By Wayne Bowen, Ph.D.
Interim Associate Dean
College of Undergraduate Studies
Nearly every institution awarding bachelor’s degrees has some form of general education. Indeed, accrediting bodies, from the Higher Learning Commission to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), UCF’s current affiliation, require general education. However, across the US and internationally, there is a wide range of approaches to general education, from credit hours to program areas to transferability.
In the State of Florida, the Florida Board of Governors and the Department of Education play significant roles in creating a common structure for state universities (e.g., UCF) and state colleges (e.g., Valencia College and Seminole State College). Nationally, professional organizations also provide faculty and academic administrators opportunities to learn about best practices in curriculum, assessment, and professional development. Two key associations are the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and the Association for General and Liberal Studies (AGLS).
AAC&U, the larger of the two, promotes general education through conferences, institutes, and scholarship, including its well-known VALUE Rubrics national standards for evaluating and assessing student work across multiple disciplines and learning outcomes. They manage multiple conferences each year, with opportunities for scholarship, learning about innovative programs, observing the latest curricular products from publishers, and engaging in national discussions. AAC&U also provides important research on outcomes and employer perspectives, including data on what general education competencies are most valued by business leaders.
AGLS promotes its mission as “a community of practitioner-scholars,” with opportunities for participation through the annual meeting (the “Constitute”), awards, and sharing of best practices. The smaller scale is highly supportive, especially for faculty and administrators new to general education. AGLS also provides valuable information and resources for general education directors and others involved in program review, one of the most challenging moments in the curricular life cycle.
Faculty interested in engaging beyond UCF in general education can join either or both organizations. Having attended conferences hosted by both, I can attest to the professional benefit, positive atmosphere, and opportunities to engage in scholarship and other forms of professional activity to improve general education.