Standard Number 3.5.1: The institution identifies college-level competencies within the general education core and provides evidence that graduates have attained those competencies.

Full Compliance

The core curriculum of Georgia Southern University evolves to accommodate the fast-changing learning and technological environment that it has been designed to support. It is continually being refined to meet both external (University System) and internal ( Georgia Southern) needs, mandates, and controls.

Within the University System of Georgia, the Board of Regents has defined the principles and curricular framework that govern the core curricula at the various institutions (see Board of Regents Academic Affairs Handbook , § 2.04). These principles and framework were developed to allow institutions some flexibility in defining learning outcomes while retaining the ability to transfer core curricular courses from one institution to another within the University System. In broad terms, the System identifies ten principles to which each institution must adhere in developing its core curriculum. These principles, last updated in 2000, are as follows:

 
  1. Encourage the development of written and oral communication skills and critical thinking within the broader academic context;
  2. Permit opportunities for interdisciplinary learning;
  3. Include offerings that reflect the special characteristics of the institution;
  4. Feature international components that increase global awareness and introduce the student to different cultural perspectives;
  5. Include an informed use of information technology;
  6. Employ pedagogy designed to increase intellectual curiosity and to initiate a continuing interest in the subject matter;
  7. Feature courses that are challenging and rigorous and provide learning experiences that distinguish a field;
  8. Introduce the methods used by technical and scientific professionals such as the evaluation of empirical data, problem recognition, problem definition, the application of scientific principles, and logical problem solving;
  9. Be cohesive and provide entry to both specialized studies in the student's chosen field and remaining courses (whether upper or lower division) in the institution's general education curriculum; and
  10. Be designed with the assumption that students have met all admissions standards to the institution (with appropriate academic support provided for those who have not).

Consonant with the Board of Regents guidelines and principles, Georgia Southern University has developed its core curriculum which is published in the 2004-2005 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog (pp. 52-52). In developing this curriculum, Georgia Southern identified ten categories of general education outcomes comprising knowledge, skills, and perspectives which it seeks to instill in its graduates. These general education outcomes, last updated in 2002, are as noted below:

 
  1. Effective communication (in English as well as competency in at least one foreign language);
  2. Effective analysis of information (including the ability to integrate research materials and credit sources appropriately and use computers for basic information processing);
  3. Problem-solving ability;
  4. informed decision making;
  5. aesthetic appreciation;
  6. responsible citizenship;
  7. familiarity with major issues;
  8. basic areas of knowledge;
  9. tolerance and understanding; and
  10. worthy use of leisure.

Georgia Southern employs a variety of processes to review and evaluate the core curriculum and to assess general education outcomes. Evidence of the University's strong commitment to curricular review and assessment is demonstrated by the recently established Office for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning, which working with the Office of Strategic Research and Analysis will coordinate these efforts university-wide beginning in the Fall 2005 term.

A comprehensive review of the core curriculum was conducted in 1996, precipitated by the impending University System conversion to the semester system. A multidisciplinary faculty team—after months of review, deliberation, and cross-campus discussion—recommended the creation of the core curriculum that is in place today (with minor modifications). As part of this process, course content was reviewed for compliance with the general education outcomes. Two of the more sweeping revisions emanating from this review included the creation of a new course IDS 2210—Turning Points and Connections, and a requirement that all students take ECON 2105—Principles of Macro Economics. These changes were implemented with semester conversion in 1998.

In 2001, the Faculty Senate surveyed Georgia Southern faculty to assess whether faculty believed the core curriculum was adequately preparing students as prescribed by the general education outcomes. In 2002, the University implemented the Math Placement Exam to foster accurate placement of entering freshmen in mathematics classes. Further evaluation occurred in 2003-04, when all units responsible for classes within the core curriculum participated in a review of outcomes associated with these courses. In Fall 2003, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences completed this review. In the Spring of 2004, the College of Science and Technology, the College of Information Technology, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Health and Human Sciences completed this review. The core curriculum was revised on May 18, 2004, based on the input received from these reviews.

Core curriculum courses are also subject to continuing review and evaluation as part of the processes in place for curriculum and programmatic review in general. Departmental and college curriculum committees review core curriculum course content for adherence to general education outcomes, currency, and relationship to other classes in and out of the core. Student ratings of instruction , peer assessment, course syllabi, and unit accreditation are all indicators that are considered in the annual review process. Similarly, evaluation and assessment of the core curriculum is also part of the cyclical program review process. As mandated by the Board of Regents in its Academic Affairs Handbook (see § 2.03.05), institutions are tasked with assessing a variety of programmatic issues, including, but not limited to, curriculum. Curriculum is evaluated for coherence, currency, relevance to program learning outcomes and student needs, course sequencing or frequency of course offerings, and enrollment patterns. The program reviews must demonstrate that periodic review of the curriculum is conducted based on assessment of learning outcomes and other types of feedback such as practice in the field.

Additionally, the Board of Regents has required since 1972 that all students demonstrate proficiency in both reading comprehension and writing. The Regents' Test has been developed to measure this proficieny and is administered according to the guidelines outlined in the Board of Regents Policy Manual (§ 307). Students completing 30 semester hours of course work are eligible to take the test. If a student has not passed both segments of the test by the time they have completed 45 semester hours of course work, they must take remedial courses and retake the exam. In this manner, the test measures basic student learning outcomes covered through the core curriculum and ensures that no student will graduate without obtaining this minimum level of competency. Georgia Southern's results are presented graphically for the years 1990-91 through 2002-03 at this link . As depicted in this graph, 87.1% of Georgia Southern undergraduates passed the reading portion of the Regents' Test on their first try in 2002-03 (n=4,228). Results for the essay portion were slighly lower with an 83.3% pass rate. The first-time pass rate for both portions of the Regents' Test was 74.9%. This overall result compares favorably with the average results shown for the University System. The average System-wide first-time pass rate on both sections of the exam for 2002-03 was 74.4% (n=41,611). Results for all System institutions can be found at this link .

Another mechanism by which the University evaluates the student learning outcomes of the core curriculum is through administration of the College Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) exam. Beginning in 2004, Georgia Southern began administering CAAP exams to a random sample of second semester students with junior standing. The CAAP exams are a set of standardized tests that measure skills and knowledge acquired through completion of the core curriculum. Georgia Southern currently adminsters three of the five possible tests: Critical Thinking, Reading, and Mathematics. Tests were administered via mail to a random sample of 650 students and participation was voluntary. Unfortunately, the response rate (those completing all three exams) was less than 1%, invalidating the results. The University plans to readminister the tests again in 2005 and options are being explored for improving the response rate (including making the test mandatory). The intention is to administer this exam once every three years (beginning with 2005).

Also beginning with the Fall 2004 semester, focus groups, composed of juniors and seniors, will be tapped to provide a qualitative and in-depth assessment to balance the quantitative measures of the CAAP exam. Faculty with doctoral-student facilitators will lead these focus groups, asking students to reflect on their general education experience and evaluate its effectiveness in relation to the general education outcomes. Georgia Southern plans to hold these focus groups on the same three-year cycle as the CAAP exams are administered so that quantitative and qualitative data can be produced for identical years.