Have you been curious about developing a new Core Exploration course but haven’t yet taken the plunge? Do you feel like you understand interdisciplinarity as a concept, but not how to put it into practice in the classroom? The Core Curriculum (Andrew Guest) and the NEH “Core Humanities” grant team (Jen McDaneld and Molly Hiro) […]
Andrew Guest
University Core Exploration Level Course Information Sessions–Join the (Interdisciplinary) Fun
This Fall semester the revitalized University Core has launched the new exploration level for sophomore students who’ve come in on our new shared curriculum for all UP students. Each semester moving forward we’ll be offering more ‘X’ courses as additional students come to UP needing to take two X courses before graduating (this year first-year […]
Sign Up for a Core Samples Lunch (Sept. 27)
Engrossing new courses are being offered at the Exploration Level of the revitalized Core. All staff and faculty are invited to attend the first in a series of “Core Samples” lunches on Tuesday, September 27, from 11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in the Teske Room of Bauccio Commons. In this new series, faculty teaching such courses as […]
TLC From The TLC: Future Teaching, Super Courses, and Core Exploration
For this week’s Teaching & Learning tip, Andrew Guest, psychology and core director, offers possible prompts for summer teaching dreams – with a specific invitation to start imagining courses for the new Exploration Level of the University Core. With the end in sight of this most challenging and odd academic year, it can be fun […]
Core Revitalization Course Changes and Advising Notes
As we get ready for Spring registration, there are a few curricular changes associated with the implementation of the revitalized University Core Curriculum that may be helpful for faculty and staff to keep in mind during the upcoming advising period. Note that general information about the revitalized Core is available at https://pilots.up.edu/group/core-curriculum, including a summary of Core […]
TLC Tip of the Week: Integrating Understandings of Truth Into Classes
At a time in public life where truth feels both tenuous and more important than ever, how might we integrate understandings of the truth into any and all of our classes? As a Teaching and Learning Collaborative tip of the week, core curriculum director and psychology professor Andrew Guest offers some liberal arts inflected ideas […]
TLC Tip of the Week: Difficult Conversations and Liberal Arts Ideals
During a challenging time in a challenging year many of us may be having difficult conversations in the classroom (or in other spaces). While there is no magic formula for making those conversations into constructive educational opportunities, there are lots of possible recipes. With suggestions and links to resources, this week’s Teaching and Learning Collaborative […]
Titles, Descriptions, and the Core of a UP Education
According to core curriculum director Andrew Guest, University faculty and staff are approaching that most magical of fall holidays: Deadline day for course title and description changes in the 2021-2022 University Bulletin (aka, November 6). The best titles and descriptions are actually more than just titles and descriptions. They reflect the ideas students will engage, […]
Core Revitalization Continues for Fall 2021
For several years the University has been engaged in a process to revitalize its core curriculum, and now a revitalized core is being readied for a phased implementation starting with new first-year students in the fall of 2021. Newly appointed core director Andrew Guest, psychological sciences, has posted an update on the revitalization process on […]
New TLC Blog Entries: “Core Matters, Parts 3 & 4”
As part of an ongoing series of short essays on the Teaching & Learning Community Blog, two new pieces are ready to satisfy your core curriculum curiosity. Steve Mayer, chemistry, writes about the many ways chemistry classes contribute to the broader goals of a liberal arts education (while also fulfilling those pesky science requirements), and Heather Carpenter, environmental studies, writes […]