This report summarizes key findings from a national survey among chief academic officers at AAC&U member institutions and explores how institutions are defining common learning outcomes, trends related to general education design and the use of emerging, evidence-based teach­ing and learning practices. This is the second report in a series featuring findings from the survey conducted by Hart Research Associates for AAC&U. (full reports and slides with findings are available free online at www.aacu.org/about/2015-membersurvey.) This new report, "Recent Trends in General Education Design, Learning Outcomes, and Teaching Approaches," includes respondents from across the full spectrum of public, private, two-year, and four-year institutions.

1. AAC&U Members on Recent Trends
in General Education Design, Learning
Outcomes, and Teaching Approaches
Key findings from a survey among 325 Chief Academic Officers or designated representatives
at AAC&U member institutions, conducted July 15 to October 13, 2015,
by Hart Research Associates for the Association of American Colleges and Universities
1

2. Profile of the Sample
2
Carnegie Classification
Associate’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Doctoral degree/
research
Other
11%
30%
39%
19%
1%
Affiliation
Public
Private/religious
Proprietary
46%
53%
1%
The survey was conducted among 325 Chief Academic Officers or designated representatives
at AAC&U member institutions from a list of 1,001, with a response rate of 32%.

3. November/December 2008 July – October 2015
Does your institution have a common set of intended learning goals or learning outcomes
that apply to ALL undergraduate students?
Most AAC&U member institutions have a common set of
learning outcomes for all of their undergraduate students.
3

4. AAC&U members with common learning outcomes have
outcomes that apply to a broad range of skills and knowledge
areas; significant consensus exists on outcome areas.
4
Proportions saying their institution has learning outcomes for ALL undergraduate students
that address specific skills and knowledge areas*
* Among members at institutions that have a common set of learning outcomes for all undergraduate students
Writing skills
Critical thinking and analytic reasoning skills
Quantitative reasoning skills
Knowledge of science
Knowledge of mathematics
Knowledge of humanities
Knowledge of global or world cultures
Knowledge of social sciences
Knowledge of the arts
Oral communication skills
Intercultural skills and abilities
2015
99%
98%
94%
92%
92%
92%
89%
89%
85%
82%
79%
2008
99%
95%
91%
91%
87%
92%
87%
90%
N/A
88%
79%
(continued)

5. 5
* Among members at institutions that have a common set of learning outcomes for all undergraduate students
Information literacy skills
Research skills and projects
Ethical reasoning skills
Knowledge of diversity in US
Integration of learning across disciplines
Application of learning beyond the classroom
Civic engagement and competence
Knowledge of technology
Knowledge of languages other than English
Knowledge of American history
Knowledge of sustainability
2015
76%
75%
75%
73%
68%
65%
63%
49%
48%
47%
27%
2008
76%
65%
75%
73%
63%
66%
68%
61%
42%
49%
24%
AAC&U members with common learning outcomes have
outcomes that apply to a broad range of skills and knowledge
areas; significant consensus exists on outcome areas.
Proportions saying their institution has learning outcomes for ALL undergraduate students
that address specific skills and knowledge areas*
(continued)

6. Educational leaders at institutions with common learning
outcomes do not report that students have a greater
understanding of these goals in 2015 than they did in 2008.
6
November/December 2008 July – October 2015
What is your sense of how many of your students understand your institution’s intended
learning outcomes for undergraduate learning?*
45%
55%
42%
58%
* Among members at institutions that have a common set of learning outcomes for all undergraduate students

7. Many institutions are implementing evidence-based practices,
and they are most likely to require those that support the
successful transition to college.
7
What approach is your campus taking with regard to these types of learning practices?
This is
offered as
an option
31%
30%
41%
23%
53%
79%
59%
87%
90%
92%
94%
Total
offered
91%
82%
93%
65%
87%
93%
71%
96%
97%
98%
96%
First-year experiences that
support transition to college
First-year academic
seminars
Global/world culture studies
Orientations to liberal
education, purpose/value
Diversity studies/
experiences
Service learning in courses
Learning communities
Undergraduate research
Practicums and
supervised fieldwork
Internships
Study abroad

8. Required for all students
Some campuses are exploring ways to engage students in more problem-based learning. For instance,
institutions are providing opportunities to students to do significant learning projects that are integrative
and/or applied and that take a semester of study or longer. These projects may be conducted within capstone
courses, research projects, or in field-based activities or internships.
Which describes your campus’s current approach to significant learning projects like these?
Required for some students
Offered option for all students
Offered option for some students
Not a current option
Nearly all AAC&U member institutions offer significant
applied learning projects for at least some students; fewer
than one in four require all students to participate.
8

9. Most administrators think that at least some of their teaching
faculty is effectively using digital learning tools, but they see
room to expand their effective use.
9
How many of your current faculty are using digital learning tools effectively in their courses?
“All/most of our teaching faculty should be using more digital learning in undergraduate courses.”
At your institution, how high a priority is increasing the number of undergraduate online courses?
* Described as programs designed around demonstrated
mastery rather than completion of courses and credits
Most
Some
Very few
Agree 44% Strongly agree 89%
High
Medium
Minor/not
45% Somewhat agree
(1% all programs, 10% some programs)

10. Attitudes Toward Digital Learning and Online Courses,
by Key Subgroups
10
“All/most of our teaching faculty should be
using more digital learning in undergrad-
uate courses.”
At your institution, how high a priority is
increasing the number of undergraduate
online courses?
Strongly
agree
29%
53%
52%
51%
36%
42%
By Carnegie Classification:
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Doctoral degree/research
By Affiliation:
Public
Private/non-religious
independent institutions
Religious
Some-
what
agree
53%
38%
42%
42%
48%
48%
High
priority
14%
28%
27%
34%
16%
22%
By Carnegie Classification:
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Doctoral degree/research
By Affiliation:
Public
Private/non-religious
independent institutions
Religious
Medium
priority
23%
42%
41%
44%
24%
35%
Minor/not
a priority
63%
30%
32%
22%
60%
43%

11. In regard to electronic portfolios, which describes your campus?
 Required of almost
all students
 Used for some students
and programs
 Not used/exploring
feasibility of using
 Not used/no plans to
use
November – December 2008 July – October 2015
(64% required/used)(57% required/used)
Many AAC&U member institutions use e-portfolios, but few
require the for all students.
11

12. How has general education changed as a priority for your institution in the past five years?
The majority of AAC&U member institutions continue to say
that general education is more of a priority than it was five
years ago.
12
Has become more
of a priority
Has not changed
as a priority
Has become less
of a priority

13. Institutions are placing greater emphasis on integration of
knowledge, skills, and application than on broad knowledge
acquisition in their general education programs.
Integration of knowledge, skills, and application
Applied learning experiences
Cross-cutting skill development
Broad knowledge acquisition
Proportions saying their institution is placing more emphasis on each practice in their
general education program
13

14. Clear learning outcomes
Assess student achievement of learning outcomes
Has requirements linked to outcomes
Ensures all develop ability to integrate/apply learning to complex questions
Proportions saying each describes* their institution’s general education program
* 4 + 5 ratings on a five-point scale, 5 = describes the program very well
2008
63%
49%
62%
N/A
Large majorities describe their gen ed programs as “having
clear learning outcomes,” “assessing achievement of learning
outcomes,” and “having requirements linked to outcomes.”
14

15. Proportions saying each describes* their institution’s general education program
* 4 + 5 ratings on a five-point scale, 5 = describes the program very well
2008
35%
N/A
Few institutions describe their general education programs as
coherent or having structured pathways.
15
Coherent sequence of courses and/or educational experiences
Structured pathways that progressively develop proficiencies in key areas

16. Includes global courses
Includes first-year seminars
Includes diversity courses
Includes interdisciplinary courses
Includes service learning opportunities
Includes civic learning or engagement activities
Requires experiential learning opportunities
Proportions saying each describes* their institution’s general education program
* 4 + 5 ratings on a five-point scale, 5 = describes the program very well
2008
60%
58%
56%
51%
38%
38%
36%
AAC&U member institutions report similar curricular patterns
for their general education programs today as in 2008 and are
most likely to include global courses and first-year seminars.
16

17. The majority of institutions use a distribution model with addition-
al integrative features. Fewer use only a distribution model in
2015 than did so in 2008.
Which of these features are part of your institution’s general education program?
Other features:
Common intellectual
experience
Thematic required courses
Upper-level requirements
Core curriculum
Learning communities
November – December 2008 July – October 2015
17

18. Distribution model
Capstone or culminating studies (taken in major programs)
Upper-level general education requirements
Core curriculum
Thematic required courses
A common intellectual experience
Capstone or culminating studies (taken as part of general education)
Learning communities
Proportions saying each is included as part of their institution’s general education program
Institutions incorporate various general education program
design elements.
18

19. The majority of member institutions think that their general
education programs are well integrated with students’ major
requirements, but there is still room to improve.
19
November/December 2008 July – October 2015
How well integrated would you say that your general education program is with students’
major requirements?
58%
42%
48%
52%

20. Only minor shifts have occurred since 2008 in the required
number of general education credits at AAC&U member
institutions.
20
Nov/Dec 2008 July–Oct 2015
How many total general education credits are required at your institution for this degree?
Nov/Dec 2008 July–Oct 2015
Bachelor’s degree* Associate’s degree*
* Among members in institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees or higher * Among members in institutions that grant only associate’s degrees
Mean: 46.6
Median: 44
Mean: 44.6
Median: 42
Mean: 33.5
Median: 29
Mean: 35.1
Median: 33

21. Very familiar with
the LEAP initiative
AAC&U’s Liberal Education and America’s Promise initiative (LEAP initiative) champions the importance of--and
assists campuses in providing--a 21st century liberal education through a focus on principles of excellence,
Essential Learning Outcomes, high-impact educational practices, and the creation and effective use of
authentic assessments.
How familiar are you with the LEAP initiative?
Nearly all of AAC&U’s member institutions are familiar
with the LEAP initiative.
Fairly familiar with
the LEAP initiative
Only somewhat (9%)/not at all (2%)
familiar with the LEAP initiative
89% VERY/FAIRLY
FAMILIAR
21

22. Increasing development of and participation in engaged learning practices *
Defining or updating common student learning outcomes
Improving the assessment of student learning outcomes
Reforming general education programs
Advancing civic and global learning
Advancing equity and student success
Does your institution use AAC&U’s LEAP initiative to advance goals in these areas?
Among those who are familiar with LEAP, most institutions
are already using or are planning to use LEAP to achieve
specific goals.
* Described as high-impact practices such as learning communities, undergraduate research, applied hands-on projects, internships, etc.
78%
75%
75%
73%
67%
53%
22