CURRICULAR CHANGE Lessons from Alverno’s Journey Mimi Czarnik, Professor of English, Assoc. Dean of Humanities Becky Burton, Assoc. Professor of Biology

Many Roads to Success

The Impetus for Change  1887: St. Joseph's Normal School founded to educate the School Sisters of St. Francis.  1953: Alverno College moved to the present campus as a 4-year liberal arts college for women.  : Changes in society led to questioning of the relevance of traditional education.  Questions about the viability of women’s colleges.

Alverno, circa 1953

Exploring Change  College president declared that change was inevitable, but that faculty and students would determine the nature of the change.  1969: 3-day workshop with faculty and students led to an academic planning committee.  All faculty expected to contribute to the design.

Guiding Questions “We just kept asking ourselves two questions: 1) What should a student be able to do when she leaves Alverno College? and 2) What can we do to make those outcomes happen?” S. Austin Doherty “What does your discipline offer that is essential to all students?” S. Joel Read, President

Assumptions about Teaching and Learning Mimi’s Example: Worldview

Becky’s Example: What does this tell us?

Assumptions about Teaching and Learning  Share your “best practice”: something that always works for you in the classroom.  Choose one and reflect on what that example of “best practice” says about student learning.

The Implementation of Change: Competence Based Learning In 1973, the new curriculum was implemented  Diagnostic assessment at entrance  Graduates must demonstrate 8 competencies  Assessment-as-learning  Faculty teams design assessments  Faculty, alumnae, and professionals assess performance  Experiential learning (internships) required

Why Diagnostic Assessments?  To identify areas of strength and areas that need development  To direct students to specific resources and developmental courses  To allow the student to track her own development

Why Competencies? Learning goes beyond knowing to doing something with what you know Learning in the context of managing one’s life  Make Decisions  Develop initiative  Acquire confidence and responsibility for implementing these abilities

The Current Abilities  Communication  Analysis  Problem Solving  Valuing in Decision-Making  Social Interaction  Developing a Global Perspective  Effective Citizenship  Aesthetic Engagement

Why Assessment-As-Learning?  Authentic, preparing students for success beyond the classroom  Integrates knowledge and abilities  Allows students to demonstrate what they can do  Promotes learning, rather than just measuring it

Why Experiential Learning?  Teaches professional skills in a structured setting  Allows students to use state-of-the art facilities  Provides external feedback on performance 1976: Recognized as one of the best professional training programs in the country… “helping bridge the gap between business and education… providing graduates who do not need as much employer time and investment to do their job.”

Logistics of the “New” Curriculum  Validations for levels of the competencies  Outcomes for programs and courses  Criteria for assignments/assessments  Self assessment  Criteria-based feedback  Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory progress codes

Logistics of the “New” Curriculum (cont.)  Communication Placement Assessment  Cross-disciplinary courses (Communication, Global Effective Citizenship, etc.)  Internship Seminars  External Assessments  Competency Departments  Faculty reflection and collaboration time built into schedule

Partners in Change  Early to mid 1970’s: Collaboration with AT&T to research assessment instruments, such as the use of simulations for evaluating managerial candidates.  1988-Present: Collaborations with other colleges  1989-Present: Collaborations with K-12 schools  1990-Present: International collaborations

Resources for Change  1976: Kellogg grant funded development of a communication technology center with recording studio, staff, and equipment to support education and assessment.  Assessment Center provides staff to handle the logistics of assessment and portfolio development, which now includes the Diagnostic Digital Portfolio.  Time is reserved for work on curriculum and the abilities

Benefits of Change  Effectiveness of curriculum is increased (integrated, developmental, applied)  Students are more confident, independent, reflective, and work-ready  Efficiency is increased with shared language and criteria  Expectations of students, faculty, and administration are more consistent

Alverno Today

What have we learned?

Many Triggers for Change  Alverno—Purpose and Viability  WPI—Student Ability  School for New Learning at DePaul— Adult Education  Accreditation Requirements  Student Performance Concerns

What Made Change Happen?  Perceived need for change  Commitment to “perpetual” change  Tolerance for risk  Administrative mandate  Involvement of stakeholders

Making Changes: Getting Started  Identify measurable goals of institution  Measure present performance  Plan for measuring future performance  Research and adapt curricula  Use the skills and knowledge available locally, on-campus and off

Making Changes: Big Picture  Remain flexible  Keep focus on change  Ask what will benefit students most

Traps to Avoid  Perfection  Mutation  Unintended consequences  Optimality  Origination  Unlearning (ciconline.org/threshold, Spring 2007)

Making Changes: Specifics  Make graduation contingent on demonstrating competencies  Don’t stack new responsibilities on top of older ones  Recognize pedagogical activity as scholarship  Engage students, faculty, and administrators across campus in discussion & planning

Resources  Student Learning: A Central Focus for Institutions of Higher Education  From Traditional Approaches Toward Innovation, Soc. Coll. Sci. Teachers  NSSE:  ProfDevCollBibl.pdf