Integrative Learning

A primer for advisors and students under the 2013-15 catalog

(including transfer students without an AA degree)

What is integrated learning?

Integrated learning is:

• Making connections across disciplines• Including the Liberal Arts (humanities, social

sciences, creative arts, and natural sciences)• Including the Catholic Intellectual Tradition

(philosophy and theology)• Including (directly or indirectly) Fundamental

Skills and Knowledge

There are 4 ways to address the integrated learning requirement

• Honors Program (by invite only)• 2nd Major in A&S or Economics• Signature Integration Concentration (SIC)• Interdisciplinary Minor (IM) including an

Individualized Interdisciplinary Minor (IIM)

What’s the best option?

Honors Program

• may be taken off the list since it is by invitation only.

• It is worth noting that the Honors Student must complete Honors I to fulfill Gen Ed integrated learning.

• Any student who drops Honors I still has to fulfill the Gen Ed requirement

2nd Major in Econ. or A&S

• This is an excellent but not a particularly popular option.

• Students getting 2 majors in the same department must take at least 15 ‘unique’ credits (credits that don’t double dip)

• There is a “Second Major” option in Theology: 27 credits and designed for students not intending to go on to Grad. School.

Interdisciplinary Minors (IMs) • Exist as a convenient “off-the-shelf” option. • German Studies and Leadership require only 15

credits (12 credits in Gen Ed).• Catholic Studies, Justice & Peace Studies, Women’s

Studies include only Gen Ed coursework, even though they require more than the min. 15 cr.s.

• Classical, Environmental, and Pre-Law minors require more credits, and not all cr.s are Gen Ed

Individualized Interdisciplinary Minors (IIMs)

• At least 15 credits• From 2 different academic departments• At least 9 credits in Gen Ed• 6 credits already taken may be counted

Signature Integrative Concentration (SICs)

• 12 credits• 3 credits may be from major• 3 credits may be substituted with experiential

learning• 6 credits already taken may be counted• Student must complete a non-credit “capstone

experience”• Credits must come from A&S and/or CIT

The next slide is the most important slide you will see. You may wish to study it rather

carefully…

Difference between SIC and (I)IM

• 12 credits • Plus capstone experience• Uses credits from A&S and

CIT only (“pool” is 27 cr.s)• shows up on program

evaluation only as: app. received, app. approved, and requirement met

• Doesn’t appear on transcript

• 15 credits• No capstone• Uses credits from FS&K,

A&S, and CIT (“pool” of 44 credits).

• All courses show up on program evaluation as projected & completed

• Minor shows up on transcript.

Gen Ed RequirementsFundamental Skills & Knowledge: 18 cr.s

Oral Comm.Written Comm.ResearchQuantitative ReasoningHealth and fitnessSecond Language

Catholic Intellectual Tradition: 12 cr.s100-200 level Theology100-200 level Philosophy1 Theo. or Phil. at 300 level1 other course

Liberal Arts Perspectives: 15 cr.sOne course in HumanitiesOne course in Humanities (different dept.)One course in Natural ScienceOne course in Social ScienceOne course in Creative Arts

Integrative Learning: no additional credits required

Signature Integration Concentration(Individualized) Interdisciplinary Minor2nd Major in A&S or EconomicsHonors I program

Now play with me a minute here...

... think of each of these four sets of requirement areas as boxes and the specific curricular requirements as pebbles, divided up appropriately among those boxes …

It would look like this.

This box is empty because Integrated learning should require NO NEW CREDITS if the course of studies is well planned out

Signature Integration Concentration

Fundamental Skills & Knowledge COURSES CANNOT COUNT…

Catholic Intellectual Tradition

Liberal Arts Perspectives:

Only courses from A&S and CIT can count

Signature Integration Concentration

Fundamental Skills & Knowledge COURSES CANNOT COUNT…

Catholic Intellectual Tradition

Liberal Arts Perspectives:

Only courses from A&S and CIT can count

Signature Integration Concentration

Fundamental Skills & Knowledge COURSES CANNOT COUNT…

Catholic Intellectual Tradition

Liberal Arts Perspectives:

Only courses from A&S and CIT can count

(Individualized) Interdisciplinary Minors

Fundamental Skills & Knowledge

Catholic Intellectual Tradition

Liberal Arts Perspectives:

Only one more course is needed and the ‘pool’ of prospective courses is bigger

(Individualized) Interdisciplinary Minors

Fundamental Skills & Knowledge

Catholic Intellectual Tradition

Liberal Arts Perspectives:

Only one more course is needed and the ‘pool’ of prospective courses is bigger

(Individualized) Interdisciplinary Minors

Fundamental Skills & Knowledge

Catholic Intellectual Tradition

Liberal Arts Perspectives:

Only one more course is needed and the ‘pool’ of prospective courses is bigger

In either case...

• There could be no additional credits in General Education if the student designs a program of studies by the time they register for their classes for the spring semester.

• For most students the best option is likely to be an Individualized Interdisciplinary Minor

In any case…

• Remind yourself that this is less about finding the easiest, and most pain-free option than it is about adding quality to your education. (and besides, it is as easy and pain-free as we can make it!)

• Ask yourself: what sorts of things, outside my discipline, would it be helpful for my major to know?

DESIGNING SICs or IIMs - An advisor’s guide -

Step 1: Brainstorm broad concepts, then pick two or three. Here are some suggestions derived from our Mission, Vision, Values, Outcomes and A&S Projects:

Community Creativity Cultural Diversity Ecological Economic Excellence Ethics Earth Gender Globalization Health History Justice Literature Peace Politics Problem Solving Race Service Society Spirituality Sustainability Teamwork Truth Worldview Example: Creativity, Ecology, Health

- Step 2: Discern how and which disciplines are represented within that concept: Accounting, Art, Art History, Astronomy, Biology, Business, Catholic Studies, Classical Studies, Chemistry, Communications, Computer and Information Sciences, Criminal Justice, Economics, Education, Engineering, English, Environmental Studies, Finance, Geography, German Studies, History, International Studies, Justice & Peace Studies, Kinesiology, Language, Literature, Math, Management, Marketing, Music, Natural Sciences, Leadership, Philosophy, Political Science, Pre-Law Studies, Psychology, Physics, Sociology, Spanish, Theatre, Theology, or Women’s Studies.

Add any relevant deliberate organized experiences in which you engage. Example: Art, Kinesiology, Natural Sciences, and Philosophy.

Note: Italicized disciplines are already minors – consider taking one of them.

- Step 3: Use Beeline, the course catalogue and e-advising- Which course titles look most interesting and relevant? Read the course descriptions - Does the course still seem applicable? Select your top choices and a couple of reasonable alternates, including experiential learning, if desired. Ascertain the availability and rotation of those courses and then construct a course of studies.

Example: Art 231 (photography), Kin. 149 (Health & Fitness), Bio. 109 (Environmental Science), Phil 311 (Environmental Ethics) and Service (Nahant Marsh).

- Step 4: Organize the concepts into a single topic that demonstrates how multiple disciplines can be brought to bear to make critical judgments about that topic.

Example: Artistic CREATIVITY can be used to address both ECOLOGICAL and human HEALTH.

- Step 5: Craft a statement of purpose. What do you want to gain by completing this IM/SIC? How will you demonstrate that you have achieved this outcome?

Example: I will produce a short film that documents the link between eating more healthily and the health of the planet.

- Step 6: Write out 3-4 learning objectives. An “objective” is what you will accomplish. A “goal” is more aspirational … merely what you wish will happen. Objectives should use concrete language: I will DO __________ (fill in the blank).

Example: I will research facts about ecologically sustainable foods. I will critically evaluate the truth claims of eco-artists. I will consider the diets of ethnically diverse populations.

Now…

• Go to the General Education website and complete the appropriate online application form (SIC or Interdisciplinary Minor), using your worksheet as your guide.

• Note that, in that application, you must include your advisor’s e-mail address - a copy of your application will be sent to that address.

• www.sau.edu/General_Education.html

Remaining and emerging issues

...

#1

•We prefer that students select IIMs/SICs before registering for spring semester. NSS and other First Year advisors will be primarily responsible for assisting students with this process.•Advisors in the student’s proposed major may wish to have an opportunity to suggest an IIM or SIC that the department may have prepared especially for their students.Q.: how can students and FY advisors be aware of these IIM/SIC templates?

Answer to #1• Any department that has templates is responsible

for getting them to their prospective students: this is no different than current practice.

• The Gen Ed office can help by creating a file of templates, organized by department, on our website. FYS and NNS advisors can be directed there.

• In the long term, we should have an expanding ‘library’ of templates to which advisors can turn.

#2: How will the Gen Ed committee manage the completed forms ?

• All application forms are now electronic and, once submitted, go to an initial file.

• Gen Ed office will do a preliminary check to make sure that the app.s are filled out properly and if they are not they will be returned immediately.

• Completed app.s will be distributed among the committee members to be evaluated.

• Any questionable app.s will be taken to the full Gen Ed committee for evaluation.

#3: What will the timeline be?

• The Gen Ed Committee asks that all SICs and IIMs be submitted (via electronic form on our website) by the completion of fall registration.

• The committee will have these forms approved or returned for revisions by Christmas break.

#4: What about transfer students?• Currently, students transferring to SAU without an

AA degree are subject to the same requirements as all other students, regardless of how many credits they are transferring.

• Remember that up to 6 credits can be ‘grandfathered’ in to the IIM or SIC, including transferred credits, CLEP, AP, etc.

• Students with an AA have their own Gen Ed requirements.

#5: About these templates• Templates for IIMs designed by departments may

‘converted’ to IMs if they prove to be very popular.

• However, if students simply use them as starting points from which they individualize for their own purposes, they should remain IIMs.

• We do anticipate that IM options will expand

#6: SIC advisor• This person is not necessarily the student’s major

advisor.• It could be the NSS or FYS advisor• It could be any prof. to whom the student is logically

attracted, given the chosen SIC• In any case, even if the student changes majors, the

SIC advisor need not change • The SIC advisor is responsible for evaluating the

capstone

#7:Changes to the SIC

• Gen Ed cannot track changes made to the SIC program of studies

• We urge students to notify us about changes they make to their SIC

• Students should alert SIC advisors to changes • Frankly, this is one reason why the SIC is NOT

typically the best option for students. They will fall through the cracks.

#8: Experiential Learning

• If it is part of an internship or other already required experience, there must be content added specifically to address integration.

• It is not explicitly part of the IIM proposal: the Gen Ed committee will have to address this.

#9: How long till there are more changes to the Gen Ed program?

• We understand our role not as crafting a permanent carved-in-stone program, but as navigating ever changing waters, so changes will be on-going.

• For example, now that it is emerging that the IIM option is the best one for students and advisors, we need to address potential weaknesses to it that we’d not addressed before: should they include both A&S and CIT coursework? Do we permit experiential learning? Should there be a capstone?

#10: Where can I get help with all this?

• The Gen Ed website is being constantly improved with on-line forms and most up to date information.

• The Gen Ed office should be able to answer most questions before they cause problems.

• The Gen Ed committee members are our most proficient and literate experts, use them.

Members of the Gen Ed Committee

• Kathryn Anderson - andersonkathrynm@sau.edu• Thomas Carpenter - carpenterthomas@sau.edu• Barbara Ehrmann - ehrmannbarbaraj@sau.edu• Laura Harrison - harrisonlaural@sau.edu• Imtiaz Mazumder - mazumderimtiaz@sau.edu• Lisa Powell - powelllisad@sau.edu• Tracy Schuster-Matlock - schustertracy@sau.edu• Brad Thiessen - thiessenbradleya@sau.edu

Gen Ed contacts

• www.sau.edu/General_Education.html

• E-mail: generaleducation@sau.edu