General Education Assessment Resource System (GEARS)
Tidewater Community College’s General Education Assessment Resource System, also known as GEARS, was created for faculty by the TCC Instruction Committee to support student achievement of the College’s General Education Competencies.
GEARS features:
- Information and best practices on effective assignment design
- Examples of faculty-developed assignments that support student achievement of General Education Learning Outcomes
- Information about the College’s General Education Assessment Program
- See TCC’s General Education Assessment Plan
- See TCC’s General Education Assessment Report
TCC’s General Education Competencies
Each course offering at TCC develops students in one or more of the following competencies. Faculty identify the competencies students develop for each course on the Official Course Outlines.
Civic Engagement is the ability to contribute to the civic life and well-being of local, national, and global communities as both a social responsibility and a life-long learning process. Degree graduates will demonstrate the knowledge and civic values necessary to become informed and contributing participants in a democratic society.
Critical thinking is the ability to use information, ideas and arguments from relevant perspectives to make sense of complex issues and solve problems. Degree graduates will create, evaluate, interpret, and combine information to reach well-reasoned conclusions or solutions.
Professional Readiness is the ability to work well with others and display situationally and culturally appropriate demeanor and behavior. Degree graduates will demonstrate skills important for successful transition into the workplace and pursuit of further education.
Quantitative Literacy (QL) is the ability to perform accurate calculations, interpret quantitative information, apply and analyze relevant numerical data, and use results to support conclusions. Degree graduates will calculate, interpret and use numerical and quantitative information in a variety of settings.
Scientific Literacy is the ability to apply the scientific method and related concepts and principles to make informed decisions and engage with issues related to the natural, physical, and social world. Degree graduates will recognize and know how to use the scientific method, and to evaluate empirical information.
Written Communication is the ability to develop, convey, and exchange ideas in writing, as appropriate to a given context and audience. Degree graduates will express themselves effectively in a variety of written forms.