American Higher Education: Trends in Curriculum and Pedagogy

Richard C. Burke Ivanovo State University October 2013

Twenty-eight years of Victorian Lit

How has my Victorian Literature course changed from what it was 28 years ago?

Victorian Literature: 1985 vs. 2013

all male writers all major figures limited written work lecture / discussion male and female writers lesser writers included papers, daily writing assignments, poem selection, more, + exam group presentations group work in class video, audio, photos CMS + email online resources

photos in books
contact out of class: face-to-face or telephone

Victorian Literature: 1985 vs. 2013

all male writers all major figures limited written work lecture / discussion
male and female writers lesser writers included papers, daily writing assignments, poem selection, more, + exam group presentations group work in class video, audio, photos CMS + email online resources

photos in books
contact out of class: face-to-face or telephone

less lecture, more discussion carefully divided period electronic student portfolios assessment

OUTLINE
personal background and statistics curriculum trends
what we teach

innovations in pedagogy
how we teach it

looking ahead

Personal background
began college1970 began college teaching1975 have always been in English have taught at four institutions at Lynchburg College for 28+ years involved in curriculum review and revision Faculty Fellow

American Higher Education

2,774 four-year degree-granting institutions 1,721 two-year degree-granting institutions 4,495 degree-granting institutions
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2012).

20.3 million students (5.7% of total population) 14.6 million students enrolled full time
Numbers for 2010

CURRICULUM TRENDS
more inclusive emerging fields of study applicable education more orderly and purposeful fully integrated curricula

More inclusive
more subjects for studynew people, events, groups, issues, writers, genres, perspectives . . .

A broader sense of what to teach

Less Dominant males whites Protestants heterosexuals Europe and America traditional literary genres canonical authority wars and political developments certainty Getting New Attention women people of color other religions gays, lesbians, bisexuals, etc. Asia, Africa, Latin America non-literary & informal texts under-represented voices social history questioning

Consequences
new areas for research more students feel connected old certainties are challenged some backlash

Emerging fields of study

health sciences computer science environmental sciences athletic training + communication studies highly specialized programs
fashion merchandizing construction management X-studies (Hispanic Studies, Gender Studies, etc.)

interdisciplinary majors
mostly vocational and reflecting the growing numbers of people going to college

In decline

print journalism French (and some other languages) Classics

Applicable education
knowing things vs. being able to do things content vs. process inquiry-based education experiential (internships, study abroad, research)

Critical thinking skills

definition:
the ability to form and support a conclusion based on reliable and appropriate information

Developing critical thinking skills

special first-year course included in one or more common courses embedded in majors research program covered in all courses

Lynchburg College Core Goals

At Lynchburg College, you will learn to

Inquire Explore Conclude Persuade Engage

Better organized curricula

introductory courses and capstone courses scaffolded programs fully integrated curricula across campus
LEAP: integrates general and specific education Essential Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World Intellectual and Practical Skills Personal and Social Responsibility Integrative and Applied Learning

Measuring student learning

How do we know what students are actually learning? Assessment
set goals and objectives measure how well students meet them make changes for improvement assess new results

Goal > Objective > Outcome

Growing interest in the art of teaching

research-based teaching teaching-based research understanding how students learn widespread interest in curriculum design teaching conferences Teaching and Learning Centers

INNOVATIONS IN PEDAGOGY
the New Paradigm Active Learning technology and learning changes over 38 years of teaching

The New Paradigm for learning

OLD PARADIGM KNOWLEDGE STUDENT NEW PARADIGM

MODE OF LEARNING
FACULTY PURPOSE STUDENT GOALS

Transferred from faculty to students Passive vessel to be filled by facultys knowledge Memorizing Classify and sort students Complete requirements, achieve certification within a discipline

Jointly constructed by students and faculty Active constructor, discoverer, transformer of knowledge Relating Develop students competencies and talents Grow; focus on continual lifelong learning within a broader system

(first five of fourteen items) Adapted from Johnson, David W., Roger T. Johnson, and Karl A. Smith, 1991. Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company. http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie97/papers/1007.pdf

Active Learning
learning, not teaching more discussion, less lecturing students engage with the material
work groups, in and out of class low-stakes writing assignments problem-solving assignments activities based on case studies flipped classrooms

Technology and learning

classroom computers and projectors
video, audio, simulations, presentations

clickers for feedback e-texts video capture online discussions, forums, blogs, etc. electronic trading room electronic course and program portfolios YouTube, Khan Academy, TED Talks, MOOCs [Massive Open Online Courses]

The Flipped Classroom

traditional course:
lectures introduce concepts in the classroom students work on applications out of class

flipped class:
students watch introductory lectures online, out of class work on applications in class, where instructor can help and guide them

Other tools
course management software Turnitin.com SPSSstatistics software Mathematicatechnical computing software many, many more

Changes over the past 38 years

more writing, less reading low-stakes writing, not quizzes electronic portfolios presentation groups and in-class group work no grades on composition papers till the end course management software emphasize inquiry over certainty

Changes over the past 38 years

more writing, less reading low-stakes writing, not quizzes electronic portfolios presentation groups and in-class group work no grades on composition papers till the end course management software emphasize inquiry over certainty = do not require new technologies

And the future?

steadily increasing use of technologies early college pressures to reduce costs will have consequences:
possible use of MOOCs for general education likely increase in use of online courses and degree programs non-degree programs for credentials intense competition