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
expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge
and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula
with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.
Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Graduates will be able to:
- Create inquiry-based lessons that allow learners to develop understanding of scientific
methods, concepts, and safety practices.
- Develop lessons that allow students to develop understanding of scientific facts and
evidence in relation to social and political events & issues.
- Create and implement instruction that capitalizes on learners’ unique background and
experiences as analogous to the need for diversity in the biological environments.
Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills are assessed through course projects, teaching
demonstrations, lesson and unit creation, exams, papers, and other presentations,
completed in SCE 4330 Science Methods 6-12 and SCE 4941 Integrated Field Experience,
as well as other upper division courses required for the major.
Communication Skills
Graduates will be able to:
- Work collaboratively with peers and professionals to analyze student understanding
of scientific methods and concepts.
- Support and provide immediate feedback to K-12 students to promote student achievement.
Communication Skills are assessed through course projects, teaching demonstrations,
papers, and other presentations, completed in SCE 4330 Science Methods 6-12 and SCE
4941 Integrated Field Experience, as well as other upper division courses required
for the major.
Critical Thinking Skills
Graduates will be able to:
- Develops instruction that focuses on in-depth understanding of scientific methods
and concepts using questioning strategies that address uncover misconceptions and
allow learners to construct more expert scientific models.
- Plan and modify Instruction based on student assessment data.
Critical thinking skills are assessed at the college and departmental levels through
course projects, teaching demonstrations, lesson and unit creation, exams, papers,
and other presentations, completed in SCE 4330 Science Methods 6-12 and SCE 4941 Integrated
Field Experience, as well as other upper division courses required for the major.
