Student Learning Assessment Program
Response to Summary Form
Graduate Programs 2012
Department: Economics
Category
*
Level*
Learning
Objectives
How, Where,
and When
Assessed
Level 3, M.A.
Economics
Level 3, M.A.
Economics
Expectations
Results
Level 3, M.A.
Economics
Level 3, M.A.
Economics
How Results
Will be Used
Level 3, M.A.
Economics
Comments
Objectives are clear, measurable, and encompass the graduate
goals established by the Council on Graduate Studies.
Again, there is a solid mix of measures here with both direct
and indirect methods being employed. The use of rubrics is a
sound choice, and data points are varied and multiple. What
are you assessing at the graduate forum? You list that as a
place where assessment takes place, but the actual artifact
assessed isn’t clear; I am assuming that students are presenting
research. Is that a valid assumption? Will you be
administering the alumni survey next year since the last one
was done in 2006?
Expectations relate to measures chosen. The changes to your
minimum score seem to make sense at the graduate level.
Given the size of your program and the variations in data,
examining averages covering several years is a good idea. Is
the advisory board in place for the next academic year? It will
be interesting to see this new constituency group’s information
on your student data.
The feedback loop appears to be in place. What are you
learning from your assessment data? You give the data here,
but there is little discussion in Parts II and III concerning what
the data tell you.
Levels should not be interpreted as grades or scores; they are stages of implementation based on patterns of
characteristics described by North Central Association. These levels are approximations based on the information
provided in the summaries. Please refer to the checklist for the Primary Traits listed for each level on the
assessment web site at www.eiu.edu/~assess.