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Quality Enhancement Plan
Improving Student Learning Through
Comprehensive Curriculum Development & Assessment
Louisiana State University at Alexandria is designing a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) consistent with the University's Strategic Plan and institutional effectiveness process. LSUA's objectives for curriculum development were appropriate for a two-year degree granting institution, but the University now has an expanded mission as a baccalaureate degree granting institution. LSUA established several basic requirements for bachelor's degree development as part of its initial bachelor's degree planning process. However, no course selection criteria were developed to ensure specific learning outcomes, nor were any logical criteria established to define either the general education core or which courses would be selected for a major or included as related electives. LSUA saw a need for a more consistent and coherent approach to curriculum development soon after it offered its first bachelor's degree programs. Additionally, after assessing learning outcomes for General Education for many years, LSUA faculty members were frustrated with their inability to link those outcomes to specific general education courses. LSUA also identified a need to improve learning outcome development and assessment for all degree programs during its strategic planning process. A SACS Substantive Change Visiting Committee, after examination of LSUA's new baccalaureate programs, indicated a need for improvement in curriculum development.
LSUA intends to improve its approach to curriculum development with the following components of its QEP:
- Thoroughly review existing literature, and practices at other institutions, to determine best curriculum development and assessment practices.
- Review basic bachelor's degree requirements and definitions (e.g., major, concentration, and so forth) and revise as necessary.
- Define criteria for including classes in the general education core based on each class' contribution to established general education learning outcomes.
- Develop (or revise) learning outcomes and assessments for all bachelor's degree programs, and systematically review the library collection to assure appropriate support.
- Develop clear connections between courses contributing to the major and learning outcomes expected of program graduates.
- Revise existing curricula as needed to incorporate changes in the general education core and ensure inclusion of major courses appropriate for established student learning outcomes, and modify learning outcomes assessment practice to reflect changes in curriculum.
- Define criteria for a campus-wide Honors Program.
- Expose students in all curricula to creative use of technology throughout the learning process.
The overall goal of the project is to provide a solid rationale and process by which curricula are developed so as to result in student achievement of program-specific learning outcomes.
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