General Education by U s: a Student Perspective Ashley Oberst, Kelly Haggerty, and Connie Adams Saint Mary’s College May 1, 2007.

General Education by General Education by UUs:s:a Student Perspectivea Student Perspective

Ashley Oberst, Kelly Haggerty, and Connie Adams

Saint Mary’s College

May 1, 2007

Purpose►Last semester, Student Academic Council (SAC) was

approached by general education administrative committee, lead by Dr. Incandela

►Group of SAC volunteers were asked to research and present the “Ideal General Education Requirements” from a student perspective

►This research will be used to help decision-makers in the process of updating the General Education Requirements of Saint Mary’s College

Methodology►This research did not consider general education

requirements by major (did consider by degree)►Two methods were used to survey students:

In-person interviews E-mail solicitation (less than 5% of surveying)

►Research of comparable colleges’ general education requirements (e.g. Calvin College), Saint Mary’s Purpose and Goals Statement, and Mission Statement also used to aid student committee members in forming suggestions

Methodology (continued)►Two rounds of surveying:

1st (informal): If you could change anything about Saint Mary’s General Education Requirements, what would you change? (target population: student body)

2nd (formal): Students asked five approved questions (target population: juniors and seniors)

►Aladdin Fouad (department of college research) reviewed questions: approve as unbiased

Organization of Findings►Results reveal identity:

Who we are What we need What we want

► Informal survey results (1st)► Formal survey questions (2nd)► Formal survey results►Committee suggestions: the “Ideal General Education

Requirements”

IdentityIdentity

Who we areWho we are

Jeanne Choquehuanca

We are:We are:

► 2121stst Century Women Century Women

► IntellectualsIntellectuals

► PracticalPractical

► SpiritualSpiritual

► InquisitiveInquisitive

► LeadersLeaders

► IndividualsIndividuals

What we needWhat we need

Senior Beth Sands on her Pilgrimage in Mexico

We need:We need:

► Intellectual Intellectual ChallengeChallenge

► Excitement Excitement ► CultureCulture► Knowledge of a Knowledge of a

greater worldgreater world► Knowledge of our Knowledge of our

history as womenhistory as women

► Practical, applicable Practical, applicable classes specific to classes specific to our individual needsour individual needs

► Joy/pride of self-Joy/pride of self-enlightenmentenlightenment

What we wantWhat we want

First-year Ashley Williams

We want:We want:► Opportunity to take higher level courses to fulfill Opportunity to take higher level courses to fulfill

general education requirementgeneral education requirement► Interactive learning:Interactive learning:

Is enjoyment obtained from the material? Is enjoyment obtained from the material? What ideas challenge us?What ideas challenge us? Learning by questioningLearning by questioning

► Opportunities to be immersed in other cultures, to be Opportunities to be immersed in other cultures, to be knowledgeable of current events, places, and ideasknowledgeable of current events, places, and ideas

► Women’s studies courseWomen’s studies course

What we want (continued)What we want (continued)

► More physical education/recreation coursesMore physical education/recreation courses More “well-being” courses, such as women’s healthMore “well-being” courses, such as women’s health

► Options:Options: Option to choose from a list and to study abroadOption to choose from a list and to study abroad More classes to prepare for future, e.g. additional More classes to prepare for future, e.g. additional

math/business course in financial literacy or GRE preparationmath/business course in financial literacy or GRE preparation

► Guidance, not hand-holding: we want to learn Guidance, not hand-holding: we want to learn collectively as individualscollectively as individuals Knowledgeable and willing advisorsKnowledgeable and willing advisors Area to grow; to realize on own why learning, rather than Area to grow; to realize on own why learning, rather than

being told why/how to learnbeing told why/how to learn

Results: Informal SurveyResults: Informal Survey

► Better advisingBetter advising► Women’s studies course (a must)Women’s studies course (a must)► One less science class (those that require two)One less science class (those that require two)► One less foreign language classOne less foreign language class► Additional math classAdditional math class► Practical finance class needed (taxes, loans, etc.)Practical finance class needed (taxes, loans, etc.)► Diversity and service learningDiversity and service learning► More PE classes More PE classes ► More optionsMore options

If you could change anything about Saint Mary’s General Education Requirements, what would you change?

Most popular responses:

Why a formal survey?Why a formal survey?

►Committee members do not believe Committee members do not believe adding a class implies removing a classadding a class implies removing a class

►Popular responses to informal question Popular responses to informal question needed clarification to help committee needed clarification to help committee members in the processmembers in the process

►Specific areas of interest: Specific areas of interest: ScienceScience MathMath Interactive learningInteractive learning

Questions of Formal Survey►What is your major?►Reflecting on your time and education at Saint Mary’s,

do you feel an additional course in mathematics would be beneficial to your overall education? (ex. Financial literacy course)

►Along the same lines, do you feel the current requirements of two lecture/lab science classes is beneficial to your overall education?

►Do you feel a one semester lab science would be more beneficial?

►Would you like to see more discussion-based class time across the curriculum?

Qualified Responses ►Answers needed rational reasoning

Yes/No only answers were not considered

►Surveyors did not accept the following types of reasoning: …because I hate/love or like/dislike… …because that was a hard/easy class…

►Surveyors wanted to know if something was beneficial to the individual’s overall education, not whether she likes/dislikes a course

Formal Survey ResultsNumber of student respondents: 38

1. Majors (22 different majors): elementary/secondary education, history, English writing, French, economics, humanistic studies, marketing, accounting, studio art, chemistry, mathematics, English literature, political science, communications, civil engineering, psychology, Spanish, social work, religious studies, biology, and nursing

2. Reflecting on your time and education at Saint Mary’s, do you feel an additional course in mathematics would be beneficial to your overall education?► Yes ‘If’s reasoning: (22)

if financial literacy type course ►Applicable (to real life), taxes, balance checkbook, 401k,

pension plans, sign on bonuses, stocks, problem solving, proofs/logic skills, practical

if taking GRE/LSAT type tests►Helpful for review and logic

► Yes reasoning: (5) Logic, will use no matter what career, helpful for

grad school/job search► No reasoning: (7)

One sufficient, too many create schedule problems, not pertain to major, do not require—publicize current one

3. Along the same lines, do you feel the 3. Along the same lines, do you feel the current requirement of two lecture/laboratory current requirement of two lecture/laboratory science courses is beneficial to your overall science courses is beneficial to your overall education?education?►Yes reasoning: (26)Yes reasoning: (26)

Science too broad cover all in one semester, Science too broad cover all in one semester, too crammed in one semester, enforce logic, too crammed in one semester, enforce logic, problem solving, and critical thinking, better problem solving, and critical thinking, better rounded educationrounded education

Need open ‘science by learning’ to all (2)Need open ‘science by learning’ to all (2)

►No reasoning: (10)No reasoning: (10) Four days/week too much, three hours of lab Four days/week too much, three hours of lab

too much, not applicable to career, schedule too much, not applicable to career, schedule conflicts because takes up so much timeconflicts because takes up so much time

4. Do you feel a one semester 4. Do you feel a one semester lecture/laboratory science requirement would lecture/laboratory science requirement would be more beneficial?be more beneficial?

►Yes reasoning: (10)Yes reasoning: (10) Less time consuming, one semester Less time consuming, one semester

sufficient, went too in-depth—make more sufficient, went too in-depth—make more broadbroad

►No reasoning: (28)No reasoning: (28) Well-rounded education from two, not Well-rounded education from two, not

want admit—but happy to have taken for want admit—but happy to have taken for future, problem solving skillsfuture, problem solving skills

5. Would you like to see more discussion-5. Would you like to see more discussion-based class time across the curriculum? based class time across the curriculum? (Interactive Learning)(Interactive Learning)►Yes reasoning: (32)Yes reasoning: (32)

Hear other ideas and opinions, break up long Hear other ideas and opinions, break up long lecture, easier remember because see lecture, easier remember because see applications, learn through debate, applications, learn through debate, enforce/challenge beliefs, inquiry-based enforce/challenge beliefs, inquiry-based learninglearning

Example: have student present article/dayExample: have student present article/day

►No reasoning: (6)No reasoning: (6) Some classes need more straight facts, get off-Some classes need more straight facts, get off-

topic, takes up class timetopic, takes up class time Solution: do not require—but suggest little moreSolution: do not require—but suggest little more

Committee Suggestions: the “Ideal General Education

Requirements”►Addition of 1 credit hour 1st year

seminar to include: Advising, W and D process Introduction to college life and resources Service requirement (3 – 5 hours)

►Addition of 3 credit hour women’s studies course

Committee Suggestions (continued)

► Language: Mission Conversation Negative feedback on language lab requirements Propose four credit hour lecture and lab become a

three credit hour lecture plus a one credit hour conversation course (Guatemalan speaker)

►Addition of three credit hour Geography course to ‘additional designated courses’ list Geography and current events Degrees/majors require between one and four

‘additional designated courses’ (mostly social sciences)

Committee Suggestions: Proficiencies

► Language Proficiency Students may test out of second semester

language if pass proficiency requirement after completion of one semester language

►Addition of D for Diversity Must complete D, as with W Classes must discuss at least three of eight

diversity requirements to be considered D: Gender, race/ethnicity, disability, age discrimination, religion, culture, socio-economic background, sexuality

►Technology Proficiency Per department must complete with Advanced W

Other Suggestions:Other Suggestions:► Based on responses to the formal question on math, Based on responses to the formal question on math,

committee suggests a math-based (not required) committee suggests a math-based (not required) financial literacy coursefinancial literacy course

► Suggest (not require) more math courses, e.g. Suggest (not require) more math courses, e.g. GRE/LSAT preparation coursesGRE/LSAT preparation courses

► Suggest (not require) more PE courses, e.g. kick Suggest (not require) more PE courses, e.g. kick boxing, karate, tae kwon do, golf, wrestlingboxing, karate, tae kwon do, golf, wrestling

► Not requireNot require a tandem course a tandem course We are individuals at different levels of developmentWe are individuals at different levels of development We like options, self-confidence from realizing on own We like options, self-confidence from realizing on own

the purpose of the general education requirements, the purpose of the general education requirements, without being given the “ways of learning” documentwithout being given the “ways of learning” document

Thank youThank you