Transformational Change Initiative
Innovative Curriculum
The Transformational Change Initiative is a true reflection of WSU’s commitment to excellence in education.
The following outline describes how we are investing our time and energy to support students’ success throughout their education at WSU.
Years 1 – 2
The first and second-year undergraduate curriculum will be advanced by the development of pedagogical and behavioral modules and the introduction and expansion of inquiry-based instruction. The goal is to increase the level of active engagement and collaborative learning at the very outset of students’ academic careers at WSU.
In addition, these curricular changes will be accompanied by faculty development opportunities in which instructors experienced in innovative pedagogical approaches will provide training to instructors teaching courses targeted for implementation.
Years 3 +
Year three through graduation will utilize a scaffold framework to appropriately sequence students’ exposure to learning opportunities across their undergraduate career such that their early exposure to inquiry-based problem-solving enables them to successfully transition to unique, individualized experiential learning opportunities at later time points in their training.
These include peer mentoring and programming to first-year students to facilitate early awareness of and later engagement in experiential learning opportunities (as early as year two), an advisory network highlighting opportunities for experiential learning and hands-on training across a variety of colleges, contexts, disciplines, and interest areas, an undergraduates’ scholar program.
Student videos: classroom engagement
High Impact Educational Practices
High impact practices are beneficial for college students from many backgrounds. Widely tested practices take different forms and WSU offers many options for students to access these effective practices that contribute to their cumulative learning. Active learning is a key ingredient in most high impact options, increasing rates of student retention and engagement.
Other useful links for high impact practices by category include the following:
Research Experience
Civic Engagement & Outreach
Distinguished Scholars
Leadership
- ASWSU
- Leadership Tier Programs
- Orientation Counselor
- Registered Student Organizations
- Residence Life