For higher ed institutions considering restructuring their general education curriculum, administrators suggest they involve the faculty in the process from the start.
“People need to communicate in a completely transparent way with all the stakeholders,” says Cora Randall, professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, and chair of the general education implementation committee at the University of Colorado Boulder.
“I think it helps for this to be a faculty-driven process.”
Other advice for redesigning a general education program:
- Consider the profile of your students, and make sure that the proposed curriculum meets their needs.
- Start with the learning outcomes you want students to achieve, and then design the curriculum in reverse to reach those goals.
LINK TO MAIN ARTICLE: Reconstructing general ed for colleges and universities
- Establish a clear rationale for why changing the curriculum matters. That will engage people in the process.
- Tailor courses to student interests.
- Encourage veteran faculty to get involved in general ed course instruction.
Sherrie Negrea, based in Ithaca, New York, is a frequent contributor to UB.
