What Do the Liberal Arts Have to Offer?

What Do the Liberal Arts Have to Offer?Pictures!!

The Chronicle of Higher Education:Debating the Value of the Liberal Arts

• Harvard Mounts Campaign to Bolster Undergraduate Humanities

(June 7, 2013)

• Humanities and Social Sciences Are Central to National Goals, Report Argues (June 18, 2013)

• Humanities Graduates Play Big Role in British Economy, Study Finds

(June 18, 2013)

The Chronicle of Higher Education:Commentary and Analysis

• Humanities: Heal Thyself (June 10, 2013)

• English’s Self-Inflected Wounds (May 31, 2013)

• Rethinking the Bachelors Degree to Bolster the Humanities (June 23, 2013)

• The Humanities: What Went Right (July 3, 2013)

• The Humanities in Dubious Battle (July 1, 2013)

• The Humanities, Declining? Not According to the Numbers (July 1, 2013)

Beyond the Chronicle

• The Heart of the Matter, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2013)

• Humanities Project, Documents From Harvard University (2013)

• The Humanism Vocation, NY Times (June 20, 2013)

• The Decline and Fall of the English Major, NY Times (June 22, 2013)

• As More Attend College, Majors Become More Career-Focused

• (June 25, 2013)

The Value of a Liberal Arts Education: The Debate Continues

• Defunding of the liberal arts in favor of “job placement” and “workforce”

• Companies want graduates with: • Critical Thinking Skills• Clear Communication Skills• (Creative) Problem Solving Skills• Ability to Collaborate

• More interdisciplinary educational opportunities (e.g., technology) that engage students

New Information from the Association of American Colleges and Universities

• 4 out of 5 employers agree that all students should acquire broad knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences

• 93 percent of employers agree that candidates’ demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly and solve complex problems is more important than their undergraduate major

• Most employers want applicants who bring knowledge and skills specific to a field – but broad enough to apply to multiple fields

The Value of a Liberal Arts Education: The Debate Continues

•“The Intellectual Profile” of the Liberal Arts

•Need to Re-define “Workforce”

The Value of a Liberal Arts Education

• Jobs vs. Careers

• “Workforce Needs” vs. “Workforce Expectations”

• Transformative Skills for an Ever-changing Job Market in a Global Society

Updating Our Concept of “Workforce”

Liberal Arts + Technology = “Workforce”

Meeting the Needs of ISU Students & Preparing Them for the Future

• 615% Growth in Online Offerings

• Technologically Savvy Students

• Proliferation of Mobile Technologies

• Employers’ Expectations

iSU College of Arts and Letters Pilot Project

• Virtual Testing Center

• Mobile Technology in the Classroom• Branch Campuses• Lower Division• Upper Division• Graduate Courses• Content vs. Methods

Anticipated Outcomes• Increase Access• Greater Student

Engagement• Enhance Student

Learning• Enrich Outcome

Assessment• Superior Job Placement• Data-Driven Decision-

Making

• Enhanced Skill Development in the Liberal Arts

Statement “Agree” “Neutral” “Disagree”Tool for student learning 52% 23% 25%

Critical thinking 69% 14% 17%

Technologically savvy 74% 9% 17%

Collaboration 73% 10% 17%

Increase student

engagement 59% 22% 19%

Distracting 35% 29% 37%

Enhance participation 63% 22% 16%

Good for society 58% 29% 13%

Training 59% 13% 28%

Take another class 56% 27% 17%

Assist in career 64% 25% 11%

Understood purpose 74% 19% 7%

Agree; 69%

Neutral ; 14%

Disagree; 17%

Critical Thinking

Agree; 74%

Neu-tral ; 9%

Dis-agree; 17%

Technology Savvy

Agree; 73%

Neutral ; 10%

Disagree; 17%

CollaborationAgree; 64%

Neutral ; 25%

Disagree; 11%

Career

Outcomes: Liberal Arts Skills

Agree; 59%

Neutral ; 22%

Disagree; 19%

Student Engagement

Agree; 63%

Neutral ; 22%

Disagree; 16%

Enhance Participation

Outcomes: Engagement and Participation