components as we examine case law, simultaneously sharpening each student’s ability for critical thinking. This provides a capstone learning experience for Colonnade courses, including English, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, Gender and Women’s Studies, Leadership, Religious Studies, Institute for Citizenship and Social Responsibility, Economics, African American Studies, Political Science, History, Public Health, Social Work, and Criminology. In evaluating how gender has impacted the U.S legal system by building upon multiple disciplines, this course fulfills WKU’s mission to prepare students to become engaged and socially responsible citizen leaders. 4. List the course goals, and explain how they are aligned with the Connections student learning outcomes. Connections Student Learning Outcomes How does the course meet these learning outcomes? Analyze the development of self in relation to others and society. Students will analyze the treatment of women in, and by, the U.S. legal profession, at federal, state, and local levels. A variety of topics will be covered in the course from racialized gender, reproductive freedom, workplace discrimination, and the history of marriage. Students will analyze these topics through scholarly readings, case law analysis, listening to opinions and/or dissents from the bench, and participating in informed debates and discussions. Students will also study the historical, contemporary, and future significance of the female Justices appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Examine diverse values that form civically engaged and informed members of society. Students will examine the intersection of gender and law, along with other factors including race, religion, sexual orientation, and status. Students will analyze and interpret federal case law and will be required to participate in informed debates and discussions. Through this process, they will be able to develop viewpoints on important legal struggles facing women in American society. They will examine and evaluate how social and cultural values have evolved over time and will analyze how these shaping values may have shaped the Court’s opinions. Evaluate solutions to real-world social and cultural problems. Students will evaluate solutions to facing gender discrimination in institutional settings at local, state, and federal levels. This course prepares students for facing types of discrimination in the workplace or other institutional settings and gives them practical skills for what to do when encountering it. This helps students develop value systems they will need when facing real-world social and cultural problems relating to gender issues. Additionally, students will focus on policy making skills in this course. Without a
6b. Include the rubric that will be used for Connections assessment. The following will be used for the assessment of the final research paper. Criteria/Scale Capstone (4) Milestones (3) Milestones (2) Benchmark (1) Analyze the development of self in relation to others and society. (modified from item 4 of the Inquiry and Analysis AAC& U VALUE Rubric) Organizes and synthesizes evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, or similarities related to law and women issues. Organizes evidence to reveal important patterns, differences or similarities related to law and women issues. Organizes evidence, but the organization is not effective in revealing important patterns, differences or similarities related to law and women issues. Lists evidence, but it is not organized and/or is unrelated to law and women issues. Examine diverse values that form civically engaged and informed members of society. (modified from item 5 of the Global Learning AAC&U VALUE Rubric) The student can use deep knowledge of the historic and contemporary role and differential effects on human organizations, and actions in and by the US legal profession, to develop and advocate for informed, appropriate action to solve complex problems. The student can examine major elements of the US legal profession, including their historic and contemporary interconnections and the differential effects on human organizations and actions, to pose elementary solutions to complex problems. The student examines the historical and contemporary roles, interconnections, and differential effects on human organizations and actions in and by the US legal profession. The student identifies the basis role of some institutions, ideas, and processes in and by the US legal profession. Evaluate solutions to real-world social and cultural problems. (modified from item 4 of the Problem Solving AAC& U VALUE Rubric) The evaluation of solutions to law and women issues is deep and elegant (i.e., contains thorough and insightful explanation) and includes, deeply and thoroughly, all of the following: considers history of the problem, reviews The evaluation of solutions to law and women issues is adequate (i.e., contains thorough explanation) and includes the following: considers history of problem, reviews logic/reasoning, examines The evaluation of solutions to law and women issues is brief (i.e., explanation lacks depth) and includes the following: considers history of problem, reviews logic/reasoning The evaluation of solutions to law and women issues is superficial (i.e., contains cursory explanation) and includes the following: considers history of problem,