Students' Perceptions of "Good Practices for Undergraduate Education" by Academic Discipline

• In Event: 33.079 - Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: 33.079-19 - Writing Instruction and Curriculum Assessment

Abstract

Our study uses data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education (WNS) to interrogate the affinity disciplines hypothesis through students' perceptions of the prevalence of Chickering and Gamson's (1987) principles of good practice for undergraduate education. Our study tests differences by academic discipline, coded as "hard" or "soft" based on Biglan's (1973) classification of paradigmatic development. Preliminary findings suggest that students majoring in "soft" disciplines perceived higher use of prompt feedback, high expectations, and supportive campus environment, students majoring in "hard" disciplines perceived higher use of cooperative learning, and no differences were found between disciplines for the good practices of student-faculty contact, active and collaborative learning, or teaching clarity and organization.

Authors

• Cindy Ann Kilgo, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Ryan L. Young, University of Iowa

• Michael B. Paulsen, University of Iowa

• KC Culver, The University of Iowa

• KC Culver, The University of Iowa