>From owner-trad-l@listserv.vt.edu Fri Nov 15 08:18:56 1996 Received: (from mailadm@localhost) by sable.cc.vt.edu (8.6.12/8.6.12) id IAA27018 for fox@fox.cs.vt.edu; Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:18:56 -0500 Received: from ipe.cc.vt.edu (ipe.cc.vt.edu [128.173.4.8]) by sable.cc.vt.edu (8.6.12/8.6.12) with ESMTP id IAA10451; Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:18:55 -0500 Received: from ipe.cc.vt.edu (ipe.cc.vt.edu [128.173.4.8]) by ipe.cc.vt.edu (8.7.5/8.7.3) with SMTP id IAA34387; Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:18:38 -0500 Received: from LISTSERV.VT.EDU by LISTSERV.VT.EDU (LISTSERV-TCP/IP release 1.8b) with spool id 1223815 for TRAD-L@LISTSERV.VT.EDU; Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:18:37 -0500 Received: from sable.cc.vt.edu (sable.cc.vt.edu [128.173.16.30]) by ipe.cc.vt.edu (8.7.5/8.7.3) with SMTP id IAA19276 for ; Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:18:36 -0500 Received: from [128.173.201.5] (susanbg.prov.vt.edu [128.173.201.5]) by sable.cc.vt.edu (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id IAA19474 for ; Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:18:34 -0500 X-Sender: srb144@mail.vt.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Message-Id: Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:21:53 -0500 Reply-To: "Susan R. Brooker-Gross" Sender: trad-l Discussion List From: "Susan R. Brooker-Gross" Subject: Notes from Nov. 12 To: Multiple recipients of list TRAD-L Traditional Self-Study Committee November 12, 1996 Notes Present: Ed Fox, Rachel Hash, Anne McNabb, Marge Dellers, Susan Brooker-Gross, David Conn, Terry Wildman, Janice McBee Anne will note any side issues as we go in a separate listing. We will work our way through the note from Anne of 11/7/96 1. Types of students we're addressing (a) "traditional": on campus and in Blacksburg; degree-seeking (b) special groups * minority students * older students * disabled students * very young students * students with families * temporary distance learners * transfer students * coop students * Corps of Cadets * student athletes * international students * students with first language other than English * first generation college students * honors students As we consider relevant issues and questions, the goals and needs of these groups may diverge and converge. We will not necessarily take a detailed examination of all. 2. What are the main educational goals of all students in these groups? (a) As defined by the university? * to graduate in 4-6 years * to continue to enroll and make progress toward degree * to prepare for a career--training for the first job and education for the fifth (includes in-major work) * to prepare for life-long learning: to acquire skills for learning, including managing information * to prepare for graduate or professional study * to fulfill goals in general education * to prepare to contribute to society * to understand global society * to have knowledge that is integrated across disciplines, and not limited to isolated domains * to prepare for deep work in a specialty * Education of the Whole Person: personal growth and maturation, both affective and cognitive * to produce "good alumni": those who value their experience at VT so much that they continue to contribute to the university--their time, their money, their political support, their children's education (b) As defined by external constituencies [Government-related expectations] * to become taxpayers--generally and in Virginia * to graduate in 4-6 years (the shorter the better: to become responsible users of government services, including their own education) * to be law-abiding citizens [Employer-related expectations] * to become good employees (with degrees, skills, and the abilities to compete and to cooperate) * to have specific competencies: specific to a field; writing and communications; computing * to be able to work collaboratively * to be adaptable as labor force needs change * to be able to function transnationally * to be able leaders * to have academic field-related work experience [Virginia Tech culture-related] * Ut Prosim: to provide service to others [social/economic] * for the university to be the engine of the economy (may be of particular concern for undergraduate enrollments in Blacksburg and/or summer sessions in Blacksburg) (c) As defined by parents and students * vocational outcomes: graduate and get a job * safety and well-being * maintaining contact between parents and their students * go away to school and grow up * "the collegiate experience" * leadership opportunities * become good citizens * to make decision about their lives which are satisfying (personal decisions; career decisions) * social connections and connectedness * variety of opportunities * to get a good education (including good grades) * freedom (students) * parents expect to be treated as consumers; high service levels expected (will increase with increasing affluence of families) Move 2(d) to (3) and (4) We decided to move the discussion to the next major topic II. Data we will need * Parent and student expectations (we have some data; Cathy and John Muffo; Cathy will do an email survey of those parents with email addressed, representing parents who are already well engaged in electronic communication) * Changing expectations of students during their career. We do not have such data; We do have national-level studies of student development which can be helpful here. * Students with disabilities: technology adaptive devices situated in classrooms. We could get information on how such classrooms are used elsewhere. * Baseline computer use by students: What is it? How does it change over time during the students' academic careers? What is the relationship between prior computer use and academic success? Assignments: Cathy Goree will use the electronic address file for parents of entering students to ask about computer use and importance. Anne McNabb will talk with John Muffo about data in hand Terry Wildman will look at relevant literature David Conn will see if the library can help identify theses and dissertations which are relevant to our topic and which have used Virginia Tech as their study focus. Susan Brooker-Gross will suggest measurable items for our lists of needs. Bracketed items: How do our items relate to the performance indicators the state is requesting? What do we (faculty and others expect students to bring with them in terms of skills, knowledge, and motivation? We will need to come back to a conceptual approach to unify and provide real direction. One approach might look to Perry-positions. Have we incorporated the relationships between students and academic advisors? Susan R. Brooker-Gross Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs 112 Burruss Hall Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0132 Phone (540)-231-6122 e-mail: srb144@vt.edu fax: (540)-231-7211