Subcommittee on Core Curriculum Minutes 2015-10-16

Present: Steve Wills, Cara Meade Smith, Stephanie Opperman, Roberta Gorham, Jamie Addy, Jeff Turner, Kasey Karen

Regrets: Kay Anderson, Nancy Beasley, Ruth, Carter, Kristi Papailler, Brandon Samples, Mary Magoulick, Noland White, Dana Wood

Guest: Juli Gittinger

Committee members held a discussion about the quorum needed. No one is sure if we have a quorum at 7 or 8. We have seven voting members present so we decided to proceed with the meeting, especially given that we have a guest present to discuss a course proposal.

Approved agenda from 10/16

Approved minutes from 10/2, with the caveat that the date needs amending. We need to ask Kay if she’ll upload this set of minutes.

Old Business
1. New Zealand GC2Y Course: informational item. The committee asked for clarification and received it.

2. Question regarding if we will meet next week in addition to the GC1Y forum. Yes, we will meet next week at 1:00

3. GC1Y forum – Discussion about the GC1Y forum. Invites have been sent out. It is very up in the air regarding what kind of turnout there will be. It is difficult to plan events during ‘open’ Senate Fridays because there are so many things scheduled competing for the same time.

New Business
1. Juli Gittinger was present to discuss her proposed GC2Y course, Religion and Media

Q- Committee member asked about the thoughts behind watching movies for 4th hour?
A- They are not just watching movies and documentaries; there is always discussion and writing prompts that go along with each viewing. It provides a nice way to look at issues more in depth through longer movies and documentaries.

Q- Question about the LBTC: We have generally have approved learning beyond the classroom experiences as truly outside of the classroom such as field trips and other such experiences. Can you explain more about your LBTC? And also explain about the blogging?

A- Students will produce a blog; it is an online writing project. This is not an opinion blog, it is a professional blog. All entries must be very focused and professional. This allows for dialog outside of the classroom, which is a critical feature in this discipline. There is a pretty strict rubric used to grade it.

The committee presented mixed opinions as to the idea of blogging as the LBTC. A suggestion to the presenter was to possibly have students attend a public lecture or something else that isn’t very resource draining but is more ‘beyond the classroom’. Other suggestions: bring a lecturer to campus or utilize Times Talk. Your class can propose and host a Times Talk.

Q- Question regarding the writing … Do the blogs allow for the revision process? How about the final paper?

Students generally will not be required to revise blog entries. I work very closely with them to learn how to blog and to refine their blogging skills (again, must be very professional). The writing process becomes apparent, as they continuously become better bloggers. She has had students who have become quite accomplished bloggers.
Final paper does have a significant revision process. Juli explained that she generally offers a writing workshop but it isn’t mandatory yet strongly encouraged. The committee suggested possibly adding the writing workshop description to the proposal. The committee also offered the suggestion that maybe the writing workshop could be a requirement?

Q- SACS COC item (qualifications) on the proposal is left blank? We need this information.
A- Juli said she’d be able to easily provide this information.

Members of the committee would like to see the rubric for the blog and also one for the final paper if there is one.

We decided we would table the vote for this section until next meeting, 10/23. Please review the proposal and be prepared to vote.

Meeting was adjourned