QEP Pre-Proposal

November 18, 2010
Jeff Smith, facilitator

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

In public education, we tend to focus on standardized testing, and by the time students get to the university level, they do not know how to reason or problem solve. In an age of accountability, teachers at the primary and secondary levels are forced to stick to mastery of content and have little time to focus on higher critical thinking skills.

They need to be able to think for themselves and develop analytical and critical reasoning skills.

Students should be able to pose questions, look for answers and evaluate their findings.

Students need a value-centered education (specifically focusing on ethics in public life). Included in that should be a renewed understanding of a "work ethic."

Students should know the process of "Plan – Act – Reflect." They need to know how to apply what they learn to all aspects of their lives.

Also identified was a need to teach better communication skills. Students need to learn how to benefit from collaboration and partnerships in life.

2. Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

The small class size is a huge plus for the university. The fact that the university is focused on a value-centered education is also a plus. The openness and transparency of the university is also a benefit.

Out of that, the students tend to come away with a passionate understanding (excitement) about their chosen career fields and educational endeavors.

Our appeal is a solid ethical approach to education and the development of students for their futures.

3. If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students – enhance student learning – for work or graduate school, what would it be?

Career-related opportunities would be important. Students often graduate without knowing what they really want to do because they don’t know what there is to do. It would be good to increase our internship opportunities in collaboration with our various partners so that students will have had an opportunity to gain advanced understanding about options in their chosen fields in an effort to increase employee longevity after a company has spent resources training the graduate for a specific position or career.

As was discussed in the presentation on Career Services, better collaboration and partnership between the university and a broad base of community business leaders (in both for-profit and not-for-profit spheres) would be critical to this success.

4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

One respondent said, "I think of my wife, who is passionate about what she learned and how she is going to apply that to life."

Graduates of Texas Wesleyan benefit from long-lasting relationships with faculty, staff and fellow students.

Our graduates are well-rounded in the sense that they have had a broad education and have had more opportunities to be involved in things that are not necessarily in their field. These people become more well-rounded members in their work and communities.

We have people who are givers and leaders in their communities.

Date: November 18, 2010
Focus group leader: Michelle Rigual

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

Communication

• Students should do a lot of writing so that they can learn the skills of writing. Need to combat the poor writing and spelling that come with the use of text and email.
• They need to learn to speak well (content) and comfortably (non verbal communication that conveys confidence and interest).

To be critical, lifelong learners

• The college experience should create an open, critical mind in students. 
• Develop an analytical mind so can see beyond the superficial, understand, and challenge (experts, politicians, popular ideas, etc).
• Necessary to always be in learning mode and to keep learning throughout life, to keep up with society (technology, politics, etc) and stay engaged. 
• They need to learn to do their homework in college so that they can do “homework” in life.

To be well-rounded (similar to previous but distinct)

• It is the time to explore and find your passions.
• In the end, you should have background and be well-rounded. Example of what you don’t want is a physician who knows nothing but medicine.
• To be well-rounded (and open to learning) because people often end up having approx 3 distinct careers in their professional life.

Others:

• Become independent.
• Integrity: don’t want to see people make $$ then destroy the company. 
• Integrity: exploring the Idea of giving back.
• To be involved in campus life.
• To be realistic about marketability.

2. Is there anything unique about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

Church Relationship:

• Gives us different focus. 
• The value system that is part of being a religious-related school = more emphasis on service and how students relate to the world. 
• Incumbent upon us to focus on service to others.

Student Profile:

• Fewer “silver spoons”
• Less feeling of entitlement
• Students understand that they will have to “earn it”
• Most of our students will work throughout school which creates challenges but also the plus of experience and learning to be workers. 
• More than our share of 1st in family to go to college.

Other

• Small size means that we know the students. 

3. If you could choose one thing that would prepare our students—enhance student learning—for work or graduate school, what would it be?

Communication

• Writing skills
• Oral communication - succinct, able to present self as an educated person, able to meet and deal (look in eye, talk to you, possessing interpersonal skills)
• Meaningful content of information – being well educated enough to understand what is asked, matching the depth of information provided in the answer to the question at hand as well as to the education level of the person hearing it.

Good attitude

• If you have a good attitude, can work on aptitude; doesn’t work the other way around.

4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

Did not get to this question due to lack of time.

Focus Group Questions
January 10, 2011

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

• Critical thinking
  • Synthesis/analysis
  • Discern between legitimate and illegitimate information
• Communication: oral and written
• Discipline specific skills
• Learn to learn continuously
• Work with others
• Ethical framework
• Personal discovery
• Job transferable skills
• Time managements/money management
• Leadership skills
• Confidence in abilities

2. Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

• Personal attention
• Nurturing environment
• Caring attitudes
• Diverse student population
• Hands-on learning
• Opportunities
  • Internships
  • First-generation students
  • Leadership positions
  • Undergraduate research
• Faculty mentors

3.  If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students--enhance student learning—for work or graduate school, what would it be?

• Non-classroom experiential learning
• Take advantage of diverse community to learn teamwork
• Required internships
• Technology skills (esp. Microsoft office)
• Service learning/volunteerism
• Study abroad
• Cross-disciplinary learning
• Basic business classes
• Deliberately planned co-curricular activities that support learning goals of curriculum (learning objectives for non-academic programs that support curriculum)

4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

• Quality
• Work ethic (ready to work hard)
• Tenacious
• Successful
• Confident
• Caring
• Gracious/crateful
• Competent

Focus Group Questions
January 8, 2011

What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

• How to think
• Time Management
• Leadership
• To learn there is more to be learned
• Global/world view/Cultural awareness
• Thinking outside the box
• Self-awareness/idea of who they are
• Qualitative and Quantitative Reasoning (assess situations, think things through
• Independence
• Writing/communication
• Well-rounded education
• Learn from others
• Working with others
• Apply degree to getting a job/become functioning member of society
• Career preparation

Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

• Personal connections
• Size is an asset/smaller is good
• Attitude more important than size
• Importance of teaching—relationships with faculty and staff, open-door policy
• Atmosphere of the humanities **
  • Programs like 3PR
• Liberal arts core/GEC
  • Crossover courses for a wide view of disciplines
• Supportive campus

If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students--enhance student learning—for work or graduate school, what would it be?

• Communication skills—communicate what you learned
• Get confidence
• Guidance & counseling for degree and career
  • Bridging internships/mentorships from the beginning (help in determining major)
• Ability to adapt/tools and skills to adapt to changing careers and transitions
• Be prepared for change
• Message that it’s okay to change after researching different fields

When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

• Well-educated
• Professional grounded
• Prepared
• Life-long friendships: remain connected, sense of belonging
• Confidence
• Leadership
• Self sufficient
• Loyal
• Independent/Entrepreneurial
• Successful
• Ethical
• Respectful

Focus Group Questions
January 11, 2011

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

• How to think
• Communication—verbal/written
• Time management
• How to solve new problems
• Factual synthesis and analysis
• Learning is an ongoing process—life-long learning
• Skills that make them employable
  • Capable of getting a job
  • Need career goals
  • Educated, not trained
• Ability to find answers independently

2. Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

• Individual guidance
• Students need more guidance
  • First-generation undergraduate and professional school
  • Faculty and staff prepared to offer help when needed
  • “can do” attitude of faculty
  • Inspire students to achieve historical (for them) expectations
  • Law school—stress collaboration over competition
    • Required pro bono work

3. If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students--enhance student learning—for work or graduate school, what would it be?

• Convince them:  “Math is your friend”
• Belief in individual achievement, belier in self
• Communication—written and oral
• Gather and synthesize information
  • Use coherently
  • Not find “quick-fix”
• Technological fluency and literacy
• Sense of self-confidence to go out in the world—trust yourself
• Be comfortable that issues are not black and white
• Process learning

4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

• Determined
• Over-burdened
• Human beings—persons
  • Are names/individuals
• In the community
• Don’t have sense of entitlement
• Work very hard—recognize that they need to work hard
  • Have to make their own way in the world
    • Not usually the traditional way
  • Rise from adversity
  • Opportunity to succeed

Focus Group Questions
January 17, 2011

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

• Critical thinking
• How to learn
• How to handle responsibility
• Good decision making
• How to demonstrate skills
  • Transferability
  • Application of skills
• Well-roundedness
• Time management
• How to be successful at a job
• Effective negotiation of new experiences
• Work with diverse population
• Write well
• Conflict management
• Self-efficacy
• Confidence/motivation
• Independent thinking

2. Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

(I kind of changed this question and asked what the academic goals were for SELT)

• Prepare for graduate school or job
• Confidence in finding and using resources
• Student engagement
  • Active learning
  • Learner-centered learning

3. If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students--enhance student learning—for work or graduate school, what would it be?

• Experiential learning
  • Requires critical thinking
  • Internships before senior year
  • On and off campus

• Comprehensive information literacy across curriculum
• Technology learning overall
• Connecting classroom with communities of influence through Pre-professional literacy
• Professional literacy
• Can’t lose content learning
• Global literacy 

4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

• Teachers and lawyers
• Nurse anesthetists
• No connection to Wesleyan (no contact with generations of alumni)
• Hard workers
• Card about degree
• Leading efforts at workplace
• Don’t end up in job they thought they would
• Shape-shifters
• In the community

Focus Group Questions
January 13, 2011

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

1. Critical thinking
2. Intellectual independence
3. Learning beyond university years
4. Communication—effective
   • Written and oral
   • Coherent and appropriate
5. Develop independent thinking
6. Intellectual curiosity
7. Cultural awareness/involvement in global environment
8. Analytic skills

2. Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

• Small classes allow lots of options
  • Oral presentations
  • Written work
• Student support functions—
• ASC, advising, honors
  • Good librarians
  • Research skills
  • Media center
• Atmosphere
  • Students accountable in small classes
  • Individualized attention
  • Personalized attenetion
• Classes taught by professors

3. If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students--enhance student learning—for work or graduate school, what would it be?

• Need to know how to read
• Information retrieval/processing/extract what is useful
• Work in teams
• Leadership
• Improve independent thinking
• Prepare students for graduate school
• Cultivate sense of professionalism
• Disciplinary specific
• Life-long learning

4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

• Mixed bag—very good to barely passing/swimmers and treaders
• Determined
• Resilient
• Juggle lives
• Find balance
• Overcome real obstacles
• Diverse—representative of population
• Hard working

January 19, 2011
Edita Ruzgyte, facilitator

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

• Clinical skills
• Knowledge that helps attain licensure
• Practical experience
• Sense of ownership about the profession
• Students need to care for the profession
• Critical thinking
• Lifelong learning experience

2. Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

• Personal investment in the students by the faculty
• Good student/faculty ratio
• Professors are available to the students and respond in a very effective and timely manner
• All faculty maintains their practices
• Diversity of student body

3. If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students – enhance student learning – for work or graduate school, what would it be?

• Building practice – post graduation logistics
• Transition from school to practice
• Cooperation with community
• Seminars
• Better facilities

4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

• Professional
• Competent
• Skillful
• Ethical
• Well rounded
• Well regarded in community

January 20, 2011
Edita Ruzgyte, facilitator

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

• Never stop being a student, continuous education
• Networking
• Peer relationships
• Broad world view
• Ethics
• Study abroad trips
• Interpersonal relationships
• Being able to apply the knowledge to the professional field
• Growth – personally and professionally

2. Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

• Size
• Student to faculty ratio
• Central location of the university, we just need to promote it more effectively
• Professors have practical experience
• More study abroad trips

3. If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students – enhance student learning – for work or graduate school, what would it be?

• Increase size of counseling center
• More office and classroom space
• Business side of building private practice
• Overall more practical, hands on experiential learning

4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

• Competency
• High contribution to society
• Very approachable
• “it feels like family”

January 22, 2011
Edita Ruzgyte, facilitator

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

• Sense of community
• Life long friends
• Skills to get future job in the competitive market
• Knowledge and skills to be leaders
• Alumni – communication and close relationship with them

2. Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

• Individualized attention for each student
• High quality professors, who have practical experience in their own field
• “Warmth”
• Student /teacher ratio
• Professors are very available for the students
• Teachers are interested and invested in students’ success
• Students are encouraged to develop and practice critical thinking
• Students are not just numbers
• Departments listen and respond to student’s feedback

3. If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students – enhance student learning – for work or graduate school, what would it be?

• Internships
• Practical experience
• State board exam preparation
• Connection between university and community
• Broader spectrum of education
• Study abroad trips
• More advanced distance learning

4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

• Resourceful, do not take legal education as given
• Alumni are very involved
• More public spirited – pro bono work
• Community connected
• Well rounded and matured, usually it is their second career

Focus Group Questions
Studies in the Performance of Music Class
January 20, 2011

1.  What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?
   1. Preparation for real world life
   2. Dealing with people
   3. Independence
   4. Encouragement and confidence
   5. Self motivation
   6. Responsibility
   7. Punctuality
   8. Time management
2.  Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?
   1. Individual concern about student progress/well-being
   2. Sense of community
   3. Fosters independence by requiring responsibility
   4. More personal
3.  If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students--enhance student learning—for work or graduate school, what would it be?
   1. More field experience
   2. Higher expectations
   3. Offer more information about getting into graduate school
   4. Offer the GRE on campus
   5. Make graduate school more appealing through more promotion of graduate studies (both here and other schools)
   6. More opportunities to investigate and explore job market in specified fields
4. When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?
   1. Success
   2. Dedication of alums
   3. Limited in scope (lack of breadth in some programs)

Focus Group Questions
Aurals Skills II Class
January 20, 2011

1. What is the most important thing a student should learn in college?

1. Life skills
2. Career skills
3. Analytical thinking
4. Development of thinking process
5. Maturity/professionalism
6. Multicultural awareness (preparation for multicultural involvement)

2. Is there anything special about Texas Wesleyan that makes the goal of learning different here than at any other university?

1. More personal
2. More one to one instruction
3. Intimate
4. Higher sense of accountability
5. Friendly
6. Faculty accessibility

If you could choose one thing that would better prepare our students — enhance student learning — for work or graduate school, what would it be?

1. On the job training
2. More in field experience opportunities

When you think about graduates of Texas Wesleyan University, what comes to mind?

1. Friendly alumni
2. Camaraderie
3. Supportive
4. Successful