General Education Senior Level
Assessment Report
DRAFT January 14, 2008
Report prepared by:
Survey developed by:
Budget, Planning and Analysis
Planning and Review
Committee (PRC)
Institutional Research
Contact:
Meridith Wentz
Tynan Heller, GA
Report Prepared for:
Distribution of report:
General Education Assessment Task Force
Alan Block, Chair
Faculty Senate
Provost’s Office
General Education Assessment Task Force
Jerry Kapus, Chair
Julie Furst-Bowe, Provost
Alan Block, Chair
General Education Senior Level Assessment Survey
Executive Summary
The following is a summary of the main findings from the General Education Senior Level
Assessment survey, conducted each year for the past ten years. This report focuses on the
results from the past two years, and makes comparisons to the first year that the survey was
conducted. The senior students who completed this survey are the third cohort group who
received laptop computers (during freshmen orientation) as part of the e-scholar program.
Main findings:
¾ Mean ratings decreased from 2006 to 2007 for all 24 questions. This decrease was
statistically significant for all questions.
¾ In comparison to the first year the survey was conducted, mean ratings on each
question have decreased by 0.33 or less, with the exception of “use communication
technologies when available” (which there was no change from 1998), “understand
social/ economic/ political forces” (which increased by .01 since 1998), “appreciate
value of history for current problems” (which increased by .07 since 1998).
¾ Overall, the question “value learning as a lifelong process” has remained the most
highly rated item.
¾ Analyses between the 1999 (second year) and 2007 surveys determined that 10 of the
25 items were statistically significant. The mean ratings decreased by an average of
0.26 on the following items:
– Write effectively
– Speak or present ideas effectively
– Listen effectively
– Synthesize information
– Make decisions and act responsibly on them
– Develop a critically examined value system
– Maintain a sense of physical well-being
– Appreciate diversity
– Understand values/ideas/heritage of multiculture
– Value life-long aesthetic experiences
(A statistical comparison could not be completed with the 1998 data because the raw
data was not available.)
¾ Overall, from 1999 to 2007 most mean ratings decreased, with the exception of the
following three items that had an average increase of 0.06 (not statistically
significant):
– Communication technologies
– Understand how technology affects human experience
– Understand how technology affects the environment
Figure 1. How much did your general education course-work contribute to your personal
development of the following skills and abilities?
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
Mean
1998
3.0
2006
2007
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
So
Te
Te
* Items were not included on the 1998 survey.
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Figure 2. How much did your general education course-work contribute to your
knowledge, appreciation and values in the following areas?
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
1998
3.0
2006
2.5
2007
2.0
1.5
1.0
APPENDIX
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STOUT
General Education Senior Level Assessment
Please read the following background before answering question on this survey.
General Education is defined as:
¾ Part of every student’s course of study regardless of his or her degree
¾ Imparting common knowledge, intellectual concepts and attitudes that every educated person should possess
Approximately 1/3 of the credits required for a degree at UW-Stout must be in General Education. You took approximately 40 to 46 general
education credits. The following shows typical general education categories and some examples of courses in those categories.
General Education Categories
Examples of Courses
Communication Skills
Analytic Reasoning
Health and Physical Education
Humanities and the Arts
Social & Behavioral Sciences
Natural Sciences with Lab
Technology
Freshman English Composition; Fundamentals of Speech
Elementary Statistics; Calculus I; College Math I and II
Physical Activity Courses; Nutrition for Healthy Living; Lifespan Sexuality
American Literature; Western Civilization; Drawing; Modern World
Economics I; General Psychology; Lifespan Human Development; Sociology
Biology; General Chemistry; Physics
Exploring Technology; Communication and Information Technology
Thinking about your general education, please answer the following questions by circling your response.
A.
How much did your general education course-work contribute to your personal development
of the following skills and abilities. My general education course-work improved my ability to:
Degree of Influence
none
1. Write effectively
2. Speak or present ideas effectively
3. Listen effectively
4. Use communication technologies as they become available to me
5. Use logical and mathematical reasoning
6. Think creatively
7. Critically analyze information
8. Synthesize information
9. Make decisions and act responsibly on them
10. Develop a critically examined value system
11. Appraise the ethical consequences of decisions
12. Maintain a sense of physical well-being
13. Maintain a sense of mental well-being
B.
1998
N=305
3.59
3.69
3.40
3.50
3.27
3.44
3.51
3.29
3.50
3.21
3.30
3.10
3.22
Means
2006
N=602
3.58
3.72
3.48
3.69
3.46
3.56
3.62
3.41
3.70
3.34
3.47
3.26
3.36
strong
2007 Frequencies
2007
N=611
3.26*
3.40*
3.20*
3.50*
3.21*
3.29*
3..39*
3.14*
3.32*
3.07*
3.21*
2.93*
3.05*
1
2
3
4
5
20
18
47
27
42
43
22
30
51
68
57
94
72
97
89
103
79
117
90
79
100
83
99
94
115
112
245
197
197
161
230
200
219
268
178
213
192
197
195
198
246
208
248
165
188
213
174
210
172
190
147
174
50
61
56
93
54
82
73
36
84
54
72
56
57
How much did your general education course-work contribute to your knowledge, appreciation and values
in the following areas. My general education course-work improved my ability to:
Degree of Influence
none
14. Appreciate diversity
15. Appreciate the value of literature in expressing ideas
16. Understand the values, ideas and heritages of a multicultural world
17. Appreciate the fine and performing arts
18. Value lifelong aesthetic experiences
19. Understand how the natural and physical sciences affect daily life
20. Understand how technology affects human experience
21. Understand how technology affects the environment
22. Understand the effects of social, economic and political forces
23. Appreciate the value of history for current problems
24. Understand the effect of political ideas and systems
25. Value learning as a lifelong process
* statistical decrease (p < .05) from 2006 to 2007
1998
3.30
N/A
N/A
3.12
3.15
3.34
3.63
3.55
3.36
3.25
3.08
3.75
Means
2006
3.42
3.35
3.34
3.19
3.38
3.47
3.67
3.61
3.53
3.49
3.36
3.91
2007
3.23*
3.08*
3.16*
2.92*
3.00*
3.26*
3.53*
3.41*
3.37*
3.23*
2.97*
3.72*
1
54
47
43
79
62
43
34
48
31
42
64
25
strong
2007 Frequencies
2
3
4
110
185
140
132
194
171
127
192
152
154
163
134
139
192
144
108
165
208
72
140
240
76
152
223
82
202
201
107
186
191
134
195
157
66
126
212
5
107
52
79
66
59
71
106
97
81
69
44
166