James Madison University General Education Program

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James Madison UniversityGeneral Education Program
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Q What is General Education?A The
foundation program for
all students

• Liberal arts
• Basic skills
• Establishes lifelong learning
• Provides breadth of study in broad areas of human
  knowledge
• Opportunity for students to explore individual
  interests

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Supporting the JMU Mission

• A liberal education for all students
• The integration of liberal education into
• the university curriculum
• Learning experiences that provide students with a
  global consciousness in a rapidly changing and
  technologically oriented world

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The General Education Mission

• To graduate informed citizens, well prepared to
  participate in public life
• To provide students with critical skills in
  reasoning, communication, and technology
• To introduce students to core areas of knowledge
  central to the history of western civilization,
  including interactions with the global community
• To invite students to know themselves and to
  consider the connections between values and
  behavior

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The Value of a Liberal Education

• Knowing how to learn
• The ability to analyze and synthesize information
  and ideas
• Flexibility and creativity
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Written and oral communication skills
• Understanding that crosses historical periods and
  cultural differences

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General EducationThe Human Community

• Cluster One Skills for the 21st Century
• Cluster Two Arts and Humanities
• Cluster Three The Natural World
• Cluster Four Social and Cultural
• Processes
• Cluster Five The Individual in the Human
  Community

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Cluster OneSkills for the 21st Century

• Written communication
• Oral communication
• Critical thinking
• Communication through technology
• Information retrieval

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Cluster Two Arts and Humanities

• Fine arts
• Literature
• Cultural and intellectual history
• Philosophy and religion in a historical context

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Cluster ThreeThe Natural World

• Mathematics
• Quantitative skills
• Scientific literacy
• Experiential learning in the sciences

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Cluster Four Social and Cultural Processes

• American and global perspectives
• Politics
• Economics
• Societies and institutions
• Social history

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Cluster Five The Individual in the Human
Community

• Health and wellness
• Psychology
• Human behavior
• Personal responsibility

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Cluster One Packages

• A Effective Arguments
• B Critical Skills in the World of Business
• C Not available 1999-2000
• D Critical Skills and Historical Inquiry
• E Media Literacy and Communication

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Cluster One Package E

• Media Literacy and Communication
• GCOM 121E--Basic Human
• Communication
• GENG 102E--Reading and Composition
• GMAD 150E--Mediated Communication Issues
  and Skills

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How do we know if were doing a good job?

• Program assessment
• Pre-tests and post-tests in all five clusters
• Student performance on national tests
• Portfolio assessment of writing
• Competency testing
• Basic technology skills (Tech 1)
• Information-Seeking Skills Test

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General Guidelines

• One package in each cluster
• Cluster One (Skills) is freshman year
• Cluster Three (Math and Science) by the end of
  sophomore year
• Other clusters sequenced through students
  educational career
• Consult academic advisor about relation to major
  requirements

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General EducationThe Human Community

• For more information
• Visit our website at http//www.jmu.edu/gen
  ed
• Call us at [phone]
• Email us at gened_at_jmu.edu

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General Education is every students opportunity
to enter into the learning community, explore the
world of knowledge, and prepare for the 21st
century.