Monday, September 28, 1998
New cluster courses target interdisciplinary education
CLASSES: Extra quarter of writing instruction
to broaden student skills
By Andy Shah
Daily Bruin Contributor
With concerns that the current general education system is too
scattered and inconsistent, the College of Letters & Sciences
is altering the system by establishing new classes and
requirements.
With about 400 general education (GE) courses taught in the
College of Letters & Science, some say that students are not
gaining as wide a spectrum of knowledge as was intended.
"The current GE system is incoherent," said Judith Smith, vice
provost of undergraduate education.
Other concerns of administrators and students are that the
current system does not allow students to explore how different
disciplines are related, nor does it provide intense writing
instruction.
To address these concerns, major changes are taking place and
new courses are being established to provide interdisciplinary
education.
Clusters, year-long courses spanning multiple disciplines, were
introduced last year as an option to first-year students to fulfill
part of their in GE requirements.
Designed to introduce students to multiple fields, three new
cluster courses will be introduced this year, for a total of
four.
Smith says the new system is designed to make GEs more than
"just another requirement."
"Some students see (GEs) as requirements rather than something
that will help them," she said. "Many don’t plan their GEs; they
take what’s convenient."
Cluster courses consist of lectures during the fall and winter
quarters and a seminar during the spring, and are taught by more
than one professor at a time, all from different fields.
"Clusters are pure freshmen courses … (for) freshmen who are
eager and not jaded yet," Smith said.
For example, a cluster titled "Interracial Dynamics in American
Literature, Culture, and Society" is taught by four professors, who
come from five fields: English, Asian American studies, African
American studies, history and law.
"We have faculty who are interested in bringing in different
perspectives (to students)," said Smith.
"In society, that’s what you have to do, look at things from
different angles," she added.
Students enrolled in the same cluster course for the entire year
will be able to expand on course ideas and develop closer
relationships with classmates, Smith said.
"This fosters academic socialization," she said.
One cluster course accounts for one-third of a student’s total
GE requirements. Other requisites must be filled through single
quarter classes.
Over the next three years, about eight more clusters will be
introduced, enrolling up to 1,000 first-year students.
Students say the cluster-course format may be more
effective.
"I think the teacher-to-student ratios would be good," said
Sheldon Coleman, a fourth-year psychobiology student. "(Clusters)
would give in-depth exposure to a certain field."
This year, 15 cluster proposals were submitted to the GE
committee, and only three were approved.
In addition to the cluster courses, the college approved a new
English requirement, which will provide an extra quarter of writing
instruction.
This requirement dictates that students take a "variable" course
– a course grounded in a specific discipline that is heavy on
writing.
For example, a student could fulfill this requirement with a
history course that has an intensive writing component
"More writing requirements are needed, especially for science
majors," said San Tran, a second-year molecular genetics
student.
"For graduate and medical school, your writing level has to be
beyond English 3," she continued.
Although the new English requirement has been approved by the
college, the plan must go before the Academic Senate’s legislative
committee in November, and if approved, students entering in 1999
will have to fulfill this requirement.
These changes, Smith said, are designed to better serve the
needs of UCLA students.
"We are in a pilot experimental stage. This is the first time
faculty are engaged in a serious discussion about GEs," she
said.
In addition, a new committee consisting of faculty, staff and
students was established to monitor the progress of the new
system.
"They look at what we’re doing and if there are any gaps –
things like that," Smith said.
In the past few years, students have agitated for the
establishment of a diversity requirement in addition to the current
GE requirements.
A diversity requirement of the type proposed by students
mandates that students take classes which emphasize learning about
different cultures and ethnicities.
The proposed requirement was turned down twice by the Academic
Senate.
"We hope to pick up that issue again," said Zuhairah Scott,
academic affairs commissioner. "It’s important now, especially with
the decline of students of color because of Proposition 209."
Provost Smith says that although most faculty rejected the idea
of a diversity requirement, they still want to implement diversity
into the curriculum.
"Rather than a requirement, we want students to constantly see
diversity in all courses," she said.
For example, cultural elements would try to be implemented in
every course, ranging from atmospheric sciences to sociology.
While $3 million has been allocated for all general education
changes, the money will be dispersed continually through the year
2002.
Out of this $3 million, $700,000 will be allocated annually for
the development of cluster courses.
Smith said that changes to the system will give students more
options in fulfilling their GE requirements.
"Students should have choices in making their course decisions,"
Smith said. "(The new GE changes) give more breadth and depth to
them."
Related site:
“¢bull;General Education Requirements
“¢bull;Daily Bruin (9/22/97): Reform group finally carves up
general
education menu
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