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Read the Curry College NEASC 2012 Self-Study Report.

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34<br />

• Recent purchase of Atomic Learning to provide “just‐in‐time” instruction to students to<br />

develop technology literacy skills and connect to course curriculum. lxxxi<br />

Building on <strong>the</strong> above efforts, Information and Technology Literacy learning goals have been<br />

included within <strong>the</strong> proposed revised General Education curriculum. The current proposed<br />

model for Gen Ed revision is expected to fur<strong>the</strong>r integrate and systematize <strong>the</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

assessment and support for students’ skills in <strong>the</strong>se areas.<br />

Continuing Education<br />

<strong>Curry</strong>’s Plymouth campus has demonstrated efficacy as a destination site for residents from<br />

greater Plymouth, Cape Cod, and surrounding communities. Following a comprehensive<br />

assessment of student needs and learning opportunities offered on <strong>the</strong> South Shore, <strong>Curry</strong><br />

recently renewed a five‐year lease to continue in Plymouth. Academic programs at <strong>the</strong><br />

Plymouth campus remain strong and students at <strong>the</strong> Plymouth campus regularly achieve<br />

academic success at a level comparable to <strong>the</strong>ir Milton peers.<br />

On <strong>the</strong> main campus, support for <strong>the</strong> adult learner has seen dramatic recent growth. Recent<br />

usage has expanded to better support <strong>the</strong> success of adult learners, and more than half of <strong>the</strong><br />

current Academic Enrichment Center’s tutoring hours are now directed toward supporting<br />

Continuing Education students. However, <strong>the</strong> need continues for additional attention to<br />

increasing <strong>the</strong> communication literacy skills of <strong>the</strong> adult learner. Similarly, hybrid learning<br />

(appraised with <strong>the</strong> Graduate Programs section) is a strong example of <strong>the</strong> ways in which<br />

pedagogical inquiry and new modes of instruction more clearly linked to adult needs can<br />

improve student learning. Consistent with o<strong>the</strong>r pedagogical initiatives, assessment and<br />

integration of information from such offerings are increasingly built into new courses, but are<br />

yet to be evaluated across programs.<br />

General Education<br />

The General Education reform effort has engaged multiple constituencies (students, faculty,<br />

administrators, and alumni) in both evaluating <strong>the</strong> deficiencies of <strong>the</strong> existing CLAC, and<br />

developing a coherent set of principles for a revised General Education. Data from multiple<br />

constituencies surfaced concerns about CLAC that mirror common criticisms of General<br />

Education at o<strong>the</strong>r institutions:<br />

• Its heavily distribution‐focused approach provides breath but lacks clarity of purpose.<br />

• Relationships between and among disciplines depend on individual instructors; <strong>the</strong>re is<br />

no systematic integration across areas.<br />

Faculty, students, and staff questioned what is “Central” about <strong>the</strong> “Central Liberal Arts<br />

Curriculum,” with advisors and students frequently referring to CLAC requirements as obstacles<br />

to “get out of <strong>the</strong> way.” Although recent messaging to students about <strong>the</strong> nature of Liberal Arts<br />

has been streng<strong>the</strong>ned, <strong>the</strong> overall experience of CLAC remains a checklist of requirements<br />

with little coherence or integration.<br />

To address <strong>the</strong> above concerns with CLAC, GETF1’s developed a set of core values and learning<br />

<strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>2012</strong> <strong>Self</strong>-<strong>Study</strong><br />

Standard Four

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