Assessment in the Major

The campus’ Institutional Assessment Committee reviewed the Comprehensive Campus Assessment Plan and made recommendations to enhance the strategic role that assessment plays in decision-making activities at all levels on the campus. As part of this process, the committee asked for feedback on programs/majors related to 1) learning outcomes, 2) learning outcome assessment plans, and 3) how learning outcome assessment feedback is integrated into decision-making activities. The results are listed below.

LEARNING OUTCOME ASSESSMENT PLAN FEEDBACK
2006-07

Of the 34 programs/majors, 26 responded back. Looking at the current status of assessment of the majors:

The following is a table of how strongly the following statements describe each program’s Assessment Plan:

RESPONSE SCALE:

1=Not at all descriptive
2
3=Somewhat descriptive
4
5=Very descriptive
N/A

Our Assessment Plan:

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

Contains the program’s mission statement

N=1
5%

N=2
9%

N=2
9%

N=6
27%

N=11
50%

  

Shows how the program’s mission statement supports the mission of UWGB.

N=1
5%

N=3
14%

N=2
9%

N=4
18%

N=11
50%

N=1
4%

Identifies the core competencies that students should be able to demonstrate in their lives/career upon completion of the program. [Competencies relate to what the students are actually able to do. They are not the same as a learning outcome but rather reflect abilities/actions that an integration of the outcomes would help achieve.]

  

N=1
4%

N=2
9%

N=5
23%

N=14
64%

  

States the program’s global learning outcomes and how they support the core competencies and the program’s mission

  

N=1
4%

N=5
23%

N=4
18%

N=12
55%

  
             

Discusses how the broad global learning outcomes reflect the expectations of external constituents who hire program’s graduates

N=1
4%

N=3
14%

N=4
18%

N=3
14%

N=9
41%

N=2
9%

Identifies learning outcomes unique to the major/emphasis area.

  

N=1
4%

N=1
5%

  

N=18
82%

N=2
9%

Articulates how the learning outcomes for the different majors or emphasis link to the global learning outcomes for the program.

N=2
9%

N=1
4%

N=5
23%

  

N=4
18%

N=10
46%

Describes multiple methods of assessing how effectively students can demonstrate the learning outcomes.

N=1
5%

  

N=2
9%

N=3
14%

N=15
68%

N=1
4%

Contains a process to ensure that multiple sections of a course are grounded in the same global learning outcomes.

N=1
4%

N=2
9%

N=1
5%

N=4
18%

N=5
23%

N=9
41%

Contains a process for developing criteria that will be used to develop and review the content of the methods used to evaluate how well students demonstrate the program’s broad global learning outcomes.

N=1
5%

N=5
23%

N=4
18%

N=4
18%

N=6
27%

N=2
9%

Contains a process for separating evaluation of class assignments for a course grade from evaluation of questions, projects, performances, thesis, etc. for learning outcomes assessment purposes.

N=1
4%

N=1
4%

N=3
14%

N=11
50%

N=3
14%

N=3
14%

Contains a process for ensuring that there are learning outcomes established for all courses related to learning expected from that course.

N=2
9%

  

N=6
27%

N=5
23%

N=8
36%

N=1
5%

Contains a process for ensuring that course learning outcomes are identified on course syllabi

N=7
32%

N=4
18%

N=4
18%

N=3
14%

N=3
14%

N=1
4%

Contains a process for documenting how learning in each course will be assessed and communicated to students.

N=6
27%

N=2
9%

N=5
23%

N=1
5%

N=6
27%

N=2
9%

Contains a process for ensuring that the relationship between course learning outcomes and the program’s global learning outcomes are communicated to students.

N=3
14%

N=6
27%

N=7
32%

N=2
9%

N=1
4%

N=3
14%

Discusses the role that faculty are expected play in assessing their learning outcomes.

N=1
4%

N=1
5%

N=3
14%

N=4
18%

N=11
50%

N=2
9%

Identifies how learning outcome assessment engagement is to be used by faculty as part of their annual performance reports, renewal documents, and tenure and promotion documents.

N=9
41%

N=1
4%

N=2
9%

N=3
14%

N=4
18%

N=3
14%

Identifies learning outcomes that are clearly tied to meeting the aims of general education requirements (if the program has courses that contribute to general education.)

N=2
9%

  

N=3
14%

N=2
9%

N=5
23%

N=10
45%
             

Identifies learning outcomes that are clearly tied to meeting the aims of the writing emphasis requirement (if the program has courses that contribute to the writing requirement.

N=2
9%

N=1
4%

  

N=6
27%

N=10
46%

N=3
14%

Describes how the program will assess its contribution to interdisciplinary education.

N=6
27%

  

N=5
23%

N=2
9%

N=7
32%

N=2
9%

Identifies a process for the regular review and revision of the program’s assessment plan, learning outcomes and competencies

N=4
18%

N=3
14%

N=4
18%

N=4
18%

N=7
32%

  

Identifies how information gained from the evaluation of learning outcome assessment criteria, methods, and findings will be used in programmatic decisions [for example, curriculum design, course and number of sections offered, program review, strategic planning, faculty recruitment, and faculty training and development

N=2
9%

  

N=2
9%

N=5
23%

N=11
50%

N=2
9%

Methods currently used by each program to assess student learning:

 

Course Grades

GPA in the Major/Minor

Direct Performance Measures

Embedded Assessment Activities

Faculty Professional Judgment

External Critiques

Capstone Course

SPAN

x

x

x

x

x

    

SOC WRK

x

x

  

x

x

    

SOC
C D

x

x

x

x

x

  

x

PUB ADM

x

    

x

  

x

  

POL SCI

x

x

x

x

x

    

PSYCH

    

x

        

PHIL

    

x

        

NURS

x

  

x

      

x

MUSIC

x

x

x

  

x

x

  

MATH

        

x

    

INFO SCI

    

x

x

x

  

x

HUM STUD

x

      

x

  

x

HUM DEV

x

x

x

x

    

x

HIST

    

x

  

x

  

x

GRMN

x

x

x

x

x

x

  

FREN

x

  

x

x

x

x

  

ENV SCI

        

x

    

ENV P&P

x

    

x

  

x

  

ENGL

    

x

        

ERTH SCI

x

x

x

  

x

x

  

COMP SCI

              

COMN ART

x

  

x

  

x

x

  

COMM

x

x

x

  

x

  

x

BUS ADM

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

ART

x

x

x

x

x

x

  

ACCTG

x

x

x

x

x

x

x
 

Course Grades

GPA in the Major/Minor

Direct Performance Measures

Embedded Assessment Activities

Faculty Professional Judgment

External Critiques

Capstone Course

N=18, 69%__Course Grades
N=12, 46%_ GPA in the Major/Minor
N=19, 73%_ Direct Performance Measures [i.e.: comprehensive exam, portfolios, projects, presentations].
N=13, 50%_ Embedded Assessment Activities
N=18, 69%_ Faculty Professional Judgment
N=10, 39%_ External Critiques [i.e.: adjudicators, reviewers, internship Sponsors, professional certifications]
N=9, 35%_ Capstone Course
______ Other [Please identify other methods used]

 

Methods currently used to assess the quality of teaching:

 

CCQ is administered in all or most classes

A form other than the CCQ is used in most or all courses

Program participates in formal teacher observation

Faculty maintain a teaching portfolio

SPAN

x

      

SOC WRK

  

x

x

  

SOC C D

x

x

    

PUB ADM

x

x

    

POL SCI

x

      

PSYCH

x

      

PHIL

  

x

    

NURS

x

      

MUSIC

x

      

MATH

x

      

INFO SCI

x

      

HUM STUD

  

x

  

x

HUM DEV

x

      

HIST

        

GRMN

x

  

x

  

FREN

  

x

  

x

ENV SCI

x

      

ENV P&P

x

x

    

ENGL

  

x

    

ERTH SCI

x

      

COMP SCI

x

      

COMN ART

x

      

COMM

x

x

  

x

BUS ADM

x

      

ART

x

      

ACCTG

x

      
 

CCQ is administered in all or most classes

A form other than the CCQ is used in most or all courses

Program participates in formal teacher observation

Faculty maintain a teaching portfolio

N=20, 77%_ The CCQ is administered in most or all classes
N=9, 35%_ A form selected by this program that is different fromthe CCQ is administered in most or all classes
N=2, 8%_ The program participates in a formal program of teacher observation
N=3, 12%_ Faculty maintaina teaching portfolio
________ Other [Please identify other methods used]

Programs that collect student end-of-course survey data about teaching use the results for various reasons:

N=19, 73%_ All scores are considered during the merit review process
N=2, 8%_ Scores that the instructor chooses to enter into his/her file are considered during the merit review process
N=1, 4%_ Scores are not considered during merit review
N=5, 19%_ Some or all scores are used to evaluateon-going teaching improvement efforts
_______ Other [Please identify other uses]

Based on the recommendations from each program's most recent self-study:

N=1, 4%_ No changes were suggested as part of the self study process
N=5, 19%_ All changes have been implemented
N=9, 35%_ We are implementing the changesand expect to eventually address allchanges suggested in the self study
N=9, 35%_ Important suggested changesare not being considered because of fiscal constraints