DOCUMENT RESUME ED 116 746 48 JC 760 065 AUTHOR Collins,' Charles C.;-Drexel, Karl O. TITLE General Eddcation:. The Los Medanos College Model. INSTITUTION Lbs Medanos C011., Pleasant Hill, Calif. SONS AGENCY'A Bureau of Postsecondary Education (DHEW/OE) , Washington, D.C.Div,of'International Education. NOTE 218p. EDRS PRICE 1F-$0.76.8C-$10.78 Plus Postage DESCRIPTORS Course Descriptions; seurriculum1 Design; Curriculum Evaluation; Curriculumi Planning; Evaluation Methods; *General Education; *Interdisciplinary Approach; *Junior Colleges;,*Models; Prdgram Evaluation; Student CharacteriStics IDENTIFIERS Los Medanos College ABSTRACT . This book-length stud), justifiesvdescribes, and gives an initial evaluation of the general' education model developed at Los Medanos College (California). The opening chapter presents a detailed'phtlosophic argument in favor of general education'as a 'principle, and in support of the innovative aspects of the Los dedanos model. The argument is for generalducation as a hub of the total curriculum and as a requirement forhe institutional endorsement of a degree. However,,Los'Med nos has full-bloin programs invocational areas, in. transfer fields, and in continuing education as well. The Los Medanos model provides forinterdisciplinary generic . courses to be offered under the categories of: the behavioral, social, biological, and physical sciences, language arts, and humanistic studies. The 10 chapters of this document address such topics as the local context, genefid and discipline courses, intensive student projects, the evaluation design, evaluation of the tlanning phase, impact of the planning process, problems with the model, and further developments. Enrollment data, demographic data, 'aid program evaluation-Aata are tabulated and' included in the body of the document. Also displayed in table form are the Los Medanos governance model, a list of disciplines within each generaleducatgon area, and schemes .of individual courses. (NHM) *********************************************************************** * Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * * materials not ava.4.1able from other sources. ERIC makes every effort.* * to obtain'the best copy available. Nevertheless, items of marginal * * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quqlity * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reprOductions ERIC makes available * * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * * responsible-for the quality of the ori inal document. Reproductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can e made from the original. * **************************************** ***************************** .4.5.DEPARTIA NT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION WELFARE NATIONAL IN'TUTU OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS SEEN REPRO- DuCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM TAEPERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN- ATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY I GENERAL EDUCATION: THE LOS,MEDANOS COLLEGE MODEL Writing: Charles C. Collins Karl Q. Drexel ' 0 Editing: Kathleen A. Blake Typing and Prooireading: Cheryl A. LaFleur PARTICIPANTS IN PROJECT' ."District Task Forceor Initial Conception and Planning: John t. Carhart Charles C. Collins Karl 0. Drexel Leonard Grote -John Porterfield RiChard Worthen AdmiiiistrAtiorq, John I. Carhart, President Charles C. Collins, Dean of Humanistic Studies -Vincent C. Custodio, Dean of Behavioral Sciences Ricardo Ontiveros, Dean of Social6. Econdthic Solendes Joy Swab, Dean of Natural Sciences Chester Case, Professional, DevelopmentFacilitator Don Donatelli, Director of Learning Resource Center a PePject Planning and Instruction: Marilyn Alquizoia, Language Arts instructor ,Olga Arenivar, Language Arts Instructor Sandra Booher, Language Arts Instructor Gail Boucher, Behavioral Science Instructor Ate Brooks, Physical Science Instructor Jay Cameron, Language Arts Instructor Stanley Chin, Physical Science Instructor Estelle Davt, BehaviOral' Science Instructor Raul Hansen, Biological Science Instructor Larry Howard, Humanistid Studies Instructor Jane Hunnicutt, Social ScienceInstruCtor Stanley Jacobs, Language Arts Instructor Marjorie Lasky, Social Science Instructor Henry Lawson, Social Science Instructor 0 Ross MacDonald, Language ArtsIristructor Ofelia Marino, Behavioral Sdience Instructor' Bob' Marshall, Social Science instructor John Maltester', Humanistic Studies Instructor Christine' Meek,.Biological Science Instructor Connie Missimer, Humanistic Studies Instructor James Preston, Socral Science instructor' Ed Rocks, Physical Science insructor Alexander Sample, Behavlbral Science Instructor Thelma Scott, Behavioral Science Instructor Mavlan Shanks, Humanis,tic Studies Instructor '.Stanley Smith, Humanistic Studies instructor Gene Thomas,.Behavioral Science Instructor Dorothy Tsuruta, Language Arts Instructor Eric Yeoman, Biological Science instructor. Evaluation: Leland L. Medsker, Profetssor Emeritu's in Higher Education, University ofCalifornia Karl O. Drexel, Supekintendent Emeritus, Contra Costa Community College Yisteict i 3 I FORWARD . Los Medanos College has hadgreat.leadership\and support In the developmetit- , t of its general education program from District Governing Boardmembers, William P. Moses,'t.loydarr, George R. Gordon, Lee R. Winters, William R. t f ) Baldwin and from fo ler board-members, Glen Clementson and Bill .!,:etzmer. , The foresight o\retired chancellor,' Dr. Kari wel, led him to initiate a program of planning in which thephilosophical b ses of general education ;N. were explored in depth and weretied to the institutional goals of presenting ethnic, women's, and interpational perspectives. Dr. Harry Buttlmer, the current .4 chancellor of the Contra Costa Community College District,9has not only endorsed - Its philosophic base but has ten his full and continued supportto'the Los Medanos College general education program. 1 A great deal of gratitude must go-t6 every faculty member andadministrator who worked for many Long and difficult hours converting somebasic concepts aboutlgeneral education Into a working model. I know I speakforthe Los Medanos t College staff in giving special recognition to Dr. CharlesCoigns.We were fortunatetohaveDr.Collinsas our teacher In this endeavor. The logic and clarity of his concepts plus his untiring efforts have inspired us to overcome some_ difficult sessions': In my Judgment, the program is both exciting and is conceptually and philosophicatly valid. We now have a total and comprehensive general education program underway. As is true with-any new program,It will need some modifica- tion and additional evaluation as we gain more experience. Yet I am confident that students and staff members formany years to comewill applaud the inpova- -Ole general education model that was created in theseopening years of Los Medanos College. o John 1. Carhart President' a 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Under the provisions of Public Law85 864; Title VI,NationalDefense Education Act, Los Medanos College wasfinanchlly assisted tp plan and initi*t the program of general education describedin this book. The staff of Lo4 -Medanos allege extends thanks to the taxpayerswho made this grant possible and are pleased to think that thebenefits'of this general education proge m accrue to at leastthe-local segment of these taxpayers. 441 O I v li LIST OF TABLES Page 28 Table 1 Los Medanos College EnrollmentFhcts, April 1975 College Students, April. 1975 28 Table 2 Age Distribution of Los Medanos College Students by Sex, Table 3 Age Distribution of Los Medanos L. 29 April 1975 College Students, Table 4 Ethnic Distribution of Los Medanos 29 April 1975 40 Table 5 Los MedanosCollege Governance Mode) , Intradisciplinary Schma for General Educationin the Table 6 46 Behavioral Sciences Education Area 47 Table 97 Disciplines Within Each General Medanos College - An Intradisciplinary Table,8 General Education at'los 57 Model 61 Table 9 Sample Instructor Load in SocialScience, Concepts and Principles Taughtin Physical Science 1TG, Table 10 69 Explorations of the Physical World . Outline ofthe Unit on PerceptionTaught in Language Arts 1TG, Table 11 70 Language and Thought Calendar of Presentation andUnit Titles for All Generic Table' 12 72 Courses, Fall 1974. 92 Table 13 A Schethatic for the PluralPur.sdlts Process ofpanning 103 ,Triable 14 Evaluation Design: Process Planning to Faculty 104 Table 15 Evaluation Design: Relationship of Development Evaluation Design:- Relationship'of Planning and Faculty Tablg 16 105 Development to Student Development -1974-75 112 Table 17 Faculty Ratings of Activitiesin the Weekly Seminars the Mid-Year Retreat 113 Table 18 Faculty Ratings of ActiVttles at '117 Table 19 Faculty Self-Rating on Areasof Preparedness of General Education Faculty 142 Table 20 Distribution by Sex and Ethnicity Cour'ses by Area 149-151 Table 21 Student Evaluation of Generic v I TABLE OF CONMENTS Title Page Participants In Project Forward Anowledgement List of,Tables Chapter 1 Philosophic Considerations 23 Chapter II The Local Context 42 Chapter III The General EduCation Model 1 64 Chapter IV Generic and Discipline Courses 81 Chapter V Plural Pursuits . -1- 100 Chapter 1.q The Design for Evaluation 110 Chapter VII Evaluation ofthe Planning Phase 125 Chapter VIII impact of the Planning Process '138 Chapter IX Other Aspects of Evaluation Probles and Further Developments 153 Chapter X i 168- 211 APPENDICES el I 7 . .CHAPTER 1- .Philosophle onsIderat-lonsk In every age and in every