Curriculums refocus on learning

A revolution is taking place in higher education and schools are developing curriculums to better educate their students, instead of focusing on research opportunities for faculty.

To best serve students, universities have to start reevaluating their curriculums, said John Cahir, vice provost and dean for undergraduate education.

The revolution is not complete, but the passing of a new general education curriculum in December shows the University's commitment to change, Cahir said.

According to the General Education Recommendation No. 4, part of that change will be a required focus on active learning.

"Our vision is a majority of courses emphasizing learning teams and . . . working with other people to understand knowledge," said Desha Girod, president of the Undergraduate Student Government Academic Assembly.

Girod is working with the Schreyer Institute for Innovation in Learning to train a group of students to assist faculty with group papers and tests, peer editing and student teams, she said.

The Schreyer Institute has trained more than 90 faculty members on collaborative learning techniques and is a University center for education theory.

Active and collaborative learning is defined as student discussion with emphasis on team problem solving and critical thinking, said Spiro Stefanou, associate director of the institute. When students have strong academic relationships with classmates and faculty, their thinking skills and the outcome of general education courses improve, Girod said.

The current methods of instruction definitely fail some students, Stefanou said.

Stefanou said a student at risk of failing out recently came into his office. The student drove to meet Stefanou in a truck with an engine the student built in three months, from used parts, with no manual, Stefanou said.

Speaking with such students, educators realize they are failing, Stefanou said.

"Here's a guy who can obviously learn," he said. "But I guess we didn't do a very good job of teaching him."

Introducing collaborative learning techniques into general education classes will help struggling students, Stefanou said.

The goal is not for students to find a pre-determined solution, said Candice Logan coordinator of assessment and research at the Schreyer Institute, but for students to develop their own learning agenda.

Students need to become creative, active classroom participants, she said.

Following collaborative learning theory means forcing students to combine their skills and solve problems too challenging for any one person, Logan said.

Lectures are usually not the best way for people to learn, she said.

"There needs to be a tighter fit between academic and workforce related activities," she said. "Industry is telling us that we need problem solvers."