Core Reform Task Force

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No announcements or events scheduled as this time.

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Background:

Over the past few years the Core Curriculum Committee has been examining the learning objectives of Boise State University’s core requirements. Specifically, 1) the committee has been requiring that all new courses accepted into the core assess student learning and document that the course is achieving the core learning objectives, and 2) the committee has embarked on a multi-year assessment process to

determine if the learning objectives of the core are being met by our courses.

Most recently an ad hoc group was formed to explore ways to enhance the liberal arts at Boise State University and to seek opportunities to propel liberal arts disciplines toward the University’s goals of becoming a Metropolitan Research University of Distinction. This group, Learning for Life, sought input from the campus over the past year and has provided a report with suggestions for how Boise State University might enhance the liberal arts education of our students as well as supporting our faculty’s scholarly activities focused on the liberal arts. One of the significant conclusions drawn by the committee is that “some of what ails the liberal arts at Boise State University can be cured through attention to the curriculum, including the core.”

With both these efforts underway the Provost’s office convened a meeting in September 2008 of the Core Curriculum Committee and the steering committee for Learning for Life. It was determined that Boise State University students would benefit greatly from an examination of our core curriculum—its intended learning objectives and the structure we use to achieve those outcomes. To best accomplish this the Core Reform Task Force has been created.

Task Force Charge:

Examine Boise State University’s current philosophy, learning objectives and structure for the core
Research how other institutions are addressing their core requirements
Examine State Board of Education (SBOE) policies that relate to associate degree core articulation
Develop recommendations to the Faculty Senate as to how Boise State University’s core requirements might best facilitate student learning of Core learning outcomes through modification of the current structure or objectives, an alternative core path, and/or reaffirmation of existing learning outcomes or structure

Timeline:

The task force was convened in November 2008.

Provost