Eastfield College -- Core Curriculum Evaluation

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Core Curriculum Evaluation Background

Core Curriculum Defined:

"the curriculum in liberal arts, humanities, sciences, and political, social, and cultural history that all undergraduates of an institution of higher education are required to complete before receiving an academic undergraduate degree."

(source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas Administrative Code, title 19, part 1, ch. 4, sub. B, rule § 4.23)

Why Texas Universities and Colleges Have the Core Curriculum:

Senate Bill 148 of 77th Legislature -
- Requires each institution to adopt a new core curriculum by fall 1999.
- Presents instructions for "compliance" entitled Core Curriculum: Assumptions and Defining Characteristics.

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

What "Compliance" Means:

"A core curriculum should be described and assessed by faculty and institutions in terms of basic intellectual competencies and perspectives, and of specified student outcomes, rather than simply in terms of specific courses and course content" (Assumption 6).

More on "Compliance":

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Core Curriculum: Assumptions and Defining Characteristics also includes requires assessment of core courses through "Institutional Evaluations" (§ 61.824):
"Each institution shall review and evaluate the institution's core curriculum and applicable field of study curricula at intervals specified by the board and shall report the results of that review to the board."

Primary Issue Being Addressed in the Evaluation:

Coordinating Board rules specify that each institution's evaluation must address four issues. However, district addresses issues 1-3, so Eastfield's evaluation must address only issue 4:
"the extent to which the institution's educational goals and the exemplary educational objectives of the core curriculum recommended by the Board are being achieved (to be fully addressed in the 2009 evaluation)."

"Student Outcome" defined:

Degree to which students are attaining specific learning outcomes defined and valued by faculty and the college community (via Perspectives, ICs and EEOs).

"Student Outcome Assessment" defined:

The measurement and documentation of this degree of learning.

Total Core Courses for DCCC = 48 credit hours

Six Component areas:
- Communications
- Math
- Natural Sciences
- Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Institutionally Designated Option

Some Suggested Methods for Assessing Core Curriculum:

- Competencies across-the-curriculum
- Service Learning experiences
- Capstone Course
- Pre and Post testing
- Portfolios
- Assessment Activities
- On-Campus activities
- Many Others...