1. Integrating General Studies
Family & Love:
Integrating General Studies
Kenneth Fuchsman, University of Connecticut
Jennifer Parker, University of Connecticut
(1:00/35 minutes) MUSIC: All You Need Is Love (

2. Objectives
By the conclusion of this presentation, you should be able to:
Describe an example of how integrative learning can occur in an online course.
Apply an interdisciplinary research process to a topic using personal knowledge and experience.
(2:00/35 minutes) - Jen

3. Integrating General Studies: Family Course
Course’s Origin
Face-to-Face Version
The “Family” Focus
Going Online
(6:00/35 minutes) - Ken
Introduction to Course

4. Instructional Design (9:00/35 minutes) – Jen [3 minutes]
Show of hands. How many know what instructional design is?
For this presentation, we will define it simply as the systematic development of instruction using learning and instructional theory to ensure quality. There are numerous models…but essentially my role is to help Ken develop a quality online learning experience for students that aligns with the University’s and Bachelor of General Studies’ goals. Using one of the most common ID models, ADDIE, I will go through how instructional design influenced and contributed to the course.
ANALYSIS – Student Population; Bachelor of General Studies’ Goals; University’s Published Course Description; Existing Materials; Instructor’s Goals and Philosophy of Teaching; Project Timeline
DESIGN – Main Focus ALIGNMENT: defining course objectives, chunking course topic into modules, developing module objectives, associated learning activities (discussions) and assessments.
DEVELOPMENT – Built online syllabus (html) and course modules in the Learning Management System (HuskyCT)
IMPLEMENTATION – DEO provides training and support during the course
EVALUATION – Should take place throughout ID process and the life of the course; UConn has OIR but evaluation means much more for ID; it is a continuous improvement process…
…which describes Ken’s and my partnership on the Integrating General Studies course well. He will now share with you some of the improvements that were made to the course.

5. Online Course Improvements
Strengthened Interdisciplinary Studies foundation at course’s beginning
Added concluding module to better aid students with Interdisciplinary Studies synthesis process
Ensuring consistency across other course versions (Organizations & Civil Rights)
Meeting Quality Matters Standards
(14:00/ 35 minutes) – Ken then Jen
Ken
Strengthened Interdisciplinary Studies foundation at course’s beginning
Added concluding module to better aid students with Interdisciplinary Studies synthesis process
Jen
ALIGNMENT – Course design evaluation results also indicated need for addition of concluding module; students felt they could not synthesize diverse subject matter by the end of the course
CONSISTENCY - Different topic versions of the course need to have common course objectives and student outcomes
FUTURE: All CCS online courses should meeting Quality Matters Standards (MarylandOnline - based on national standards of best practices, research literature and instructional design principles)

6. Interdisciplinary Studies
Julie Thompson Klein and William Newell (1996):  “interdisciplinary studies may be defined as a process of answering a question, solving a problem, or addressing a topic that is too broad or complex to be dealt with adequately by a single discipline or profession.” Interdisciplinarity “draws on disciplinary perspectives and integrates their insights through construction of a more comprehensive perspective. In this manner, interdisciplinary study is…complementary to and corrective of the disciplines.”
(16:00/ 35 minutes) – Ken

7. Interdisciplinary Research Process
National Academy of Science (2005): “Interdisciplinary research (IDR) is a mode of research by teams or individuals that integrates information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge to advance fundamental understanding or to solve problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice.” An inquiry “is truly interdisciplinary when it is …an integration and synthesis of ideas and methods”
(18:00/ 35 minutes) – Ken

8. Allen Repko's Interdisciplinary Research Process
Draw on disciplinary insights
Define the problem or state the focus question
Justify using an interdisciplinary approach
Identify relevant disciplines
Conduct literature search
Develop adequacy in each relevant discipline
Analyze the problem and evaluate each insight into it
B. Integrate insights and produce an interdisciplinary understanding
7. Identify conflicts between insights and their sources
8. Create or discover common ground
9. Integrate insights
10. Produce an interdisciplinary understanding of the problem and test it    
(20:00/ 35 minutes) – Ken

9. What’s the nature of love?
Conceptions of love (See handout.)
Christopher explains love to Grover
(25:00/ 35 minutes) – Jen then Ken
Participants get handout with Repko’s Process & Definitions
Ken – Reviews quotes on handout
Jen introduces media clip and activity kicks off.

10. Activity: Define “Love”
Use Allen Repko’s Interdisciplinary Research Process to examine love.
Draw on disciplinary insights using personal knowledge and experience to analyze “love.”
Integrate insights and produce an interdisciplinary understanding of “love”.

11. Questions ?
(35:00/ 35 minutes) – Ken & Jen