QEP In Action

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QEP In Action

• USI 130-14
• Chesney Reich

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QEP Goals for USI 130-14

• Introduce students to the concept of synthesis
• Allow students the opportunity to articulate
  connections among their college experiences and
  their aptitudes, abilities, and interests
• Encourage the intentional pursuit of meaningful
  curricular and co-curricular experiences

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QEP Outcomes and Related Class Activities and
Assignments

• Outcome Integrate information from a variety of
  contexts
• Activities and Assignments
• In-class Synthesis Activity (see handout)
• Event Reflections
• Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory
• Careers, Majors Salaries The Best Way to
  Choose. Presentation by Michael Despeaux,
  Career Services Office
• Synthesis Presentations

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QEP Outcomes and Related Class Activities and
Assignments

• Outcomes Solve Complex Problems and Practice
  Civic Engagement
• Activities and Assignments
• In class presentation by Sandy Frazier,
  Development Director for REACH of Jackson County
• Service project with REACH of Jackson and Macon
  Counties The Smothers Brothers Fundraiser
• Reflection on the Service project and the
  implications for REACH

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QEP Outcomes and Related Class Activities and
Assignments

• Outcome Clarify and act on purpose and values
• Activities and Assignments
• Values Auction (see handout)
• Event Reflections
• Synthesis Presentations
• Letter to an Incoming Freshman

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Activities and Assignments Synthesis Activity

• Purpose To give students an opportunity to
  experience synthesis via a hands-on, group
  activity.
• Outcome Students use the in-class activity as a
  starting point for articulating ways in which
  information, ideas, skills, knowledge, and
  materials can intersect to create a new product.

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Activities and Assignments Synthesis Activity

• The Assignment (see handout)
• Students work first in small groups, then as an
  entire class to combine knowledge, skills, and
  materials in creating a Super Student Gadget
  that will allow them to be successful in all of
  their classes.
• Class discussion follows each step in the
  activity and gives students an opportunity to
  formulate examples of real-world synthesis.

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Activities and Assignments Synthesis Activity

• Questions for discussion
• Can you think of a time when something you
  learned in one class intersected with something
  you learned in another class?
• Have you been able to apply knowledge or
  experience from one class to another class or to
  life outside of class?
• Has your classroom learning ever been challenged
  by something you learned or experienced in
  another class or in your personal life?
• Why is it important to think about your classes
  in terms of connections and interrelationships
  rather than considering them individually?

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Activities and Assignments Event Reflections

• Purpose To encourage students to explore the
  university, to learn about campus resources, to
  develop interests, and to interact with others.
• Outcome Students choose events that compliment
  their interests, skills, and abilities, and they
  learn about themselves and their community in the
  process.

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Activities and Assignments Event Reflections

• The Assignment
• Participate in four out-of-class events and write
  a reflection about each.
• Reflections should include
• A description of the event and an explanation of
  why you chose it
• A reflection of what you learned about your
  values, preferences, interests, learning style,
  abilities, strengths, or weaknesses as a result
  of participating in the event
• A reflection of how the event relates to
  something you have learned or discussed in
  another class

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Activities and Assignments Synthesis
Presentations

• Purpose To encourage students to reflect on and
  make meaning out of their curricular and
  co-curricular experiences and to think ahead to
  the experiences they will create for themselves
  during their college careers and beyond.
• Outcome Students will demonstrate to their
  classmates the connections among their interests,
  skills, and abilities their career goals and
  their learning experiences both inside and
  outside the classroom.

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Activities and Assignments Synthesis
Presentations

• The Assignment Make a 5-8 minute presentation to
  your classmates that includes
• An analysis of what you have learned/experienced
  this semester and how those experiences relate to
  your values, interests, skills and abilities, and
  preferences
• A reflection of how you have changed since
  setting foot on campus, based on the experiences
  youve had this semester
• A plan for how you will use this knowledge to
  seek out and create experiences for yourself that
  will integrate, strengthen, or allow you to apply
  your values, interests, skills and abilities, and
  preferences to the remainder of your college
  career and to your post-college career
• A presentation format that is well suited to you
  and that includes a visual aid or prop

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Activities and Assignments Letter to an
Incoming Freshman

• Purpose To allow students to articulate their
  personal and professional growth.
• Outcome Students write a letter that summarizes
  their learning experiences during the first
  semester of college and that provides advice and
  insight to an incoming student.

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Activities and Assignments Letter to an
Incoming Freshman

• The Assignment As you write the letter, ask
  yourself
• What have you learned about yourself since coming
  to Western, and how did you learn it?
• Based on your own experiences and your
  observations of others this semester, what one
  piece of advice would you give to an incoming
  freshman?
• What has been your biggest mistake as a
  first-semester freshman?
• Whats the most interesting or important thing
  youve learned this semester, either inside or
  outside the classroom?
• Whats one thing youve done or experienced this
  semester that you would recommend to an incoming
  student?

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Words of Wisdom from the Letters Integrate
Information

• QEP Outcome Students will make connections
  between personal interests and abilities, Liberal
  Studies, programs of study, general electives,
  and experiential learning opportunities, and
  other co-curricular activities and relate the
  implications/value of these connections to real
  world scenarios.
• Western has helped me develop my life in so many
  ways. I have developed better social skills, not
  only with classroom interactions but also in the
  dorms and in outside-of-campus events. Shea

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Words of Wisdom from the Letters Integrate
Information

• I have learned so much since coming here, and
  not just in the classroomso many things that
  have and will help me in the future. Brad
• If I can give you any advice, it will be to get
  involved. Involvement gives you new skills and
  remarkable opportunity. Western has a vast
  variety of clubs and activities and one will fit
  your major and career. The sooner you
  participate in a club the sooner you will be on
  your road to success. - George

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Words of Wisdom from the Letters Practice Civic
Engagement

• QEP Outcome Students will identify their roles
  and responsibilities as engaged citizens by
  considering the public policies that affect their
  choices and actions by recognizing commonalities
  and interdependence of diverse views/values and
  by acting responsibly to positively affect public
  policy. 

• Do not think that you are just another person
  that has come here for an education, because you
  are not. One thing that I have learned is that
  you are a piece of what is Westerns history in
  the making. Everything you do has an impact on
  what happens around you. Heather

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Words of Wisdom from the Letters Practice Civic
Engagement

• The most interesting thing I have learned this
  semester was about this area. I have learned the
  history and the politics of Western Carolina
  University, and I love it. I have been fortunate
  enough through Western to meet all of the
  politicians that were running for office this
  season, and I had the chance to visit Cherokee.
  There is a rich variety of people, places, and
  culture in these mountains dont forget to check
  it all out. George

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Words of Wisdom from the Letters Clarify and
Act on Purpose and Values

• QEP Outcome Students will examine the
  views/values that influence their own decision
  making processes take responsibility for their
  own learning and development in a manner
  consistent with academic integrity and their own
  goals and aspirations intentionally use
  knowledge gained from learning experiences to
  make informed judgments about their future plans
  and bring those plans into action.

Since coming to WCU I have learned even more
about myself and life. For the first time I
actually took control and did a few things for
myself. Janelle
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Words of Wisdom from the Letters Clarify and
Act on Purpose and Values

• Being in college you are exposed to many new
  ideas, challenges, and temptations. Your parents
  are not there to make decisions for you. You are
  100 responsible for your own actions. By
  surrounding myself with people who share my same
  morals and values, I was able to stay true to
  myself. Courtney
• I have realized that college is way different
  than high school. I realized after taking my
  first chemistry test and getting back the grade
  of a thirty one that I was going to have to start
  studying and actually apply myself to my studies.
  I saw that no one was going to pull me out and
  help me out. I was going to have to do this by
  myself. -- Morgan

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QEP Outcomes Demonstrated in Students Synthesis
Presentations

• Integrate information from a variety of contexts
  clarify and act on purpose and values
• Courtney Greeson, Recreational Therapy Major,
  Dance Minor, Member of the WCU Dance Team

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Career Interests !!!
By getting involved with different activities
provided By my RA and Western Peaks, I was able
to find out more about my career path.
Dance Techniques allowed me to audition for a
ballet in Asheville. I am minoring in DANCE
!!!
By networking I found out that Western does not
offer my major Occupational Therapy within the
school system.
Courtney Greeson Synthesis Presentation, Dec.
2008
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QEP Outcomes Demonstrated in Students Synthesis
Presentations

• Integrate information from a variety of contexts
• Heather Weaver, Clinical Laboratory Sciences
  Major and Member of the Pride of the Mountains
  Marching Band

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Without one piece, the puzzle is incomplete

• You learn to work as a team and accomplish
  something together
• If one person is out or does not know what to
  do, then the project is obscured

Heather Weaver Synthesis Presentation, Dec.
2008
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QEP Outcomes Demonstrated in Students Synthesis
Presentations

• Integrate information from a variety of contexts,
  practice civic engagement, clarify and act on
  purpose and values
• George Gibbs, History and Political Science
  Major, Member of the College Republicans

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Sarah Palin Rally
George Gibbs Synthesis Presentation, Dec. 2008
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What did I learn from the rally?

• Team Work
• Leadership
• Communication Skills

George Gibbs Synthesis Presentation, Dec. 2008
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Values, Interest, Skills and Abilities

• Values- Helping people, political values,
  leadership
• Skills and abilities- communication and
  leadership
• Preferences- working with people and solving
  problems.

George Gibbs Synthesis Presentation, Dec. 2008
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Final Words

• College is a place where you will learn a ton of
  new information about yourself. I personally have
  learned about my leadership, communication, and
  self-responsibility skills. While spending my
  first semester here at Western, I was able to
  visit Sarah Palin in Asheville as a volunteer. It
  was my responsibility to help guests that were
  attending the rally and I had to work closely
  with the Secret Service. Both of these
  requirements made me take up leadership and the
  ability to communicate with guests. If you have
  an interest in politics I would strongly
  recommend getting involved in political science.
  And if you have a partisan interest be sure to
  check out College Democrats or College
  Republicans.
• George Gibbs, Letter to an Incoming Freshman