Generally Speaking: The Impact of General Education on Student Learning in the 21st Century

by Madeline J. Smith (Editor), Kristen L. Tarantino (Editor)

Overview

This extensive overview first surveys the history of general education in the United States. It discusses how the recommendations of stakeholder groups have shaped general education in recent decades. Subsequent chapters detail best practices and findings in the assessment of student learning as it relates to the general education curriculum across institutional types. The discussion then turns to the larger impact of general education on culture and society as students navigate life beyond the undergraduate experience. The final chapters will provide insight into how various institutions are innovating through the general education curriculum, as well as a discussion on the keys to maintaining the relevancy of this curriculum throughout the 21st century and beyond.

Perfect for courses such as:
Assessment of Student Learning | Higher Education Administration
Academic Issues in Higher Education | Introduction to/Foundations of Higher Education

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781975501235
Publisher:	Myers Education Press
Publication date:	07/08/2019
Series:	Culture and Society in Higher Education
Pages:	156
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Madeline J. Smith has nearly a decade of experience in the field of higher education, specifically in the areas of academic program development and student learning assessment. After starting her career as a legislative liaison to the Ohio Department of Higher Education, she joined the academic affairs division of the agency with responsibilities in the areas of academic program approval and curriculum development. Smith next pursued a Ph.D. in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education Administration from the College of William and Mary. Concurrently, she served as the Assistant Director of Assessment at Christopher Newport University and subsequently took on a similar role at the University of Georgia. Smith currently holds a position in the academic affairs division of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, where she is responsible for the oversight of assessment and research. She has been published in the Journal of College Student Development and was a contributing author to The Dynamic Student Development Meta-Theory: A New Model for Student Success.

Kristen L. Tarantino is an independent writer and researcher in the field of higher education. Having worked with college students for over 10 years, she has conducted and published research on how students make meaning from their college experiences, including personal traumatic events as well as participation in institutionally supported programming. Her research interests center on the factors that influence student learning and how to appropriately measure learning gains. She has taught at the College of William and Mary and Old Dominion University, specializing in assessment for college student learning. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership with a Higher Education emphasis and a cognate in college teaching from the College of William and Mary.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

1. General Education for the 21st Century and Beyond
Madeline J. Smith and Kristen L. Tarantino

2. Assessing the Impact of General Education on Student Learning
Lisa K. Bonneau, Ryan Zerr, Anne Kelsch, and Joan Hawthorne

3. Closing the Assessment Loop in General Education
Nhung Pham and Doug Koch

4. The Impact: Two-Year Institutions
Angie Adams and Devon Hall

5. The Impact: Four-Year Institutions
Kristen L. Tarantino and Yue Adam Shen

6. The Larger Impact: Culture and Society
Mary Kay Jordan-Fleming and Madeline J. Smith

7. Case Studies in General Education: Engaging Through Faculty Learning Communities
Su Swarat and Alison M. Wrynn

8. Case Studies in General Education: Design Thinking for Faculty-Driven Assessment
Tim Howard and Kimberly McElveen

9. Case Studies in General Education: Critical Timing for Critical Reading
Bridget Lepore

10. Case Studies in General Education: Integrating General Education and the Majors
Henriette M. Pranger

11. Guiding Generation Z’s Future: Transforming Student Learning Opportunities to Career Outcomes
Jeremy Ashton Houska and Kris Gunawan

12. The Future Relevance of the General Education Curriculum
Kristen L. Tarantino and Madeline J. Smith

Index

Contributors

Editorial Reviews

Although the book is titled Generally Speaking, its well-qualified contributors actually speak in highly specific terms about the most important purpose of general education: preparing students for satisfying careers and for rewarding lives as contributors to society. Informed by a sense of history, the volume is for the most part forward looking. The criteria for building and assessing effective programs are both principled and pragmatic, and the case studies offer compelling examples of how genuine reform can occur. As we leave behind “boxes to check” in favor of coherent programs that motivate and transform students, we may for the first time enable all students to enjoy the benefits of a genuinely liberal education.”

Paul L. Gaston

General education may be the most potent weapon in educators’ centuries old fight against ignorance. This book, Generally Speaking, is a welcome and necessary addition to the arsenal. I believe the book helps to shore up general education and put it on a firm ground in an age when many have general education in the crosshairs.”

Angelo Letizia

Generally Speaking…is a valuable resource for those who seek to understand the contemporary landscape of general education initiatives across academia in our country. The case studies are invaluable for shedding light upon how some universities are shaping their general education curriculum. Those in university life who are experiencing challenges with developing a robust and workable general education curriculum can find some solace and possible answers through some of these case studies. It is for this specific purpose that Generally Speaking should be carefully consulted by those who seek to improve the general education curriculum at the university level.” (Read full review HERE.)

Teachers College Record review by James Schul