skills O Critical Thinking O Communication O Quantitative Reasoning O Teamwork O Personal and Social Responsibility

9. Core Objectives Foundational Areas Crit. ThinkComm Empir. Quant.Team Soc. Resp. Pers. Resp. Communication Math Nat. Sci. Language, Philosophy, Culture Creative Arts Am. History Government Social & Behavioral Sci. CAO

10. Current42-46Revised42 Communication12-14Communication6 Math3 3 Science6-8Science6 Humanities3 Language/Philosophy/C ulture 3 Fine Arts3 3 US History6 6 Government6 6 Social Science3 3 Institutional Option 0 Component Area Option 6 EEOs37Core Objectives6

12. Critical Thinking O Includes O Creative thinking and innovation O Inquiry O Analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information O Addressed in ALL core courses

13. Communication O Effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas O Includes O Written communication O Oral communication O Visual communication O Addressed in ALL core courses

14. Empirical and Quantitative O Includes O Manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts O Create informed conclusions O Addressed in Math, Science, and Social sciences

15. Teamwork O Includes O Ability to consider different points of view O Ability to work with others towards a shared goal O Addressed in Communication, Sciences, and Fine Arts

16. Personal Responsibility O Ability to connect personal choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision making O Addressed in Communication, Language/Philosophy/Culture, History, Government

17. Social Responsibility O Includes O Intercultural competence O Civic responsibility O Ability to engage in regional, national, and global communities O Addressed in Language/Philosophy/Culture, Fine Arts, History, Government, Social Sciences

18. Unresolved Difficulties

19. The Issues 1. How to handle four credit hour courses O Science courses O Foreign Language courses 2. How to allocate the Component Area Option

20. Four SCH Dilemma O New core allocates O 6 hours to sciences O 3 hours to Language, culture, and philosophy O But O Science and foreign language courses are 4 SCH

21. Option 1 O Account for extra hours at the degree level O Science O Six hours count towards core O Two hours accounted for in each degree O The Math O Current Core ranges from 42-46 SCH O New Core 42 SCH

22. Option 2 O Account for extra science hours using credits from the Component Area Option O Leaves four hours O Decreases flexibility in how we use the CAO

23. Component Area Option O 6 SCH to be applied by the University O Common opinions so far O Fourth Science hour O Communication O Ethics O Address student weaknesses

24. ETS Data O Compares performance of Freshman and Senior students O SFA Students O Weak in O Critical Thinking O Reading O Writing O VERY weak in O Math

25. Core Application Process

26. Stages 1. Submit application to the Core Curriculum Advisory Committee 2. Submit assessment documents to Assessment Committee 3. Submit course changes to Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

27. Timeline O Feb. 15, 2013- Application to Core O Fall 2013- Course changes to Undergraduate Curriculum Committee O Oct. 1, 2013- Core documentation, justification, assessment due to Provost O Nov. 30, 2013- Core documentation, justification, assessment due to THECB O Fall 2014- Begin new core