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throughout the entire curriculum. Currently, students believe that they do need to
know or understand or be able to articulate theory until their senior year.
Another change might be to structure the freshman and sophomore level
courses to culminate in a qualifying exam for all students in the major. The exam
would seek to measure the ability of students to demonstrate a concrete set of skills
they will need to utilize in the upper division courses as well some set of baseline
understanding and knowledge of specific content areas of the discipline. The results of
this exam could also serve as assessment information about the courses taught at
those first two levels, assisting faculty in determining what changes in the design of
the courses might be needed (or other similar changes in other aspects of the
students’ collective experience as majors) to better provide for our majors effective
learning opportunities.
Education is all about transformation. Such transformation is grounded in the
ability to synthesize and integrate information, skills, and confidence resulting in
wisdom and understanding. While the most obvious site for this level of intellectual
growth and achievement to happen is the post baccalaureate, as faculty we can help
our students begin that transformation and acquire the rewards of a true liberal
education through reconsidering our curriculum, teaching methods, and pedagogical
objectives.
Convention