Update Report on UD

1
Update Report on UDs Discovery Learning
Experience (DLE) Requirement

• John Madsen
• Chair, Undergraduate Studies Committee
• University Faculty Senate
• March 09, 2009

2
Brief History of DLE Requirement

• May 2004 Faculty Senate approved resolution
  requiring all undergraduate students entering in
  Fall 05 or later to take at least 3 credits of
  Discovery-Based or Experiential Learning (DLE).
• Discovery and experiential learning When
  students use knowledge and skills acquired
  through traditional classroom experiences to
  discover, for themselves, effective actions,
  alternatives and solutions to situations and/or
  problems that occur in real-life contexts
  (e.g., an internship, a service learning course,
  an independent study, participation in the
  Undergraduate Research Program or a Study Abroad
  program).

3
Brief History of DLE Requirement

• Fall 2007 Undergraduate Studies Committee (UGS)
  began evaluation of proposed courses that would
  satisfy DLE.
• April 2008 Faculty Senate amended timetable, "DLE
  requirement waived for those students who entered
  UD in Academic Year 2005-2006.
• Students starting in Fall 06 or later, not as
  new Freshmen, exempted if
• - Completed at least 12 credits posted
  prior to Fall 06 on UD transcript
• - As transfer students earned at least 12
  credits at another institution prior
• to Fall 06 and transferred credits to UD (no AP
  and IB credits)

4
UGS Evaluation of Proposed DLE courses

• The 2007-2008 UGS Committee evaluated 142 courses
  submitted to satisfy DLE. 109 were approved.
• The 2008-2009 UGS Committee evaluating 46 courses
  submitted to satisfy DLE. 25 approved. 21 may
  re-submit by 03/28/2009.
• List of Approved DLE courses
• http//www.ugs.udel.edu/dle/courseList.htm

5
Currently Approved DLE courses

• 148 courses distributed throughout 47 subject
  areas are currently approved as DLE courses
• 28 subject areas with NO approved DLE courses
• 6 of NO DLE subject areas have courses pending
  approval
• by UGS
• List of Approved DLE courses
• http//www.ugs.udel.edu/dle/courseList.htm

6
Summary of Evaluation Process

• UGS requires satisfying 4 key elements of DLE
• DLE must be supervised, with on-going faculty
  involvement and support.
• In addition to reflective learning, students will
  be expected to produce at least one final
  product.
• 3) Expectations for student learning must be
  clearly established in the syllabi or
  communicated to the student in writing.
• 4) The DLE, particularly if it is integrated into
  a regular course, must be of sufficient depth and
  complexity to be worth the credits.
• http//www.facsen.udel.edu/sites/DLE.aspx

7
Data on Students Completing DLE

• Look at Data from Spring 09 and Fall 08
• Compiled by Al Fanjoy with input from Martha
  Carothers
• From Fall 06 to present 8,728 students have
  completed a DLE

8
Data on Students Meeting DLE

• Fall 08 Data Juniors (completed 60-89 credits)
• Total number of students classified as Juniors
  3,500
• (NOTE A Normal Junior would have matriculated
  Fall 06 and need DLE)

9
Data on Students Meeting DLE

• Fall 08 Data Seniors (90 or greater credits)
• Total number of students classified as seniors
  4,226

10
DLE Status of Each Current Student?

• Not a simple matter to view or extract from UDSIS
  
• students meeting/still needing DLE
• List has been furnished to each Assistant and
  Associate Dean indicating for each junior/senior
  in their College
• Students Major
• Did they start before DLE (Fall 06)?
• Do they have an exemption?
• Do they still need to satisfy DLE?
• Courses taken during academic terms toward
• completion of requirement

11
Next Steps

• UGS continuing evaluation process of submitted
  DLE courses
• Work with Advisors, Department Chairs, Deans on
• Independent Studies and DLE
• Strongly encourage subject areas that do not
  yet have a DLE course to design/submit/offer
• Advisement! Myriad of opportunities to satisfy
  DLE
• e.g., internships, senior thesis, research
  experiences, service learning, supervised
  independent study, 42 of UD undergrads. will
  Study Abroad
• Continue work on process to track student data
• on completion of DLE