Common Curriculum Visioning Committee
December 22, 2016
SEMINAR MODEL SUMMARY
We have 4 Dimensions: Communicate, Think, Intercultural Knowledge, and Common Good. We have 20 Learning Outcomes: (Communicate) Written, Oral, Reading, Information Literacy, Nonverbal Literacy, Quantitative Literacy, Discussion, Teamwork; (Think) Inquiry and Analysis, Evidence and Methods, Abstract Thinking, Scientific Literacy, Creative Expression, Theological Reasoning, Metacognition; (Intercultural Knowledge) Cultural Self-Awareness and Interactions Among Groups; (Common Good) Moral Understanding, Analyzing the Common Good, and Benedictine Hallmarks. Every Learning Outcomes has three Markers: Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced.
This curriculum has two types of courses: Seminars and Supporting Courses. At the core of the model are four Seminar courses. Each of the Seminars build upon the ones before it and each Seminar has several supporting courses. The Seminar model is composed of 12.5 4-credit courses: 4 Seminars, 9 supporting courses plus the Language requirement. Each course is designed to meet a subset of the learning outcomes. No more than 7 learning outcomes are assigned to each course, but most have fewer than seven. As in the Common Curriculum, a student can pass the course without meeting all of the learning outcomes.
In the Seminars, students are encouraged to reflect on what constitutes a liberal arts education and articulate what makes such an education valuable. The Seminars begin with a focus on the self, widen to consider smaller communities, and widen again to consider global systems. The Seminars culminate in a course in which students reflect and apply their liberal arts skills and knowledge to a topic through an in-depth discussion. The Seminars are also a place where the curricular and co-curricular are integrated. The Seminars provide students with an opportunity to think about the role of the Catholic Benedictine Tradition in their education and lives.
The supporting courses provide the disciplinary breadth in this model. Students must complete 2 courses in the Humanities and a course within each of the divisions (Fine Arts, Natural Science, Social Science, and Interdisciplinary). No more than two courses can come from the same department/program. All supporting courses can count towards the major. All courses are four credits unless noted. Supporting courses can be taken at any point before (or current with) Seminar 400. As you will see below, most of the supporting courses are designed around broad categories that could be taught by more than division.
There are three themes: Self and Identity, Community, and Global Challenges. We have designated one supporting course for each theme. There is a Humanities/Fine Arts course designated for Self and Identity, a Theology course designated for Community, and a Critical Interpretation course and the Language requirement for Global Challenges. The supporting courses reflect and emphasize the themes of the Seminars in order to help students recognize the interconnectedness of different disciplines. These themes do not have to constitute the entire course but can be one component among many. In addition to the designated supporting courses, students will participate in one more supporting course for each theme. A student might take Artistic Knowledge that has the Self and Identity theme, Historical Perspective on the Community theme, and Scientific Analysis on Global Challenges. Departments will be expected to determine which courses will be offered on which theme. After much discussion with the Registrar and Academic Advising, the themes will be attached to the course and not to the individual instructor.
Some courses will require attendance at fine arts performances, cultural events, academic panels, speakers, or other campus events and these will become part of the coursework. We will be working Fine Arts Programming, the McCarthy Center, the Jay Phillips Center, and others to bring events and speakers to campus that reflect the themes and issues of the general education curriculum.
The student’s will maintain an electronic Portfolio (ePortfolio) in the Seminars to record their college education. ePortfolios have been noted as a High Impact Practice that deepens and integrates learning. The ePortfolio will serve many purposes: a record of student work, a resource for students when applying to scholarships, internships, graduate school, and jobs, allows students and instructors to see progress over time as well as identify gaps in their skills or knowledge, encourages students to make connections between projects (especially with the themed courses) and among their academic coursework, co-curricular activities, and lives.
Class Schedule:
There are a number of ways a student could fit this curriculum into their college career. Assuming that students enter with no external credits, there are 68 available credits in a student’s schedule after completion of the general education requirements, assuming a 16 credit semester load for 7 semesters and one semester at 18 credits. Some of these courses can count towards the major. Below are two recommended paths:
Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / Year 4Seminar 100 / Meaningful Lives / Abstract Thinking / Seminar 200 / Seminar 300 / Critical Interpretation / Seminar 400
Language / Language / Artistic Knowledge / Historical Perspectives / Society and Culture / Scientific Analysis
Creative Expression (2 credits) / Theology
Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / Year 4
Seminar 100 / Meaningful Lives / Seminar 200 / Artistic Knowledge / Society and Culture / Seminar 300 / Critical Interpretation / Seminar 400
Language / Language / Theology / Abstract Thinking / Historical Perspectives / Scientific Analysis
Creative Expression (1 credit) / Creative Expression (1 credit)
SELF AND IDENTITY:
There are three required courses that incorporate the Self and Identity theme. Seminar 100 introduces the Self and Identity theme to students in the first semester of their first year. Students take a Humanities or Fine Arts course, Meaningful Lives, in the second semester of their first year. Finally, students are required to take one additional supporting course the incorporates the Self and Identity theme.
Seminar 100: Self and Identity (18 students)
This course will be required by all students in the fall semester of their first year. There will be 2-3 common readings chosen by faculty teaching the course. Seminar 100 will have a deliberate focus on writing and the Liberal Arts. This course provides the foundation for a focus on Self and Identity.
Students will be required to attend two Fine Arts events on campus. It’s possible that different students attend different events. It’s also possible that students might watch a recording of the event if they cannot physically attend. These events could include Fine Arts events, Cultural events, academic panels, or speakers. We will be working Fine Arts Programming, the McCarthy Center, the Jay Phillips Center, and others to bring events and speakers to campus that reflect the themes and issues of the general education curriculum. In class, students discuss and reflect on these experiences and how they relate to the context of the course. A discussion and reflective piece on the events will be part of the student’s grade.
Outcomes and Markers
· Think outcomes (Beginner)
o Metacognition
· Communicate (Beginner)
o Written communication
o Reading
o Information literacy
● Intercultural Knowledge learning goals (Beginner)
o Cultural Self Awareness
o Interactions among groups
● Common Good (Beginner)
o Benedictine Hallmarks outcomes
Meaningful Lives
This course is taught by Fine Arts or Humanities faculty. Meaningful Lives encourages students to think about what it means to live a meaningful life. This is a supporting course for the Self and Identity theme. This course is expected to meet the beginning learning outcomes in Communicate that are not in Seminar 100. This course is taken in the second semester of a student’s first year. Prerequisites: Seminar 100.
Students will be required to attend two Fine Arts events on campus. It’s possible that different students attend different events. It’s also possible that students might watch a recording of the event if they cannot physically attend. In class, students discuss and reflect on these experiences and how they relate to the context of the course. A discussion and reflective piece on the events will be part of the student’s grade.
Outcomes and Markers
● Think (Beginner)
○ Inquiry and Analysis
○ Evidence and Methods
● Communicate (Beginner)
○ Oral communication
○ Teamwork
○ Nonverbal literacy
COMMUNITY
There are three courses that incorporate the Community theme: Seminar 200, Theology, and one additional supporting course that carries the theme. Seminar 200 is taken in the second year while Theology can be taken at any point.
Seminar 200: Community (18 students)
This course is required by all students during their second year. There will be two common readings chosen by faculty teaching the course. This course incorporates the Community theme. Students continue their work on research skills and are expected to construct an argument. The value of the Liberal Arts will be a component of the course. Prerequisites: Seminar 100, Meaningful Lives
Outcomes and Markers
● Common Good outcomes
o Moral Understanding (Beginner)
o Analyzing the Common Good (Beginner)
o Benedictine Hallmarks (Intermediate)
● Communicate (Intermediate)
○ Written communication
○ Information Literacy
● Think (Intermediate)
○ Inquiry and Analysis
○ Evidence and Methods
Theology
This is a supporting course for the Community theme. This course discusses theological reasoning. The details of this course will be determined after the JFS votes on the CBT learning outcomes, which we expect will be at the end of January. Because this course incorporates Beginner Learning markers, students may take this during their first semester.
Outcomes and Markers
· Communicate (Beginner)
o Discussion
· Think:
o Theological reasoning (Beginner and Intermediate)
GLOBAL CHALLENGES:
There are four courses that incorporate the Global Challenges theme: Seminar 300, a Critical Interpretation Supporting Course, the Language Requirement, and one additional Supporting course that carries the theme.
Seminar 300: Global Challenges (25 students or abroad)
This course is required by all students during their third year. We expect this course to be taught abroad or on campus. This course examines the impact and consequences of global systems on the world (natural or human) and the value of the liberal arts. The topic chosen by instructor should reflect major ongoing questions like war, poverty, racism, sexism, economic inequities, health, hunger, or environmental issues in a global or international context. Prerequisite: Seminar 200
Outcomes and Markers
● Intercultural Knowledge (Intermediate)
○ Intermediate Cultural Self Awareness
○ Intermediate Interactions Among Groups
● Communicate (Intermediate)
○ Oral Communication
○ Teamwork
● Think (Intermediate)
○ Metacognition
Critical Interpretation (20 students) (likely a Humanities, Social Science or Fine Arts course)
This is a writing intensive course that encompasses the Global Challenges theme. Seminar 200 is a pre-requisite for this course. The purpose of this course is to deepen students’ understanding of how to read, analyze, and write about a variety of primary texts.
Outcomes and Markers
· Think:
o Evidence and Methods (Intermediate)
o Metacognition (Advanced)
· Communication
o Written (Advanced)
o Reading (Intermediate)
Language
Students need to demonstrate an Intermediate-Low level of proficiency in writing, speaking, reading, and listening in a second language. Within these courses they will continue their work on communication skills but in the context of a different language. Some of these proficiencies may be met while abroad. In addition, students will continue to apply their foundation in intercultural knowledge as it relates to the locations at which the language spoken. Completion through 211 is required.
Outcome and Marker
· Intercultural Knowledge (Intermediate)
o Interaction Among Groups (assessed in 211)
INTEGRATION
Seminar 400: Valuing the Liberal Arts (20 students)
This is a discussion-based course built upon a topic chosen by individual faculty. The topic will be explored from the individual, community, and global perspectives. This is a place for integration where students could build on their earlier courses to explore and analyze multi-disciplinary approaches to the topic. Students reflect on their liberal arts education and its value. This include a common reading on the liberal arts chosen by the faculty teaching the Seminar. Prerequisites: CSEM 300, all general education courses (can be taken concurrently)
Outcomes and Markers
Require a reflection on the liberal arts
· Think (Advanced)
o Metacognition
· Communication: (Advanced)
o Discussion
o Reading
· Common Good
o Moral Understanding (Intermediate)
o Analyzing the Common Good (Intermediate)
o Benedictine Hallmarks (Advanced)
ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING COURSES
The supporting courses below can have the themes, Self and Identity, Community, or Global Challenges, although they are not required to contain a theme. These courses are 200 or 300 level because they address Intermediate level markers, with the exception of Abstract Thinking which could be a 100 level course as it introduces Beginner level markers.
Abstract Thinking (likely a Mathematics, Logic, or Computer Science Course)
Students will engage in deductive thinking and formal reasoning. This is a pre-requisite for Scientific Analysis. It is recommended this is completed in the first two years. Because this works on Beginner learning markers, this can be a 100 level course.
Outcomes and Markers
· Think
o Abstract Thinking (Beginner and Intermediate)
o Metacognition (Intermediate)
· Communicate (Beginner)
o Quantitative literacy
Creative expression (likely a Fine Arts or Creative Writing Course; 2 credits)
Individually or in a group, students will perform a musical piece, create a piece of art, perform or participate in the theater, write creatively. Students go through the process of creation and as doing so, have an opportunity to discuss this creative process.
Outcomes and Markers
· Think
o Creative expression (Beginner)
o Metacognition (Intermediate)
Artistic Knowledge (likely a Fine Arts or Humanities Course)
Students develop analytical skills in exercising artistic discrimination and aesthetic judgment.
Outcomes and Markers
· Think (Intermediate)
o Metacognition
· Communicate (Intermediate)
o Nonverbal literacy
Historical Perspectives (likely a Social Science, Fine Arts, or a Humanities course)