Considering Cornerstones for Student and Faculty Development

Abstract

Cornerstones is an alternative interdisciplinary general education program for

high-achieving first-year students. It consists of four 6-credit courses taught in

sequence. Some of the hallmarks of the program are experiential learning (2-3

field trips in each course), information literacy and technology across the courses,

an emphasis on inquiry and research, collaboration by both students and faculty,

an introduction to competency-based education, and student agency in response

to critical issues (e.g, sustainability). In this session, we will discuss constructing

assignments that encourage reflective, integrative learning; incorporating

and assessing experiential learning; implementing our OSCAR "discovery of

scholarship" project; and developing faculty for interdisciplinary study. Through

this interactive discussion, participants in the session will explore how they might

adopt some of these practices in their own courses. In addition, participants will

have an opportunity to enhance the Cornerstones curriculum and pedagogy by

describing their own courses and practices. There will also be an opportunity to

ask about teaching in the Cornerstone program.