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Foundations of Knowledge and Learning - Learning Outcomes

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The Core Curriculum presents the knowledge, skills, and understandings that are expected of all individuals who graduate from USF, including transfer students. While broad goals and objectives are identified in the FKL Core Curriculum document, in many cases measurable learning outcomes were not specified or articulated in them. The learning outcomes identified below were developed by the GEC. They address each of the Core Areas in the FKL Core Curriculum and the dimensions that all students will experience as part of this program. These learning outcomes represent the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes that we believe all graduates of USF should possess at a satisfactory level. These learning outcomes will be assessed to determine the extent to which students achieve them.

1. Students will be able to critically evaluate information in light of its logical consistency, evidence, and justification of conclusions and analyze and explain relationships between presented information and concepts.
2. Students will produce well-organized, well-developed papers that reflect appropriate use of language to achieve a specific purpose and addresses a specific audience.
3. Students demonstrate, through writing, oral communication, or artistic process, how the arts express, create or critique culture.
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of multiple cultural and bio-cultural perspectives and the consequences related to lack of this understanding by producing well-developed and clearly articulated arguments.
5. Students will demonstrate understanding of the local and global processes that historically influence and help to define human differences.
6. Students will demonstrate an ability to use graphical, symbolic, and numerical methods to analyze, organize, and interpret natural phenomena.
7. Students will demonstrate the ability to discriminate between association and causation, and identify the types of evidence used to establish causation.
8. Students will demonstrate an understanding of how theories and models are used as unifying principles that help us understand natural, social, and organizational phenomena, make predictions, and solve problems.
9. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method, including hypothesis formulation and testing, identifying relevant variables, and evaluating the appropriateness of experimental design.
10. Students will be able to evaluate the credibility, use, and misuse of scientific and mathematical information in scientific and social developments and public policy issues
11. Students will demonstrate the ability to describe historical events and multiple interpretations of historical events using arguments supported by appropriate historical evidence.