Volume 6, Issue 6
Charge On! with Connections: How an Integrated GEP Shapes 21st‑Century Thinkers
By Patricia Farless
As a historian, I have long recognized that the humanities and the sciences have been intellectually interdependent for centuries. Only in the latter half of the twentieth century did academic culture begin to separate them in the name of disciplinary specialization. Yet our understanding of the past has always relied on scientific advancements—whether archaeological methods, climate data, or technological tools that reshape how we interpret evidence. Likewise, science has always unfolded within cultural, political, and ethical contexts shaped by humanistic inquiry. Because of this deep historical relationship, I was excited to join the effort to reimagine our General Education Program (GEP) in 2018. To me, this work simply reaffirmed what historians have long understood: knowledge is most powerful when disciplines speak to one another.
From the start of this initiative, I crafted a mantra that I share each semester with my GEP students:
This GEP course promotes trans-disciplinary learning. My quest is to help you connect material in my class with topics and concepts in your other courses as you build skills and knowledge. Charge On!
I developed this mantra to encourage students to see themselves as participants in a broader intellectual ecosystem—one in which their courses build shared habits of mind rather than isolated skill sets.
To help students internalize this mindset, I created a semester-long reflective journal assignment. Students write short blog-style posts connecting themes, skills, and questions across their GEP courses. Their reflections, grounded in historical awareness and critical analysis, reveal how integrated learning supports real-world problem solving.
Ultimately, this approach cultivates adaptable, informed thinkers prepared for the complexity of twenty-first-century life.
GEP Awards: You Make a Difference Every Day — Now Let’s Celebrate It!
We know you take pride in your teaching, scholarship, and service, and see your work as deeply meaningful to UCF’s mission. That impact deserves recognition. We invite you to participate in the upcoming GEP awards and celebrate the innovative teaching and sustained engagement that strengthen our community and support student success.
Awards & Submission Deadlines
Innovation Award
Submission Deadline: March 6
Recognizes exceptional, evidence-based teaching and design in GEP courses.
GEP Certificate of Engagement
Submission Deadline: May 5
Acknowledges sustained participation in GEP initiatives (events, assessments, and contributions).
GEP Bites & Banter — Spring Series
GEP Bites & Banter offers informal, faculty-centered conversations on teaching, learning, and student success. Join us this spring for sessions that connect general education to emerging priorities across the university.
This month’s session: Durable Skills & Career ROI
Date: February 18
Time: Noon –1 p.m.
Location: Trevor Colbourn Hall (TCH), Room 202
Description: How general education helps students develop durable skills that translate into career value. Faculty will discuss strategies for embedding career-relevant competencies—such as communication, teamwork, and professionalism—into GEP courses and for helping students clearly articulate the return on investment (ROI) of their classroom experiences.
Upcoming Sessions:
The “Human Edge” of AI (Online)
Date: March 26
Time: 3-4 p.m.
The Knight Experience Project (KEP): Designing for Student Success & Faculty Flourishing (Afternoon tea)
Date: April 14
Time: 2-3 p.m.
GEP Professional Development Series
The GEP Professional Development Series provide practical support and fresh ideas for faculty teaching in UCF’s General Education Program. These monthly sessions focus on course design, student learning, assessment, and instructional collaboration. All sessions are held via Teams at 3 p.m. and are open to all UCF full- and part-time faculty and graduate teaching associates.
Featured Sessions:
February 18: Collab Lab: Designing Multidisciplinary Assignments
A hands-on, collaborative session focused on designing assignments that connect learning across disciplines. This session is essential for faculty interested in participating in the FCTL Summer Institute GEP Track.
March 23: Right on Time: Support for GEP Assessment
Guidance and peer support to help make GEP assessment authentic, efficient, and meaningful.
April 15: AI, Assignments, and Academic Integrity
A timely conversation on how AI is reshaping assignment design, learning goals, and academic integrity in GEP courses.
Faculty are encouraged to join one or more sessions and engage with colleagues around shared teaching priorities in the GEP.
GEP Track at the FCTL Summer Institute (SI)
GEP Track at the FCTL Summer Institute (SI)
Faculty interested in interdisciplinary teaching and collaborative course design are encouraged to apply for the GEP Track at the upcoming FCTL SI. The GEP Track brings together faculty across disciplines to develop innovative, high-impact assignments aligned with GEP outcomes and pathways.
Visit the FCTL Summer Institute website for application details and deadlines.
Summer Institute Application Link
Participation in the Collab Lab: Designing Multidisciplinary Assignments professional development session is necessary for faculty planning to participate in the GEP Track. If you would like to participate in the GEP Track but cannot make it to the Collab Lab, please contact gep@ucf.edu for further support.