General Education Review-Update

Administration
In preparation for a review of Point Loma Nazarene University’s general education and with the intention of establishing a means of ongoing oversight of general education, the provost of Point Loma Nazarene University appointed, in April 2004, a Dean of General Education and expanded the current General Education Committee to constitute a General Education Task Force.

Progress to Date
The General Education Task Force and the faculty have adopted a set of First Principles for General Education. In light of these principles. the Task Force is discussing what precise goals and learning outcomes should attach to general education. In addition, the Task Force, along with the Assessment Committee, has begun a process of general education assessment. Finally, the Task Force has created a site on the university’s internal e-class system so that all faculty can be involved in this important curricular oversight.

Future Agenda
During the 2004-2005 academic year, the General Education Task Force hopes to present a set of First Principles for faculty adoption. It will then move on to try to determine a set of goals for general education that relate to Point Loma Nazarene University’s mission, To Teach, To Shape and To Send. The Task Force will continue, at the same time, to work on the assessment of general education. In the light of those goals and that assessment, the Task Force will eventually determine whether there is a need for a more thorough revision of the general education requirement. Of particular importance in that discussion will be issues of coherence, quality and the integration of general education and majors to create a focused experience for the Point Loma Nazarene University student. The final agenda item for the Task Force will be the creation of a process by which general education can be updated regularly.