<p>My interest in liberal education, integrative learning etc. now thoroughly piqued, I googled a few sites and came across this University of Cincinnati report from 2004. It certainly highlights the aims, vocabulary, and catch-phrases of the "new definition of liberal education" - a conceptual vision that we will most likely find at the core of revamped college brochures and marketing materials as many colleges seek to strengthen their liberal arts core and promote the centrality of liberal education to their academic missions. I wonder if no. 15 of the Action Steps means a tuition hike?</p>
<p>"Parents, students, guidance counselors, and teachers often do not understand what liberal education means or why it is essential. UC does not currently emphasize the importance of liberal education, its general education requirements, and the coherence of the undergraduate experience in its marketing materials, university website, and campus dialogue.</p>
<p>Key Strategies: </p>
<ol>
<li>UC will implement a university-wide admission requirement that will emphasize the interconnectedness of all of its colleges and more competitive baseline admission standards, with the expectation of a modest but meaningful rise in UC baccalaureate admission standards for less selective colleges, while allowing for individual colleges to have additional, more selective admission requirements as well. </li>
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<p>F. Action Steps: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>When promoting the goals of liberal education, we will develop more effective ways to describe the meaning and value of liberal education. We will develop a new language for the market, and also for our internal constituency, that speaks clearly to the value of liberal education and liberal arts disciplines. In its marketing materials, on the web, and in campus discussions, the University will emphasize the importance of liberal education for all UC students, regardless of major or collegiate affiliation, and will underscore the diverse and expanding opportunities for liberal learning outside the traditional classroom—through research projects, internships, workshops, cultural events, and civic engagement.</p>
<ol>
<li> We will promote the integration of liberal and practical education in diverse and inclusive learning environments that stress the importance of encountering multiple modes of inquiry, crossing disciplinary lines, exploring knowledge and experience from many cultures, integrating a wide range of learning experiences, fostering a sense of social responsibility, and preparing students for leadership in society.</li>
</ol></li>
<li><p>We will strengthen the connections among the liberal and professional programs and curricula, across diverse modes of educational practice and pedagogy, including experiential learning environments, and among the research activities and innovations of our faculty and students.</p></li>
<li><p>We will enhance support for interdisciplinary, cross-college curricular offerings and integrative modes of learning at all degree levels, and we need to reward faculty for pursuing these instructional innovations.</p></li>
<li><p>We will develop strong ties between the baccalaureate liberal arts programs and UC’s preparatory colleges in an effort to extend the opportunities provided by exposure to the liberal arts to all UC students. </p></li>
<li><p>We will develop in our students an understanding of and ability to work with the complexities of international, ethnic, and cultural diversity to enable them to function effectively in a rapidly changing global environment. Learning environments that promote this awareness in our students will be supported and promoted.</p>
<ol>
<li>We will make better use of orientation periods to introduce freshmen and transfer students to the cultural life of the campus, the academic richness of our curricular offerings, and the intellectual opportunities to learn in many diverse environments. Admissions activities and programming for potential students needs to include faculty and alumni contact and their input regarding the content of what should be conveyed in admissions materials and events.<br></li>
<li>Liberal arts programs will actively seek to attract Cincinnati Pride recipients to their degree programs, and the goals of CAT will be effectively aligned with the goals of liberal education.</li>
</ol></li>
<li><p>A university-wide “theme term” each year (similar to U of Michigan) would promote intellectual engagement and campus dialogue. The chosen theme could focus on a significant topic of broad interest to the liberal arts and professional colleges; each year the announced theme would be connected to clusters of courses across the colleges, special workshops, lectures, and community projects that will engage students, faculty, staff, and community members in lively intellectual discourse on topics of compelling national and/or global interest.</p>
<ol>
<li>We will increase the student residence rate and expand Main Street activities to emphasize student opportunities to engage in intellectual and cultural dialogue and enhance the learning environment. We will also support more opportunities for peer mentoring and student-to-student learning with the goal of integrating residential and non-residential student learning.</li>
<li>The funding mechanism used to support instructional delivery will be a responsibility-centered, performance-based budgeting model that is transparent and that takes into account the general education commitment and large service mission of the liberal arts disciplines as well as interdisciplinary and cross-college programs of study.
<a href="http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:dktrOmRFn1wJ:www.uc.edu/uc21/documents/meetings/04-16-04_AT16.doc+new+liberal+education+team+teaching&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=29&client=firefox-a%5B/url%5D">http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:dktrOmRFn1wJ:www.uc.edu/uc21/documents/meetings/04-16-04_AT16.doc+new+liberal+education+team+teaching&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=29&client=firefox-a</a></li>
</ol></li>
</ol>