Los estudiantes que se matriculen en la primavera de 2022 o después deben consultar las Políticas Académicas del Currículo de Educación General (Primavera de 2022) del Catálogo de la Universidad de Arizona para obtener información sobre el nuevo currículo de Educación General.
Los estudiantes que se matriculen antes de la primavera de 2022 deben consultar las Políticas Académicas del Currículo de Educación General (Otoño de 2021) para obtener información sobre el currículo de Niveles de Educación General.
Preguntas Frecuentes (FAQ)
Las siguientes preguntas frecuentes se refieren al nuevo currículo de Educación General, que estará disponible para los estudiantes que se matriculen en la primavera de 2022 o después. Para facilitar la navegación, seleccione una de las categorías a continuación para obtener un enlace interno a ese tema en particular:
- Cursos de Entrada y Salida
- Explorando Perspectivas
- Construyendo Conexiones
- Atributos
- Tareas Distintivas y Portafolios Electrónicos
Cursos de Entrada y Salida
Introducción a las Experiencias de Educación General (UNIV 101) es un curso de una unidad que introduce a los estudiantes a la Educación General y sus fundamentos conceptuales (pensamiento interdisciplinario, perspectiva, reflexión sobre el aprendizaje).
Portafolio de Educación General (UNIV 301) es un curso de una unidad diseñado para ayudar a los estudiantes a reflexionar y comprender la experiencia de Educación General mediante el perfeccionamiento de su Portafolio Electrónico.
El curso está diseñado para preparar a los estudiantes para que aprovechen al máximo su experiencia en Educación General, desarrollen hábitos y habilidades de reflexión, y comprendan y valoren su rol como estudiantes de por vida. Específicamente, UNIV 101 ayudará a los estudiantes a comprender el propósito y apreciar el valor del programa de Educación General, así como a iniciar el proceso de desarrollo de su ePortfolio de Educación General, que les permitirá demostrar y articular su aprendizaje a lo largo del programa. Debido al enfoque de Educación General en el pensamiento interdisciplinario y la adopción de perspectivas, UNIV 101 está diseñado intencionalmente para ser amplio en relación con la universidad, de modo que pueda ser específico para el programa de educación general.
Sin embargo, queremos que los estudiantes se sientan muy conectados con el curso y con la institución a lo largo del mismo. Para lograrlo, hemos desarrollado un manual de lectura escrito íntegramente en la universidad. Con la participación de profesores, personal, estudiantes y administradores de toda la universidad, este manual ayudará a los estudiantes a establecer conexiones prácticas con la educación general.
The course is designed to introduce students to the Refresh Curriculum. Specifically, UNIV 101 will help students understand, appreciate, and apply the perspectives of different disciplines. Because of this focus on interdisciplinary thinking and perspective-taking, UNIV 101 is designed intentionally to be broad in relation to the university so that it can be specific to the general education program.
However, we do want students to feel very connected to the course and to the institution through the course. To accomplish this, we are currently working on developing a reader that is authored completely at the university. Utilizing voices of faculty, staff, students, and administrators from across the university, the course will help students connect to the general education and to other students from across the institution.
Los seminarios de primer año son una práctica de alto impacto identificada por la AAC&U. El impacto de los seminarios comunes de primer año es mayor cuando el curso se centra en las habilidades metacognitivas (como la reflexión regular e intencional) que serán el eje central del curso.
Según investigaciones actuales, la creación de una estructura articulada en torno al programa de educación general que incluya dos prácticas de alto impacto debería tener un impacto positivo en la retención. La Oficina de Educación General realizará evaluaciones, valoraciones e investigaciones intencionales del programa para comprender el impacto potencial que este diseño, incluyendo los cursos de ingreso y egreso, puede tener en la experiencia estudiantil, más allá de las métricas correlacionales de retención.
Todos los estudiantes de primer año deberán cursar estos cursos, incluyendo aquellos con créditos de DE/AP/IB. Si bien estos estudiantes pueden haber completado una cantidad significativa de cursos de Educación General, queremos que participen en la reflexión sobre la construcción del significado de su experiencia de Educación General, así como sobre cómo sus créditos transferibles se relacionan con sus cursos de la UA. El curso de ingreso también ofrecerá numerosas oportunidades para que los estudiantes reflexionen sobre su comportamiento académico, su gestión personal y su bienestar, lo que les ayudará a acceder a recursos en el campus que puedan apoyar su desarrollo.
Los estudiantes de transferencia no están obligados a cursar UNIV 101 ni UNIV 301; sin embargo, estos cursos están disponibles para quienes consideren que son adecuados para ellos. Si bien no están obligados a cursar estos cursos, sí deben cumplir con un mínimo de 32 unidades de créditos de Educación General, según lo estipulado en la política de ABOR.
UNIV 101 y UNIV 301 son impartidos por una combinación de nuestro profesorado de UNIV a tiempo completo, profesores a tiempo parcial de todo el campus y profesores adjuntos. ¡Conoce al equipo aquí!
UNIV 101 (el curso introductorio) se programará previamente en el primer semestre del estudiante, pero no impide que tome otros cursos de GE.
Los estudiantes pueden inscribirse en UNIV 301 una vez que hayan completado UNIV 101, Fundamentos de Escritura, Fundamentos de Matemáticas y al menos 5 de sus 7 cursos principales de Educación General (EP y BC).
Si bien es posible que los estudiantes no hayan completado todas sus tareas de desarrollo personal antes de inscribirse en UNIV 301, sí habrán completado la mayoría. También se anima a los estudiantes a añadir a sus ePortfolios cualquier momento de aprendizaje que les resulte significativo, además de las Tareas de Desarrollo Personal.
Una distinción importante para el curso de Portafolio de Educación General (UNIV 301), y para el ePortfolio de Educación General en general, es que este portafolio está diseñado para ser un portafolio de aprendizaje que sirva de centro de reflexión a lo largo del programa de educación general. Esto es muy diferente del portafolio de muestra que muchos estudiantes desarrollan para su trayectoria profesional (aunque algunos elementos de su portafolio de Educación General podrían incluirse en un portafolio de muestra). Debido a que el enfoque de esto está específicamente en darle un significado relevante a sus experiencias de educación general, UNIV 301 no se puede cursar simultáneamente con un curso final importante.
En general, UNIV 101 y UNIV 301 no se utilizan como medio de comunicación masiva. Cualquier comunicación enviada a todos los estudiantes matriculados en UNIV 101 o UNIV 301 debe ser aprobada por la Dirección del Curso. Esto garantiza que la comunicación del curso se ajuste al contenido de los cursos y evita la fatiga comunicativa entre los estudiantes. Si tiene alguna pregunta al respecto, comuníquese con la Dirección del Curso:
UNIV 101: TBD
UNIV 301: Devon Thomas (devonthomas@arizona.edu)
El currículo de UNIV 101 y UNIV 301 se ha desarrollado para apoyar la reflexión y la construcción de significado de los estudiantes en todo el currículo de educación general. Los cursos son revisados anualmente por los directores de curso, en consulta con el profesorado de tiempo completo de UNIV, para mejorar continuamente la experiencia y el aprendizaje de los estudiantes.
Los cursos no tienen como objetivo ofrecer una orientación ampliada sobre la Universidad de Arizona. Cuando sea necesario para alcanzar los resultados y objetivos de aprendizaje del curso, se presentará a los estudiantes ciertos recursos del campus (por ejemplo, Investigación de Pregrado relacionada con sus propios intereses académicos). Sin embargo, los cursos no se utilizan para promocionar ni reclutar estudiantes para los programas o servicios del campus.
Exploring Perspectives (12 units total)
Exploring Perspectives courses introduce students to ways of thinking, knowing, and doing in different disciplines. Students must take one course each that introduces them to the Artist (3 units), Humanist (3 units), Natural Scientist (3 units), and Social Scientist perspectives (3 units).
“Perspective” refers to an academic standpoint that instructors, scholars, and artists employ to address a question, topic, or challenge.
Perspective-taking, acknowledged as central to engaging in interdisciplinary work, involves “viewing a particular issue, problem, object, behavior, or phenomenon from a standpoint other than your own” (Repko et al., 2017, p. 165). These are the cognitive and social skills individuals require to understand how other people think and feel and are essential in appreciating and taking on conflicting points of view.
In Exploring Perspectives courses, students will encounter and practice the varied approaches (ways of questioning / thinking / reasoning / doing) of the Artist, Humanist, Natural Scientist, and Social Scientist. The goal for each Exploring Perspectives course is that students will develop disciplinary perspective-taking.
The Artist addresses creative expressions and aesthetic values of people and communities, past and present. Artists observe, interpret, create, and practice in many media to create meaning, expression, and communication. Understanding an Artist's perspective requires examining what led to the expression, why a creation was made, how the art was formed, and whether it created meaning for others beyond the artist or their community. Artists often passionately believe they can shape the world around them, but the results can be ineffable. Uncovering the artist's perspective can help students value their own and others' tastes. Artist perspective courses may include exploring the current and historical creative work of individuals and communities; analyzing artistic techniques, styles, and/or materials in relation to creative expression; understanding ethical, social, and political impacts of artistic practices and works; and creating artistic works of one's own in order to meaningfully contribute to a shared creative future.
The Humanist critically and often historically examines the full spectrum of human cultures and products, including material objects and structures, languages, literatures, philosophies, religions, thought, and consciousness. The Humanist perspective may also include approaches more properly called post-, anti-, or trans-humanist. Courses that explore the perspective of the Humanist may include close-reading and evaluation of current and historical materials; analyzing concepts and strategies of meaning making of individuals and communities; and addressing ethical problems of being and doing, from multiple points of view, to meaningfully contribute to a shared human experience.
The Natural Scientist analyzes and critically questions natural phenomena through the scientific method, and collects empirical evidence through observation and experimentation to explore, interpret, and create understanding of the physical world and its complex interrelations. Courses that explore the perspective of the natural scientist may include exploring physical, chemical and biological processes; analyzing how these processes have been shaping the natural world; applying the scientific method to solve problems with the help of empirical and data-driven approaches; and the ethical and broader impacts of these approaches from multiple points of view, to meaningfully contribute to a shared future.
The Social Scientist analyzes how people behave and interact at the level of the individual, the family, social and ethnic groups, regions, and formal institutions. Social Scientists seek to explain and predict, as both cause and effect: language, social attitudes and norms, religion, culture, informal social structures, political and economic organization, the distribution of wealth and power, demographics, understanding and valuing difference, cooperation, conflict, and changes in the natural environment. Courses that explore the perspective of the Social Scientist may include exploring current and historical societies and their interactions; analyzing motivations, behaviors, and developments of institutions, communities, and individuals; addressing problems in the relationship to self and others; and ethical impacts of these studies from multiple points of view, to meaningfully contribute to a shared global community.
Building Connections (9 units total)
Building Connections courses bring together modes of thinking from two or more disciplines and/or perspectives in order to foster more comprehensive understanding of questions, ideas, challenges, and/or problems. Interdisciplinary engagement facilitates more effective communication, empathy, understanding, and willingness to work together to solve problems.
In Building Connections courses, students will explore the unique contributions of knowledge, skills, methodologies, values and perspectives from varied disciplines and social positions. In addition, they will practice higher-order learning activities such as conceptual thinking, problem solving, innovative design, critical analysis, evaluation of ideas, and creation of knowledge/products.
Building Connections courses are meant to expose students to interdisciplinary and multi-perspective approaches to thinking about big ideas, addressing challenges and/or solving problems. They may be taught by a single instructor who is being intentional about bringing in readings from multiple perspectives, complemented with guest lectures, media, etc. OR a team of faculty from different corners of campus may collaborate around a shared question or issue.
The perspectives highlighted in a Building Connections course are not restricted to the disciplinary categories of Exploring Perspectives (Artist, Humanist, Natural Scientist, Social Scientist). Other or more specific/specialized disciplines may be incorporated. In addition, there is space to think outside the disciplinary box as well, to include perspectives from pertinent social positions. For example, a course offered at the University of Arizona might highlight the perspective of a "Borderlands Resident."
Signature Assignments & ePortfolios
A Signature Assignment is an assignment that demonstrates at least one key learning outcome from a Gen Ed Refresh course. These assignments emphasize students' meaning-making and connect their learning to perspective-taking and interdisciplinary thinking. These assignments will also be included in the learning ePortfolio.
ePortfolios are a collection and exploration of student work. There are many purposes such as showcasing student work, reflecting on learning and experiences, and curating a professional identity. Our General Education uses a learning portfolio -- designated a high-impact practice by AAC&U -- to demonstrate and assess student learning. Students will collect work throughout their Gen Ed experience and reflect on their learning, form connections between courses and their majors, and develop digital literacy skills.
Yes, every course in the Gen Ed Refresh must have at least one Signature Assignment.
Once a course is approved, as long as any instructor of that course follows the learning outcomes and meets the same expectations for the established core (BC/EP) and Attributes, the course materials, activities, and Signature Assignments may differ. Each instructor will be asked to submit their syllabus in the term they teach the course.
Instructors are free to shape this assignment and should note that it will become part of students’ GenEd ePortfolios to represent their engagement in the curriculum. Additionally, signature assignments should uphold the GE Refresh’s mission to emphasize understand and value differences in every course. For example thinking through accessibility, universal design, and representation of diverse voices in shaping these assignments. Instructors will have guidance throughout the Quick Start on implementing these changes.
Signature assignments allow students to demonstrate perspective taking and interdisciplinary thinking using the tools and framework of attributes.
Examples of signature assignments include, but are not limited to, reflections (written, oral, artistic, multimedia), presentations (oral, visual, musical, artistic), compositions, research projects, service learning projects, social, economic, or environmental justice projects, and creative endeavors (artistic, design, technological, problem solving).
The use of a learning portfolio (differentiated from a showcase portfolio that one might use professionally) has been identified as a High Impact Practice by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, and its impact is even greater when combined with other high impact practices (such as a first-year seminar). The value added by the GE ePortfolio is to help students develop an understanding of the relevancy of their GE experience. The Refresh GE, through the development of habitual reflection in UNIV 101, the use of Signature Assignments in each core course, and the refinement of the ePortfolio in UNIV 301 provides an opportunity to help students move from a “requirement” mentality of GE to an understanding of the ways in which an interdisciplinary GE experience can increase their abilities to think critically and approach problems creatively. Students will have an opportunity to practice describing their academic journey to date in both written and verbal contexts, as well as practice giving and receiving feedback on their work. The ePortfolio provides a vehicle in which students can practice these essential skills for any career.