Standards for Cultural Knowledge Courses

MavEd Expectations: All MavEd courses must address the transferable learning outcomes and assess the transferable student learning outcomes using a common MavEd rubric embedded in Canvas, available for download into individual courses. In addition to these shared outcomes, courses approved in the Cultural Knowledge category must demonstrate the disciplinary expectations outlined below. These expectations provide guidance for course development and establish the minimum standards used by the Cultural Knowledge Subcommittee when reviewing proposals for MavEd approval.

MavEd Framework Requirements (p. 5-12): Courses aligned with individual and social responsibility outcomes provide opportunities for students to explore and develop a deeper understanding of their roles as responsible individuals and engaged members of society, while also simultaneously reinforcing skills from at least one fundamental skills area (e.g., oral communication).

• Writing. Students will focus on writing skills through an iterative process that includes drafting, receiving feedback, and revising their work. This process will constitute a significant portion of their overall effort and grade in the course, emphasizing the importance of continuous development and refinement in written communication.
• Oral Communication. Courses must include a minimum of two structured speaking assignments such as oral presentations, debates, or group projects with speaking components in which the speaking components represent significant effort and point total. Students must be given feedback and instruction related to the presentation of material. Mechanisms to ensure students reflect on their engagement with the fundamental skill must be included in the course.
• Quantitative Literacy. Courses must include at least three graded assignments representing a meaningful portion of the course grade that apply math concepts, interpreting data, or solving quantitative problems. Mechanisms to ensure students reflect on their engagement with the fundamental skill must be included in the course.
• Data Literacy. Courses must include a variety of assignments that individually or collectively represent significant effort and point total that emphasize data management (collecting, organizing, managing data), data visualization, and date interpretation). Students should use one or more data management visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, Excel, Google data studio, geographic information systems).

Cultural Knowledge (3 credits). Students will demonstrate an understanding of varied cultural perspectives and traditions and critically analyze how culture creates and transforms individual experiences and social relations. Students will engage in dialogue across differences, fostering an understanding of how approaching diversity with respect and empathy can promote human dignity. Courses should explore how various systems, laws, and practices—both historical and contemporary—can affect individuals and communities in meaningful ways.

Attributes of a Cultural Knowledge Course

A Cultural Knowledge course will:

• Examine cultural perspectives, traditions, identities, experiences, customs, or worldviews.
• Analyze how culture shapes experiences, social relationships, communities, institutions, or societies.

• Systems and Structures: Examining how laws, institutions, policies, practices, and social structures affect individuals and communities across different cultural contexts.
• Empathy and Human Dignity: Engaging with diverse perspectives in ways that foster understanding, respect, empathy, and recognition of human dignity.
• Cultural Change and Transformation: Examining how cultures evolve, adapt, interact, and influence one another across historical and contemporary contexts.
• Advocacy and Cultural Change: Examine how advocacy is used to change culture.

Cultural Knowledge Methods & Approaches

• Cultural Analysis: Examining cultural beliefs, values, practices, traditions, identities, symbols, or forms of expression and their significance within particular communities or societies.
• Comparative Cultural Analysis: Investigating similarities and differences among cultures, cultural groups, traditions, or worldviews to better understand human diversity and shared experiences.
• Historical and Contemporary Contextual Analysis: Examining how cultural perspectives, identities, and practices develop and change across time and place.
• Systems and Structural Analysis: Investigating how laws, institutions, policies, social structures, and cultural practices influence individual experiences and community outcomes.
• Narrative and Lived Experience Analysis: Exploring cultural experiences through stories, testimonies, literature, media, oral histories, case studies, or other representations of human experience.
• Intercultural Dialogue and Perspective-Taking: Engaging with diverse viewpoints and experiences to develop understanding, empathy, and effective communication across differences.
• Critical Reflection: Examining one's own assumptions, perspectives, and cultural frameworks in relation to the experiences and perspectives of others.