How do UW-La Crosse students view their general education experience? How do they see it contributing to their learning and development? What are the problems students see in the General Education Program and how can the program be improved? We asked students to talk about these and other aspects of their general education experience in a series of focus group interviews during the 1995-96 academic year. This report summarizes the findings from the study which was conducted as part of university-wide assessment.
Participants. The students consisted of 21 seniors at UW-La Crosse. There were 11 males and 10 females in the sample representing 16 academic majors. Twenty of the students reported a GPA above 3.0. The participants were selected from a pool of students nominated by instructors. To supplement the sample several students were recruited through the President of the Student Association.
Procedure. Each focus group consisted of 3-6 students and two moderators. The sessions were videotaped in a television studio and typically lasted 90 minutes. The moderators asked a series of 4 questions to prompt discussion and then allowed students to respond freely.
The focus group questions. The purpose of the focus groups was to explore students' views of their general education experience. The questions we used were:
Analysis of the data. The videotaped sessions were transcribed to written transcripts. Two experimenters used an inductive approach to analyze the transcripts for recurring themes, which then served as provisional categories. Student comments were coded for inclusion in a category. The process yielded five major categories of responses.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Conceptions of general education | Statements about what students think general education is --- its purpose, role, function in their education. |
| 2. Influence of general education on students | Statements that indicate how experiences in general education influenced students. |
| 3. Teaching and teachers | Statements about the nature and quality of teaching in general education and about individual instructors. |
| 4. Advising | Statements about faculty advising in general education. |
| 5. Recommendations | Statements about how to improve general education. |
Results and findings. The following sections highlight predominant ideas in each of the five response categories.
Students' conceptions of general education. Students have two distinctly different conceptions of general education. One is that general education is a prescribed curriculum intended to broaden one's education.
"I guess I look at general education as being a broad area of studies that include math, English, science . . . it's things that will lead up to and give you broad education."A second conception of general education is that it is a way to explore one's interests and find an appropriate major.
"I think general education is a time for exploration. When I look back to it, I don't think I took a lot of details from it, just broad ones. I don't think its intent is to learn details, I think it is willing to let you open up your mind."
"I think it has broadened my views a lot. I have taken a lot of classes that I would not normally have taken but they are required to take under general education and it's part of our liberal arts degree and just getting a more basic background."
"On a positive light if you haven't chosen a major, taking all these general education courses may direct you to what you really want to do, for your major."
"In theory that's what I would say. That this is to give you a couple of years to experience the university to get the general things before you need to make up your mind."
"I think the purpose of them is to give you some other insight into other areas as to what else is offered here on campus."
"For incoming freshmen a lot of them won't know what to take and they will get a better idea through general education. Hey, I had a good class in computer science, that's kind of neat. They get an idea through classes like that as to what they want to take."
". . . Some people come in here with an idea of what they want or what their parents want or what they think they want. This way they get to try a few things. I'm not sure how it works in other disciplines, but over in the arts we get a lot of switchers. Because they come into this area thinking I want to be in biology, and they become a theatre major. Or I want some computer science because I'll make a lot of money. And they find they just don't like it and they switch over to art or languages because it's more suitable to them. And I feel it's a good idea because a lot of people don't really know."
Students did not refer to the stated aims and goals of general education. They do not view general education as a coherent educational program with a well defined purpose and set of goals. As they see it, the curriculum consists of an array of classes in different subject areas, which may broaden their understanding and outlook. And, by taking a lot of different classes students may find an area of interest that becomes their academic major.
How general education influences students. Students discussed how general education had influenced their learning and development. Some said that general education as a program had influenced them. In these cases, they referred to general education as opening their minds or broadening their understanding.
". . . I think touching on many areas does open your mind. . . And I think knowing the world in general helps you get along with people better, helps you work with people better. People who are educated act and think a lot differently. And if there's a disagreement, they raise their voice or they speak instead of raising their fists. Broad base is good. You get to know how other people think and what they do that is different than you."
Along the same lines another student describes how several classes contributed to his personal and professional growth.
"I guess some of the classes I have taken have helped me out with my major . . we deal with people every day, different people, different cultures, different backgrounds, everything. Some courses . . .kind of give you a different perspective on people and cultures, they kind of widen your thoughts and I think that is very valuable when you are just dealing with different people no matter what setting you are in."
References to the "program" were infrequent. More often, students described how a single course, instructor or experience had an effect on them.
"I had history . . . From that class I got a lot better perspective on motives and what motivates people and why things are the way they are. . . class was based more on how society evolved and why it is a male dominated society and what caused it and how it developed and what motivates people to do what they have done. That was probably one of the most positive experiences I have had in general education. It made me stop and think about why things are the way they are in my life and what has created this and why we are here and where I want to go and what is going to influence things in the future."
A male student describes how a women's studies course affected him.
"I wouldn't have volunteered at a battered women's shelter. That is something I would have never done. Never in a million years would I have done that. And it was enjoyable. It was enlightening I guess. It was nice to help the kids because we were watching the children. But is was also a disturbing thing at the same time to see that. I was in a suburb of Milwaukee, so I'm sheltered to some extent. . . And it's good to see something like that and I'm glad I took it."
Another student talks about how a sociology professor created a challenging learning environment.
"He came in the first day and said I am going to say some things that you may not agree with and if you disagree look me in the eyes and tell me you disagree and if you say something I disagree with I will do the same. And he really challenged you to open your mind and to think freely and explore your thoughts and it made you feel really good to go to class, it was real exciting to go to class and you almost looked forward to going to class."
Some students said that general education did not have much influence on them.
"Most of my influential experiences have been because of other students and outside activities. I wouldn't say classroom activities were the focus of my general education. It was outside of class where I learned the most."
Another student said
"And it would be nice if you actually went out a lot more and did things with the community, because I think you learn a lot more like that. . . I'm from Madison and I tell you, I've learned a lot more just from living there and being around the people than I ever will learn in that classroom. You learn a bunch of definitions and people talk about stuff, but it's just not the same thing as actually going out and doing it."
Teachers and teaching. In the students' estimation, there are pronounced differences between classes in general education and their majors. In the academic major classes are described as more interesting, more intimate, more collegial.
"You get more attention if you are a major."
Students are treated differently--more like colleagues. There is more work to do but student motivation is high and at this point they are more dedicated. Responsibility for the demands placed on students at this level is taken seriously.
"We are easier to teach."
Another student talks about the difference between teaching in general education and her academic major in terms of the teacher-student relationship.
"I would almost consider professors in my major to be friends of mine. I feel like I can go to them . . . and discuss a variety of different subjects and you feel comfortable with that. . . . but when you are just in general education you know you are just in this lecture room and you are not sure how to pronounce your professor's name or what their office hours are. It is a real distant relationship. And then you don't feel secure enough to go down to talk to that professor because they really don't know you and you're nervous because you are a freshman."
Class size is seen as an important difference. Small classes invite personal involvement and active participation. Students may work and speak one on one with professors and a personal relationship can develop.
"Teachers know your name."
"You are not part of the masses."
To students, the instructor makes all the difference between a positive, stimulating, challenging experience and one that is negative, dull and uninspiring.
"I think general education equals the prof. So many times, I know with my history class, it just totally turned me away with the one prof I had. And the next prof I had in history I really enjoyed and I got a whole new perspective. . . As far as what you learn and what kind of grade you get out of it is up to the prof."
A student describes the uneven expectations for critical thinking in general education.
"The big buzz word now is supposed to be critical thinking, isn't that what we all heard from our profs. And just to reiterate the point about the profs making a course, if you're lucky, and that's what it is when you're a freshman, if you're lucky you will get a good prof who makes you think critically about things you have learned about in the past.. . . If you're unlucky you can have some experiences that I have had. You are stuck inside this box and forced to learn what this prof knows and you get graded on what the prof knows. . ."
Students discussed ways that teachers and teaching affected them. At the top of the list was the teacher's enthusiasm for the subject and for teaching. Students talked about how the teacher could interest them in the subject by projecting interest and excitement. In contrast students said that they had a number of general education classes in which the instructors appeared uninterested, distant, and openly negative toward the class. Students said that the least effective classes were lecture-dominated and required little more than memorization and regurgitation of information.
Advising. While no question specifically addressed the topic of advising, it did emerge as a major theme from each focus group. Obtaining advice that would help to meet general education requirements and plan long term was very important to the students and from their perspective, it was often inadequate.
"This is a challenging area. The advisor is the person you should listen to and take their advice very seriously and follow what they say. But for myself, I found out they were so concentrated in their area, they didn't have a broad understanding of what general education is. I was put into classes that didn't count toward graduation. The dean helped me out and now I actually have a graduation date, instead of some foggy future where I didn't know where I was going. I needed more direction, someone who understood general education."
"As students I feel that we need a lot better advising...there are horror stories of students getting lost in gen ed...students need more information."
"Informed advising...my experiences have been good, but some of my friends have been so frustrated because they are told they do need a class and then are told they don't need a class. Also, realistic plans are needed. Advisors need to be educated about how long this is going to take and how long it is going to set you back."
"I didn't have a lot of advising in my first three years of school. I started in one department where you just pick up your sheet and you are on your own. If you switch your major, your requirements are different. I do think that advisors need to be more educated on what is out there and I realize that takes more work and some of them don't have the time for that...at least the advisors could point you in the right direction to somebody who knows."
"If the advisors would find out what's on this campus, I mean they don't have to know everything, but if they could just tell people where to go to get information, or where to go to find out things...that's what we are lacking with a lot of advisors. The advisors don't know exactly what's on campus either, or what services are there for you."
"I think that a lot of the advisory staff isn't sure of the requirements themselves, so you end up taking classes that you don't need or taking classes that you might have needed previously, but now don't...sometimes they steer you away from what you really want to do, they put you in the wrong direction."
"With the touch tone advising, we have lost the contact completely. There should still be something that the advisor has to sign. You could go your entire college career and not know who your advisor is. That's terrible...it is almost like there isn't an advising system any more.
Recommendations. In each group students discussed ways to improve general education. Students focused on advising, and courses. They also discussed the role of teacher evaluation in improving the program.
Advising.
"Maybe we should have student advising, because we are the ones having the experience."
"I'm in Therapeutic Recreation and they have a checklist that's the best thing in the world. You can pull it out and check it off when you are done. Everything is broken down for you, it's really simple. That's a great tool."
"A simple checklist would be good."
"This is kind of a radical idea, but why not have it in the teacher's contract that one Saturday a semester all the teachers do mass advising. There are no classes, no office hours to contend with and you can ask any questions that you might have. It could be done in one day and it is not putting a lot of burden on the teacher. You don't have to dink around with- when are we ever going to meet...why not have one day when they are totally accessible to the students, in their offices, from 9 to 5. It would be really simple."
"An advising center, a designated area where there are actually professionals or counselors where all they do is advise freshmen and sophomores in general education. They would always be there and they could help students get their basic courses."
"It would be nice to have a service that wasn't just professors, but people that you could go to see who know the stuff like the back of their hand."
About Courses:
"Give people choices. Give students a list and you say what interests you...I would have loved to experiment. If you give a choice you can take any course in this selection as long as when you are done you have so much emphasis in each area. There you are. You have found your goal, you have achieved it and you have done what you thought was interesting and all of a sudden you are getting what you wanted to get out of college instead of what the school wanted you to get out of college."
"Wouldn't it be nice to have these courses be pass-fail. Because if you think about it they are not really our core so why should they effect our core?"
"Have some kind of quarter classes. Help to figure out what you want to be, see if you like something or not...if you go through these classes for a year or two and you still haven't done anything in the field, you have kind of defeated the purpose of having gen ed."
"They should have some classes that you could take in 2-3 weeks. It would be nice to have more midterm or between term classes that people could take advantage of. It would really help upper level students get the classes they need to graduate."
"Also for gen ed, it should be less emphasized I think, as far as number of hours, because we get most of this in high school. Most of these gen ed classes are holding us back, it's not moving us forward. It took me 3 years to do gen ed and I don't feel confident in my area because of that. I spent too much time in gen ed...a lot more time should be spent in your core."
"I don't understand why the introductory courses in gen ed are worth a lot more credits...and then our core, when it is a harder work load and there is much more in there, it's worth less...I think it should be the reverse. They should really just get to the gist of what they really want us to know, in the introductory level. Rather than just cramming everything in...cut the introductory level course load. The core needs a lot more attention in my opinion."
"It seems like each class has a lot of credit towards them. Like the chemistry class is 4-5 credits and you need two science classes. Maybe you could limit it to one science. Limit it to one section of history...maybe cut the courses down and maybe then you could specialize more in that course and maybe the student could get more out of it. As a fifth year senior, we have profs coming and saying - we just got done talking about the curriculum - and we don't want to hear it. But I am very curious about gen ed - courses haven't changed, so that means they are cutting down on our major, on the specific field of what we are here to study. I guess that kind of bothers me because you would want more experience in that field. What the state wants you to do and what the college wants you to do is so much. Maybe just try and cut courses down to less requirements, but in the classes, get more focus."
"Gen ed should do more of what upper division classes do. Let's get out in the field. Let's do that instead of sitting in a room talking about something that is unrelated to what an 18 year old can think of. We have nothing to connect the information to...it's kind of just there."
"For education, it would be nice to have some kind of in-school experience every semester. Instead of taking classes for 2-3 years and then getting the experience. It would be beneficial to get at least a day per week out in the field. "
"Make them all one or two credit classes."
About Evaluation of Teachers and Courses:
"One thing I would encourage is evaluation. Especially the professor evaluation at the end of the course. Try and get what the student feels. Continuously evaluate and re-evaluate. Get away from the attitude that this is the way it has been done so it will continue to be this way. Try and re-evaluate because times change and people change. I would like to see more re-evaluating of courses and professors and better things will happen along with a more positive change in the classroom."
"There's a difference if your whole class turns in a negative response to a professor as opposed to if the class is mixed in responses. But professors need to listen to the school population. If needs haven't been met you need to sit down and talk...professors need to listen to students."
"One more area that I think is really important. Teachers put their tests on reserve so we can understand how they test. I think there should be teacher evals on reserve so we can see how they teach. Is this person timely? Do they show up on time? What is their style of teaching? What do students they had think about them? What a great tool to have to be able to go to the library and look that up. I think teachers should be held accountable for those things. They get a salary and they should be accountable for showing up to class, getting tests back and giving feedback...the students are paying their hard earned money or their parents are, and this is something we need to know."
"Just in talking with other people around campus, I think a big thing is, that, you know those sheets we fill out at the end of the semester. I think they have to be looked at by the teacher and by other people. I've talked to people who have had the same teachers that I've had (and most of my teachers have been really good), but the ones I've had a problem with, it's like they have the same problem. Nothing has changed. So I mean, what's the point in filling these things out if no one is even going to look at them?"
"And the sheets are always the same, so people are pretty used to them. Maybe have the professors write out what they would want to know from us...if they want to improve...give more opportunity for comments."
"The teachers are seeing the evals themselves, but the students should see them too. If I'm taking a prof and I've looked at the evals, and I'm not getting the same thing, I can set up an appointment and say what's going on here, what isn't working? What can we do to make this better?"
Summary. Students' comments covered a broad range of topics, but several themes recurred throughout the focus groups:
We have prepared a compilation of the focus groups on videotape. The 50 minute program contains a representative sample of the group discussions and covers the themes discussed in this report.
Miscellaneous:
"Generals should be general. They should plug in anywhere. You shouldn't lose time because you took this history instead of another history. It shouldn't matter."
"What about only allowing a professor to teach a certain course for a year? Because otherwise, they're going to get repetitive. They are just going to preach, just do the same lecture without changing. Don't let them teach it for 4 years straight."
"I think it would be nice if you could have a breakdown of the different points of view held by professors. Like in history. How does this person view history? What is their area of expertise? How is the class going to be taught? What is crucial for the student to have? "
"As long as the gen ed classes stand, I think the professors should be a lot more dedicated and then sensitive to all the different learning styles."
"About the classrooms and the way they are set up - I always found it beneficial when it was in a large circle rather than rows. You tend to be talking to your peers more and you find yourself talking more. I think everyone gets a lot more out of it. You are timid as a freshman and you would rather have a personal feeling when you enter the room. I think a circle does that."
"Better computer labs."
"How about a Mac class?"
Students reflect on the personal side.
"Advisors would welcome the students...tell them they are welcome to come in and talk - tell them to say what their needs are...adapt to them. Students aren't given this opportunity."
"I am a third year a RA and it is frustrating to see the freshman's sole advising is looking at a sheet in the dorm to see which professor is good and which one is not. That's too bad...that's a nice reference to have but if that is all the university has, something is missing."