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UHD Core Curriculum Assessment

UHD Core Curriculum assessment occurs on a regular schedule similar to assessment of other academic programs. Please see the Core Assessment Plan for more details.

Assessment of the core is based on collection from all core courses of student artifacts known as Signature Assignments. We also collect student feedback via a variety of surveys to use as indirect measures. Please see this Core Assessment Fact Sheet for more details. 

As per state requirements, the core curriculum has 9 foundational component areas of study (FCAs) and 6 core objective areas. For a list of current courses in each FCA please visit the UHD Common Core website. 

Foundational Component Areas

  • Written Communication (2 courses)

  • Oral Communication (1 course)

  • Mathematics (1 course)

  • Life and Physical Sciences (2 courses)

  • Language, Philosophy and Culture (1 course)

  • Creative Arts (1 course)

  • American History (2 courses)

  • Government/Political Science (2 courses)

  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (1 course)

  • Freshman Seminar (1 course)

Core Objectives

  • Critical Thinking Skills – Think creatively and innovate. Conduct inquiry and analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information. Draw logical conclusions from assumptions.

  • Communication Skills – Effectively develop, express and interpret ideas through written, oral, and visual communication.

  • Empirical and Quantitative Skills – Manipulate and analyze data or observable facts, resulting in an informed and rational conclusion.

  • Teamwork – Consider different points of view and work effectively with others toward a shared purpose or goal.

  • Social Responsibility –Articulate knowledge of civic responsibility. Engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities. Demonstrate intercultural competence.

  • Personal Responsibility – Connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.

Each of the FCAs has responsibility for addressing 3 or 4 of the core objective areas. To operationalize those core objective areas, UHD faculty have identified 12 core objectives listed below. The assessment of those objectives have been assigned to the various FCAs as indicated in the Core Curriculum Map.

  • Think creatively and to innovate

  • Conduct inquiry and analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information

  • Effectively develop, express and interpret ideas through written communication

  • Effectively develop, express and interpret ideas through oral communication

  • Effectively develop, express and interpret ideas through visual communication

  • Manipulate and analyze data or observable facts, resulting in an informed conclusion


  • Consider different points of view

  • Work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal

  • Demonstrate intercultural competence

  • Articulate knowledge of civic responsibility

  • Engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities

  • Connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making

Our direct assessment measures for all core objectives are based on sample student work submitted by faculty each semester.  The semesterly submission is to ensure sufficient sample sizes of students from the relevant demographic groups. 
 
The sample student work is done in the form of “signature assignments.”  All signature assignments must be designed to address rubrics for each of the objective areas. (See rubrics below.)  To ensure consistency for assessment, signature assignments must be proposed by faculty for review and approval by the General Education Committee.  If you are new to teaching in the core curriculum, please consult with your program coordinator and/or department chair to find out whether your courses have program-level approved signature assignments or whether you should design your own.  If you need to develop your own or would like to revise a current one, please see the section below on “design and approval of signature assignments”.

Design and Approval of Signature Assignments

Procedures and sample assignments are coming soon.  In the meantime, please contact the chair of the General Education Committee to submit or discuss signature assignments.


Core Assessment Rubrics

The core assessment rubrics were developed by faculty groups based on AAC&U samples to promote opportunities for external norming opportunities.  All signature assignments should be designed to address the relevant rubric elements (aiming for attainment of level 2 or 3).

Faculty volunteers will apply these rubrics to sets of student artifacts as part of GEC program assessment twice a year.  However, faculty are not required to use these rubrics in their own courses—they may grade signature assignments based on their own course-specific goals.

 

The GEC will contact faculty each semester with instructions for when to submit signature assignments—it usually occurs at the end of the semester and submissions are through BB in batches.

Instructions for submitting student artifacts to the Core Assessment Archives in BB are below. They will be updated if needed each semester:

The GEC oversees the assessment process, including drafting of the annual assessment report. Those reports and associated action items are shared with the faculty and the University Curriculum Committee formally approves them, as per PS 03.A.41.  Note: Reports coming soon. Contact Dr. Lea Campbell or Dr. Michelle Moosally if you need this information . 

General Education Committee
Core Assessment Plan

 

FAQs on Core Assessment
Core Curriculum Map