LAS General Education Teaching Resources

Students studying.

The General Education Core provides students with a breadth of exposure to academic disciplines, teaching a range of literacies and competencies across fields of study.

Students gain exposure to different ways of knowing, learning, and acting in the world, a foundation that can be leveraged to create academic and professional opportunities and promote social responsibility.

Faculty and Teaching Assistants can play a pivotal role in promoting the value of the Gen Ed Core, strengthening students' engagement with the topics examined in Gen Ed courses. Faculty can explicitly connect the dots for students between the objectives of the Gen Ed Category and the content of their specific Gen Ed course.

  • COMMUNICATE the CONNECTION(S) between the Gen Ed Learning Outcomes and your specific course in the syllabus.

  • REINFORCE throughout the semester the relationship between the Gen Ed learning objectives and your course-specific topics and assessments.

  • FOCUS on present and future RELEVANCE. Remind students how the concepts, competencies, literacies, and skills taught in your Gen Ed course are relevant to and necessary for success in their major (regardless of the field of study), career preparation, and their development as informed and engaged citizens.

General Education Learning Outcomes Heading link

 Gen Ed Learning Outcomes Interactive Dashboard

The Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs and Academic Programs makes available a Tableau site where faculty can search for their specific course’s approved general education learning outcomes.

Include your course-specific general education learning outcomes in your syllabus and integrate these into the design of your course.

Only UIC faculty have access to the site. Please log into the UIC server when attempting to access the Interactive Dashboard.

The Student Perspective: Why Gen Ed? What competencies do I gain? Heading link

In an effort to better communicate the academic value of and competencies gained from Gen Ed coursework, we have designed the LAS General Education Core website for students. Consider using a similar approach tailored to your specific Gen Ed course in your syllabus and communication plan with your students.

LAS General Education Core Website

Gen Ed Syllabus and Course Design Resources Heading link

General education category descriptions and learning objectives can be tailored to your specific course description, objectives, and assessments.

Example 1: Adapt the stated gen ed learning objectives found in the UIC course catalog to your course objectives.

“A global society demands that individuals gain an appreciation of cultures different from their own. Courses in the Exploring World Cultures general education category address significant aspects of any culture that is not part of the mainstream American culture. In part, this category is meant to teach you to analyze a culture, including its political, social, ethical, communicative, or economic systems, and how cultures are formed, transmitted, and changed. In this course, [TITLE], we examine these themes by…[course-specific content].”

Example 2: Reflect a general education framework centered on questions and core proficiencies, as found in the LAS General Education Core advising document.

“Courses in the Exploring World Cultures category generally ask questions such as: What makes us the same, and what makes us different? What can learning about another culture tell you about your own? How are cultures formed, transmitted, and changed? What is the relationship between politics, economics, and culture? How can diverse cultural perspectives be recognized and valued?  Students learn to recognize and understand other peoples’ cultural experiences and perspectives. Critically study the effect of cultural stereotypes and profiling across history and in your present context. Value, learn from, and engage with individuals from diverse cultures in your life and work. Reflect on how to effect positive change in your personal, social, and professional communities.

In this course, [TITLE], we will approach these questions and develop core proficiencies by examining…[course-specific content].”

Syllabus Policies & Expectations

Starting Fall 2023, all syllabi must fully comply with the UIC Syllabus Policy. The resources below have been created to facilitate compliance.

Syllabus Checklist
  • Instructor and Course Details
    • Course rubric, number, title, and credit hours
    • Instructor name and contact information
    • Student Drop-In (Office) hours and other instructor availability
    • Course modality and schedule, including times, dates, and locations
  • Course Information
    • Course description and prerequisite statement
    • Course goals and learning objectives
    • For general education courses, include approved Gen Ed Learning Outcomes for your specific course.
    • Required and recommended course materials
  • Course Policies and Classroom Expectations
    • Grading policy and points breakdown, including a list of core assignments and
      assessments
    • Policy for missed or late work, including acceptance of revised work, if applicable
    • Attendance/Participation policy
    • Other course policies (as appropriate)
  • Class Schedule – Weekly calendar of class topics, assignments, due dates, and deadlines. Must align with course level and contact/credit hour policies.
  • Accommodations – Statement about disability services and accessing accommodations
  • Classroom Environment – Community agreement/Classroom conduct policy

For more information on the syllabus policy and optative LAS Syllabus Templates, visit the LAS Teaching Excellence Resources website.

UIC’s Office of Academic Program Review and Assessment evaluates a quarter of Gen Ed courses offered every year and assesses student success in the course based on one of the university-defined general education learning objectives. The more thoughtful and intentional you are about incorporating those objectives in your specific course design, the simpler this process will be should you be chosen for evaluation. The following questions asked in the General Education Assessment Report may help you think plainly about the goal of the course and how it is reflected in the course design.

  • What subject areas were involved?
  • What general education outcomes were assessed?
  • What assessment methods were used?
  • To what degree did students achieve general education outcomes?
  • What kinds of improvements did instructors make to help students to learn?
  • To what degree did improvements have an impact on students’ learning?

UIC´s Center for the Advancement of Teaching  Excellence (CATE)

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to designing a syllabus. However, there are ways to structure a more effective syllabus than others.  CATE provides suggestions and recommendations in the syllabus toolkits.

Syllabi and Teaching Toolkits

Inclusive Education

Teaching Resources and Guides

LAS GUIDE for Drop-In Hours

Drop-In Hours: What are they and why do they matter.

Unlike the traditional framework for office hours, Drop-In Hours are designed to encourage and facilitate student interactions with faculty. Quality interactions with faculty positively affect grades, persistence, and retention.

The goal is to promote students’ help-seeking behaviors, a growth mindset, and increase sense of belonging in your classroom. Share your story and connect with students!

Instructional Design Services

Instructional designers use educational research and innovative instructional practices to help instructors enhance student engagement, satisfaction, and learning outcomes.

Course Design & Reviews

If you would like to partner with the instructional design team for a course design or course review project, please contact the Instructional Design Studio and the senior instructional designer will set up a meeting to discuss your course needs.

See the LAS Teaching Excellence Resources website for more instructional and technical support information.

CATE has designed a course to share best practices, resources, templates, and technologies to create a quality online course. This course has been developed as an online course to help model best practices and research on online learning. The online asynchronous course contains the following modules:

  • Module 01 – What makes a good online course?
  • Module 02 – How do I begin planning my online course?
  • Module 03 – What does good online teaching and facilitation look like?
  • Module 04 – How do I build an online course site?

If you are interested in being enrolled in the Designing & Teaching an Online Course, please complete this Google Form to be enrolled. Each module contains guidance and advice that you can use to design your online course by yourself or with the help of an instructional designer.

If you would like to partner with the instructional design and media production studio, please schedule a 25-minute or 50-minute consultation with an instructional designer to discuss your course design needs.

See the LAS Teaching Excellence Resources website for more instructional and technical support information.

LAS Teaching Excellence Resources Website Heading link

Want to look at additional resources? The LAS Teaching Resources Website provides information and ideas for course design beyond the Gen Ed core.

Go LAS!