Cultivating Competencies: Student Engagement Initiatives at Howard University
All accredited universities share a responsibility to provide a broad education outside of a student’s concentration. This education is often referred to as institutional learning outcomes or general education outcomes. Howard University is actively engaged in initiatives designed to assess and enhance student learning outcomes beyond their specific fields of study. These initiatives focus on key competencies crucial for success in both academic and professional spheres. By prioritizing student engagement in these areas, Howard aims to equip its graduates with a well-rounded skill set that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of the modern world.
General Education Outcomes: A Foundation for Success
Common general education outcomes include critical thinking, creative thinking, oral communication, written communication, and quantitative literacy. These competencies form the bedrock of a well-rounded education, enabling students to analyze information effectively, solve problems creatively, communicate persuasively, and engage with quantitative data confidently.
Partnership with Territorium: Assessing Student Competencies
Howard has partnered with Territorium to provide competency assessments to Juniors or Seniors to test some of their skills. This partnership underscores Howard's commitment to data-driven improvement and its proactive approach to ensuring student success. The graded tests provide an opportunity for the University to reflect on student success in general and not specific student outcomes.
This May and June, the University is completing a pilot of 50 tests (10 in civic competency and engagement, critical thinking, quantitative literacy, intercultural competency and diversity and written communication). The pilot program serves as a valuable opportunity to gather data, refine assessment methods, and tailor future initiatives to better meet the needs of Howard students.
It is important to note that the University recognizes the limitations and inherent bias written into many standardized tests. This awareness informs the design and interpretation of the assessments, ensuring a nuanced understanding of student performance.
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Student Participation: A Collaborative Approach
Students who participate will be asked to complete one of the 50 tests above. After participation, they will be invited for a small one-hour focus group to discuss their experience. These events will happen in May and June. The test is online and can be taken at your convenience. By participating you will be helping Howard University and receiving an opportunity to see how you “stack up” nationally against other students. Those who receive at least a 70% score will also receive a micro-credential from Territorium attesting to competency in your testing area. These initiatives not only provide valuable data for the university but also offer students a chance to reflect on their own learning and development.
Incentives and Recognition
Those who receive at least a 70% score will receive a micro-credential from Territorium attesting to competency in your testing area. This recognition serves as a tangible validation of their skills and can be a valuable asset in their future endeavors.
Student Perspectives: A Focus on Learning Experiences
Howard is interested in getting student perspectives on how they learn, develop, or master certain general education competencies across the University. Understanding how students learn best is crucial for designing effective educational experiences.
Students who participate will be asked to complete a short (less than 250 words) essay on one of the general education competencies and tell their story about how they learned, developed, or mastered it inside or outside of the classroom. This qualitative data provides valuable insights into the student experience and helps the university identify areas for improvement. You could write about a specific classroom experience, like developing quantitative skills in a laboratory or learning oral communication skills in a student organization.
Call to Action: Encouraging Student Involvement
If you are interested in participating by taking competency assessments, please complete the sign-up form below. Please note that only 50 students will be allowed to participate. Participation is on a “first-come, first served” basis. If you are interested in participating by writing a competency essay, please click the link below. From the linked page, you will be able to write your essay and submit it.
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