University Park, Pa. -- Lisa R. Lattuca, associate professor of higher education and senior research associate at Penn State’s Center for the Study of Higher Education, has co-authored the second edition of the book titled "Shaping the College Curriculum: Academic Plans in Context" published this year by Wiley & Sons, with Joan S. Stark, professor emerita and dean emerita of the School of Education at the University of Michigan.
"Shaping the College Curriculum" focuses on curriculum development as an important decision-making process in colleges and universities. The authors define curriculum as an academic plan developed in a historical, social, and political context. They identify eight curricular elements that are addressed, intentionally or unintentionally, in developing all college courses and programs. By exploring the interaction of these elements in context they use the academic plan model to clarify the processes of course and program planning, enabling instructors and administrators to ask crucial questions about improving teaching and optimizing student learning.
This revised edition continues to stress research-based educational practices. It consolidates and focuses discussion of institutional and sociocultural factors that influence curricular decisions. All chapters have been updated with recent research findings relevant to curriculum leadership, accreditation, assessment, and the influence of academic fields, while two new chapters focus directly on learning research and its implications for instructional practice. A new chapter provides practical guidance to assist faculty members and administrators who are engaged in extensive program improvements.
Lattuca's research and teaching focuses on learning in higher education settings. Her publications address issues related to postsecondary curricula and teaching; learning by students and faculty; interdisciplinary research, teaching, and collaboration; disciplinary influences on college curricula and students’ learning experiences; and qualitative research methods. She is currently co-principal investigator for two studies of undergraduate engineering education.