Drafting Your Proposal – Proposing a Perspectives Integrative Studies Course


After a thorough review of these guidelines, sponsors should log into the Curriculum Proposals web site. Use the Sponsor Tutorial to learn how to create, edit, and submit your proposal online.

When you create a proposal online, a Microsoft Word document will be provided to help you write your proposal. You will need to download this document, type your proposal, and upload the document back to the web site before submitting your proposal online. The Microsoft Word document, as provided, contains the following sections that must be completed:

Proposal Sponsor(s): Identify the department and the person who should be contacted regarding the proposal. Include phone number and e-mail address. This person is expected to attend divisional and Senate Curriculum Committee meetings to discuss the proposal.

Proposed Action: Select the type of action proposed.

Existing (Old) Data: If this course is replacing an existing course, please identify what that course is.  For example, SOC 101 is now ISSOC 101.

Proposed (New) Course: Provide the proposed course description in its entirety and as it would appear in the KSC Catalog. If this change affects other programs, please note all the places (page numbers in the current catalog) where this change must be made.

Courses such as SOC 101 that offer multiple sections, may be redirecting some of the sections to be offered as Integrative Studies courses so a new course number might be

ISSOC 102

Proposed (New) Course Title: Limit the course title to 30 characters, including spaces. If more characters are absolutely necessary for clarity, the sponsor should submit an abbreviated title to assure an intelligible abbreviated title of choice (for use in the student information system, on transcripts, etc.).

Proposed (New) Course Description: Limit the Course Description to 50 words, not including prerequisites (there are no prerequisites for 100 and 200 level perspectives courses; to register for 300 or 400 level Integrative Studies courses, students must have completed both foundation courses (ITW and IQL) and a total of 28 ISP credits.  Some 400 level courses may additionally require courses in certain Perspectives areas (Fine and Performing Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences), but, not specific courses, in those areas, be completed.) Prerequisites should be clear and specific, e.g., as courses (e.g., ENG 101) or number of credits required. Finally, specify semester(s) the course will be offered.

Course Objectives: Identify the knowledge and or skills the student will have an opportunity to gain as a result of completing this course or program. 

Learning Outcomes: State knowledge and or skills students will be expected to demonstrate by completion of this course or program of study.  The ISP Outcome Expectations (ISP Chart) document is located on the Integrative Studies Web Page (www.keene.edu/ISP ).

Perspectives Outcomes - For perspectives courses, the faculty member will choose one or more of the outcomes that she/he will be addressing.

Students will be able to:

 

  • Articulate an understanding of representative theories in the natural and social sciences
  • Explore language use, linguistic forms, and language’s ability to change society and ourselves.
  • Distinguish and assess the impact that knowledge and methodology in the natural and social sciences have on our understanding of self, society and environment
  • Critically and creatively engage in the aesthetic and intellectual components of the fine and performing arts.
  • Articulate the ways that the arts and humanities shape, change, provoke, and represent our world and our perception of the world.
  • Understand and interpret diverse evidence about past societies and cultures.
  • Understand how the scientific method differs from other modes of inquiry and ways of knowing.
  • Evaluate diverse approaches to the study of history and their relationship to power, privilege and difference
  • Use and understand the power of mathematics, statistics, and qualitative analysis to represent and investigate ideas and evidence, as well as evaluate data dependent arguments.
  • Analyze a creative text within its cultural, aesthetic, historical, and intellectual contexts.
  • Identify the values and concerns expressed in creative works.

 

Skills Outcomes – identify those skills that will be given primacy (helping students further develop) in your course. Under each skill you identify, identify your expectations.  Please refer to the document “Summary of Integrative Outcomes on the ISP web page (www.keene.edu/ISP ) for program expectations for the following skills.

 

  1. Reading:
  2. Writing
  3. Information literacy
  4. Critical Thinking
  5. Critical Dialogue
  6. Technological Fluency

7.  Quantitative Reasoning

8.  Creative Thinking

 

Integrative Outcomes – identify the one(s) that you will be addressing in your course.  Please refer to the document “Summary of Integrative Outcomes on the ISP web page (www.keene.edu/ISP ) for program expectations for the following general outcomes.

 

Diversity

Ethics

Global Issues

Social and Environmental Engagement

Rationale: Explain why this change is being made. Address the connection with institutional mission, and/or department, program, and course objectives.

Resources: For course proposals, include the name of the faculty member(s) who will be teaching this course. Indicate whether additional staffing will be required. Review the adequacy of facilities, equipment and library resources. Consult your department's library liaison concerning library resources. Also, consider the long-term impact of adding a course or adding or altering a program. When a proposal has staffing, space, or monetary implications, the VPAA must be consulted and his or her comments should be included in this section.

Advisory Opinions: List the names of affected departments and include department responses. Advisory opinions are required whenever a proposal affects the curricula of other programs. A proposal must list all affected departments. An advisory opinion must be solicited at least two weeks prior to delivery of the proposal to the Divisional Curriculum Committee. Affected departments have two weeks to respond to the request for an advisory opinion. Responses should be attached to the proposal. In the event that affected departments do not respond, evidence of the request for an advisory opinion from non-respondents must be provided. If a proposal affects a curriculum in a division other than that of the sponsor, each relevant department and the DCC in that division must review and approve the proposal as well. (The electronic curriculum review process tracks votes and comments as required at each stage of the review.)


Example

Proposal Sponsor(s): Geology, Peter Nielsen (pnielsen@keene.edu  8-2553)

Proposed Action: Select the type of action proposed.

Existing (Old) Data: GEOL 100 PERSPECTIVES OF THE EARTH
A survey of the earth sciences; Earth's setting in space; atmosphere and matter; oceans; materials and processes of the solid earth; origin and history of the earth. (Not open for credit toward a major program in science.) Fall, Spring

Proposed (New) Course: GEOL 100 PERSPECTIVES OF THE EARTH
4 credits
Survey of the earth sciences; origin and history of the earth; its materials and internal and external processes; its atmosphere and hydrosphere. Includes an integrated lab emphasizing earth materials and landforms. (Not open for credit toward a major program in science) Fall, Spring

Natural Sciences -                  INGEOL 100

Proposed (New) Course Title: PERSPECTIVES OF THE EARTH

Proposed (New) Course:

Course Objectives: By the end of this course, you will: Develop an understanding of the solid earth, earth materials, including rocks and minerals, the processes that shape the earth's surface, and the position of the earth in the universe.

 

Learning Outcomes:

For the Integrative Studies Program:

[PERSPECTIVES - SCIENCE OUTCOME:  SCIENTIFIC METHOD, THEORIES] Understand how the scientific method led to the Theory of Plate Tectonics, a major paradigm shift that revolutionized our understanding of the earth, its history and the environmental hazards associate with both internal and surface processes.

 

Integrative Outcomes:

 

[INTEGRATIVE OUTCOMES:  ETHICS] Examine the ethical and socio-economic implications and consequences associated with a range of issues where human’s attempt to control dynamic environments – including flood-plains and shorelines

 

[INTEGRATIVE OUTCOME:  SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGAGEMENT] Recognize the importance of geology to human activities and demonstrate an understanding of the strong feedback loops involving earth processes and human actions (i.e. social policy related to geo-hazards).   

 

Skills you will be using and expectations for those skills:

 

[SKILLS OUTCOMES]  Achieve higher proficiency in the following skills areas by practicing them throughout the semester through class preparation and class participation:

 

Reading with purpose and comprehension in order to be able to successfully complete the individual chapter assignments,

 

§       Read with an awareness of purpose

§       Ask questions that lead to greater understanding of material

§       Demonstrate the ability to summarize and identify key points

§       Demonstrate an understanding and ability to relate discipline-or interdiscipline specific information to theories presented in a course

 

 

Writing with clarity in responding to the chapter assignments,

 

§       Write with purpose

§       Organize, state and develop ideas clearly

§       Write with syntactical and grammatical competence

§       Understand and value academic honesty

§       Ask questions that lead to a richer product

§       Cultivate disciplinary and interdisciplinary expertise necessary to question sources, develop ideas, and offer interpretations

 

Quantitative Reasoning through analysis of both graphical and tabulated data as presented in the assigned readings as well as successfully completing class exercises, and

 

§       to interpret basic information

§       Analyze the relationships between two variables

§       Read and interpret graphs, charts and tables in discipline specific media

§       Critically evaluate conclusions and inferences drawn by others based on data presented as support

 

Critical and Creative Thinking, and Critical Dialogue through participation in class discussion of the origin and evolution of the earth, important questions related to energy and environmental issues, and social policy related to geo-hazards (earthquakes, tsunami, floods).

 

Critical thinking

 

§       Analyze and interpret evidence, conjectures, and alternative strategies related to a given idea, problem, task, or goal

§       Synthesize information, arguments, and perspectives in order to create new meaning, insight, and understanding

§       Develop analytical arguments

§       Apply critical thinking to important ethical and societal issues and problems

 

Creative thinking

 

§    Confront questions with multiple answers

§    Reframe new ides (metaphors, analogies, use of models)

 

Critical dialogue

 

§       Organize what one wishes to convey

§       Speak with purpose when conveying thoughts/ideas

§       Avoid “fillers” (uh, you know, like) when conveying thoughts/ideas

§       Project voice so all can hear

§       Use language appropriate for the audience or other discussion participants

§       Demonstrate active listening  in order to avoid disengagement with the speaker

§       Maintain focus on the content of the presentation, regardless of the speaker’s style of delivery

§       Demonstrate appropriate nonverbal behaviors (attention, engagement)

§       Practice mental engagement with the speaker in order to formulate thoughtful questions based on conversations and presentations

§       Make notes regarding key points in order to question or respond effectively

Rationale: Explain why this change is being made. Address the connection with institutional mission, and/or department, program, and course objectives.  See section on rationale for move to 4 credits

Resources: For course proposals, include the name of the faculty member(s) who will be teaching this course. Indicate whether additional staffing will be required. Review the adequacy of facilities, equipment and library resources. Consult your department's library liaison concerning library resources. Also, consider the long-term impact of adding a course or adding or altering a program. When a proposal has staffing, space, or monetary implications, the VPAA must be consulted and his or her comments should be included in this section.

No new faculty lines are required to accommodate the proposed changes, unless the demand for this course is unchanged.  Sections currently average 40 students, and the Geology Department recommends that section limits be set at 24 to accommodate the integrated lab component.

Advisory Opinions: List the names of affected departments and include department responses. Advisory opinions are required whenever a proposal affects the curricula of other programs. A proposal must list all affected departments. An advisory opinion must be solicited at least two weeks prior to delivery of the proposal to the Divisional Curriculum Committee. Affected departments have two weeks to respond to the request for an advisory opinion. Responses should be attached to the proposal. In the event that affected departments do not respond, evidence of the request for an advisory opinion from non-respondents must be provided. If a proposal affects a curriculum in a division other than that of the sponsor, each relevant department and the DCC in that division must review and approve the proposal as well. (The electronic curriculum review process tracks votes and comments as required at each stage of the review.)

This course is mot required of any major, it has always been a General Education or elective course.