California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
Inspired by the mission that learning is preeminent at CSUF, and considering the newly established (January 2013) university
learning goals, the Academic Senate’s Assessment and Educational Effectiveness Committee (AEEC) and the Office of Academic
Programs request that each department/program provides a brief summary of the assessment activities and results for the periods of
AY 2012-2013 and AY 2013-2014. The information collected will be used to establish an accurate inventory of assessment activities
at CSUF, to fulfill internal and external accountability requirements, and to demonstrate CSUF’s progress in student learning
assessment.
We understand that parts of this survey may resemble forms you have completed in previous years. What we are particularly
interested in in this survey is how the department/program learning outcomes align with the new university learning goals, and what
is being done in your department/program to “close the loop” (i.e. use the assessment findings to improve student learning).
We ask each department/program to return the completed survey to their respective Dean’s Office by April 15, 2014. The Dean’s
Office will then compile and submit the surveys to the Office of Academic Programs. We apologize for the very tight turn-around
which is directly related to the new WASC reporting requirements and timeline.
Please also note that this survey is a one-time occurrence. We are in the process of establishing an assessment and educational
effectiveness plan, which will allow departments/programs to better plan their assessment and related reporting activities annually.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and effort.
Department/Program: ____Communication Studies_____
*** Thank you very much!
College: _____Communications___
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
1
California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
1. Summary of department/program SLOs and related assessment activities:
Please list ALL student learning outcomes (SLOs) for your department/program, based on their alignment with the newly established
6 university learning goals. These SLOs should include those for the GE program and the graduate programs(s). Please check the
appropriate box if a SLO is a GE or graduate program SLO.
For each SLO, please briefly describe any related assessment activities your department/program conducted in AY 2012-2013 and AY
2013-2014. These activities can include all aspects of assessment, ranging from planning data collection, data analysis, to datadriven changes or improvement at the course or program level.
Feel free to adjust the number of rows based on the number of SLOs for your department/program.
University
Learning Goal
1. Demonstrate
intellectual
literacy through
the acquisition of
knowledge and
development of
competence in
disciplinary
perspectives and
interdisciplinary
points of view.
Department/Program Student
Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
GE
SLO?
Graduate
SLO?
(Check if
yes)
(Check if
yes)
Related Assessment
Activities
2012-2013
4. Communication Theories and
Models: Communication Studies
majors should possess a basic
understanding of major theories,
models, concepts, principles, and
processes of human
communication.
5. Research Methods:
Communication Studies graduates
should possess a basic
understanding of fundamental
principles of research methods and
experimental design.
*** Thank you very much!
Related Assessment
Activities
2013-2014
Planned for 2014-2015:
Embedded questions on
the final exam, in both
HCOM 200 and HCOM
420.
Written assessment
coupled with final
exam in HCOM 308:
Students answer
basic questions about
a scholarly refereed
journal article
Written assessment
coupled with final exam
in HCOM 308: Students
answer basic questions
about a scholarly
refereed journal article
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
2
California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
Planned for 204-2015
using an established,
standardized scale in
HCOM 235, the
Foundation for Critical
Thinking Scale.
2. Think
critically, using
analytical,
qualitative and
quantitative
reasoning, to
apply previously
learned concepts
to new situations,
complex
challenges and
everyday
problems.
3. Argumentation and Critical
Thinking skills: Communication
Studies graduates should be able to
identify the basic elements of an
argument, advance a cogent
argument, apply basic tests of
evidence, and identify fallacies in
reasoning.
Yes
The choice of this
instrument was based
on academic research
demonstrating the
general validity of
student self-reporting
of learning (Richmond,
Gorham, & McCroskey,
1987).
Note: Other sales are
available, but they are
copyrighted and
therefore expensive.
*** Thank you very much!
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
3
California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
3. Communicate
clearly,
effectively, and
persuasively, both
orally and in
writing.
1. Self-Awareness of
Communication Competence:
Communication Studies graduates
should display self-awareness of
their own communication
competence across a variety of
communication settings
(interpersonal, small group,
organization, intercultural)
6. Presentation Skills:
Communication Studies graduates
should be able to generate and
present clear, coherent messages,
using appropriate proof and
supporting materials, in a variety of
communication contexts.
2. Communication Apprehension:
Communication Studies graduates
should exhibit lower
communication apprehension than
non-majors with little or no public
speaking experience.
*** Thank you very much!
Planned for 2014-2015,
using the Interactive
Media Package for
Assessment of
Communication and
Critical Thinking
(IMPACCT), which
provides a “3600”
assessment (Spitzberg,
2011)
Planned for 2014-2015,
using The Competent
Speaker Speech
Evaluation Form
Planned for 2014-2015,
using the Personal
Report of
Communication Anxiety
(PRCA) (McCroskey,
Beatty, Kearney, &
Plax, 1985)
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
4
California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
4. Work
effectively as a
team member or
leader to achieve
a broad variety of
goals.
5. Evaluate the
significance of
how differing
perspectives and
trends affect their
communities.
6. Presentation Skills:
Communication Studies graduates
should be able to generate and
present clear, coherent messages,
using appropriate proof and
supporting materials, in a variety of
communication contexts.
Planned for 2014-2015,
using the Verbal
Aggressiveness scale
(Infante & Rancer,
1986)
Yes
Note: Goal 6 includes a variety of
contexts, including small group
interaction
The overriding learning outcome
for the Communication Studies
major is for students to gain
communication competence, which
involves two sub-competencies;
communicating effectively, both
verbally and nonverbally, and
communicating appropriately, e.g.,
in ethical, socially appropriate ways.
*** Thank you very much!
HCOM 320 includes
assessments of
intercultural
communication
competence
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
5
California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
6. Recognize their
roles in an
interdependent
global
community.
7. Appropriate, Responsible
Communication: Communication
Studies graduates should
communicate in ethically
appropriate, culturally sensitive
ways.
HCOM 320 includes
assessment of
intercultural
communication
competence, including
the Ethnocentrism scale
(Neuliep & McCroskey,
1997)
2. Examples of SLO assessment and “closing the loop” process (i.e. use the assessment findings to improve student learning):
*** Thank you very much!
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
6
California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
Please choose 3 SLOs from the list above as examples to demonstrate the process of “closing the loop” for your department/program.
The process does not have to be confined to the periods of AY 2012-2013 and AY 2013-2014.
For each example, please provide the following details:
- Criteria for Success: The criteria or benchmark used to determine whether the SLO is met (e.g. Average score of 80% or
higher on an assessment task, 75% of the students received an A in an assessment task)
- Assessment Methods: The specific method(s) used to collect and analyze relevant data (e.g. student sampling strategy,
quantitative and/or qualitative methods, instruments, analysis methods)
- Assessment Findings: The findings regarding the corresponding SLO, as yielded by the assessment data and by judging these
data against the criteria for success
- Improvement Actions & Results: The specific improvement plans that reflect and address the assessment findings, and the
results of the improvement plans (e.g. revisions to the curriculum resulted in higher student achievement, interventions that led
to increased student satisfaction)
SLO
Criteria for Success
Assessment Methods
Assessment Findings
1) 2. Communication
Apprehension:
Communication
Studies graduates
should exhibit lower
communication
apprehension than
non-majors with little
or no public speaking
experience.
2) 3. Argumentation
and Critical Thinking
skills: Communication
Studies graduates
should be able to
90% of Communication
Studies majors will
score in the low to
average range for
communication
apprehension
Personal Report of
Communication Anxiety
(PRCA) (McCroskey,
Beatty, Kearney, &
Plax, 1985)
No data collected so far
Improvement Actions
& Results
Depends on results
60% of Communication
Studies majors will
score in the medium to
high range for
argumentativeness
Argumentativeness
Scale, Infante, D. A., &
Rancer, A. S. (1982). A
conceptualization and
measure of
No data collected so far
Depends on results
*** Thank you very much!
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
7
California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
identify the basic
elements of an
argument, advance a
cogent argument, apply
basic tests of evidence,
and identify fallacies in
reasoning.
Fewer than 40% of
Communication Studies
majors will score in the
high range for verbal
aggressiveness
argumentativeness.
Journal of Personality
Assessment, 46, 72-80.
Verbal Aggressiveness
Scale, Infante, D. A., &
Wigley, C. J. (1986).
Verbal aggressiveness:
An interpersonal
model and measure.
Communication
Monographs, 53, 61-69.
Foundation for Critical
Thinking scale, a
student selfassessment of how well
the course improved
student critical
thinking. The choice of
this instrument was
based on academic
research
demonstrating the
general validity of
student self-reporting
of learning (Richmond,
Gorham, & McCroskey,
1987).
Another critical
*** Thank you very much!
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
8
California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
thinking assessment
measure is currently
being developed by Dr.
John Reinard for future
use.
3) 6. Presentation
Skills: Communication
Studies graduates
should be able to
generate and present
clear, coherent
messages, using
appropriate proof and
supporting materials,
in a variety of
communication
contexts.
80% of Communication
Studies majors will meet
or exceed the mean
score on this scale
Although other
standardized scales are
available, they are
copyrighted and
therefore expensive
The Competent Speaker
Speech Evaluation Form
No data collected so far
Depends on results
Moreale, S., Moore, M.,
Surges-Tatum, D., &
Webster, L. (2007). The
competent speaker
speech evaluation form
(2nd ed.). Washington
DC: NCA.
3. Summary of the Assessment Process in your department/program:
Please briefly describe the assessment planning and implementation process (i.e. how the assessment process was planned and
conducted) in your department/program. Reflect upon the process to suggest its strengths and areas of improvement.
*** Thank you very much!
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
9
California State University, Fullerton
2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Assessment Activities & Results Survey
Brief summary of the
assessment planning &
implementation process
Strengths of the
assessment process
Areas of improvements
of the assessment
process
4. Additional Comments:
Please share your thoughts, insights, concerns, or any other comments regarding the assessment efforts at CSUF.
A good deal of data was collected in the last few years for the assessment of G.E. learning goals in HCOM 102 (Public Speaking),
HCOM 235 (Essentials of Argumentation) and HCOM 320 (Intercultural Communication). Despite repeated requests, however, there
has been no external funding or support to analyze the data.
*** Thank you very much!
Please email assessment@fullerton.edu if you have any questions.***
10