Millersville University, Faculty Senate

General Education Curriculum

Program Review

May 1996


F. Effectiveness to Serving Minorities and Other Special Populations

The purpose of this survey was to investigate the effectiveness of the current general education curriculum in achieving its stated objectives among various groups of students (African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Non-Minorities. On the whole, the General Education program seems to be effective in serving all classes of students. Although the sample size of certain populations was not particularly large (see Appendix C), the following differences were noted. (If a particular group is not mentioned below, its average response was not different from the overall average.)

1. Asian students gave more positive feedback than non-minority students with respect to the availability of desired Gen. Ed. classes.
2. Hispanic American students gave more positive feedback than American Indian students with respect to the demonstration of how different areas of knowledge relate and can be used in complementary ways.
3. American Indian students gave more positive feedback than Hispanic American students with respect to the positive contribution of the Health and Physical Education requirement.
4. Female students gave more positive feedback than male students with respect to the encouragement of viewing oneself and others as valuable individuals who are enhanced by each other's differences.
5. Female students gave more positive feedback than male students with respect to the increase in one's cultural awareness.
6. Disabled students gave more positive feedback than non-disabled students with respect to the encouragement of understanding and valuing of the importance of community and helping one to be a member of the Millersville community.
7. Military veteran students gave more positive feedback than non-veteran students with respect to the improvement of one's oral communication skills.
8. Non-traditional students gave more positive feedback than traditional students with respect to the increase in one's ability to take a comprehensive approach to global concerns.
9. Foreign students gave more positive feedback than domestic students with respect to the improvement of one's written skills, the encouragement of viewing oneself and others as valuable individuals who are enhanced by each other's differences, and the enhancement of one's sense of appreciation of truth and beauty.

There is no other statistically significant difference among various groups (including non-minorities) shown by the results. We can see that, in most cases, wherever there is a difference, it is the minority group that gave a more positive feedback. We conclude that group membership does not seem to be a factor in how students perceive MillersvilleÕs General Education curriculum.


Demand for and Reputation of Program
...|Program Mission |Centrality to and Support of University Mission |National and Local Enrollment Trends |Curricular Currency |Responsiveness to Change
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