Page 240 - Crisis in Higher Education

Redesigning Curriculum and Pedagogy • 211

General education and to a lesser extent the
disciplinary core require more intense effort
to achieve student-centered learning
General
education

More challenging content More focus and depth of knowledge Smaller classes and more groups work Less lecture and more discussion More written and verbal communications More papers and presentations More hands-on learning learning and the seven learning styles

Disciplinary
core Easier to implement student-centered

Major and
minor
fields of
study

FIGURE 10.2
Curriculum structure, the learning environment, and student-centered learning.

transition from their general education to their disciplinary core and then to
their major courses within the discipline, their depth of knowledge increases
substantially. This is the essence of the phrase “sharp, deep, and narrow.”
Students strive to gain expertise, so they have the knowledge to secure an
entry-level position. As they mature and learn on the job, they gain more
knowledge and expertise, which makes them more valuable. They begin to
see the “big picture” and advance up the organizational ladder to jobs that
require greater vision, hold more responsibility, and demand leadership.
The transition from general education to the major and minor fields of
study typically means that students are in smaller classes where there is
more group work and group projects, and the learning process changes
so there is less lecturing and more interacting. (See Figure 10.2.) During
this transition, there are opportunities to use different learning styles.
There is more written and verbal communications and more student
papers and presentations that require students to integrate ideas and solve
problems. There are also opportunities for hands-on learning such as stu-
dio courses that require performing; cooperative education and intern-
ships programs that are often part of professional degree programs; and
mentorship programs that link students with experts in the workforce.
Because of these opportunities, it is easier to use the seven learning styles