General education is integral to the student experience in higher education. It provides the broad foundation for student learning and preparation in the academy and throughout life. To deliver the best experience for students as they prepare for their futures in an increasingly complex world, East Tennessee State University’s General Education Advisory Committee (GEAC) made a formal recommendation in fall 2022 to begin a faculty-led process for the redesign of general education at ETSU.
General Education Redesign Task Force
After reviewing current best practices in General Education Redesign and examining exemplar models from other universities, the Task Force determined that identifying a common purpose and set of outcomes for General Education was essential for creating a cohesive General Education curriculum.
The Task Force sought input from faculty, staff, and students in the process of creating clear statements concerning the purpose of General Education and the competencies that General Education should instill.
The next step in their work involves articulating key Learning Outcomes that will be associated with each of the six core competencies. A draft of these Learning Outcomes is due to be shared with the ETSU community at the beginning of May.
Learning Outcomes Open for Public Comment Until May 18
The General Education Task Force appreciates the feedback it received on the General Education framework and competencies. The Task Force reviewed each comment and reflected on them, making some changes to those guiding documents as a result. Now, The General Education Redesign Task Force is seeking comments again from ETSU faculty, staff, students, and community members. Over the last few weeks, the Task Force has been developing a set of learning outcomes, as part of the process of redesigning the General Education curriculum. These learning outcomes are a continuation of the Task Force’s earlier work and are available for public comment here.
The Task Force feels strongly that the process of redesigning General Education at ETSU will be most successful if it is scrutinized carefully by all stakeholders, and faculty, staff, and students, in particular. They are aware this is a busy time of the semester for everybody but would be grateful to anyone who can take a few minutes to review the work and share any concerns, questions, observations, or sentiments of support.
To share feedback about the General Education Redesign, please contact Dr. Sharon McGee or Dr. David Harker.