Motlow State Community College
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Use of Assessment Results
Spring Semester 2008
Program Title: General Education, University Parallel Major
Course: ECON 2020, Principles of Economics II
Expected Student Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Students will recognize and explain the significance of economics as an academic discipline
and how it relates to the social interactions between individuals, institutions, structures
and processes in a diverse society.
Students will analyze and communicate the methodology, values and processes that are
used to formulate general economic theories regarding the social context of individual and
institutional behavior.
Students will appraise the relationship and behavioral interaction between the different
economic players and the impact that interaction has on social development and the
quality of life for individuals, families and communities.
Students will express an understanding of fundamental economic concepts associated
with recognizing and appreciating the cultural diversity of the society in which they live
and how those concepts are influenced and impacted by a global culture.
Students define and discuss different economic systems existing in the world and how
those systems interact and affect the political, economical, cultural and social behavior of
the different societies.
Students will discuss the microeconomic relationships existing between individuals,
households, businesses and governmental institutions, and the impact those relationships
have on personal and social behavior.
Students will analyze the microeconomic ramifications and impact of marketplace activities
on the social behavior of individuals, households, businesses and government.
Students will critically analyze the microeconomic functions of government and the impact
it has on personal behavior, social development and the general quality of life for all
persons.
Students will recognize and describe basic microeconomic theory and pursuant policy
making processes to help them formulate their personal views and opinions concerning
existing and/or proposed social and behavioral state of affairs.
Performance Measure(s): Imbedded assessment.
Each instructor teaching an on ground ECON 2020, Principles of Economics II course will incorporate the
following questions in the course examinations, as outlined in the tables below.
Effectiveness Standard:
Examination Questions
1. Briefly explain the
basic concepts of
supply, demand, and
market equilibrium
(interaction of
“buyer” and “seller”).
2.
3.
Total Points
Six points.
Two points for briefly explaining supply.
Expected Student
Outcomes
It is expected that 70% of the
students will successfully
pass by achieving a minimum
of four points.
Learning
Outcome(s)
1,2, 3, 4
It is expected that 70% of the
students will successfully
pass by achieving a minimum
of four points.
1,2,3,4,5,6
It is expected that 70% of the
students will successfully
pass by achieving a minimum
of five points.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
It is expected that 70% of the
students will successfully
pass by achieving a minimum
of three points.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7
It is expected that 70% of the
students will successfully
pass by achieving a minimum
of four points.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Two points for briefly explaining
demand.
Two points for briefly explaining market
equilibrium (interaction of “buyer” and
“seller”).
Six points.
Briefly explain the
behavior and
decisions of
Three points for explaining the “price
consumers and
elasticity of demand.”
businesses as
illustrated in the
Three points for explaining the “price
“price elasticity of
elasticity of supply.”
demand” and price
elasticity of supply.”
Identify the four basic Eight points.
market structures and
briefly explain the social One point each for identifying the four
efficiency of each
basic market structures: Pure
structure.
competition, monopoly, monopolistic
competition, & oligopoly.
One point each for explaining the social
efficiency of each of the four basic
market structures.
4.
5.
Explain “derived
demand” and identify
the three
determinants of
resource demand.
Identify and briefly
explain the two basic
forms of unionism,
and how those
unions control
worker wages.
Five points.
Two points for explaining “derived
demand.”
One point each for identifying the three
determinants of demand: product
demand, productivity, prices of other
resources.
Six points.
One point each for identifying the two
basic types of unions: exclusive (craft
unions) and inclusive (industrial unions).
Two points each for briefly explaining
how the two basic types of unions
control worker wages.
The Chair of the Business and Technology Department will compile the data and prepare a report for
both courses using the designated Student Learning Outcomes. The report will be prepared and
submitted to the Director of Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness within six weeks of the
end of the semester in which the assessment was completed.
Assessment Results:
2020 Sections
F01
L07
L01/M01
L03
F03/L05/M03/S03
S01
Question Pass/Fail Pass/Fail Pass/Fail Pass/Fail
Pass/Fail
Pass/Fail
20/4
12/4
40/10
27/4
34/6
24/11
1
Analysis: 157 passed/39 failed for a passing rate of 75%. Expected SLO achieved by sections except
for S01. Question will be reviewed for validity and monitored.
18/6
11/5
39/11
24/7
30/10
23/12
2
Analysis: 145 passed/51 failed for a passing rate of 65%. Expected SLO was not achieved for F01, L07
& S01 but was achieved by L01, M01 & L03. Question will be reviewed for validity and monitored.
3
Analysis: 169 passed/27 failed for a passing rate of 84%. Expected SLO achieved by sections except
for S01. Question will be reviewed for validity and monitored.
4
Analysis: 165 passed/31 failed for a passing rate of 81%. Expected SLO achieved. No corrective action
required.
5
Analysis: 168 passed/28 failed for a passing rate of 83%. Expected SLO achieved. No corrective action
required.
21/3
21/3
22/2
14/2
15/1
14/2
46/4
44/6
42/8
27/4
25/6
26/5
35/5
33/7
36/4
26/9
27/8
28/7
Use of Assessment Results:
Reference the analysis of each question provided above. Overall, the expected learning outcome of 70%
was achieved on all but one question, question #2. The assessment score achieved on question #2 in
the previous assessment period was 81%. This represents a decrease of 16%. As noted in the question
analysis, only two sections achieved the desired results. An in-depth analysis will be completed on this
question. While the majority of the questions achieved the overall expected outcome of 70% or better,
there is some concern that section S01 only achieved that outcome on two of the questions.
Consequently, a review will be completed on the instructional content and method of the course
instructor. Based on the review of question #2 and the instructional methodology associated with the
instructor of section S01, changes will be implemented as deemed necessary. On a positive note, the
overall results associated with questions #1, 3, 4 and 5 show a significant increase over the previous
spring 2008 results: 4% increase for #1, a 10% increase for #3, a 10% increase for #4 and a 9% increase
for #5.