Institutional learning goals provide blueprint for student success


LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas is taking a more structured approach in understanding and evaluating the knowledge and skills students gain as they progress through their academic careers.

KU has adopted a set of institutional learning goals that reflect the university’s values around student learning. The institutional learning goals don’t change requirements for students but rather establish a visible conceptual structure for assessing learning outcomes and student success.

The institutional learning goals are one aspect of KU’s efforts to affirm its strengths and focus on areas for improvement as part of two major initiatives currently underway — reaffirmation of accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and implementation of Jayhawks Rising, the strategic plan for the Lawrence and Edwards campuses.

“The adoption of institutional learning goals is a key part of having a solid structure of evidence-based assessment at KU,” said Jennifer Roberts, vice provost for academic affairs & graduate studies and co-chair of the HLC Planning Group. “Having a set of guidelines that spell out the expectations we have for student success at KU, coupled with learning outcomes, will help us pinpoint areas where more support might be needed.”

During academic year 2020-21, Barbara A. Bichelmeyer, provost & executive vice chancellor, created a committee to help identify institutional learning goals for all KU campuses. The committee included representatives from Academic Affairs, Academic Success, Graduate Studies and the Center for Teaching Excellence. The draft institutional learning goals were reviewed and revised based on feedback by deans, department chairs, members of the University Core Curriculum Committee, members of the Faculty Advisory Board on Degree-Level Assessment, vice provosts and staff at the Lawrence and Medical Center campuses. Academic leaders then began mapping the six goals of the KU Core, KU’s general education program, onto the institutional learning goals to ensure compatibility.

The six institutional learning goals, formally adopted in fall 2021:

  1. Creative Inquiry & Discovery: Apply cognitive skills and a broad base of knowledge to promote inquiry, discover solutions and generate new ideas and creative works.
  2. Effective Communication: Listen, question and articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in a range of contexts using a variety of means and modalities.
  3. Analytical Reasoning: Access, evaluate and use qualitative and/or quantitative information to identify patterns and formulate and support interpretations.
  4. Social Awareness & Cultural Understanding: Develop a critical and reflective awareness of social, global and cultural differences (including ability, language, class, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, ethnicity, indigeneity and/or race) and their impacts on relationships.
  5. Ethical & Professional Responsibility: Demonstrate integrity and act responsibly with the interest of the larger community, environment, discipline or profession in mind.
  6. Leadership & Collaboration: Establish, grow and sustain productive relationships to effectively address key issues facing local, national or global communities and solve problems that advance society.

The HLC Planning Group is in the process of implementing a broad-based, campuswide campaign to raise awareness about the institutional learning goals.

“Making sure our faculty and students have a clear understanding of what to expect in their academic programs, and then ensuring the outcomes reflect that mastery, is a key component of our responsibility as an accredited institution,” Bichelmeyer said. “At the same time, it helps to fulfill the Jayhawks Rising objective to Assure Quality of Academic Programs. Most importantly, our students leave KU with a first-rate education, well-prepared to succeed in their careers and in their lives.” 

Tue, 10/25/2022

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Robin Lehman

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Robin Lehman

Office of the Provost

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