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In preparation for our meeting on Friday, and the meeting with Ms. Swartz next week, I would like to contribute to the Exemplary Educational Objectives discussion.
In my classrooms I have decided to fulfill the Exemplary Educational Objectives (in line with the principles of Academic Freedom, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board) by having the students do the first lab in the General Biology lab manual. This will be in conjunction with the science lectures at the beginning of the semester, and other lectures discussing science, technology and society during the semester.
In so doing my students will also be required to write a [scientific format] lab report, and to express their ideas via written and oral communication using WebCT bulletin boards, chat rooms and critical thinking class discussions. The outcome measurement instruments will be (i) participation in the lab, (ii) the lab report, (iii) participation on WebCT, (iv) participation in class discussions, and (v) successfully answering questions on pre/post-test and regular semester exams regarding the methods of science. (The basis for my decision comes from research I've done recently, and can be found below.)
Thanks for your attention,
Jan
In Texas each higher education institution's core curriculum must be designed to satisfy "exemplary educational objectives" specified for the component areas of the ''Core Curriculum" adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
However, the primary responsibility for the quality of the educational program "must reside with the faculty." STCC is accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which requires that STCC ensures the faculty freedom in teaching, research and publication. This Academic Freedom allows a faculty member the liberty "to pursue and teach relevant knowledge and to discuss it freely without restrictions" from school officials [staff, administrators and other faculty], public officials or other sources of influence.
(Extracts from the criteria for accreditation , Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.)
The Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual (to download a PDF document, click here) safeguards Academic Freedom with the following statement: "Colleges and universities across the state have specific missions and different roles and scope. The way in which colleges and universities achieve these outcomes will thus vary. These outlines are not intended in any way to impose restrictions on the creativity of the classroom instructor or to dictate pedagogical methods."
!!!
Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: Community and Technical Colleges Division. Austin, Texas, 2002. (to download a PDF document of the Guide manual, click here)
Another safeguard is the unofficial policy of the STCC Business, Math, Science, and Technology Division allowing anything within educational reason -- at least once.
Mario Reyna, Dean, Business, Math, Science, and Technology Division. 2002, 2003, 2004. Fall Semester Division Meetings.
To allow time to assure academic freedom and to select quality methods in assessing the RECOMMENDED Exemplary Educational Objectives it is reassuring to see that this process will only be done at five-year intervals, AND that the first evaluation (this semester) will "focus on compliance with the basic elements" of the core curriculum. "The extent to which the institution's educational goals and the exemplary educational objectives of the core curriculum recommended by the Board are being achieved (to be fully addressed in the 2009 evaluation)."
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Memorandum to Chancelors and Presidents of Public Community Colleges, State Colleges, and Universities.
The Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual also states that since "it is difficult to define exemplary educational objectives for a core curriculum outside of some framework of the general areas of content, the objectives and outcomes described below are suggested as those that meet the intent of the Texas Senate Senate Bill 148". In other words, the Exemplary Educational Objectives are suggestions from the Texas Higher Education Board, especially so since Senate Bill 148 itself does NOT mention anything about Exemplary Educational Objectives.
Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: Community and Technical Colleges Division. Austin, Texas, 2002. (to download a PDF document of the Guide manual, click here)
Link to Senate Bill 148 - Legislative Session: 75(R).
Academic Freedom: Liberty to pursue and teach relevant knowledge and to discuss it freely without restriction from school or public officials or from other sources of influence.
The Exemplary Educational Objectives for the Natural Sciences: !!!
The objective of the study of a natural sciences component of a core curriculum is to enable the student to understand, construct, and evaluate relationships in the natural sciences, and to enable the student to understand how science works.
Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: Community and Technical Colleges Division. Austin, Texas, 2002.
1. To understand and apply method and appropriate technology to the study of
natural sciences.
2. To recognize scientific and quantitative methods and the differences between
these approaches and other methods of inquiry and to communicate findings,
analyses, and interpretation both orally and in writing.
3. To identify and recognize the differences among competing scientific theories.
4. To demonstrate knowledge of the major issues and problems facing modern
science, including issues that touch upon ethics, values, and public policies.
5. To demonstrate knowledge of the interdependence of science and technology and
their influence on, and contribution to, modern culture.
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-- Disclaimer: "Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice", at the time of writing located as a file under the South Texas Community College's (STCC) web server with the general URL http://stcc.cc.tx.us/, is the intellectual property of Dr. Jan A. Nilsson, member of STCC biology faculty. The content of Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice does not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of the STCC faculty, staff, administration, and Board of Trustees.