TUNING IN UTAHA Match Made in Heaven

Phyllis ‘Teddi’ Safman, Ph.D.Assistant Commissioner for Academic Affairs

Utah System of Higher Educationpsafman@utahsbr.edu

NATURAL PROGRESSION

Faculty Discipline Majors’ Meetings

Meet AnnuallyReview Syllabi and TextsIdentify Competencies for Successful TransferDetermine Content/Pedagogy/Assessment

Faculty Own Curriculum

REGENTS’ TASK FORCE ON GENERAL EDUCATION

Oversees issues of transfer, articulation, assessment

“What Is an Educated Person?” Conference GE meets business and industry Research findings on student success Bologna Process and Tuning

ESSENTIAL LEARNING OUTCOMES (ELO)

Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World

Intellectual and Practical Skills

Personal and Social Responsibility

Integrative Learning

STUDENT E-PORTFOLIOS

Educational Resume (Diploma Supplement)

Includes assessable evidence of Learning Outcomes

HISTORY & PHYSICS

Internationally-recognized historian and physicist Faculty meeting for 11 years Use ELOs and drill down Established competencies and

assessments Penetrating review of competencies at all

levels Prior work done by Bologna

HISTORY

Template: seven categories of learning outcomes

Rubrics to evaluate each category

Tied into national organization: American Historians Association

PHYSICS

Developing learning outcomes in national context: American Association of Physics Teachers

American Physical Society

American Institute of Physics Database of employers

PROJECTED GAINS

Depth of learning outcomes for students

Public understanding of learning outcomes (employers, legislators, policy makers)

Improved methods of demonstrating learning outcomes

INSIGHTS GAINED ON THE FLY

Surveys derailed momentum Need to expedite IRB approval

Timing Start in fall of academic year

Constant communication with faculty and students

Avoid information overload with faculty during first Lumina meeting Build conceptually over time

MORE INSIGHTS

Clarify project and its value to: Regents, Commissioner, Policy

Makers

Shout benefits to business and industry

Tie learning outcomes to LEAP initiative

ONWARD WE GO

THE END or BEGINNING