ISLOs, ESLO, MSCHE Standard III and GE
Institutional Student Learning Objectives (ISLO)
These are the learning objectives an institution decides should be objectives for all graduates. Middle States Standard I indicates the importance of institution-wide mission and goals in guiding us in, among things, or academic curricula and goals.
Essential Student Learning Outcomes(ESLO)
This language comes from the Association of American Colleges & Universities’ (AAC&U) Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) initiative that was organized around what AAC&U called “Essential Learning Outcomes (ELO).” Such outcomes are meant to guide college’s as the develop curricula for students in the 21st century. SUNY Oneonta is currently using ESLO as a synonym for ISLO.
As indicated in the Essential Learning Outcomes Task Force of the Curriculum Committee report, the ESLOs proposed by the Curriculum Committee and the General Education Committee are derived from the MSCHE Standard III, AAC&U’s ELO, and Oneonta’s 2015 Strategic Plan Goals and Mission statement.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education Standard III
The MSCHE Standard III.5 is concerned specifically with the standards for general education programs. Many of the proposed ESLOs are derived from these standards. Standard III.5 indicates that that these must be integrated into our general education program.
General Education
Our current general education program is the SUNY minimum. We have placed this into the two general education frameworks (Making Connections and Problem-Solving) Senate endorsed last Spring Semester. As it stands our program does not meet the requirements of Standard III.
One of the tasks ahead of us is creating a general education program that is consistent with all mandated ESLOs and any other student learning objectives the institution believes should be part of our general education program.
Choosing ESLO for Oneonta is an important first step towards doing this.
Relevant Middle States standards:
Standard I
Criteria
An accredited institution possesses and demonstrates the following attributes or activities:
1. clearly defined mission and goals that:
d. guide faculty, administration, staff, and governing structures in making decisions related to planning, resource allocation, program and curricular development, and the definition of institutional and educational outcomes;
3. goals that focus on student learning and related outcomes and on institutional improvement; are supported by administrative, educational, and student support programs and services; and are consistent with institutional mission
Standard III
Criteria
An accredited institution possesses and demonstrates the following attributes or activities:
5. at institutions that offer undergraduate education, a general education program, free standing or integrated into academic disciplines, that:
a. offers a sufficient scope to draw students into new areas of intellectual experience, expanding their cultural and global awareness and cultural sensitivity, and preparing them to make well-reasoned judgments outside as well as within their academic field;
b. offers a curriculum designed so that students acquire and demonstrate essential skills including at least oral and written communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, technological competency, and information literacy. Consistent with mission, the general education program also includes the study of values, ethics, and diverse perspectives;
SUNY ONEONTA
GENERAL EDUCATION 3 LEARNING OUTCOMES REQUIRED
Students must complete courses in 7 of the 10 general education categories, and a minimum of 30 semester hours total.
Mathematics (M3)
Basic Communication (BC3)
Science (NS3)
Social Sciences (SS3)
Humanities (H3)
The Arts (A3)
American History (AM3)
Western Civilization (WC3)
Other World Civilizations (OW3)
Foreign Language (FL3)
GE Frameworks: Making Connections and Problem-Solving
Strategic Plan 2015
Mission
SUNY Oneonta unites excellence in teaching, scholarship, civic engagement, and stewardship to create a student-centered learning community.
Vision
SUNY Oneonta will be recognized as a leader in challenging and empowering students to identify and achieve ambitious goals. We will ensure a quality and affordable education emphasizing ethical, critical, and creative thinking for our graduates to succeed in a diverse and changing world.
Proposed Essential Learning Outcomes (ESLO)
SUNY Oneonta Undergraduates will be able to demonstrate:
CC and GE Endorsed (current version)
1. Awareness of global connectedness, diverse human cultures, and principles of inclusivity.
2. Scientific and quantitative reasoning.
3. Oral and written communication skills.
4. Technological and information literacy.
5. Critical and creative thinking.
6. Personal and social responsibility