Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain

Robert Hutchins's General Education Plan for the undergraduate division of the University of Chicago, which he introduced shortly after assuming the presidency of the university in 1931, included an innovative curriculum. The curriculum consisted of 14 yearlong comprehensive courses, each integrating an academic discipline the physical, biological, and social sciences, and the humanities. Students demonstrated mastery of each course within the curriculum by passing a comprehensive examination that could be administered at any time. By stating the requirements for graduation in terms of examinations to be successfully completed, it was believed that students could be helped to see that they had responsibility for decisions about the rate at which they would complete the college program, as well as decisions about class attendance and the proper ...