Laura Knudson Editor-In-Chief
The Faculty Senate approved a proposal Nov. 25 to replace Western’s existing institutional aspirations with undergraduate learning outcomes modeled after the “Liberal Education, America’s Promise” (LEAP) framework.
Started by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, LEAP provides “essential learning outcomes” and “principles of excellence” for liberal education. This creates a format to guide students’ progress through college.
“LEAP is a really clear statement of what Western students can expect to learn by the time they graduate,” said Dr. Sue Monahan, ex officio of the ad-hoc LEAP committee and dean of liberal arts and sciences.
It helps Western “communicate with students about purposes of their education,” she said.
Before LEAP, similar content called “Institutional Aspirations for Learning” was found on page five of the university course catalog and applied to major, minor and general education requirements.
Aspirations included critical thinking skills, development of advanced research abilities, ability to work effectively in teams, etc.
Students might see these learning outcomes displayed in a course syllabus. Often, professors list course objectives on a syllabus that are in line with the institutional aspirations, Monahan said.
In the LEAP proposal submitted to the faculty senate by the ad-hoc LEAP committee, it said while the current institutional aspirations reflect university values and goals, they are “difficult to assess meaningfully.”
New language in the modified LEAP outcomes will make academic aims of the university clearer.
“This just helps us communicate it better,” Monahan said. “Students learn best if they know what it is they’re aiming for.”
Modifications to language in the essential learning outcomes include student use of technology, ‘embodied’ education, inclusion of signing as a form of communication and creativity as an essential outcome.
Under Intellectual and Practical Skills, “using appropriate technology” will be added to the “practiced extensively” statement.
“Healthy course life decisions” will be added to the “anchored through” statement under Personal and Social Responsibility.
The written and oral communication outcome will include signed communication and the word “listeners” will replace “audience” in its definition.
The “critical and creative thinking” outcome will be separated into two outcomes and “and practice” will be added to the new “creative thinking” outcome.
The outcomes may be adapted in the future, Monahan said.
“The LEAP framework provides a clear and concise way to communicate these goals to our students,” university President Mark Weiss said in an all faculty/staff email Dec. 1. “It provides resources so that we can more effectively assess our work and continuously improve our curricular and co-curricular programs.”
Academic assessment, a requirement of all accredited universities, will be made easier with the implementation of LEAP rubrics.
These step-by-step guidelines will aid departments and divisions in assessing student work at the end of the year to determine if institutional goals are being met.
This will also create better understanding of Western’s assessment for outside groups working with the university, Monahan said.
Aside from clarifying learning outcomes and improving assessment, LEAP can also be used by students later in life.
“It’s not just for the sake of academics,” said Paul Disney, ad-hoc LEAP committee member and business and economics professor. “It’s what employers are looking for.”
“Students will have to make a case for themselves,” Monahan said of future postgraduates. They will need to be able to communicate what they have learned, she said.
With the move to independent governance through the board of trustees and the ongoing search for a new university president, the implementation of LEAP is “perfect timing,” Disney said.
“I think it’s really important in a time of change to know where you’re going,” Monahan said.
LEAP is something that has been “adopted and adapted by universities across the country,” she said. “We should not reinvent this; we should use these good resources that are already there.”
“I believe it’s important for our university to remain relevant,” Disney said. “It aligns us with a national standard.”
Monahan’s hope is that LEAP is institutionalized and made part of the university’s practice.
“The committee wants it to be more than just words on a page in a catalog,” she said. “We really want it to be a living thing for students to connect with.”
Though LEAP will be implemented in next year’s catalog, Monahan said they will begin using it for assessment before then.
MORE INFO:
Visit wou.edu/president/facultysenate/committees/leap
Contact Dr. Sue Monahan at 503-838-8226 or smonahan@wou.edu
