Consortium on Quality Education Campus Statements
Portland State University
A. Campus description
Size
- Doctoral-Granting University II (University Intensive)
- Total enrollment (Fall 2000) 16,824
- 49-acre campus adjoins the central business district
of Portland, Oregon, a city of 503,000
- Population of Portland metropolitan area, approximately
1.7 million.
B. Innovative practices related to Greater Expectations
In 1994, Portland State University embarked on a process
to implement a new general education curriculum for the
institution called University Studies. The University Studies
curriculum is required of virtually all undergraduate students.*
The program spans the traditional four years of an undergraduate
course of study.
The University Studies program has four primary Goals
:
- Inquiry and Critical Thinking: Students will learn various
modes of inquiry through interdisciplinary curricula-problem-posing,
investigating, conceptualizing-in order to become active,
self-motivated, and empowered learners.
- Communication: Students will enhance their capacity
to communicate in various ways-writing, graphics, numeracy,
and other visual and oral means-to collaborate effectively
with others in group work, and to be competent in appropriate
communication technologies.
- The Variety of Human Experience: Students will enhance
their appreciation for and understanding of the rich complexity
of the human experience through the study of differences
in ethnic and cultural perspectives, class, race, gender,
sexual orientation, and ability.
- Ethical Issues and Social Responsibility: Students
will expand their understanding of the impact and value
of individuals and their choices on society, both intellectually
and socially, through group projects and collaboration
in learning communities.
Freshman Inquiry is a year-long seminar taught by a faculty
team from 3-5 departments on a variety of themes, e.g. Entering
the Cyborg Millenium, and Knowledge, Art and Power.
Upon completion of the Freshman Inquiry, students register
for three interdisciplinary Sophomore Inquiry courses from
a list of a dozen areas, e.g. Classical Greek Culture,
Environmental Sustainability, African Studies, Morality,
and Professions in Society. Each Sophomore Inquiry course
has a cluster of upper division courses connected to it.
A student selects one of the Sophomore Inquiry course areas
to then take three courses from the associated cluster offered
by various departments across the campus. The final component
is the Senior Capstone -- a six credit course that is a
community-based project involving the interdisciplinary
student team working with a faculty mentor and a community
partner on an issue within the broader community, e.g. a
Latin American Web Site Project, Self-Concept and Middle
School Girls, an Environmental Scan, Marketing Plan for
a community organization, etc.
In addition, two community colleges have adopted the Freshman
Inquiry program on their campuses, and two area high schools
offer Freshman Inquiry as their Senior Inquiry for high
school and college credit.
*University Honors students are exempt from the University
Studies requirements.
C. Institutional learning goals and a brief description
of the process followed to determine them
- Inquiry and Critical Thinking - students will learn various
modes of inquiry through interdisciplinary curricula - problem
solving, investigating, conceptualizing - in order to become
active, self-motivated, and empowered learners.
- Communication - students will enhance their capacity to
communicate in various ways - writing, graphics, numeracy,
and other visual and oral means - to collaborate effectively
with others in group work, and to be competent in appropriate
communication technologies.
- The Variety of Human Experience - students will enhance
their appreciation for and understanding of the rich complexity
of the human experience through the study of differences
in ethnic and cultural perspectives, class, race, gender,
sexual orientation, and ability.
- Ethical Issues and Social responsibility - students will
expand their understanding of the impact and value of individuals
and their choices on society, both intellectually and socially
through group projects and collaboration in learning communities.
The goals of University Studies, the general education
program that all Portland State University students take,
were developed through an eighteen month process. A faculty
committee was created by the president in response to faculty
dissatisfaction with the existing general education program.
The committee members spent several months reviewing the
literature on student learning, retention and graduation,
on learning communities, and general education. Various
models were developed. Several open forums were held for
campus input. The University Studies model was developed
and presented to the Faculty Senate for its consideration.
The program was adopted in early 1994 for beginning implementation
in fall 1994.
|
 |
|
