2013 Institute on General Education and Assessment

June 1-5, 2013
The University of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont

Curricular Framework

The Institute curriculum is designed to address a range of current topics. Tracks allow participants to engage with Institute faculty and each other in a workshop-style atmosphere intended to promote depth of learning and discovery.

Institute Tracks

Track 1: Building Institutional Capacity for General Education Reform

General education provides the foundation for a productive life and a successful career. What are the promising practices for engaging diverse campus constituencies in creating a common vision for change? Track 1 workshops connect mission-driven learning outcomes with strategies for building campus support for reform among faculty, student affairs professionals, and administrators. Track topics include strategies for connecting the curriculum and co-curriculum, innovative approaches for faculty development, and development of effective communication strategies.

Track 2: High-Impact Models of General Education to Maximize Learning and Improve Delivery

Reform of general education is an opportunity to innovate, integrate, and improve student learning across the institution. Track 2 workshops examine ways of structuring and innovating within general education to accommodate varied campus contexts and to be inclusive of a range of learning outcomes, including civic learning and global citizenship. Track topics focus on campus models of reforms that embed high-impact educational practices, promote outcomes related to personal and social responsibility, and effective use of e-portfolios.

Track 3: Student Success and Making Excellence Inclusive

General education is both the foundation for learning and the pathway to student success. Ensuring success means being attentive to the engagement, experiences, and need of all students, especially those who are traditionally underserved. Track 3 workshops address issues that affect the campus context for inclusion and successful reform:

• actively supporting and engaging students of color, first-generation, and low-income students
• integrating and supporting transfer students
• articulating and implementing diversity, civic and global learning priorities
• adopting effective pedagogies for learning and student development
• working with e-portfolios and the use of technology to enhance learning

Track 4: Authentic Assessment and Strategic Use of Evidence

Any plan for successful general education reform must include a framework for gathering meaningful assessment for improvement. Track 4 workshops address strategies for developing an assessment plan, responding to accreditation, assessment of high-impact practices and communicating results to advance institutional goals. The use of rubrics and portfolios, including e-portfolios, are among the assessment strategies discussed.

"Connecting the Dots" Sessions

Not every issue that arises within general education reform fits neatly into one topic area. “Connecting the Dots” sessions provide for analysis and discussion that intentionally draws ideas or strategies from multiple tracks to encourage participants to think integratively and holistically about the reform process. Session topics typically include

• connecting departmental majors and/or pre-professional programs to general education goals;
• examining assessment to gauge student success;
• connecting the civic mission of the institution with general education goals;
• integrating contingent faculty into faculty development for the improvement of general education;
• integrating the curriculum and co-curriculum;
• communicating effectively to students, parents, and other constituents about the aims and outcomes of general education

Example of last year's Curriculum/Schedule can be found here

Questions may be directed to Alexis Krivian at krivian@aacu.org or 202-387-3760 x404.