Implementing Essential Learning Outcomes across a Mid-Sized Public University: Reflections on a Deliberative Process

Carra Leah Hood, Diane Holtzman, Shelly Meyers, Susan Cydis

(Stockton University, USA)

Abstract: A mid-sized public university in the United States embarked on an initiative to implement essential learning outcomes (ELOs) across the campus. The implementation plan, informed by the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ (AAC&U) Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) initiative, relied on research, pedagogical best practices, faculty and student needs, as well as a strategy that recognized this initiative as an impetus for change. A qualitative study of faculty members and students participating in a pilot implementation revealed that integrating ELOs into academic courses enhanced student metacognitive growth and contributed to their increased proficiency with ELO-related skills. Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP), liberal arts education, significant learning experiences

Key words: Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), essential learning outcomes, Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP), liberal arts education, significant learning experiences