STRATEGIC PLAN 2008-2012: Aim High and Make Excellence InclusiveThe Essential Learning Outcomes --
Beginning in school, and continuing at successively higher levels across their college studies, all students should prepare for twenty-first-century challenges by gaining:
* Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World
- Through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts
* Focused by engagement with big questions, both contemporary and enduring
* Intellectual and Practical Skills, including
- Inquiry and analysis
- Critical and creative thinking
- Written and oral communication
- Quantitative literacy
- Information literacy
- Teamwork and problem solving
* Practiced extensively, across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging problems, projects, and standards for performance
* Personal and Social Responsibility, including
- Civic knowledge and engagement—local and global
- Intercultural knowledge and competence
- Ethical reasoning and action
- Foundations and skills for lifelong learning
* Anchored through active involvement with diverse communities and real-world challenges
* Integrative and Applied Learning, including
- Synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies
* Demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problemsAssociation of American Colleges and UniversitiesAACU_287fdd3a-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e070AAC&U members will take the lead—within and beyond the academy—in advancing a guiding framework for student success in college learning and for inclusive excellence that centers on the “Essential Learning Outcomes” _287fe384-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e070The mission of the Association of American Colleges and Universities is to make the aims of liberal learning a vigorous and constant influence on institutional purpose and educational practice in higher education. _287fe4ce-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e070InclusionThe Interdependence of Inclusion and Excellence --
With this plan, AAC&U reaffirms its conviction that quality and diversity are integral and mutually enriching dimensions of an educationally effective learning environment. Building from its longstanding commitment to equity and inclusion, AAC&U will vigorously challenge educational traditions and practices that, historically and today, steer less-advantaged students toward programs that teach narrow skills for an initial job, while more advantaged students reap the benefits and value of a liberal education.
Against these well-documented trends, AAC&U will stand with the LEAP National Leadership Council’s call to “Aim High—and Make Excellence Inclusive” by identifying and promoting institutional policies and practices that help all students, whatever their background or area of study, develop the important outcomes of a contemporary liberal education.
AAC&U will make it a high priority to promote educational practices that can help students from underserved groups and backgrounds—who are, collectively, the “new majority” in higher education—achieve these essential learning outcomes.ExcellenceLiberal EducationLiberal Education across the Disciplines and Professional Fields --
Over the next five years, AAC&U will work vigorously to challenge and change the traditional equation of liberal education with study in the arts and sciences alone, and/or with study in general education alone.
AAC&U will provide advocacy and action to advance the “essential learning outcomes” as a framing for the entire educational experience, as necessary elements in any college education that seeks to prepare graduates successfully for work, life, and citizenship, and as the best standard for student success.Civic LearningCivic, Diversity, and Global Learning -- from School through College --
While colleges and universities place high value on preparing students for responsible citizenship in a diverse democracy and the global community, the evidence suggests that there is little public understanding of this aspect of college learning. AAC&U will work to articulate and promote a compelling contemporary framework for the preparation students need—encompassing knowledge, skill, choices, and action—to become responsible participants in a diverse democracy and in the global community. AAC&U will highlight campus models that connect this framework with learning in the arts and sciences and in the professional fields.Diversity LearningGlobal LearningAuthentic AssessmentsAuthentic Assessments as a Catalyst for Individual and Institutional Learning --
AAC&U will vigorously promote approaches to assessment that are designed to focus both student and faculty attention on the essential aims and outcomes of a college education. While supporting the new calls for greater transparency and accountability, AAC&U will continue to resist—and will provide alternatives to—the use of multiple-choice tests as the primary index of the quality of institutions’ or student’s achievement. The organization will focus on assessments that both foster and demonstrate students’ ability to integrate and apply their learning to complex problems and projects. FacultyThe Central Role of Faculty in Achieving Inclusive Excellence and Authentic Assessment --
Faculty have played the driving role in establishing U.S. world standing in higher education; faculty vitality is the single most important determinant of educational quality. Yet faculty have been under relentless attack for decades, both in the press and through funding policies and exigencies that force campuses to turn to adjuncts rather than full-time faculty. The new challenges of achieving inclusive excellence fall on a faculty that feels overburdened and undersupported. AAC&U will remain a strong voice for the importance of faculty quality and vitality in principle and will work actively to foster faculty leadership and creativity in practice. In partnership with faculty, AAC&U will emphasize quality improvements within the regular teaching, curriculum, research and departmental responsibilities of faculty, challenging the widespread practice of improvement through an unsustainable expansion of faculty roles and assignments. And AAC&U will continue to provide rich opportunities for faculty development that feature faculty members’ own curricular, pedagogical, technological, and assessment creativity.Integrative LearningIntegrative and Applied Learning -- In and Out of the Classroom --
The real test of educational excellence is whether students apply their learning in their lives beyond the classroom. Integrative and applied learning are therefore catalytic themes in AAC&U’s vision of essential learning for the twenty-first century. With these ends in mind, AAC&U will work to advance the importance of the larger educational institution as a crucial laboratory for liberal learning, democratic and global citizenship, and work preparation. AAC&U will work vigorously to promote and expand existing designs for helping students become more engaged, more intentional, and more reflective about the larger implications and applications of their college learning. And, AAC&U will make it a high priority to discover, develop, and promulgate academic and student–life partnerships that help traditionally underserved students achieve—and apply—the essential learning outcomes that are the center of this strategic plan.Applied LearningA Guiding Vision for Liberal EducationChampion the Aims and Outcomes of Liberal Education as an American Priority, to prepare all college students for effective citizenship, personal growth, and professional success._287fe564-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701College StudentsDirect SupportProvide Direct Support for Campus Leadership and Action_287fe5fa-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.1Making Liberal Education a Shared Priority --
In making liberal education a widely shared priority, AAC&U works with member institutions, partner organizations, and national and policy leaders to provide Direct Support for Campus Leadership and ActionCoalitionsDeveloping coalitions to work on new ways to achieve the aims and outcomes of liberal education_287fe690-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.1.1Leaders FacultyBy developing coalitions of leaders and faculty that work creatively on new ways to achieve the aims and outcomes of liberal education for all studentsProgramsProvide programs that provide campus leaders, faculty, and staff with resources, evidence, exemplars, and opportunities for dialogue to strengthen educational focus, curriculum, vitality, and student learning outcomes_287fe7bc-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.1.2Campus LeadersCampus Faculty Campus StaffThrough ongoing programs that provide campus leaders, faculty, and staff with resources, evidence, exemplars, and opportunities for dialogue to strengthen educational focus, curriculum, vitality, and student learning outcomes on campusCampus-Based InitiativesFoster grant-supported campus-based initiatives that develop leadership models, resources, and momentum for achieving selected liberal education outcomes_287fe85c-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.1.3Through grant-supported campus-based initiatives that develop leadership models, resources, and momentum for achieving selected liberal education outcomes for today’s studentsFrameworks and ToolsDevelop frameworks and tools to support research on educational progress and effectiveness_287fe92e-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.1.4By developing frameworks and tools to support research on educational progress and effectiveness.National LeadershipProvide High-Profile National Leadership_287fe9ce-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.2Making Liberal Education a Shared Priority --
In making liberal education a widely shared priority, AAC&U works with member institutions, partner organizations, and national and policy leaders to provide High-Profile National LeadershipAdvocacyAdvocate nationally for liberal education_287fea6e-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.2.1Through national advocacy for liberal education and the essential learning outcomes it providesPresidential LeadershipProvide new forms of presidential leadership for an inclusive, public-spirited, and empowering liberal education_287feb22-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.2.2Through new forms of presidential leadership for an inclusive, public-spirited, and empowering liberal educationResearch, Resources, and ExamplesProvide research, resources, and examples of effective educational practice_287febcc-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.2.3By providing research, resources, and examples of effective educational practiceUnderserved StudentsCreate a resource hub for practices that support academic progress and higher levels of achievement on essential learning outcomes for underserved students_287fec76-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.2.4Underserved StudentsBy creating a resource hub for practices that support academic progress and higher levels of achievement on essential learning outcomes for underserved students
CollaborationCollaborate to develop models for general education and for learning in key disciplines and professional fields_287fed2a-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.2.5Through collaborations to develop models for general education and for learning in key disciplines and professional fields that address and foster the aims and outcomes of liberal education.PartnershipsProvide Partnerships to Advance and Strengthen Liberal Education_287fedd4-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.3AACU Member InstitutionsAACU Partner OrganizationsNational LeadersPolicy LeadersMaking Liberal Education a Shared Priority --
In making liberal education a widely shared priority, AAC&U works with member institutions, partner organizations, and national and policy leaders to provide Partnerships in Selected States to Advance and Strengthen Liberal EducationPublic Advocacy and Campus ActionSupport public advocacy and campus action to help all students achieve the essential aims and outcomes of liberal education_287fee7e-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.3.1Public advocacy and campus action to help all students achieve the essential aims and outcomes of liberal educationState-Level WorkConduct State-level work and develop models to align general education policies and designs with the essential learning aims and outcomes_287fef50-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.3.2StatesState-level work and models to align general education policies and designs with the essential learning aims and outcomesModelsDevelop State-level models for aligning P–16 planning and leadership development to raise student achievement on the essential learning outcomes_287ff00e-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.3.3StatesState-level models for aligning P–16 planning and leadership development to raise student achievement on the essential learning outcomesState-level InitiativesSupport State-level initiatives to raise preparation and achievement for underserved students_287ff13a-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.3.4Underserved StudentsStatesState-level initiatives to raise preparation and achievement for underserved students
Assessment and Reporting ModelsDevelop new models for assessing and reporting students’ cumulative gains on essential learning outcomes_287ff20c-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.3.5New models for assessing and reporting students’ cumulative gains on essential learning outcomes.AssessmentProvide New Assessment Frameworks, Resources, and Evidence._287ff2ca-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.4Making Liberal Education a Shared Priority --
In making liberal education a widely shared priority, AAC&U works with member institutions, partner organizations, and national and policy leaders to provide New Assessment Frameworks, Resources, and Evidence Assessment FrameworksDevelop assessment frameworks to make the evidence of student achievement on essential learning outcomes visible, valued and portable_287ff37e-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.4.1Assessment frameworks to make the evidence of student achievement on essential learning outcomes visible, valued and portableEssential LearningProvide research syntheses and reports about student and institutional progress on essential learning outcomes_287ff464-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.4.2Research syntheses and reports about student and institutional progress on essential learning outcomesUnderserved StudentsProvide research syntheses and reports about educationally effective or “high impact practices” and their accessibility and benefit to underserved students_287ff52c-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.4.3Underserved StudentsResearch syntheses and reports about educationally effective or “high impact practices” and their accessibility and benefit to underserved studentsEducational PracticeProvide tools, templates, and models to support campus based assessment efforts and their use in improving educational practice_287ff5e0-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.4.4Tools, templates, and models to support campus based assessment efforts and their use in improving educational practiceReportsIssue periodic reports to the public on issues and outcomes related to liberal education priorities_287ff6d0-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0701.4.5Periodic reports to the public on issues and outcomes related to liberal education priorities.Inclusive ExcellenceCreate New Campus Capacity to Support Academic Progress and High Achievement, with special attention to Underserved Student Achievement, emphasizing a broad institutional commitment to help all students achieve essential learning outcomes._287ff798-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0702Underserved Students_287ff86a-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e070Intentional and Integrative LearningBuild Shared Responsibility on Campus for the Aims and Outcomes of Liberal Education, across all parts of the educational experience and through intentional and integrative connections across the multiple sites and sources of student learning._287ff950-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0703_287ffa22-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e070Civic, Diversity, and Global EngagementPromote Personal and Social Responsibility for a World Lived in Common as an Essential Dimension of College Study, by supporting civic, ethical, intercultural and global learning, and creating models for engaging diversity, democracy, interdependence, inequalities, and societal challenges in all students’ learning._287ffafe-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0704_287ffc02-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e070Authentic EvidenceAdvance Assessment Practices That Deepen, Integrate and Demonstrate Student Learning, through advocacy of learning-centered assessment policies, support for campus work to develop meaningful assessment approaches, and experimentation with common e-portfolio frameworks._287ffcd4-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0705_287ffdb0-8bc7-11e1-bbd5-712471d0e0702008-01-012012-12-312012-04-21OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net