Undergraduates’ Self-reported Learning Outcomes of General Education Courses: A Case Study of a Chinese Elite University

The purpose of this study is to provide implications for general education by analyzing the factors influencing learning outcomes in general education courses. To achieve this, a survey was conducted with 2,042 enrolled students at A National University located in Chungnam. For this study, correlation analysis and descriptive statistics, analysis of differences in learning performance according to students’ background characteristics, and multiple regression analysis of factors affecting learning performance in general education courses were conducted. The findings are as follows: Firstly, from the results of analyzing the difference in learning outcomes based on students’ background characteristics, we can see that the first-year students were statistically significantly lower in satisfaction than their second and third-year counterparts. Additionally, students from the College of Arts showed statistically significant differences in satisfaction compared to those from the College of Education, College of Humanities and Social Science, and College of Engineering. Secondly, the analysis of factors influencing learning outcomes showed that in the “Course Syllabus Area”, the clarity of learning objectives, in the “Course Content Area” the organization of course content for achieving learning objectives, and in the “Course Operation Area,” factors such as instructors’ adequate preparation, active communication with instructors during lectures, adherence to the weekly course schedule outlines in the syllabus, and appropriate supplementary sessions significantly predicted learning outcomes in general education courses. Additionally, in the “Student Evaluation Area,” the use of appropriate assessment for teaching methods, as well as providing suitable feedback on assignments and evaluation results, were significant predictors of learning outcomes. Furthermore, we found that the clarity of learning objectives in the “Course Syllabus Area” only moderately predicted the understanding of course content. Additionally, factors in the “Course Operation Area” such as active communication with instructors during lectures, adherence to the weekly course schedule, and appropriate supplementary sessions only moderate predicted knowledge and skill improvement. However, we also found the appropriateness of notifying the students of any changes in course content in the “Course Operation Area” not to be statistically significant in predicting knowledge and skill improvement. Based on the above research findings, it is recommended that instructors emphasize the importance of their role in influencing learning outcomes in general education courses. Additionally, it is crucial that instructors carefully structure course content during the planning phase to align with the achievement of learning objectives. Adequate preparation by instructors, active engagement with students during lectures, and the implementation of strategies to enhance interaction should be prioritized. Furthermore, the effective utilization of appropriate assessment methods for teaching and providing constructive feedback on assignments and evaluations is essential. This study also suggested deriving recommendations for assignment criteria, evaluation methods, and feedback mechanisms.

Results in the Licensure Examination for Teachers are contributory to the institutional overall performance, hence, analyzing the results is essential. Results of the 67 takers who took the examination from 2015 to 2017 were analyzed. Employing Mean, t-test, and Pearson Moment Correlation, the results revealed that the performance of both BSED and PEC Graduate Takers in General Education Courses is higher compared to Professional Education Courses, there is a significant difference in the results of the Licensure Examination for Teachers in both the General Education and Professional Education Courses among BSEd and PEC Graduate Takers. Also, there is a significant relationship between the general education course result and professional education course result. It also revealed that the general education course results and professional education course result are directly proportional. It means as general education course result is high, the professional education course result will follow. On the other hand, if general education course result is low; the professional education course result is also low.

This study analyzed the academic performance of education graduates in general education, professional education, and specialization courses. 306 education graduate samples participated in the study. The Office of Admission, CLSU - Testing and Evaluation Center and the served as major data sources. The samples were predominated by females with very good high school grades, graduates of public schools, and with CLSU College Admission Test (CAT) scores of 50 – 74 Passing Rate (PR). Only a few received awards but more than half were recipients of various scholarships. The majority finished the course within four years and took the LET immediately after graduation. The overall GPA of 2.09 described a good academic performance. The Bachelor in Elementary Education (BEED) received a higher mean grade average in the general education courses while Bachelor in Secondary Education (BSED) graduate samples were found higher in professional education courses. The respondents obtained a rating of good in the general education, professional education, and specialization courses.

This study details the design and implementation of an online materials chemistry general education (GE) course during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many pedagogical techniques involving active learning have been established in STEM major courses, their use within STEM general education courses for non-majors are not as well-established. The recently developed GE course at UCLA (termed Chemistry 3: Material World) utilized high-impact practices to introduce students to the scientific process and impart skills of critical thinking and scientific communication through its flexible activities and assignments. Emphasis was placed on collaborative learning, problem-solving, and interpreting scientific information from published reports. Additionally, content focused on social justice and community engagement was introduced throughout several topics (e.g., underrepresentation in science, war on drugs, nuclear proliferation, pollution, and global climate change) to showcase that chemistry is intricately related to bigger societal challenges. This article details our efforts in achieving the course learning outcomes and shares tangible results regarding the assessment of our teaching strategies from student feedback and reflections. We envision that this work will assist faculty in designing inclusive chemistry GE courses that focus on process versus content and adopting our teaching strategies in both in-person and online classrooms.

Is the philosophy a worldvision? We ask this question to consider a general education of philosophy in the university. There are a general education course and a major education course in the university. The general education course for introduction to a major education course is also a kind of ladder between secondary education course in the high school and a major education course in the university.BR In the general education course, collegians are to understand, that contents in secondary education course in the high school were a temporary truth for need in life, and they are to be doubted and overcome, and that the general education course is primary for confirming standpoint and manner in another major education courses.BR A general education of philosophy in the university is course for collegians to awaken doing philosophy. In this course, collegians are to build their standpoint and manner for life: worldvision, view of life and value. But achievements of collegians in this course are not enough for purpose and goal of this course, as well as in another general education courses.BR Collegians’ unskillful stereotypes on general education courses cause not to achieve purpose and goal of this course. Collegians behavior in this course, as if general education courses were only a primary or probation for major education course. And this results disturb and cause purpose and goalof this course. In this paper, we are to review general education course, especially general philosophy education.BR According to M. Heidegger, philosophy originate from worldvision, and worldvision from Dasein’s understanding on Being. But we think, worldvision originate from philosophy. In Heidegger’s philosophy, Dasein is the origin of human being. Although we could not yet distinguish preciously between Dasein and human being in Heidegger’s philosophy, Dasein’s understanding on Being is to be a guide for our reviewing a general education of philosophy in the university.BR Heidegger asserted, that a worldvision is already formed in Dasein’s understanding on Being, and a philosophy from this worldvision, and that the origin of sciences is this philosophy. In this point, we can conclude, that a general education of philosophy in the university will let collegians on their own to confirm and be sure origin of worldvision, and then to form worldvision.

The concept of ideological and political education in curriculum is a new approach to deepening the reform of general education courses, and general education courses is an important carrier to implement ideological and political education in curriculum. The symbiotic development of general education and curriculum ideological and political is an effective way to deepen the reform of education and teaching in colleges and comprehensively improve the quality of talent cultivation in all aspects. The current ideological and political construction of general education courses facing many difficulties. In view of this, application-oriented undergraduate colleges and universities should establish a linkage mechanism between ideological and political education in curriculum and general education courses, improve the awareness and ability of general education course teachers in ideological and political education, innovate the teaching content and methods of general education courses, establish an evaluation index system for ideological and political of general education courses, and deeply promote the ideological and political construction of general education courses.

This study aimed to determine how the licensure examination for teachers performance of bachelor of BSED graduates influence by their profile? 105 graduate sample respondents participated in the study. the official results from the Professional Regulation Commission served as major data sources. The survey questionnaire was used to gather data other data. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were the statistical tools used in the study. . For the BSED, the profile that influenced their licensure examination performance was an aptitude for college work, GPA, and averages obtained in general education and professional education courses. The BSED graduates' sex influenced as well the ratings obtained in the specialization component of the LET. None from among the profile of professional education and specialization courses teachers predicts the performance ratings of BSED graduates in professional education and specialization of the LET. On the other hand, the graduates’ profile that predicts BSED performance in the LET included sex, aptitude for college work, and the GPA obtained in general education courses.

General education of humanities has been implemented in China’s colleges and universities for nearly 30 years, but so far, there are not many studies on the teaching of general education courses of humanities, among which the study on improving the teaching effect of general education courses of humanities, especially the study based on empirical evidence, although is very necessary, is even rarer. In order to explore the approach to improve the teaching effect of general education courses in humanities, in the past 9 semesters at South China University of Technology, a research-oriented university in China, the author of this paper carried out teaching exploration in a total of 14 large classes, and 23 small classes taught by himself, with 3094 undergraduate students enrolled, in three general education courses of humanities, namely "Anglo-American Literature and Culture", "Selected Readings of English Poetry", and "Tasting Chinese Classics in English", by implementing four teaching modes in classroom teaching: topic+interactive, topic+non-interactive, non-topic+interactive, non-topic+ non-interactive. It is found that topic-centered interactive small class teaching achieves the best teaching effect. At the same time, surveys and investigations conducted by the author of this paper on the teaching of general education courses of humanities at South China University of Technology demonstrate that interactive small class teaching taught by teachers with professor titles achieves optimal teaching effect. It can be thus concluded that the topic-centered, interactive small class teaching taught by a professor is the best approach to improve the teaching effect of general education courses of humanities in a research university. It is expected that the findings of this study will serve as a reference for other research universities in China to improve the teaching effect of general education courses in humanities.

This study examined the perspectives of Canadian secondary mathematics pre-service teachers (PSTs) in general education (GE) courses. Data gathered through semi-structured interviews indicate that while PSTs prefer courses and pedagogical approaches that make explicit and immediate connections to practice and their mathematics-specific context, they nonetheless value the philosophical orientations developed through GE courses. Instructors were crucial in connecting theory-to-practice, serving as models of good instructional practices, and supporting PSTs in developing their teaching philosophy. This study reveals the challenge that education programs are still experiencing to balance general, philosophical objectives and PSTs discipline-specific context. The findings highlight the need to streamline GE courses to accommodate secondary mathematics PSTs’ subject-specific needs and design more meaningful theory-to-practice connections for PSTs’ pedagogical growth. Practical actions for program and course developers are proposed.

This study explores both teachers’ and students’ perceptions regarding the teaching and learning of general education (GE) courses in an online environment, where activities such as pair work, group work, and discussion frequently feature. These activities typically necessitate a high level of interaction during class time. This presents an intriguing environment for studying both teachers’ and learners’ experiences due to the abrupt switch to online education in recent years. The participants included 10 Thai teachers of GE courses and 431 Thai and international undergraduates enrolled in the GE courses and taught via an online platform. Online questionnaires and interviews were used to obtain participants’ perceptions of both instructors’ and students’ experiences regarding online learning, particularly in terms of communication difficulties and potential intercultural communication difficulties. The data obtained from the online questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The frequency count and the percentage were used for calculating and thematizing the numeric data. Interview data was transcribed, analyzed, and reported based on themes. Key quotes from the participants’ responses were collated and presented in a narrative. The findings revealed the students’ and the lecturers’ perceptions of the benefits of online teaching, challenges, and their future needs.

A general education course is different from a major course in an engineering college. Therefore, they influence a learning outcomes according to their forms and contents. In particular, an engineering college in korea is open to argument against a general education course. Because a general education course has to observe the criterion of ABEEK. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to compare general education courses of engineering colleges in USA. For it, this study analyzes the completion method and academic area of a general education course. In result, this study suggests the property and implication of a general education course in an engineering college.

Design thinking is vital for attaining sustainable development goals (SDG) or SDG in education. This article investigates the status of design thinking education in realizing SDG in education. The intentional requirement for using innovative design to enhance national competitiveness is discussed regarding the "Made in China 2025" policy document. It then investigates the current status of design thinking curriculum development in China, counting the adoption of Western models and the formation of project cooperation mechanisms, the combination of design thinking into general education courses, and the rise of online courses over the development of the Internet. Five international best practices of design thinking courses are offered, i.e., Stanford University, the University of Miami, the Royal College of Art, Vanderbilt University, and Tama Art University. These practices tell the different features of design thinking courses and emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, actual problem-solving, And the cultivation of a humanistic spirit and social responsibility. The article then highlights vital lessons and conclusions from design thinking education in general higher education courses. These include the importance of human-centered, social, and computational thinking, the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing collaborative empathy, and the practical problem-solving skills and creativity that design thinking can undertake. To sum up, the design thinking course is an effective way to improve the design thinking level of college students and change the existing teaching methods of various majors, and it has significant benefits for both students and enterprises. Overall, the paper provides a comprehensive picture of the importance of design thinking education in achieving educational sustainability, highlighting its potential for developing innovative and practical problem-solving skills in college students and its relevance to various disciplines and industries.

Whiteboard animation, an engaging tool for teaching and learning, consists of a series of hand-drawing illustrations with voice-over narration to explain complex and abstract ideas. Our team had produced four short whiteboard animations tailor-made for a common core science general education (GE) course. This study aims at evaluating the effectiveness of using these whiteboard animations for flipped classrooms in the common core science GE course. The pre-tutorial survey showed that students who watched the animations got significantly higher average marks in the quizzes at the beginning of the tutorials (p<0.001). The post-tutorial feedback survey indicated that the whiteboard animations attracted 67% of students to watch the animations. For students who watched the animations, over 86% of them reported that the animations raised their interest in the issues discussed in the tutorial classes, and learning materials in the form of whiteboard animation were more interesting than lecture videos; more than 90% of the students agreed the whiteboard animations were helpful in (i) understanding the assigned readings, (ii) clarifying the concepts of the discussed issues, and (iii) gaining the related knowledge before the tutorial. We concluded that whiteboard animation is an effective and engaging tool for flipped classrooms in the common core science GE course.

The academic language needed for success in college or university courses can be challenging for nonnative English speakers (NNES). Institutions have implemented initiatives such as study partnerships, Supplementary Instruction, content-based language courses, and technology-based support to strengthen the English skills of NNES. This study examined the effectiveness of a program in which NNES enroll in an English language course and a linked general education (GE) course. The English language instructor attends the GE course with the students and focuses on the development of language skills using the GE course materials. Study skills, cultural information, and GE course content are also addressed in the English language course. Findings indicated that participants' GE course grades were generally comparable to those of mainstream students.

This study investigated the self-efficacy levels of pre-service science and mathematics teachers in a Philippine state university. A total of 172 pre-service science and mathematics teachers served as respondents of the study. Data collection was done through the use of the Science and Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument for Pre-service Teachers. The ANOVA indicated significant difference self-efficacy according to year level such that fourth year pre-service teachers indicated a statistically significant decrease. No significant difference was observed for gender and specialization. As regards to the type of courses as predictors of self-efficacy level, general education courses showed low positive predictive power (β = 0.180) whereas specialization courses and professional education courses showed a negative predictive power of β = -0.198 and β = -0.702 respectively. General education and professional education courses displayed significant predictive power at p < 0.05 whereas specialization courses did not (p=0.151). The overall explanatory power of the regression model was 61.1% (R2 = 0.611, F(3,171) = 90.419, p < 0.001). The 2 implications on the teacher education preparation as well as for future directions are likewise discussed.