ERIC ED328137: The Challenge of Connecting Learning. Liberal Learning and the Arts and Sciences Major. Volume 1.

47 Pages·0.6 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
HE 024 182
ED 328 137
The Challenge of Connecting Learning. Liberal
TITLE
Learning and the Arts and Sciences Major. Volume
1.
Association of American Colleges, Washington, D.C.
INSTITUTIA
Department of Education, Washington, DC.; Ford
SPONS AGENCY
Foundation, New York, N.Y.
ISBN-0-911596-51-2
REPORT NO
PUB DATE Jan 91
47p.; For Volume 2 in this set, see HE 024 183.
NOTE
Association of American Colleges, 1818 R Street,
AVAILABLE YROM
N.W., Washington, DC 2'1009 (single copies $7.00,
20-99 copies $5.00 ea., 1004- copies $4.00 ea.).
General (140) -- Information Analyses (070)
Reports
PUB TYPE
MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS.
EDRS PRICE
Colleges; *Course Evaluation; Educational Change;
DESCRIPTORS
*Educational Improvement; Educational Needs;
*Educational Practices; Higher Education; *Liberal
Arts; Majors (Students); *Undergraduate Study; *Units
of Study; Universities
ABSTRACT
This report addresses issues concerning arts and
sciences majors, including how students and faculty view the major,
the organization of the major in many institutions, rostructuring the
major, the importance of "connected learning," underrepresented
students, and common dialogues across disciplines. Also, the report
stresses the importance of the major in the intellectual lives of
students and advocatss
,..gnificant changes in the way major programs
are offered at colleges and universities across the country.
Organizing principles for properly structured majors are discussed;
these principles are designed to help the students: (1) develop their
capacities to understand and analyze; (2) provide opportunities for
students to explore questions and generate their own; (3) help
students reflect critically on various approaches to knowledge; and
(4) relate to general education in a way that helps the students gain
perspective on their own field:, as well as others. In addition, the
report discusses the elements that are determined to be necessary for
every major so that the clirriculum structure is clearly understood
and meaningful. Finally, examples of promising practices are provided
that illustrate the different elements of a well-structured major:
curricular cohe.-ence; critical perspectives; connected learning; and
inclusiveness. (GL2)
2*,.*****..*******X***********Gt*****************ItVW**********************
Reyroductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
**********************t*****************************************A*****
LIBERAL LEARNING
AND THE
ARTS AND SCIENCES MAJOR
Vohd.
I
TIE CHALLENGE (}
cc),3
CONNECTING
LEARNLNG
1.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE
THIS
it.rhce of Educational Research and Improvemenl
MATERIAL IN MICROFICHE
ORLY
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
CENTER (ERIC)
1.--This document
has been reproduced as
reCehed hem the parson or organization
Originahrig
CI Minor changes here been made to improve
reproduction Quality
Points of view or opinicns slated in th4 dour
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
rnent do not necessarily represent official
INFORMATION CENTER
OERI Position or policy
(ERIC)."
1 IAT11,)N
I. A N
! V.51
I 01 I 1..(4.
LIBERAL LEARNING
AND THE
ARTS AND SCIENCES MAJOR
Vaurne I
THE CHALLENGE OF
CONNECTINTG
LEARKNO
PROJECT ON LIBERAL LEARNING,
STUDY-IN-DEPTH,
AND THE ARTS AND SCIENCES MAJOR
I 1(
`-4 )(
1 ,'%%11,1:1(
,
THIS WORK WAS SUPPORTED BY
THE FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT
OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
AND
THE FORD FOUHDATION
Cover: Opere Vane (1743)
by Piranesi
Courtesy Library of Congress
Published by
Association of American Colleges
1818 R Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Copyright 1990
ISBN 0-911696-51-2

FOREWORD
partments and program committees.
This two-volume report, Liberal
Each of these volumes addresses a
Learning and the Arts and Sciences
core set of issues first articulated for
Major, presents the results of a
the project by members of the Na-
al arts and
three-year review of lib t.
tional Advisory Committee. In the
sciences majors within the context of
Charge to the Task Forces, written
liberal education. Initiated by the
in tr.e fall of 1988, the National Ad-
Association of American Colleges,
iso.y Committee asked the learned
the review has been planned and im-
society task forces to address:
plemented in cooperation with
0 faculty responsibility for shaping
twelve learned societies, each of
major programs
which considered its own major in
0 organizing principles for structur-
relation to concerns and questions
ing study-in-depth
addressed across the entire projem
o
processes for integrating learning
The work of this project has been
0 relations between the major and
guided by a National Advisory
other parts of the curriculum.
Committee formed by AAC in con-
The National Advisory Commit-
sultation with the participating
tee's own report in this volume and
learned societies. Volume One of
the twelve learned society reports
this report, The Challenge of Connect-
published in Volume Two offer prin
ing Learning, was prepared by mem-
ciples and strategies related to these
bers of the National Advisory
four central themes.
Committee. It proposes a set of orga-
The general report on the major
nizing principles important for any
in this volume was written after
arts and sciences concentration.
members of the National Advisory
Volume Two, Reports from the
Committee had read several drafts of
Fieich, contains abridged versions of
each of fie twelve companion field
twelve field reports on specific ma-
reports. The argument of the general
jors by task forces appointed by the
report 's indebted at many points to
participating learned societies. These
the exchange with the task forces. It
reports provide presidents, academic
gums particular strength from the
ac'.oinistrators, and faculty members
task forces' collective acceptance of
with a summary of important issues
the issues raised in the project
and recommended changes in each
charge as useful and appropriate or-
reviewed field. The twdve learned
ganizing topics for their own field re-
societies separately are publishing
views. It should not be assumed,
unabridged versions of their own re-
however, that Volume One presents
ports, they are designed to stimulate
a project-wide consensus or a syn-
thalogue and self-examination in de-
vi
THE CHALLENGE
OF CONNECTING
LEARNING
thesis of the twelve sets of views pre-
mon goals for students' learning?
sented in Volume Two. The National
Can students?
Advisory Committee's views have
0 Do faculty members review stu-
been deepened and on a number of
dent work over time in relation to
issues reshaped by the project's dia-
departmental goals? Are the results
lectical prucess. Not all members of
of such discussions used to review
the several task forces would agree,
and revise program goals?
however, with each of the arguments
0 Do program requirements and
and emphases in Volume One.
practices stir port students in bring-
The participating learned socie:ies
ing together different parts of their
and their respective task forces are
learning, witLin the major and in re-
listed on page xi. Information on ob-
lated fields?
taining any or ati of the twelve sepa-
0 What can departments do to en-
rate reports is on page 225 of
courage fuller participation by stu-
Volume Two.
dents of all backgrounds?
0 What are the appropriate rela-
Yoward a wider dialogue
tionships between major programs
We want to emphasize that this work
and other parts of the undergraduate
is preliminary. While these volumes
curriculum? Should some part of
contain specific precepts and recom-
general education be structured to
mendations, their primary recom-
provide cr::ical and integrative con-
mendation is a call for serious
texts for study in particular majors?
faculty dialogue about central issues
These fundamental questions
addressed in these pages:
al. 'tit majors in the context of liber-
O What is the arts and sciences ma-
al cducation require and deserve
jor supposed to contribute within
campuswide faculty discussion.
the context of a liberal education?
O Are there common touchstones
Integrity and the arts
for any liberal arts and sciences ma-
and sciences major
jor? Should differing or competing
The stimulus and point of departure
assumptions about the purposes of a
for thiz review of arts and sciences
major across departments and do-
majors was the discussion of the bac-
mains be directly addressed?
calaureatc degree in AAC's landmark
O Have departments specified their
1985 report, Integrity in the College
expectations for students' liberal
Curricuhim. A Report to the Academic
learning? Can faculty members ex-
Community. That report challenged
plain how particular requirements
colleges and universities to consider
and intellectual practices serve corn-
what kinds of learning a student
7
vii
FOREWORD
context, what becomes of "depth" as
ought to achieve in any liberal arts
a goal for advanced study?
and sciences field, whatever the stu-
Faculty members in a lother AAC
dent's area of concentration. These
project (1986-1989) on using external
reports address concentrations them-
examiners to assess student learning
selves, asking what liberal arts and
in arts and sciences majors also rais-
sciences majors should contribute to
ed questions about the effectiveness
students' liberal learning and what
of learning in college majors. In that
kinds of curricular structures and
project, faculty members prepared
practices ar. needed to support im-
comprehensive written and oral ex-
portant lear ning.
aminations in their fields for gradu-
The authors of Integrity minced no
ating seniors on their own and
words on the shortcomings of the
similar campuses. They then served
undergraduate major. "The under-
as external readers and oral inter-
graduate major...everywhere domi-
viewers for seniors who took the ex-
nates, but the nature and degree of
am lations. Many examiners report-
that concentration varies widely and
ed that seniors are less skilled than
irrationally from college to college.
their instructors had expected in in-
Indeed, the major in most colleges is
tegrating learning across courses.
little more than a gathering of
All these findings challenged AAC
courses taken in one department,
to ask whether recent campus reform
lacking structure and depth."
has focused dispi,,portionately on
Reports from two other AAC proj-
general educadon. Discussions in
ects undertaken subsequent to the
1987-88 with learned societies indi-
publication of Integrity echo this
cated that many of them would wel-
stringent judgment. In the 1989
come participation in a collaborative
Structure and Coherence. Ivieasuring
review looking simultaneously at
the Undergraduate Curriculum, a
general and field-specific goals for
study of seniors' transcripts from lib-
arts and sciences majors. In 1988-89,
eral arts and sciences majors in
AAC secured funding from the U.S.
thirty-five institutions, Robert
Department of Education's Fund for
Zernsky of the University of Pennsyl-
the Improvement of Postsecondary
vania raises pointed questions about
Education (F1PSE) and the Ford
the "real curriculum" that American
Foundation to support such a review.
undergraduates experience. Too
many students, he reports, are tak-
ing "advanced courses" in subject- in
which they have had little or no pri-
or curricular experience. In such a
THE CHALLENGE
OF CONNECTING
LEARNING
The review of arts
rity and vitality in their conception
and sciences majors
and implementation of the major.
The project, titled "Liberal Learning,
More than 150 programs were nomi-
Study-in-depth, and the Arts and
nated; a sampling is included in the
Sciences Major," has been coordi-
"Promising Practices" section of this
nated by AAC and guided by a Na-
volume (page 23).
tional Advisory Committee. It was
AAC also surveyed students' per-
structured to generate a broad dia-
ceptions of their learning in the ma-
logue about college majors that
jor. Distributed informally by faculty
would include students as well as fac-
members participating in the task
ulty members and administrators,
forces and analyzed under the direc-
campuses and specific programs as
tion of Theodore Wagenaar, profes-
well,as nationai organizations.
sor of sociology at Miami University
The project's National Advisory
of Ohio, the survey provided sugges-
Committee first framed a set of orga-
tive information on students' experi-
nizing questions, the Charge to the
ence of intellectual coherence and
Task Forces, which appears in Volume
Lonnected learning across ten of the
Two. The charge was t'ac subject of
fidds in the project.
an all-project conference in March
The process of looking at the un-
1989.
dergraduate major extends to other
For their responses to the charge,
AAC activities. Articles in two issues
the learned society task forces used a
of AAC's journal, Liberal Education
variety of sources, including cata-
(March/April 1990 and September/
logues, formal and informal campus
October 1990), focused on aspects of
surveys, analyses of previously avail-
the major; the discussion will be
able data, and discussions with stu-
continued in the March/April 1991
dents. Preliminary drafts of the
Liberal Education as well.
reports were circulated for comment
Both the preliminary task force re-
by each task force and were further
ports and distinctive campus prac-
discussed at the societies' annual
tices were discussed at AAC's 1990
meetings and other gatherings.
Annual Meeting, "Undergraduate
At the same time, project staff
Majors and the Claims of Liberal
members reviewed specific major
Learning," and the project bencfitted
programs in disciplinary and inter-
from the views of those who took
disciplinary arts and sciences fields.
part in that meeting. A conference
Institutions and project participants
in February 1990 provided a further
were invited to nominate campus
s)pportunity for more dialogue and
programs that exhibit unusual integ-
reflection across participating fields.
9
1
ix
FOREWORD
iterations to the final editions. Well
Final drafts of the reports in Vol-
umes One and Two were completed
chosen by their respective societies,
the scribes served as both guides and
in late 1990.
servants to the larger communities.
AAC and all of higher education
Acknowledgments
stand much in their debt.
AAC and the participating learned
Thanks also arc due to the thir-
societies arc grateful to FIPSE and
teen members of the National Advi-
the Ford Foundation for their will-
sory Committee, who ably provided
ingness to support a uniquely collab-
leadership and integration to a com-
orative dialogue on the major. We
plex range of activities. They set a
thank in particular Peter Stanky, di-
rector of education and culture at
high standard for the kind of colle-
the Ford Foundation, who first artic-
gial engagement recommended in
these two volumes.
ulated some of the most significant
The project is especially grateful to
issues with which the project grap-
Jonathan Z. Smith, scribe for the
pled, and Charles Karclis, executive
National Advisory Committee. In
director of FIPSE, whose probing
that iole, he took exemplary care
questions and continuing commit-
that each part of the Charge to the
ment exemplify the best traditions of
Task Forces and the Vo!ume One re-
liberal inquiry.
port from the National Advisory
On behalf of AAC's Board of Di-
Committee represent the considered
rectors and members, we also extend
our thanks to the leaders of the
views of the entire committee.
Finally, many members of the
twelve learned societies for their
many contributions to this effort.
AAC staff contributed in important
ways to the project and to the re-
We acknowledge especially the
ports that have come from it. John
seventy-one teacher/scholars who
Chandler, AAC president from
served on the task forces.
lclividu-
1985-90, was a member of the Na-
ally and collectively, they brought a
tional Advisory Committee and pro-
remarkably high standard of intel-
vided his full support to the project.
ligence, openness, critical perspec
tive, and simple stamina to a
Associate Director of Programs
Thomas Jcavons offered invaluable
demanding set of activities.
With particular appreciation, we assistance at all stages of the project.
Audrey Jones, project secretary,
thank the scholars is ho served as
faithfully kept track of thirteen dif-
task force scribes and took their
ferent arenas of activity, nearly one
committees' respective field reports
hundred different travel schedu'
from early drafts through numerous
1 0