Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge (ASK)
At Northwest Vista College, we strive to educate the whole person, and to instill in our students the Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge (ASK) they will need to succeed in the world. This effort goes beyond teaching the essential academic foundations, into such areas as critical thinking, teamwork, ethical behavior and a quest for lifelong learning. Specifically, the Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge we focus on are:
Attitudes –
- (A1) Practice personal integrity and social responsibility
- (A2) Commit to lifelong learning and wellness
- (A3) Accept the reality of change, nuance and uncertainty
- (A4) Accept the reality of diversity and differences in people and ideas
Skills –
Knowledge -
Purpose of ASK -
At its most basic level, the purpose of ASK is to evaluate and improve student learning outcomes. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) both require assessment of student learning outcomes. However, NVC’s vision “…to become responsible members of the world community…” and Dr. Claunch’s personal philosophy and guidance led us to look beyond traditional student assessments. In the 2004-2005 Northwest Vista College Bulletin, Dr. Claunch’s welcome letter states, “At Northwest Vista College we value a quality learning environment in which each person can grow as a worker and a citizen while acquiring knowledge and understanding of self, community, and our cultural diversity.”
The greater purpose of ASK is to ensure students who complete a degree at NVC have been exposed to a wide variety of educational opportunities –academic, skills-based, and attitudinal. In short, we want to educate the whole person, not just the academic student. We believe this is the best way to be “responsible members of the world community.”
For more detailed information about our ASK initiative, please visit our Faculty Resources page. |
