Intellectual development: a complex teaching goal

Faculty goals for students' intellectual development in introductory colleg e courses were analysed to examine disciplinary differences and similaritie s. Intellectual development goals were defined as those concerned with rela tionships of ideas within disciplines, between disciplines, or with various aspects of students' lives. Faculty members usually assumed intellectual d evelopment goals would occur in conjunction with goals for knowledge acquis ition. Those teaching literature, history, and fine arts most often sought to help students see varied relationships, especially by fostering apprecia tion of the discipline's contributions to human culture and by attempting t o broaden students' horizons. Biology, social science and English compositi on instructors more frequently aimed to build connections with students' li ves and foster personal development. Mathematics and foreign language teach ers seldom emphasised intellectual development goals as defined here, Relat ively few instructors aimed for interdisciplinary relationships in introduc tory courses.