Academic Learning Compact

Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying expectations, aligning curricula with expectations, and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.

Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Graduates will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a strong ability to report, write, produce and edit journalistic material on deadline, using standard grammar, spelling, punctuation and AP style.
2. Develop and present high-quality journalistic material in a variety of formats, including text, audio, video, still photography and Internet-based technologies—and in a combination of these formats.
3. Comprehend, interpret and critique media coverage of local, national and international issues.
4. Apply ethical and legal journalistic principles to the practice of journalism.

Assessment of Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills

1. Demonstrate a strong ability to report, write, produce and edit journalistic material on deadline, using standard grammar, spelling, punctuation and AP style.
   • These skills are assessed through stories, essays, exams and projects completed in the following classes: MMC 3020 (Grammar); MMC 3104 (Writing for a Mass Audience); MMC 3125 (News Reporting and Writing); JOU 4110 (Journalistic Fact Finding); JOU 4342 (Multimedia Storytelling); RTV 3301 (Audio and Video Journalism); and the capstone course, JOU 4347 (Senior Capstone: Journalism).
2. Develop and present high-quality journalistic material in a variety of formats.
   • These skills are assessed through projects completed in JOU 4347 (Senior Capstone: Journalism); MMC 3125 (News Reporting and Writing); VIC 3002 (Visual Storytelling); JOU 4342 (Multimedia Storytelling); and RTV 3301 (Audio and Video Journalism).
3. Comprehend, interpret and critique media coverage of local, national and international issues.
   • These skills are assessed through papers, exams, presentations and projects completed in MMC 2604 (Journalism and Society) and in MMC 4211 (Media Law and Ethics).
4. Apply ethical and legal journalistic principles to the practice of journalism.
   • These skills are assessed through papers, exams, presentations and projects completed in MMC 4211 (Media Law and Ethics); MMC 3125 (News Reporting and Writing); JOU 4342 (Multimedia Storytelling); VIC 3002 (Visual Storytelling); and in the capstone course, JOU 4347 (Senior Capstone: Journalism).

Communication Skills

Graduates will be able to:

1. Employ the conventions of standard written English.
2. Select a topic, and develop it for a specific audience and purpose, with respect for diverse perspectives.
3. Select, organize, and relate ideas and information with coherence, clarity, and unity.

Assessment of Communication Skills

Communication skills are assessed as part of the General Education Program through papers, exams, and projects completed in ENC 1101 Composition I, ENC 1102 Composition II, and HUM 2510 Understanding the Visual and Performing Arts.

Critical Thinking Skills

Graduates will be able to:

1. Select and organize information.
2. Identify assumptions and underlying relationships.
3. Synthesize information, and draw reasoned inferences.
4. Formulate an appropriate problem solving strategy.
5. Evaluate the feasibility of the strategy.

Assessment of Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills are assessed as part of the General Education Program through papers, exams, and projects completed in ENC 1101 Composition I, ENC 1102 Composition II, and HUM 2510 Understanding the Visual and Performing Arts.