The Senate passed the following mission-based learning outcomes to be addressed in the core education curriculum.  The legislation requires that each course that satisfies one of the Areas of Inquiry (Arts & Letters, Social Science, Natural Science) must also address 2 Methods of Inquiry, and at least half of the criteria for each Method of Inquiry.

1. Critical Thinking

Students will develop the skills and habits of mind necessary for the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events in the evaluation and formulation of opinions and conclusions. Critical thinking requires students to question critically, think logically and reason effectively in the context of discipline-specific methodologies.

1. Explanation of issues, assumptions, or hypotheses
2. Using relevant and credible evidence, information, or hypotheses to describe, investigate or analyze a situation, or draw a conclusion.
3. Facility with methods of reasoning appropriate to the discipline (such as inductive, deductive, scientific, or esthetic reasoning, or statistical inference)
4. Modeling: Capturing the essentials of a situation in language or symbolism suitable for deriving conclusions about it.
5. Influence of context and assumptions
6. Logical conclusions and related outcomes (implications and consequences)

2. Creative Thinking

Students will develop the capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways, and work in an imaginative way characterized by a high degree of innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking.

1. Acquiring Competencies: acquiring strategies and skills within a particular domain.
2. Taking Risks: going beyond original parameters of assignment, introducing new materials and forms, tackling controversial topics, advocating unpopular ideas or solutions.
3. Solving Problems
4. Innovative Thinking: connecting, synthesizing or transforming ideas in discipline-specific ways.

3. Written Communication

Through iterative experiences across the curriculum, students will develop the capacity to develop and express ideas in writing, to work in different genres and styles, work with different writing technologies, and mix texts, data, and images to effectively communicate to different audiences.

1. Context of and Purpose for Writing: considerations of audience, purpose, and the circumstances surrounding the writing task(s).
2. Content Development
3. Genre and Disciplinary Conventions: Formal and informal rules inherent in the expectations for writing in particular forms and/or academic fields
4. Sources and Evidence
5. Control of Syntax and Mechanics

4. Ethical Reflection

Students will develop the capacity to identify, examine, and critically revise ethical positions, map them onto larger ethical ideas (theoretical traditions, moral frameworks, prevailing social frameworks), and reflect on how decisions and actions (including, sometimes, inaction) shape our relations to others and self. Students will develop the capacity to articulate the ends sought in a range of endeavors in personal, social and professional contexts. Students will also develop concepts, practices, and other tools appropriate to valuing those ends in relation to their means of attainment and their impacts on self and others.

1. Awareness of one’s own values and capacities for self-questioning
2. Language and tools to examine ethical issues, including discipline-specific frameworks
3. Recognition of the presence of ethical issues, especially where typically neglected
4. Awareness of impacts of our decisions and actions (both personally and as members of groups)
5. Application of ethical inquiry to subject-specific issues

 

Approved By: University Senate        Date: 03/14/2018

Motion Number: US17/18-17

Revision History: First version approved 03/14/2018

Original Source: Learning Goals for Methods of Inquiry | The University of Oregon Senate (uoregon.edu)