General Studies Assessment Leslie Rach Gallaudet University, October 2008 Email: leslie.rach@gallaudet.edu Top Five Reasons to be your Department’s Assessment Coordinator • Bi-weekly flow of coffee and danish from Pat’s office. • Filling up spare hours formerly spent obsessing about the election. • Endless opportunities for career advancement. • The occasional chance to hobnob with MSCHE members. • It beats being a sub-prime mortgage lender. The General Education Assessment Cycle Write Learning Faculty Alter Instruction Outcomes Based on Results Decision Makers Discuss Results Develop Assessments Collect & Analyze Data The General Education Assessment Cycle Click the highest number of a statement that is true for you. 1. I’m new to classroom assessment. 2. Classroom assessment of students is routine for me. 3. I’ve helped implement program assessment. 4. I run program and/or institutional assessment. 25% 25% 0% 50% I’m new to classroom assessment. Classroom assessment of students is routine f... I’ve helped implement program assessment. I run program and/or institutional assessment... Have you ever used clickers to collect data? 1. 2. 3. 4. Not yet. No. It’s a bad idea. Yes. I’m glad I did. Yes. It was a bad idea. 5. I’m tired; can’t you just lecture? 25% 0% 0% 0% 75% Not yet. No. It’s a bad idea. Yes. I’m glad I did. Yes. It was a bad idea. I’m tired; can’t you just lecture? Which of the following best describes your department’s view of assessment efforts on campus? 1. It is critical for improving student learning experiences. 2. It takes away faculty time from doing original research in the discipline. 3. It’s okay as long as I don’t have to do it. 4. I want to learn more about it; I wish I had time. 25% 0% 50% 25% It is critical for improving student learning... It takes away faculty time from doing origin... It’s okay as long as I don’t have to do it. I want to learn more about it; I wish I had t... What is the HIGHEST step your department has achieved, even partially? 1. Write Learning Outcomes 2. Develop Assessments 3. Collect & Analyze Data 4. Decision Makers Discuss Results 5. Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results 6. None of the Above 37.5% 0% 25% 37.5% 0% 0% Write Learning Outcomes Develop Assessments Collect & Analyze Data Decision Makers Discuss Results Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results None of the Above What is the HIGHEST step your department has achieved completely? 1. 2. 3. 4. Write Learning Outcomes Develop Assessments Collect & Analyze Data Decision Makers Discuss Results 5. Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Result 6. None of the Above 25% 37.5% 12.5% 12.5% 12.5% 0% Write Learning Outcomes Develop Assessments Collect & Analyze Data Decision Makers Discuss Results Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Result None of the Above Click on the EASIEST step for your department 1. Write Learning Outcomes 2. Develop Assessments 3. Collect & Analyze Data 4. Decision Makers Discuss Results 5. Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results 0% 37.5% 25% 25% 12.5% Write Learning Outcomes Develop Assessments Collect & Analyze Data Decision Makers Discuss Results Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results Click on the HARDEST step for your department 1. Write Learning Outcomes 2. Develop Assessments 3. Collect & Analyze Data 4. Decision Makers Discuss Results 5. Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results 37.5% 0% 0% 12.5% 50% Write Learning Outcomes Develop Assessments Collect & Analyze Data Decision Makers Discuss Results Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results If you reached step 4, even partially, which step actually happened next? 1. Rewrote Learning Outcomes 2. Altered Assessments 3. Collect & Analyze Data 4. Decision Makers Discuss Results 5. Faculty Altered Instruction Based on Results 6. Nothing Happened. Which step is of most concern to FACULTY? 1. 2. 3. 4. Write Learning Outcomes Develop Assessments Collect & Analyze Data Decision Makers Discuss Results 5. Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results 6. None of the above 37.5% 0% 0% 25% 25% 12.5% Write Learning Outcomes Develop Assessments Collect & Analyze Data Decision Makers Discuss Results Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results None of the above Gallaudet Undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes Language and Communication Identity and Culture Critical Thinking Knowledge and Inquiry Ethics and Social Responsibility Continued next slide… Skills based outcomes are easier to assess than dispositions and knowledge. General Studies has gone through an assessment cycle with the following two outcomes: Language and communication Critical thinking Continued next slide… • Dispositions and knowledge outcomes have proven to be more difficult to assess than skills. We do not yet have instruments to assess these outcomes: Identity and Culture Knowledge and Inquiry Ethics and Social Responsibility Continued next slide… ASSIGNMENT FORMATTING AND CITING. Pre-College Skills Emerging Skills Developing Skills Mastering Skills Exemplary Skills 1 2 3 4 5 No regard for citing of Attempt to cite some sources. Does not follow sources but does so prompt directions. incorrectly. Follows prompt directions minimally. WRITTEN Pervasive sentence ENGLISH structure and grammatical CONVENTIONS errors completely distract and impede meaning. Attempt to cite most sources in assigned style, some cited incorrectly. Follows prompt directions. All sources cited in assigned style. Basics done correctly. Follows prompt directions. All sources cited; all citations done correctly in assigned style. Follows prompt directions. Many sentence structure and grammatical errors that often distract and obscure meaning. Sentence structure and grammatical errors may distract, but meaning is mostly clear. Most sentences are correct; Sentences are correct and may have some sentence structure convey meaning fluidly. or grammatical errors that do not impede or distract from meaning. CRITICAL THINKING No central point. No support for points. No analysis, synthesis, integration, or interpretation of ideas. Displays a central point, although not clearly developed. Weak or irrelevant support for central point. No synthesis, integration, or interpretation of ideas. Central point is adequately developed and clearly stated. Information and ideas are synthesized or integrated properly but perhaps superficially. Information is interpreted correctly most of the time. Central point is stated clearly. Information and ideas are synthesized or integrated properly and with depth of development. Information is interpreted correctly throughout. Central point is impressively stated. Information is synthesized, integrated, and interpreted in ways that contribute to a distinguished written work. ORGANIZATIO N OF IDEAS Introduction is illogical or missing. Structure within and between paragraphs is missing. Conclusion is illogical or missing. Introduction is weak; transitions within and between paragraphs are weakly articulated; structure of paragraphs and paper is emerging; conclusion is weak. Introduction is logical and helps articulate the overall plan for the paper. Transitions between and within paragraphs is logical; structure of paragraphs and paper follows logical plan; conclusion may be weak by simply repeating ideas from the paper. Introduction articulates the overall plan for the paper. Transitions between and within paragraphs contribute to a smooth flow of ideas; structure of paragraphs and paper are logical; conclusion is logical and does more than repeat ideas from the paper. Introduction uniquely articulates the overall plan for the paper. Transitions between and within paragraphs contribute to a smooth flow of ideas; structure of paragraphs and paper are logical; conclusion contributes to strength of paper by offering unique ideas not repeated from the paper. AUTHOR’S PERSONA, TONE, AND AUDIENCE AWARENESS Word choice is often Word choice and incorrect for the intended sentence structure may be audience. No evidence of inappropriate for audience. audience considerations in sentence structure. Word choice is often correct although paper may have occasional word choice errors. Sentence structure may not be varied or show awareness of the audience. Word choice is appropriate; sentence structure is consistent and appropriate for the intended audience. Word choice reflects flexibility of vocabulary and usage for intended audience. Sentence structure is varied and appropriate for the intended audience and reflects flexibility. GU Writing Rubric Categories ASSIGNMENT FORMATTING AND CITING. WRITTEN ENGLISH CONVENTIONS CRITICAL THINKING ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS AUTHOR’S PERSONA, TONE, AND AUDIENCE AWARENESS Average (mean) Student Writing Scores 101/102 150 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% PreCollege Developing Emerging Exemplary Mastering Critical Thinking Sub-Scale Data Organization of Ideas Sub-Scale Data What actions would you recommend? • Based on the writing data I showed, what can we do: • 1. at the course level? • 2. at the program level? • 3. at the institutional level? Photo Credits • Rubik’s Cube courtesy of cybertvnews.com