General Education Mission, Goals and Objectives

Mission

As a fundamental component of all academic programs, General Education is the foundation supporting student acquisition of skills in communication, analysis, mathematical reasoning, and synthesis. General Education provides students with transferrable skills that prepare them to gain knowledge, acquire new competencies, and broaden their perspectives so that they may better adapt to the needs of a changing society.

The learning experiences and assessments provided by our academic programs are built on the General Education goals, which are reflected in the College’s core requirements.

Goals and Objectives

Goal 1:  Students will communicate effectively in writing.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

1.1           demonstrate fluency in a writing process that involves planning, drafting,  revising and editing;

1.2           research, organize and produce texts in a variety of written modes for specific audiences;

1.3           demonstrate understanding and recognition of plagiarism;

1.4           apply ethical reasoning in the use of language.

Goal 2:  Students will develop effective oral communication skills.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

2.1         demonstrate the elements of effective oral communication;

2.2         research, organize, and deliver a message to specific audiences;

2.3         evaluate the effectiveness and relevance of messages and presentations;

2.4         demonstrate understanding and recognition of plagiarism;

2.5          apply ethical reasoning in the use of language.

Goal 3:  Students will develop, apply and use mathematical reasoning skills in solving problems.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

3.1         read and comprehend information with mathematical content;

3.2         analyze quantitative information;

3.3         determine patterns, trends, and relationships from a variety of sources;

3.4         solve numeric and word problems using logic and mathematical skills.

Goal 4:  Students will develop analytical and critical thinking skills.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

4.1         analyze, evaluate, and question information;

4.2         formulate and develop relevant responses to problems based on logic and available information.

Goal 5:  Students will develop necessary literacy required to analyze and implement solutions involving use of the computer.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

5.1         demonstrate computer literacy in academic and professional contexts;

5.2         demonstrate understanding of computer technology and application software. 

Goal 6:  Students will develop information literacy necessary to identify, locate, evaluate, communicate, and apply information.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

6.1         determine the extent of information needed;

6.2         locate information from books, journals, the Internet, databases and media;

6.3         evaluate and apply appropriate search strategies;

6.4         evaluate the quality of sources in terms of reliability, bias, currency, and authority;

6.5         access and use information ethically and legally.

Goal 7:  Students will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method and its application to solve problems and analyze data in at least one discipline in the sciences.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

7.1         demonstrate an understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, such as observation, hypothesis development, experimentation, and evaluation of evidence;

7.2         demonstrate the ability to comprehend and analyze scientific literature.

Goal 8:  Students will develop knowledge of culture and history.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

8.1         demonstrate understanding of elements of culture in relation to history, values, politics, communication, economy, or beliefs and practices.