Western Carolina University

Designing Courses for Significant Student Learning

Learning how to design courses properly can greatly increase student engagement and high quality learning. This workshop will explore the principles of integrated course design, and participants will be able to formulate learning goals from which they can holistically construct learning activities and assessment techniques. These methods are based on ideas from L. Dee Fink’s Creating Significant Learning Experiences.

Demonstrating our students are improving critical thinking, analytic reasoning, written communication, and problem solving skills. 

This session, based on faculty participation in a CLA (Collegiate Learning Assessment) workshop advocates the use of performance tasks, classroom assessment tools requiring students to use these skills, and hopefully measuring the kind of learning we want to achieve throughout a student’s college career. Faculty presenters will discuss examples of performance tasks they created for use in their classrooms. They will also provide worksheets and time to work on some performance tasks to use in your classroom.

9:05 a.m.-12:20p.m.
UC, Multipurpose Rooms

This session focused on the academic and co-curricular experiences of our first- and second-year students. In 2007 several first-year transition courses incorporated projects that established on the path to intentional learning at WCU;some sections of these courses piloted use of the education briefcase, an electronic repository designed to help students synthesize their educational experience, as well as introduced other aspects of the plan (QEP).

Colleagues and students from University Experience (USI 130) and Western Peaks (USI/LEAD 140)shared ideas for fostering synthesis and intentional learning in classrooms. Advisors were present and there to discuss an advising model that helps students to connect the sometimes disparate elements of their undergraduate education.

Ms. Mardy Ashe
Ms. Terry Michelsen
Mr. John  Schweikart  
QEP in Action 09 (PowerPoint)

Ms. Mary Lockey
Ms. Chesney Reich
USI 130 University Experience
1- USI 130 Syllabus (Word)
2-Synthesis Presentation (Word)
3-USI 130 University Experience (Word)
4- USI 130 Experience (PowerPoint)

Ms. Lisa Frady
Ms . Lynn Mathis
Ms. Emily Jellen McCullough
QEP in Action (PowerPoint)

1:25p.m.-4:00p.m.
Hunter Library 186

10:10a.m.-12:05p.m.

Multipurpose Room, UC

The third event of our QEP-in-Action Series focused on two aspects of the QEP: service learning and the education briefcase. Last fall, 13 courses piloted the education briefcase, an electronic repository designed to help students synthesize their educational experiences. We are still developing the briefcase using staff, student, and faculty feedback. Attendees were able to explore a sample electronic briefcase.This individual demonstration showcased the features that will be available to students, faculty, and professional advisors. Feedback was solicited and ideas were shared for future development of the briefcase.

The Service Learning session was designed to showcase the work of students, faculty, and  staff/administrators. This session featured multi-media presentations, a panel discussion, a quiz, and a brief work session.

Friday, March 27

9:00a.m.-11:00a.m.- Coulter Faculty Center Individual Consultations- Faculty Sandbox- Hunter

9:00a.m.-11:00a.m. and/or 2:00p.m-4:00p.m.- Hunter Library Individual Consultations -(Hunter 186)

2:00p.m.-4:00p.m. -QEP Assessment Committee Group Presentation and Discussion -Multipurpose Room, UC 232

Ms. Melissa Wargo
QEP Outcomes and Metarubics (PDF)