GBC General Education Survey, February 2010
I am
Answer Options / Response Percent / Response Count
a full-time faculty member / 100.0% / 30
an adjunct faculty member / 0.0% / 35
answered question / 65
skipped question / 0
Would you be willing to participate in a focus group to further discuss Gen Ed? (Contact Susanne Bentley.)
FULL-TIME FACULTY / ADJUNCT FACULTY
Answer Options / Response Percent / Response Count / Response Percent / Response Count
Yes / 46.7% / 14 / 34.5% / 10
No / 53.3% / 16 / 65.5% / 19
answered question / 30 / 29
skipped question / 0 / 6
FULL-TIME FACULTY RESPONSES
Answer Options / Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Agree / Strongly Agree / Rating Average / Response Count
General Education (Gen Ed) is an important part of our curricula. / 3 / 2 / 11 / 14 / 3.20 / 30
I address all of the Gen Ed Objectives in my Gen Ed courses. / 0 / 3 / 15 / 12 / 3.30 / 30
I had assistance in formulating Gen Ed objectives for my course syllabi. / 5 / 8 / 13 / 4 / 2.53 / 30
I have qualitative and/or quantitative ways that I assess students' learning of Gen Ed objectives. / 2 / 2 / 16 / 10 / 3.13 / 30
I feel successful at integrating Gen Ed objectives into my Gen Ed courses. / 1 / 5 / 14 / 10 / 3.10 / 30
The Gen Ed program at GBC needs change. / 3 / 13 / 8 / 5 / 2.52 / 29
answered question / 30
skipped question / 0
ADJUNCT RESPONSES
Answer Options / Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Agree / Strongly Agree / Rating Average / Response Count
General Education (Gen Ed) is an important part of our curricula. / 0 / 0 / 4 / 24 / 3.86 / 28
I address all of the Gen Ed Objectives in my Gen Ed courses. / 0 / 2 / 15 / 11 / 3.32 / 28
I had assistance in formulating Gen Ed objectives for my course syllabi. / 4 / 2 / 12 / 10 / 3.00 / 28
I have qualitative and/or quantitative ways that I assess students' learning of Gen Ed objectives. / 0 / 2 / 15 / 11 / 3.32 / 28
I feel successful at integrating Gen Ed objectives into my Gen Ed courses. / 0 / 1 / 15 / 12 / 3.39 / 28
The Gen Ed program at GBC needs change. / 0 / 19 / 7 / 1 / 2.33 / 27
answered question / 28
skipped question / 7
FULL-TIME FACULTY RESPONSES
Given the Gen Ed objectives below, please rate each one according to how strongly you feel that students have gained knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes in your Gen Ed course.
Answer Options / Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Agree / Strongly Agree / Rating Average / Response Count
Written Communication / 1 / 2 / 14 / 13 / 3.30 / 30
Oral Communication / 0 / 7 / 17 / 6 / 2.97 / 30
Assessing Information / 1 / 1 / 20 / 8 / 3.17 / 30
Reading Skills / 2 / 2 / 17 / 9 / 3.10 / 30
Quantitative Ability / 0 / 11 / 16 / 3 / 2.73 / 30
Reasoning and Independent Thought / 1 / 0 / 17 / 12 / 3.33 / 30
Scientific Understanding / 2 / 8 / 13 / 7 / 2.83 / 30
Personal/Cultural Awareness / 1 / 5 / 15 / 9 / 3.07 / 30
Personal Wellness / 4 / 6 / 15 / 5 / 2.70 / 30
Technological Understanding / 0 / 7 / 16 / 7 / 3.00 / 30
answered question / 30
skipped question / 0
ADJUNCT FACULTY RESPONSES
Given the Gen Ed objectives below, please rate each one according to how strongly you feel that students have gained knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes in your Gen Ed course.
Answer Options / Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Agree / Strongly Agree / Rating Average / Response Count
Written Communication / 1 / 3 / 8 / 16 / 3.39 / 28
Oral Communication / 0 / 9 / 16 / 3 / 2.79 / 28
Assessing Information / 0 / 0 / 19 / 9 / 3.32 / 28
Reading Skills / 0 / 7 / 11 / 10 / 3.11 / 28
Quantitative Ability / 1 / 8 / 16 / 3 / 2.75 / 28
Reasoning and Independent Thought / 0 / 1 / 17 / 9 / 3.30 / 27
Scientific Understanding / 5 / 10 / 12 / 1 / 2.32 / 28
Personal/Cultural Awareness / 1 / 4 / 16 / 7 / 3.04 / 28
Personal Wellness / 1 / 12 / 12 / 2 / 2.56 / 27
Technological Understanding / 0 / 4 / 19 / 4 / 3.00 / 27
answered question / 28
skipped question / 7
FULL-TIME FACULTY RESPONSES
In the list below indicate the Gen Ed objectives that are most difficult to address in your Gen Ed class[es].
Answer Options / Response Percent / Response Count
Written Communication / 16.7% / 5
Oral Communication / 23.3% / 7
Assessing Information / 6.7% / 2
Reading Skills / 26.7% / 8
Quantitative Ability / 46.7% / 14
Reasoning and Independent Thought / 10.0% / 3
Scientific Understanding / 33.3% / 10
Personal/Cultural Awareness / 26.7% / 8
Personal Wellness / 63.3% / 19
Technological Understanding / 33.3% / 10
answered question / 30
skipped question / 0
ADJUNCT FACULTY RESPONSES
In the list below indicate the Gen Ed objectives that are most difficult to address in your Gen Ed class[es].
Answer Options / Response Percent / Response Count
Written Communication / 14.3% / 4
Oral Communication / 28.6% / 8
Assessing Information / 0.0% / 0
Reading Skills / 21.4% / 6
Quantitative Ability / 39.3% / 11
Reasoning and Independent Thought / 7.1% / 2
Scientific Understanding / 64.3% / 18
Personal/Cultural Awareness / 17.9% / 5
Personal Wellness / 42.9% / 12
Technological Understanding / 32.1% / 9
answered question / 28
skipped question / 7
Significant (?) Gaps Between Full-Time & Adjunct Faculty
Quantitative Ability
FT47%
ADJ39%
Scientific Understanding
FT33%
ADJ64%
Personal/Culture Awareness
FT27%
ADJ18%
Personal Wellness
FT63%
ADJ42%
If you believe the Gen Ed objectives need to be changed, what are your recommendations?Number / FULL-TIME FACULTY RESPONSES
1 / N/A
2 / I think the term "personal wellness" is ambiguous---and it's hard for me to have any assessment of that. Not every class deals with "qualitative analysis"--again hard to fit in, sometimes.
3 / Make the requirements correlate to the department teaching the course. English with English, Math with Math, Social Science with Social Sciences, etc. Yes integrative studies are all well and fine but how about getting students up to standards in core classes first.
4 / I am new to GBC and not very familiar with the Gen Ed objectives just yet!
5 / I think we should rethink the "personal wellness" objective. The term itself is fuzzy. Are we talking financial, psychological, physical, emotional or even spiritual wellness? And how do we measure attainment (rather than "I can claim I taught it")? Average number of servings of vegetables eaten? Bank statement? Number of smiles per day?
6 / I think they are very good as currently stated.
7 / Remove "personal wellness," or more broadly define its scope.
8 / n/a
9 / Make the objectives more streamlined. also revise some of them, such as the personal wellness.
10 / I think we should do away with the idea of having these common objectives appear in just those courses selected as gen ed. I think our students would be better served if we incorporated critical thinking into all of our courses. This could be done gradually.
11 / We need to examine the overal goals and examine what components are required. Why go to assessing weird stuff. Also need to be sure the goals reflect current thinking. Do each need to be part of a gen ed course, or only some (as in 3/5)? Also simplification would be good.
12 / I would take out the technology requirement. Our students have plenty of technological experience.
13 / For those of us, who usually aren't teaching Gen Ed classes,it would be helpful to reveiw exactly what the objectives are.
Number / ADJUNCT FACULTY RESPONSES
1 / I think that the combination of the individual courses chosen for Gen Ed should address the objectives. For example, by taking certain classes from certain areas that address the Gen Ed objectives (such as math courses for quatitative ability and science courses for scientific methods and English courses for written communications) students will end up with the skills and knowledge the ojectives state. I don't think that every single Gen Ed class should address all of the objectives because some courses just don't lend themselves to that. Instructors really stretch to show a connection with some areas when they need to be focusing on the content of the specific course.
clarify, simplify
3 / Too many objectives; students need specific help in basic skills before this will work.
4 / I Believe we should look at splitting the 091 and 095 classes in Math into two semesters so that a student with little math skill can take a slower version. Perhaps 091A and 091B and then 095A and 095B. The 097 class was a terrible concept! I also think that offering online remedial classes is a huge challenge for students who have little technical skills. There should be some kind of computer literacy assessment before a student is allowed to register for classes in this format. We are driving our students into failure by not addressing these basic needs.
5 / I have been made aware by students that the Drawing 101 course is being taught at a level that exceeds what a beginning course such as this should be. It is above the students abilities and understanding. This could cause a disinterest in Art and increase the drop out rate. A beginning course such as Drawing 101 should be an introduction to the methods and materials needed to stimulate the interest and desire of the art students.
6 / I support the development of more interdisciplinary focused general education courses. There is a need to provide deeper understanding of concepts that cut across multiple disciplines. Most national content standards groups have written their standards according to larger constructs (sometimes called big ideas, strands, themes, etc.). General education courses should help student see how different disciplines share underlying ideas. The work of David Cox is a worthy resource.
7 / None
8 / None
9 / I think that a math course, such as Math 120, which I teach, should concentrate on learning math and analytical skills, with applications to real-life problems. Some of the objectives-de-jour, such as cultural awareness, may be applicable in some courses, but I consider them to be of little use in this course. We need to teach math, developing logical thinking skills with applications.
Other Comments?
FULL-TIME FACULTY RESPONSES
1 / None
2 / It is of my humble opinion that there is too much touchy, feely, sensativity in the general ed. requirements. Our students need to have a solid grounding in the core classes they take. This would satisfy the general ed. requirements from the departments offering the courses and strengthen their knowledge in that content area.
3 / I would be interested in learning how to improve my courses to meet the Gen Ed objectives, or to work with a focus group to discuss how to improve the objectives, if needed.
4 / With about half the students who are taking my Gen Ed course only because it's required of them, there seems to be a "bad attitude" right from the start of the semester.
5 / If you are expected to teach 90 students in GTA 130 you can't effectively do the written and oral components!!! Yet, the only way we can make GBC economically viable is to "pack em in" to the gen ed classes. Just expressing a frustration - I know it is not constructive criticism. Thanks for all the good work.
6 / This course is only offered online. Threaded discussion posts are required, but plans are underway to increase student interaction by enhanced technical methods.
7 / I believe GBC's curriculum is a model for other colleges.
8 / I do believe that it would have been helpful to have a "Not Applicable" answer to some of the questions.
9 / In my opinion, one problem is that most faculty have never discussed the rationale behind the objectives and may not understand what was intended. I think that a general session (required) should be held to discuss WHY the objectives were created as they were and thereafter determine what might need change.
10 / There are classes where there is no substantiation. If we recreate who approves these now?
It is difficult to get accountability from the adjuncts instructor. I have met with all of the art gen ed instructors but it is difficult to help those instructors out of my subject area such as music, theater, etc.
11 / In your survey, it would have been helpful to have a "Not Applicable" choice too.
ADJUNCT FACULTY RESPONSES
1 / Maybe review other colleges' general education requirements and see if there is a model out there that might work better for GBC.
2 / Students are not being properly screened for basic skills, and/or are getting passing grades when they really don't have the skills they should have.
3 / I believe Great Basin College does an excellent job in preparing students for life. It is a valuable asset to our community and the students it produces have the ability to move forward in their education.
4 / It would be helpful to have a "program" that identifies Gen Ed objectives that would be expected to be accomplished in each course. Thus, if my course would be expected to meet certain of the objectives, then I would customize the course to assure that those objectives are achieved. This would require an overall plan for assuring that the Gen Ed objectives are realisticly achievable for students.
5 / Several of these do not apply to yoga. I assumed that Physical Education is part of GE requirements, but I do not address all of the objectives. I don't feel it is part of my job to assess a students skill level in reading and math.
6 / I teach an online line course, therefore, oral communication is not addressed. I also, as adjunct facaulty, am not familiar with the total general education program. It is difficult for me to address the program and it needs or strengths.
7 / As an online instructor, I do not engage in any oral communication, scientific exploration, or personal wellness issues. I do feel a bit more isolated than other instructors and would d enjoy taking part in a forum on this topic.
8 / In the instructor evaluations, I note that many of these so-called Gen Ed requirements are addressed ad nauseum, and most students are interested in only a few items in how the course was taught and what they got out of it. The entire form could be shortened to only a few pertinent items. The statistical nonsense on many, many items could be dropped. I don't look at it, and most students find the form overly long and convoluted. I look at a few comments and only a few boxes, and ignore the rest.
I realize these forms are developed, as the accompanying letter says, by "psychologists," but frankly if the school wants to save money, get rid of such nonsense and streamline things.