Course Assessment: LC 111
LA Academy Cohort
Fall 2009
Date: 1-15-10
Department: Foreign Languages and Literatures
Course:
LC 111
Curriculum or Curricula: LA
PART I. STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
For Part I, attach the summary report (Tables 1-4) from the QCC Course Objectives Form.
TABLE 1. EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT
LC-111 is the first part of the introductory sequence of foreign language study (a requirement for a
successful transfer to the junior year of a baccalaureate program). It is a foundation course required for
(AA) degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Fine Arts, and Business Transfer.
TABLE 2. CURRICULAR OBJECTIVES
Note: Include in this table curriculum-specific objectives that meet Educational Goals 1 and 2:
Curricular objectives addressed by this course:
N/A
TABLE 3. GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES
Gen Ed
objective’s ID
number from
list (1-10)
General educational objectives addressed by this course: Select from preceding list.
(1) Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking.
(2) Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in
order to make informed decisions.
TABLE 4: COURSE OBJECTIVES AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course objectives
Learning outcomes
1. Provide basic information in
Chinese about yourself, your
classmates, family, friends and
hobbies.
Students will be able to talk about themselves by providing their
name, age, nationality, phone number and occupation. They will also
be able to describe their family, friends, or hobbies by answering
questions in prompted dialogues.
2. Demonstrate ability to
accomplish simple
communicative tasks on every
day topics such as greeting
people or introducing yourself to
others, or describing what you
like to do in your spare time.
Students will be able to greet people, introduce themselves, and
exchange personal information by participating in communicative
tasks in which they play the role of a student at QCC or a party guest
trying to make friends.
2
PART II. ASSIGNMENT DESIGN: ALIGNING OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND
ASSESSMENT TOOLS
For the assessment project, you will be designing one course assignment, which will address at least one general
educational objective, one curricular objective (if applicable), and one or more of the course objectives. Please
identify these in the following table:
TABLE 5: OBJECTIVES ADDRESSED IN ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT
Course Objective(s) selected for assessment: (select from Table 4)
1. Provide basic information in Chinese about yourself, your classmates, family, friends and hobbies.
2. Demonstrate ability to accomplish simple communicative tasks on every day topics such as greeting
people or introducing yourself to others, or describing what you like to do in your spare time.
Curricular Objective(s) selected for assessment: (select from Table 2)
N/A
General Education Objective(s) addressed in this assessment: (select from Table 3)
1. Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking.
2. Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to make
informed decisions.
In the first row of Table 6 that follows, describe the assignment that has been selected/designed for this project.
In writing the description, keep in mind the course objective(s), curricular objective(s) and the general education
objective(s) identified above,
The assignment should be conceived as an instructional unit to be completed in one class session (such as a lab) or
over several class sessions. Since any one assignment is actually a complex activity, it is likely to require that
students demonstrate several types of knowledge and/or thinking processes.
Also in Table 6, please
a) identify the three to four most important student learning outcomes (1-4) you expect from this assignment
b) describe the types of activities (a – d) students will be involved with for the assignment, and
c) list the type(s) of assessment tool(s) (A-D) you plan to use to evaluate each of the student outcomes.
(Classroom assessment tools may include paper and pencil tests, performance assessments, oral questions,
portfolios, and other options.)
Note: Copies of the actual assignments (written as they will be presented to the students) should be gathered
in an Assessment Portfolio for this course.
3
TABLE 6: ASSIGNMENT, OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Briefly describe the assignment that will be assessed:
This project will assess students’ speaking abilities at a novice-mid proficiency level as described in
ACTFL 2006 guidelines. Their conversational abilities will be assessed by role-play activities in which
both students and their instructor play a specific role. Students may play the role of a student at QCC,
or a party guest trying to make new friends, or may share some personal information with a classmate
(played by the instructor) about a best friend. Oral tasks will prompt the students to provide personal
information, i.e. their name, age, phone number, nationality, or describing their hobbies.
Desired student learning outcomes
for the assignment
(Students will…)
List in parentheses the Curricular
Objective(s) and/or General
Education Objective(s) (1-10)
associated with these desired learning
outcomes for the assignment.
Briefly describe the range of
activities student will engage in
for this assignment.
Role-play with a new
classmate, a close classmate or
a party guest.
What assessment tools will be
used to measure how well
students have met each learning
outcome? (Note: a single
assessment tool may be used to
measure multiple learning
outcomes; some learning
outcomes may be measured using
multiple assessment tools.)
Gen-Ed objective
(1) Communicate effectively
through reading, writing, listening
and speaking.
(2) Use analytical reasoning to
identify issues or problems and
evaluate evidence in order to make
informed decisions.
Curricular objectives
N/A
Students will be presented with
three situations. They will
select one at random. They will
then be asked to complete a
role-play task in which they
must either exchange personal
information with a new
acquaintance met at a party,
share personal information
with a new classmate, or share
personal information regarding
a best friend with a classmate
(see Appendix I).
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PART III. ASSESSMENT STANDARDS (RUBRICS)
Before the assignment is given, prepare a description of the standards by which students’ performance will be
measured. This could be a checklist, a descriptive holistic scale, or another form. The rubric (or a version of it) may
be given to the students with the assignment so they will know what the instructor’s expectations are for this
assignment.
Please note that while individual student performance is being measured, the assessment project is collecting
performance data ONLY for the student groups as a whole.
TABLE 7: ASSESSMENT STANDARDS (RUBRICS)
Brief description of assignment: (Copy from Table 6 above)
This project will assess students’ speaking abilities at a novice-mid proficiency level as described in
ACTFL 2006 guidelines. Their conversational abilities will be assessed by role-play activities in which
both students and their instructor play a specific role. Students may play the role of a student at QCC,
or a party guest trying to make new friends, or may share some personal information with a classmate
(played by the instructor) about a best friend. Oral tasks will prompt the students to provide personal
information, i.e. their name, age, phone number, nationality, or describing their hobbies.
Desired student learning
outcomes from the
assignment: (Copy from
Column 1, Table 6 above;
include Curricular and /or
General Education Objectives
addressed)
Gen-Ed objectives
(1) Communicate
effectively through
reading, writing, listening
and speaking.
2) Use analytical
reasoning
to identify issues or
problems and evaluate
evidence in order to make
informed decisions.
Assessment measures for
each learning outcome:
(Copy from Column 3,Table 6
above)
Students will be presented
with three situations. They
will select one at random.
They will then be asked to
complete a role-play task in
which they must either
exchange personal
information with a new
acquaintance met at a party,
share personal information
with a new classmate, or
share personal information
regarding a best friend with
a classmate.
Standards for student performance:
The parameters for measuring students’ speaking
abilities will be to determine whether:
(i) they understand the questions being
asked by the interlocutor,
(ii) they are accurate with regard to their
use of Chinese syntactic structures and
vocabulary,
(iii) they are understood by the
interlocutor by using the appropriate
intonation and pronunciation, and
(iv) they speak with some degree of
fluidity.
75% of the students tested are anticipated
to meet the course’s expectations as
described in the attached rubric (see
Appendix II).
Curricular objectives
N/A
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PART IV. ASSESSMENT RESULTS
TABLE 8: SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Use the following table to report the student results on the assessment. If you prefer, you may report outcomes
using the rubric(s), or other graphical representation. Include a comparison of the outcomes you expected (from
Table 7, Column 3) with the actual results. NOTE: A number of the pilot assessments did not include expected
success rates so there is no comparison of expected and actual outcomes in some of the examples below. However,
projecting outcomes is an important part of the assessment process; comparison between expected and actual
outcomes helps set benchmarks for student performance.
TABLE 8: SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Desired student learning outcomes:
(Copy from, Column 1,Table 6 above;
include Curricular and/or General
Education Objectives addressed)
Student achievement: Describe the group achievement of each
desired outcome and the knowledge and cognitive processes
demonstrated.
Gen-Ed objectives
See Table 9.
Communicate effectively through
reading, writing, listening and
speaking.
Curricular objectives
N/A
6
TABLE 9. EVALUATION AND RESULTING ACTION PLAN
In the table below, or in a separate attachment, interpret and evaluate the assessment results, and describe the
actions to be taken as a result of the assessment. In the evaluation of achievement, take into account student
success in demonstrating the types of knowledge and the cognitive processes identified in the Course
Objectives.
A. Analysis and interpretation of assessment results:
What does this show about what and how the students learned?
36 students completed the speaking task in Chinese, and their performance was rated
according to five parameters: listening comprehension, fluidity, pronunciation,
vocabulary and grammar. Student performance was scored using the above-mentioned
scoring rubric.
The average score achieved for listening comprehension was 3.36, for pronunciation was
3.03, for fluidity of speech was 3.02, for proficient use of vocabulary was 3.5, and for
accuracy of grammar was 3.61. On all these parameters, students on average met
expectations (see Chart 1):
Chart 1
The total points a student could achieve (adding up all five parameters, each worth a
maximum of four points) was 20. The scale agreed upon beforehand by the Assessment
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Committee defined the following ranges: 0-5 points= student performance does not meet
expectations; 6 – 10 points= student performance almost meets expectations; 11-15
points= student performance meets expectations; 16-20= student performance exceeds
expectations.
The average of total points achieved by students tested in Chinese was 16.72. According
to the scale, this average falls in the 16-20 range, signifying that student overall
performance on the task exceeds expectations.
The Assessment Committee also predicted that 75% of students tested would achieve a
score indicating that their performance meets expectations. The results for percentage of
students who achieved each performance level in Chinese are the following: 3% of
students scored at Level 2, 6-10 points, and their performance almost meets expectations;
28% scored at Level 3, 11-15 points, and their performance meets expectations; finally,
69% scored at Level 4, and the quality of their performance exceeds expectations.
Combining Levels 3 and 4 gives us a total of 97% of students who meet or exceed
expectations, as defined by the scoring rubric (see Chart 2):
Chart 2
B. Evaluation of the assessment process:
What do the results suggest about how well the assignment and the assessment process
worked both to help students learn and to show what they have learned?
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The results of the speaking task in Chinese show that, as predicted, at least 75% of
students tested meet or exceed expectations on overall performance of the task: the actual
percentage of students tested in Fall 2009 who meet or exceed expectations is 97%. The
largest portion of students (69%) fell into the category rated as exceeding expectations;
that is, achieving 16-20 points out of 20. The percentage of students whose performance
almost meets expectations is 3%.
If we look at student performance according to individual parameters, the highest average
score was in accuracy of grammar (3.61) and in vocabulary (3.5). These parameters
require active knowledge of the material learned. Proficient use of vocabulary requires
memorization, and accurate application of the rules of grammar requires analytic skill.
The result demonstrates that the students not only learned the rules of grammar but were
able to apply them accurately in their speech. The daily quiz on vocabulary seemed to
have helped students perform well in this category. The third highest scoring parameter
was listening comprehension (3.36). This parameter requires the least analytic skill on the
part of the student.
The two lowest scoring parameters were pronunciation (3.03) and fluidity of speech
(3.02), keeping in mind that these two scores mean that the performance met the
expectations. Students showed a slight weakness in pronunciation perhaps due to the fact
that the pronunciation of Chinese is quite different from the students’ first language/s.
Another slight weakness was in fluidity, which seems to be a reflection of students’
struggle with pronunciation.
B2) Evaluation of the assessment
The results obtained seem to indicate that the assessment tools used and the assessment
process undertaken have been successful in accurately determining our students’ oral
proficiency level. Not only has it shown that more than three quarters of the students had
met the expectation, but it has also provided them with the appropriate tool that would
facilitate their learning process. In fact, the great majority of students took the speaking
task assessment very seriously and studied extensively for it.
Some faculty members, however, have indicated that there appears to be a wide gap in
terms of proficiency between the ‘meets the expectations’ and ‘exceeds the expectations’
levels. It has been speculated that this could be one of the reasons why the data reported
such a large number of students at a very high proficiency level. Therefore, it has been
suggested to add to the current rubric an intermediate proficiency level that would capture
those students that perform slightly above their course level.
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C. Resulting action plan:
Based on A and B, what changes, if any, do you anticipate making?
The overall average achieved by students on the speaking task in Chinese shows a
satisfactory result, with 97% of students meeting expectations as defined by the
Assessment Committee. The averages achieved on each individual parameter in Chinese
show areas of strength, as well as two areas of slight weakness: pronunciation and
fluidity. After discussion of the results across all languages taught in the department, it
has been decided by the Assessment Committee to postpone any changes in curriculum
emphases or instructional methodology until we have gathered more complete data,
including student performance on written tasks, as well as a second assessment using the
speaking task. After compiling and analyzing data for all assessment completed in
academic year 2009-2010, the Assessment Committee, in consultation with the faculty of
the department, will make recommendations concerning curriculum and classroom
practice for the 2010-2011 academic year.
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX I
SITUATIONS FOR ORAL ASSESSMENT IN CHINESE
Guidelines




It is a conversation between teacher and student (10 minutes)
Student select AT RANDOM one of the following three situations
Student should answer with complete sentences. English is not allowed.
Listening comprehension, fluidity, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar will be
evaluated

For top results;
a. Listening comprehension: understand the questions and respond easily without
probing.
b. Fluidity: speak continuously with few pauses or stumbling.
c. Pronunciation: pronounce properly.
d. Vocabulary: use the appropriate vocabulary.
e. Grammar: use correctly the required grammatical structures.
Study guide:
Practice the three situations and questions:
a. In class
b. With your classmates outside the classroom
c. With a tutor at the Student Learning Center
d. With your Mandarin speaking friends
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SITUATION 1: At QCC, talking with a new classmate
Imagine that your instructor is a new classmate of yours. She will ask you some questions to get
to know you better. She will also be interested in knowing what your hobbies are. You will be
asked to provide the following information:
-
Name, age, nationality, birthday & phone number
Your family
Your interests and pastimes
Possible questions:
1. 你 好。Nǐ hǎo .
2. 你 吃 飯 了 嗎？ Nǐ chī fàn le ma?
3. 你叫什麼名字﹖Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì？
3. 你 幾 歲? Nǐ jī suì?
4. 你 是 哪 國 人? Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
5. 你 家 有 幾 個 人 ? Nǐ jiā yǒu jī gè rén?
6. 你 有 幾 個 兄 弟 姊 妹？Nǐ yǒu jī gè xiōng dì zǐ mèi?
7. 你 的生 日 是 幾 月 幾 號? Nǐ de shēng rì shì jī yuè jī hào?
8. 你 做 什 麼工 作 ? Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?
9. 你 的 電 話 幾 號? Nǐ de diàn huà jī hào?
10. 你 週末 喜 歡 做 什 麼? Nǐ zhōumò xǐ huān zuò shénme?
11. 你 喜 歡 不 喜 歡 看 外 國 電 影﹖Nǐ xǐ huān bù xǐ huān kàn wài guó diàn yǐng?
12. 你 覺 得 看 電 視 有 意 思 嗎﹖Nǐ jué de kàn diànshì yǒu yì sī ma?
13. 你 週 末 常 常 跳 舞 嗎﹖Nǐ zhōu mò cháng cháng tiào wǔ ma?
14. 你 喜 歡 看 球 賽 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐ huān kàn qiú sài ma?
15. 你 喜 歡 打 球 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐ huān dǎ qiú ma?
16. 你 喜 歡 看 電視 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐ huān kàn diànshì ma?
17. 你 喜 歡 聽 音 樂 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐ huān tīng yīn yuè ma?
18. 你 今 天 晚 上 想 做 什 麼﹖Nǐ jīn tiān wǎn shàng xiǎng zuò shénme ?
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SITUATION 2: At QCC, talking about your best friend
Imagine that your instructor is a close classmate of yours. Talk to her about your best friend.
Your instructor will ask you questions about his/her personal information. She will also ask
about what she likes to do on the weekends.
You will be asked to provide the following information:
-
Personal information of your best friend: age, nationality, birthday, profession, family
What he/she likes to do on the weekend
What you and your best friend plan to do this weekend
Possible questions:
1. 你 好。Nǐ hǎo .
2. 你 吃 飯 了 嗎？ Nǐ chī fàn le ma?
3. 你的最好的朋友叫什麼名字﹖Nǐ de zuì hǎo de péng yǒu jiào shénme míngzì？
4. 他 幾 歲? Tā jī suì?
5. 他是 哪 國 人? Tā shì nǎ guó rén?
6. 他家 有 幾 個 人? Tā jiā yǒu jī gè rén?
7. 他有 幾 個 兄 弟 姊 妹？Tā yǒu jī gè xiōng dì zǐ mèi?
8. 他的生 日 是 幾 月 幾 號? Tā de shēng rì shì jī yuè jī hào?
9. 他做 什 麼工 作 ? Tā zuò shénme gōngzuò?
11. 他週末 喜 歡 做 什 麼? Tā zhōumò xǐhuān zuò shénme?
12. 他喜 歡 不 喜 歡 看 外 國 電 影﹖Tā xǐ huān bù xǐ huān kàn wài guó diàn yǐng?
13. 他覺 得 看 電 視 有 意 思 嗎﹖Tā jué de kàn diànshì yǒu yì sī ma?
14. 他週 末 常 常 跳 舞 嗎﹖Tā zhōumò cháng cháng tiào wǔ ma?
15. 他喜 歡 看 球 賽 嗎﹖Tā xǐhuān kàn qiú sài ma?
16. 他喜 歡 打 球 嗎﹖Tā xǐhuān dǎ qiú ma?
17. 他喜 歡 看 電視 嗎﹖Tā xǐhuān kàn diànshì ma?
18. 他喜 歡 聽 音 樂 嗎﹖Tā xǐhuān tīng yīn yuè ma?
19. 你們這個週末想 做 什 麼﹖ Nǐmen zhège zhōumò xiǎng zuò shénme?
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SITUATION 3: At a party, extending an invitation
Imagine that your instructor is someone you meet at a party. She will ask you questions about
your personal information. She will also ask about your favorite cuisine. The conversation will
lead to an invitation. You will be asked to provide the following information :
-
Name, age, nationality, profession, birthday, phone number
Your family
Your favorite cuisine
Possible questions:
1. 你 好。Nǐ hǎo .
2. 你 吃 飯 了 嗎？ Nǐ chī fàn le ma?
3. 你叫什麼名字﹖Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì？
3. 你 幾 歲? Nǐ jī suì?
4. 你 是 哪 國 人? Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
5. 你 家 有 幾 個 人 ? Nǐ jiā yǒu jī gè rén?
6. 你 有 幾 個 兄 弟 姊 妹？Nǐ yǒu jī gè xiōng dì zǐ mèi?
7. 你 的生 日 是 幾 月 幾 號? Nǐ de shēng rì shì jī yuè jī hào?
8. 你 做 什 麼工 作 ? Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?
9. 你 的 電 話 幾 號? Nǐ de diànhuà jī hào?
10. 你 喜 歡 吃 什 麼 飯? Nǐ xǐhuān chī shénme fàn
11. 你 喜 歡 吃中 國 飯 嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐhuān chī Zhōngguó fàn ma?
12. 你 喜 歡 吃 日 本 飯嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐhuān chī Rìběn fàn ma?
13. 你 喜 歡 吃 韓 國 飯 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐhuān chī Hánguó fàn ma?
14. 你 喜歡 吃 美 國 飯 嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐhuān chī Měiguó fàn ma?
15. 你 喜 歡 吃 法國 飯 嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐ huān chī Fǎguó fàn ma?
16. 你 喜 歡 吃 墨 西 哥 飯 嗎? Nǐ xǐ huān chī Mòxīgē fàn ma﹖
17. 你 喜 歡 吃 意 大 利 飯 嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐhuān chī Yìdàlì fàn ma?
18. 我 們這個 週 末 吃 中 國 飯﹐ 好 嗎? Wǒmen zhège zhōumò chī Zhōngguó fàn,
hǎo ma?
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APPENDIX II
HOLISTIC RUBRIC FOR ORAL ASSESSMENT IN CHINESE
Listening
Comprehension
Performance
exceeds
expectations
(4 points)
Performance
meets
expectations
(3 points)
Performance
almost meets
expectations
(2 points)
Performance
does not
meet
expectations
(0 – 1 points)
Fluidity
Pronunciation
Vocabulary
Grammar
Rich use of
vocabulary
Correct use
of basic
language
structures
(1-5 errors)
Does not interfere
with
communication
Adequate and
accurate use of
vocabulary for
this level
Adequate use
of basic
language
structures
(6-10 errors)
Speech
choppy and/or
slow with
frequent
pauses. Few
or incomplete
thoughts
Occasionally
interferes with
communication
Somewhat
inadequate
and/or
inaccurate use
of vocabulary
Emerging use
of basic
language
structures
(11-15 errors)
Speech
halting and
uneven with
long pauses
or incomplete
thoughts
Frequently
interferes with
communication
Inadequate
and/or
inaccurate use
of vocabulary
Inadequate
and/or
inaccurate
use of basic
language
structures
(more than 16
errors)
Student understands
the examiner’s
questions and
responds easily and
without probing
Speech
continuous
with few
pauses or
stumbling
Student understands
the examiner’s
questions and knows
how to respond but
needs occasional
probing
Some
hesitation but
manages to
continue and
to complete
her/his
thoughts
Student only
understands the
examiner’s questions
after probing
Student fails to
understand most
questions even after
probing
Enhances
communication
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Summary & Conclusion – Fall 2009
Generally speaking, data have portrayed a quite uniform acquisition scenario among the six
language groups tested. As shown in Chart 1 below, the majority of students met and exceeded
the standard set up for the course, namely Chinese (97%), French (88%), German (82%),
Hebrew (81%), Italian (86%), and Spanish (88%). The percentage of students that performed
below the expected level was irrelevant, and, in some languages, null. The number of students
that almost reached the expected proficiency level was also uniform among the different
languages ranging from the 3 percentile and the 18 percentile.
Chart 1
Percentage of students in each proficiency level among the six languages tested
70
60
Chinese
50
French
40
German
30
Hebrew
20
Italian
10
Spanish
0
Below
Almost Lev
Level
Exceed Lev
The scenario does not substantially change when we take a closer look at how students
performed with each parameter tested, namely “Listening Comprehension”, “Fluidity”,
“Pronunciation”, “Vocabulary”, and “Grammar”. Results, in fact, do not report significant
discrepancies among these parameters as well as the six language groups. As indicated below,
for each parameter, students reached or slightly exceeded the expected level (3.0).
Chart 2
Accuracy rates of the five parameters among the six languages
4
3.5
Chinese
3
French
2.5
2
German
1.5
Hebrew
Italian
1
0.5
Spanish
0
Listening
Fluidity
Pronunc.
Vocab.
Grammar
Interestingly, the typology and the complexity of the sound pattern of a language do not seem to
delay the development of a particular speaking skill. For instance, the tone system that
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characterizes languages such as Chinese does not create major acquisition delays to students
whose native phonological system is quite different.
In conclusion, given the overall positive outcomes obtained, we can safely assume that
the instruction time, the teaching methodology practiced and the tools used appear to be effective
in helping our students reach the desired oral ability.
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SPRING 2010
Date: 6-16-10
Department: Foreign Languages and Literatures
Course:
LC 111
Curriculum or Curricula: LA
PART I. STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
For Part I, attach the summary report (Tables 1-4) from the QCC Course Objectives Form.
TABLE 1. EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT
LC-111 is the first part of the introductory sequence of foreign language study (a requirement for a
successful transfer to the junior year of a baccalaureate program). It is a foundation course required for
(AA) degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Fine Arts, and Business Transfer.
TABLE 2. CURRICULAR OBJECTIVES
Note: Include in this table curriculum-specific objectives that meet Educational Goals 1 and 2:
Curricular objectives addressed by this course:
N/A
TABLE 3. GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES
Gen Ed
objective’s ID
number from
list (1-10)
General educational objectives addressed by this course: Select from preceding list.
(1) Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking.
(2) Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in
order to make informed decisions.
18
TABLE 4: COURSE OBJECTIVES AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course objectives
Learning outcomes
1. Provide basic information in
Chinese about yourself, your
classmates, family, friends and
hobbies.
Students will be able to talk about themselves by providing their
name, age, nationality, phone number and occupation. They will also
be able to describe their family, friends, or hobbies by answering
questions in prompted dialogues.
2. Demonstrate ability to
accomplish simple
communicative tasks on every
day topics such as greeting
people or introducing yourself to
others, or describing what you
like to do in your spare time.
Students will be able to greet people, introduce themselves, and
exchange personal information by participating in communicative
tasks in which they play the role of a student at QCC or a party guest
trying to make friends.
19
PART II. ASSIGNMENT DESIGN: ALIGNING OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND
ASSESSMENT TOOLS
For the assessment project, you will be designing one course assignment, which will address at least one general
educational objective, one curricular objective (if applicable), and one or more of the course objectives. Please
identify these in the following table:
TABLE 5: OBJECTIVES ADDRESSED IN ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT
Course Objective(s) selected for assessment: (select from Table 4)
1. Provide basic information in Chinese about yourself, your classmates, family, friends and hobbies.
2. Demonstrate ability to accomplish simple communicative tasks on every day topics such as greeting
people or introducing yourself to others, or describing what you like to do in your spare time.
Curricular Objective(s) selected for assessment: (select from Table 2)
N/A
General Education Objective(s) addressed in this assessment: (select from Table 3)
1. Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking.
2. Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to make
informed decisions.
In the first row of Table 6 that follows, describe the assignment that has been selected/designed for this project.
In writing the description, keep in mind the course objective(s), curricular objective(s) and the general education
objective(s) identified above,
The assignment should be conceived as an instructional unit to be completed in one class session (such as a lab) or
over several class sessions. Since any one assignment is actually a complex activity, it is likely to require that
students demonstrate several types of knowledge and/or thinking processes.
Also in Table 6, please
a) identify the three to four most important student learning outcomes (1-4) you expect from this assignment
b) describe the types of activities (a – d) students will be involved with for the assignment, and
c) list the type(s) of assessment tool(s) (A-D) you plan to use to evaluate each of the student outcomes.
(Classroom assessment tools may include paper and pencil tests, performance assessments, oral questions,
portfolios, and other options.)
Note: Copies of the actual assignments (written as they will be presented to the students) should be gathered
in an Assessment Portfolio for this course.
20
TABLE 6: ASSIGNMENT, OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Briefly describe the assignment that will be assessed:
This project will assess students’ speaking abilities at a novice-mid proficiency level as described in
ACTFL 2006 guidelines. Their conversational abilities will be assessed by role-play activities in which
both students and their instructor play a specific role. Students may play the role of a student at QCC,
or a party guest trying to make new friends, or may share some personal information with a classmate
(played by the instructor) about a best friend. Oral tasks will prompt the students to provide personal
information, i.e. their name, age, phone number, nationality, or describing their hobbies.
See appendix 1 for rubrics.
Desired student learning outcomes
for the assignment
(Students will…)
List in parentheses the Curricular
Objective(s) and/or General
Education Objective(s) (1-10)
associated with these desired learning
outcomes for the assignment.
Briefly describe the range of
activities student will engage in
for this assignment.
Role-play with a new
classmate, a close classmate or
a party guest.
What assessment tools will be
used to measure how well
students have met each learning
outcome? (Note: a single
assessment tool may be used to
measure multiple learning
outcomes; some learning
outcomes may be measured using
multiple assessment tools.)
Gen-Ed objective
(1) Communicate effectively
through reading, writing, listening
and speaking.
(2) Use analytical reasoning to
identify issues or problems and
evaluate evidence in order to make
informed decisions.
Curricular objectives
N/A
Students will be presented with
three situations. They will
select one at random. They will
then be asked to complete a
role-play task in which they
must either exchange personal
information with a new
acquaintance met at a party,
share personal information
with a new classmate, or share
personal information regarding
a best friend with a classmate
(see Appendix I).
21
PART III. ASSESSMENT STANDARDS (RUBRICS)
Before the assignment is given, prepare a description of the standards by which students’ performance will be
measured. This could be a checklist, a descriptive holistic scale, or another form. The rubric (or a version of it) may
be given to the students with the assignment so they will know what the instructor’s expectations are for this
assignment.
Please note that while individual student performance is being measured, the assessment project is collecting
performance data ONLY for the student groups as a whole.
TABLE 7: ASSESSMENT STANDARDS (RUBRICS)
Brief description of assignment: (Copy from Table 6 above)
This project will assess students’ speaking abilities at a novice-mid proficiency level as described in
ACTFL 2006 guidelines. Their conversational abilities will be assessed by role-play activities in which
both students and their instructor play a specific role. Students may play the role of a student at QCC,
or a party guest trying to make new friends, or may share some personal information with a classmate
(played by the instructor) about a best friend. Oral tasks will prompt the students to provide personal
information, i.e. their name, age, phone number, nationality, or describing their hobbies.
Desired student learning
outcomes from the
assignment: (Copy from
Column 1, Table 6 above;
include Curricular and /or
General Education Objectives
addressed)
Gen-Ed objectives
(1) Communicate
effectively through
reading, writing, listening
and speaking.
3) Use analytical
reasoning
to identify issues or
problems and evaluate
evidence in order to make
informed decisions.
Assessment measures for
each learning outcome:
(Copy from Column 3,Table 6
above)
Students will be presented
with three situations. They
will select one at random.
They will then be asked to
complete a role-play task in
which they must either
exchange personal
information with a new
acquaintance met at a party,
share personal information
with a new classmate, or
share personal information
regarding a best friend with
a classmate.
Standards for student performance:
The parameters for measuring students’ speaking
abilities will be to determine whether:
(i) they understand the questions being
asked by the interlocutor,
(ii) they are accurate with regard to their
use of Chinese syntactic structures and
vocabulary,
(iii) they are understood by the
interlocutor by using the appropriate
intonation and pronunciation, and
(iv) they speak with some degree of
fluidity.
75% of the students tested are anticipated
to meet the course’s expectations as
described in the attached rubric (see
Appendix II).
Curricular objectives
N/A
22
PART IV. ASSESSMENT RESULTS
TABLE 8: SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Use the following table to report the student results on the assessment. If you prefer, you may report outcomes
using the rubric(s), or other graphical representation. Include a comparison of the outcomes you expected (from
Table 7, Column 3) with the actual results. NOTE: A number of the pilot assessments did not include expected
success rates so there is no comparison of expected and actual outcomes in some of the examples below. However,
projecting outcomes is an important part of the assessment process; comparison between expected and actual
outcomes helps set benchmarks for student performance.
TABLE 8: SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Desired student learning outcomes:
(Copy from, Column 1,Table 6 above;
include Curricular and/or General
Education Objectives addressed)
Student achievement: Describe the group achievement of each
desired outcome and the knowledge and cognitive processes
demonstrated.
Gen-Ed objectives
See Table 9.
Communicate effectively through
reading, writing, listening and
speaking.
Curricular objectives
N/A
TABLE 9. EVALUATION AND RESULTING ACTION PLAN
In the table below, or in a separate attachment, interpret and evaluate the assessment results, and describe the
actions to be taken as a result of the assessment. In the evaluation of achievement, take into account student
success in demonstrating the types of knowledge and the cognitive processes identified in the Course
Objectives.
A. Analysis and interpretation of assessment results:
What does this show about what and how the students learned?
25 students completed the speaking task in Chinese, and their performance was rated according
to five parameters: listening comprehension, fluidity, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar.
Student performance was scored using the scoring rubric (see Appendix 2).
The average score achieved for listening comprehension was 3.24, for pronunciation was 2.92,
for fluidity of speech was 3.24, for proficient use of vocabulary was 3.12, and for accuracy of
grammar was 3.36. On all these parameters, students on average met expectations (see Chart 1
below):
23
Chart 1
The total points a student could achieve (adding up all five parameters, each worth a maximum
of four points) was 20. The scale agreed upon beforehand by the Assessment Committee defined
the following ranges: 0-5 points= student performance does not meet expectations; 6 – 10 points=
student performance almost meets expectations; 11-15 points= student performance meets
expectations; 16-20= student performance exceeds expectations.
The average of total points achieved by students tested in Chinese was 15.8. According to the
scale, this average falls in the 16-20 range, signifying that student overall performance on the
task meets expectations.
The Assessment Committee also predicted that 75% of students tested would achieve a score
indicating that their performance meets expectations. The results for percentage of students who
achieved each performance level in Chinese are the following: 4% of students scored at Level 1,
0-5 points, and their performance does not meet expectations 4% of students scored at Level 2, 610 points, and their performance almost meets expectations; 24% scored at Level 3, 11-15 points,
and their performance meets expectations; finally, 68% scored at Level 4, and the quality of their
performance exceeds expectations. Adding together Levels 3 and 4 gives us a total of 92% of
students who meet or exceed expectations, as defined by the scoring rubric (see Chart 2 below):
24
Chart 2
B. Evaluation of the assessment process:
What do the results suggest about how well the assignment and the assessment process worked
both to help students learn and to show what they have learned?
The results of the speaking task in Chinese show that, as predicted, at least 75% of students
tested meet or exceed expectations on overall performance of the task: the actual percentage of
students tested in Spring 2010 who meet or exceed expectations is 92%. The largest portion of
students (68%) fell into the category rated as exceeding expectations; that is, achieving 16-20
points out of 20. The percentage of students whose performance does not meet expectations is
4%.
If we look at student performance according to individual parameters, the highest average score
was in accuracy of grammar (3.36). Students also performed well in listening comprehension
(3.24), fluidity (3.24) and vocabulary (3.12). The lowest scoring parameter was pronunciation
(2.92). Students showed a weakness in pronunciation perhaps due to the fact that the
pronunciation of Chinese is quite different from the students’ first language/s.
B2) Evaluation of the assessment
The results obtained seem to indicate that the assessment tools used and the assessment process
undertaken have been successful in accurately determining our students’ oral proficiency level.
Not only has it shown that more than three quarters of the students had met the expectation, but it
has also provided them with the appropriate tool that would facilitate their learning process. In
fact, the great majority of students took the speaking task assessment very seriously and studied
extensively for it.
25
C. Resulting action plan:
Based on A and B, what changes, if any, do you anticipate making?
The overall average achieved by students on the speaking task in Chinese shows a satisfactory
result, with 92% of students meeting expectations as defined by the Assessment Committee.
These results are similar to those obtained in the Oral Assessment conducted in fall 09. The
Assessment Committee, in consultation with the faculty of the department, will discuss these
results and make recommendations concerning curriculum and classroom practice for the 20102011 academic year.
26
APPENDICES
APPENDIX I
SITUATIONS FOR ORAL ASSESSMENT IN CHINESE
Guidelines




It is a conversation between teacher and student (10 minutes)
Student select AT RANDOM one of the following three situations
Student should answer with complete sentences. English is not allowed.
Listening comprehension, fluidity, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar will be
evaluated

For top results;
a. Listening comprehension: understand the questions and respond easily without
probing.
b. Fluidity: speak continuously with few pauses or stumbling.
c. Pronunciation: pronounce properly.
d. Vocabulary: use the appropriate vocabulary.
e. Grammar: use correctly the required grammatical structures.
Study guide:
Practice the three situations and questions:
e. In class
f. With your classmates outside the classroom
g. With a tutor at the Student Learning Center
h. With your Mandarin speaking friends
27
SITUATION 1: At QCC, talking with a new classmate
Imagine that your instructor is a new classmate of yours. She will ask you some questions to get
to know you better. She will also be interested in knowing what your hobbies are. You will be
asked to provide the following information:
-
Name, age, nationality, birthday & phone number
Your family
Your interests and pastimes
Possible questions:
1. 你 好。Nǐ hǎo .
2. 你 吃 飯 了 嗎？ Nǐ chī fàn le ma?
3. 你叫什麼名字﹖Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì？
3. 你 幾 歲? Nǐ jī suì?
4. 你 是 哪 國 人? Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
5. 你 家 有 幾 個 人 ? Nǐ jiā yǒu jī gè rén?
6. 你 有 幾 個 兄 弟 姊 妹？Nǐ yǒu jī gè xiōng dì zǐ mèi?
7. 你 的生 日 是 幾 月 幾 號? Nǐ de shēng rì shì jī yuè jī hào?
8. 你 做 什 麼工 作 ? Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?
9. 你 的 電 話 幾 號? Nǐ de diàn huà jī hào?
10. 你 週末 喜 歡 做 什 麼? Nǐ zhōumò xǐ huān zuò shénme?
11. 你 喜 歡 不 喜 歡 看 外 國 電 影﹖Nǐ xǐ huān bù xǐ huān kàn wài guó diàn yǐng?
12. 你 覺 得 看 電 視 有 意 思 嗎﹖Nǐ jué de kàn diànshì yǒu yì sī ma?
13. 你 週 末 常 常 跳 舞 嗎﹖Nǐ zhōu mò cháng cháng tiào wǔ ma?
14. 你 喜 歡 看 球 賽 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐ huān kàn qiú sài ma?
15. 你 喜 歡 打 球 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐ huān dǎ qiú ma?
16. 你 喜 歡 看 電視 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐ huān kàn diànshì ma?
17. 你 喜 歡 聽 音 樂 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐ huān tīng yīn yuè ma?
18. 你 今 天 晚 上 想 做 什 麼﹖Nǐ jīn tiān wǎn shàng xiǎng zuò shénme ?
28
SITUATION 2: At QCC, talking about your best friend
Imagine that your instructor is a close classmate of yours. Talk to her about your best friend.
Your instructor will ask you questions about his/her personal information. She will also ask
about what she likes to do on the weekends.
You will be asked to provide the following information:
-
Personal information of your best friend: age, nationality, birthday, profession, family
What he/she likes to do on the weekend
What you and your best friend plan to do this weekend
Possible questions:
1. 你 好。Nǐ hǎo .
2. 你 吃 飯 了 嗎？ Nǐ chī fàn le ma?
3. 你的最好的朋友叫什麼名字﹖Nǐ de zuì hǎo de péng yǒu jiào shénme míngzì？
4. 他 幾 歲? Tā jī suì?
5. 他是 哪 國 人? Tā shì nǎ guó rén?
6. 他家 有 幾 個 人? Tā jiā yǒu jī gè rén?
7. 他有 幾 個 兄 弟 姊 妹？Tā yǒu jī gè xiōng dì zǐ mèi?
8. 他的生 日 是 幾 月 幾 號? Tā de shēng rì shì jī yuè jī hào?
9. 他做 什 麼工 作 ? Tā zuò shénme gōngzuò?
11. 他週末 喜 歡 做 什 麼? Tā zhōumò xǐhuān zuò shénme?
12. 他喜 歡 不 喜 歡 看 外 國 電 影﹖Tā xǐ huān bù xǐ huān kàn wài guó diàn yǐng?
13. 他覺 得 看 電 視 有 意 思 嗎﹖Tā jué de kàn diànshì yǒu yì sī ma?
14. 他週 末 常 常 跳 舞 嗎﹖Tā zhōumò cháng cháng tiào wǔ ma?
15. 他喜 歡 看 球 賽 嗎﹖Tā xǐhuān kàn qiú sài ma?
16. 他喜 歡 打 球 嗎﹖Tā xǐhuān dǎ qiú ma?
17. 他喜 歡 看 電視 嗎﹖Tā xǐhuān kàn diànshì ma?
18. 他喜 歡 聽 音 樂 嗎﹖Tā xǐhuān tīng yīn yuè ma?
19. 你們這個週末想 做 什 麼﹖ Nǐmen zhège zhōumò xiǎng zuò shénme?
29
SITUATION 3: At a party, extending an invitation
Imagine that your instructor is someone you meet at a party. She will ask you questions about
your personal information. She will also ask about your favorite cuisine. The conversation will
lead to an invitation. You will be asked to provide the following information :
-
Name, age, nationality, profession, birthday, phone number
Your family
Your favorite cuisine
Possible questions:
1. 你 好。Nǐ hǎo .
2. 你 吃 飯 了 嗎？ Nǐ chī fàn le ma?
3. 你叫什麼名字﹖Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì？
3. 你 幾 歲? Nǐ jī suì?
4. 你 是 哪 國 人? Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
5. 你 家 有 幾 個 人 ? Nǐ jiā yǒu jī gè rén?
6. 你 有 幾 個 兄 弟 姊 妹？Nǐ yǒu jī gè xiōng dì zǐ mèi?
7. 你 的生 日 是 幾 月 幾 號? Nǐ de shēng rì shì jī yuè jī hào?
8. 你 做 什 麼工 作 ? Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?
9. 你 的 電 話 幾 號? Nǐ de diànhuà jī hào?
10. 你 喜 歡 吃 什 麼 飯? Nǐ xǐhuān chī shénme fàn
11. 你 喜 歡 吃中 國 飯 嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐhuān chī Zhōngguó fàn ma?
12. 你 喜 歡 吃 日 本 飯嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐhuān chī Rìběn fàn ma?
13. 你 喜 歡 吃 韓 國 飯 嗎﹖Nǐ xǐhuān chī Hánguó fàn ma?
14. 你 喜歡 吃 美 國 飯 嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐhuān chī Měiguó fàn ma?
15. 你 喜 歡 吃 法國 飯 嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐ huān chī Fǎguó fàn ma?
16. 你 喜 歡 吃 墨 西 哥 飯 嗎? Nǐ xǐ huān chī Mòxīgē fàn ma﹖
17. 你 喜 歡 吃 意 大 利 飯 嗎﹖ Nǐ xǐhuān chī Yìdàlì fàn ma?
18. 我 們這個 週 末 吃 中 國 飯﹐ 好 嗎? Wǒmen zhège zhōumò chī Zhōngguó fàn,
hǎo ma?
30
APPENDIX II
HOLISTIC RUBRIC FOR ORAL ASSESSMENT IN CHINESE
Listening
Comprehension
Performance
exceeds
expectations
(4 points)
Performance
meets
expectations
(3 points)
Performance
almost meets
expectations
(2 points)
Performance
does not
meet
expectations
(0 – 1 points)
Fluidity
Pronunciation
Vocabulary
Grammar
Rich use of
vocabulary
Correct use
of basic
language
structures
(1-5 errors)
Does not interfere
with
communication
Adequate and
accurate use of
vocabulary for
this level
Adequate use
of basic
language
structures
(6-10 errors)
Speech
choppy and/or
slow with
frequent
pauses. Few
or incomplete
thoughts
Occasionally
interferes with
communication
Somewhat
inadequate
and/or
inaccurate use
of vocabulary
Emerging use
of basic
language
structures
(11-15 errors)
Speech
halting and
uneven with
long pauses
or incomplete
thoughts
Frequently
interferes with
communication
Inadequate
and/or
inaccurate use
of vocabulary
Inadequate
and/or
inaccurate
use of basic
language
structures
(more than 16
errors)
Student understands
the examiner’s
questions and
responds easily and
without probing
Speech
continuous
with few
pauses or
stumbling
Student understands
the examiner’s
questions and knows
how to respond but
needs occasional
probing
Some
hesitation but
manages to
continue and
to complete
her/his
thoughts
Student only
understands the
examiner’s questions
after probing
Student fails to
understand most
questions even after
probing
Enhances
communication
31
LA ACADEMY COHORT
SUMMARY REPORT
Date 6-7-10
Department: Foreign Languages and Literatures
Course:
LC 111
Curriculum or Curricula: LA
PART I. STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
For Part I, attach the summary report (Tables 1-4) from the QCC Course Objectives Form.
TABLE 1. EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT
LC111 is the first part of the introductory sequence of foreign language study (a requirement for a
successful transfer to the junior year of a baccalaureate program). It is a foundation course required for
(AA) degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Fine Arts, and Business Transfer.
TABLE 2. CURRICULAR OBJECTIVES
Note: Include in this table curriculum-specific objectives that meet Educational Goals 1 and 2:
Curricular objectives addressed by this course:
N/A
TABLE 3. GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES
Gen Ed
objective’s ID
number from
list (1-10)
General educational objectives addressed by this course: Select from preceding list.
(1) Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking.
(2) Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to
make informed decisions.
TABLE 4: COURSE OBJECTIVES AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course objectives
Learning outcomes
Read, understand, write simple
texts on familiar topics such as
Students will be able to read, understand and write simple texts on
the mentioned topics such as greetings, family, dates, time and
greetings, family, dates, time hobbies.
and hobbies; express
preferences, likes and dislikes.
32
PART II. ASSIGNMENT DESIGN: ALIGNING OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND
ASSESSMENT TOOLS
For the assessment project, you will be designing one course assignment, which will address at least one general
educational objective, one curricular objective (if applicable), and one or more of the course objectives. Please
identify these in the following table:
TABLE 5: OBJECTIVES ADDRESSED IN ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT
Course Objective(s) selected for assessment: (select from Table 4)
1. Provide basic information in Chinese about yourself, your classmates, family, friends and hobbies.
2. Demonstrate ability to accomplish simple communicative tasks on every day topics such as greeting
people or introducing yourself to others, or describing what you like to do in your spare time.
Curricular Objective(s) selected for assessment: (select from Table 2)
N/A
General Education Objective(s) addressed in this assessment: (select from Table 3)
1. Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking.
2. Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to make
informed decisions.
In the first row of Table 6 that follows, describe the assignment that has been selected/designed for this project.
In writing the description, keep in mind the course objective(s), curricular objective(s) and the general education
objective(s) identified above,
The assignment should be conceived as an instructional unit to be completed in one class session (such as a lab) or
over several class sessions. Since any one assignment is actually a complex activity, it is likely to require that
students demonstrate several types of knowledge and/or thinking processes.
Also in Table 6, please
a) identify the three to four most important student learning outcomes (1-4) you expect from this assignment
b) describe the types of activities (a – d) students will be involved with for the assignment, and
c) list the type(s) of assessment tool(s) (A-D) you plan to use to evaluate each of the student outcomes.
(Classroom assessment tools may include paper and pencil tests, performance assessments, oral questions,
portfolios, and other options.)
Note: Copies of the actual assignments (written as they will be presented to the students) should be gathered
in an Assessment Portfolio for this course.
33
TABLE 6: ASSIGNMENT, OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Briefly describe the assignment that will be assessed:
The final exam will be used as the assessment tool to evaluate students’ abilities in listening, reading,
and writing as well as their knowledge in vocabulary and grammar.
Listening comprehension abilities will be evaluated by asking the students to listen to two paragraphs:
one about someone’s personal information, including plans for the weekend; the other one about dates.
They need to then complete a true or false and a multiple choice exercise.
Reading abilities will be evaluated by asking the students to read a passage about weekend activities
and answer eight questions.
Vocabulary knowledge will be assessed by asking the students to complete two sections about dates,
activities and hobbies.
Grammar accuracy will be assessed by asking the students to complete four sections using the correct
word order, the measure word, etc.
Writing abilities will be assessed by asking the students to describe themselves in detail, including age,
nationality, favorite cuisine, weekend activities, etc.
Desired student learning
outcomes for the assignment
(Students will…)
List in parentheses the
Curricular Objective(s) and/or
General Education Objective(s)
(1-10) associated with these
desired learning outcomes for
the assignment.
Gen-Ed objective
(1) Communicate effectively
through reading, writing,
listening and speaking.
(2) Use analytical reasoning to
identify issues or problems and
evaluate evidence in order to
make informed decisions.
Curricular objectives
N/A
Briefly describe the range of
activities student will engage in for
this assignment.
Listening activity: listen to two
paragraphs read to them and
complete two exercises.
What assessment tools will be used
to measure how well students have
met each learning outcome? (Note: a
single assessment tool may be used to
measure multiple learning outcomes;
some learning outcomes may be
measured using multiple assessment
tools.)
Reading activity: read a passage
about weekend activities and
answer questions.
Students will be asked to listen and
understand two paragraphs read to
them and complete the exercises.
Vocabulary activity: complete
two sections about dates,
activities and hobbies.
Students will be asked to read a
paragraph and answer questions.
Grammar activities: complete
four sections on rearranging
sentences and using the correct
measure word.
Writing activities: write a
composition about themselves.
Students will be asked to provide
the correct vocabulary on dates,
activities and hobbies.
Students will be asked to provide
sentences using the correct word
order and the measure word.
Students will be asked to describe
themselves, their hobbies and their
activities.
34
PART III. ASSESSMENT STANDARDS (RUBRICS)
Before the assignment is given, prepare a description of the standards by which students’ performance will be
measured. This could be a checklist, a descriptive holistic scale, or another form. The rubric (or a version of it) may
be given to the students with the assignment so they will know what the instructor’s expectations are for this
assignment.
Please note that while individual student performance is being measured, the assessment project is collecting
performance data ONLY for the student groups as a whole.
TABLE 7: ASSESSMENT STANDARDS (RUBRICS)
Brief description of assignment: (Copy from Table 6 above)
The final exam will be used as the assessment tool to evaluate students’ abilities in listening, reading,
and writing as well as their knowledge in vocabulary and grammar.
Listening comprehension abilities will be evaluated by asking the students to listen to two paragraphs
read to them: one about someone’s personal information, including plans for the weekend; the other
one about dates. They need to then complete a true or false and a multiple choice exercise.
Reading abilities will be evaluated by asking the students to read a passage about weekend activities
and answer eight questions.
Vocabulary knowledge will be assessed by asking the students to complete two sections about dates,
activities and hobbies.
Grammar accuracy will be assessed by asking the students to complete four sections using the correct
word order, the measure word, etc.
Writing abilities will be assessed by asking the students to describe themselves in detail, including age,
nationality, favorite cuisine, weekend activities, etc.
Desired student learning
outcomes from the
assignment: (Copy from
Column 1, Table 6 above;
include Curricular and /or
General Education Objectives
addressed)
Gen-Ed objectives
(1) Communicate effectively
through reading, writing,
listening and speaking.
Assessment measures for
each learning outcome:
(Copy from Column 3,Table 6
above)
Students will be asked to
listen and understand two
paragraphs read to them and
complete the exercises.
Standards for student performance:
Students’ listening comprehension ability
will be determined by calculating their
accuracy rates in providing the correct
answers to the questions asked. 75 per
cent of them are expected to meet the
course standards (80% accuracy rate).
Students’ reading comprehension ability
Students will be asked to
will be determined by calculating their
read a paragraph and answer accuracy rates in providing the correct
questions.
4) Use analytical reasoning
answers to the questions asked. 75 per
to identify issues or problems
cent of them are expected to meet the
and evaluate evidence in order Students will be asked to
course standards (80% accuracy rate).
to make informed decisions.
provide the correct
vocabulary on dates,
Students’ vocabulary knowledge will be
Curricular objectives
activities and hobbies.
determined by calculating the accuracy
N/A
Students will be asked to
provide sentences using the
rates in providing the correct words or
phrases in a given situation. 75 per cent of
35
correct word order and the
measure word.
them are expected to meet the course
standards (80% accuracy rate).
Students will be asked to
describe themselves, their
hobbies and their activities.
Students’ grammar knowledge will be
determined by calculating their accuracy
rates in providing the correct forms or
structures. 75 per cent of them are
expected to meet the course standards
(80% accuracy rate) (see Appendix I for
scoring scales).
The parameters used to measure students’
writing abilities will be to determine
whether:
(i) they will provide all the information
they have been asked,
(ii) their writing displays a vocabulary
appropriate to their proficiency level,
(iii)
they show an adequate control of
the syntactic structures for a Chinese
beginning level class,
(iv)
their sentences are fully
developed, even though sporadically
connected.
75% of the students tested are anticipated
to meet the course’s expectations as
described in the attached rubric (see
Appendix II).
36
PART IV. ASSESSMENT RESULTS
TABLE 8: SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Use the following table to report the student results on the assessment. If you prefer, you may report outcomes
using the rubric(s), or other graphical representation. Include a comparison of the outcomes you expected (from
Table 7, Column 3) with the actual results. NOTE: A number of the pilot assessments did not include expected
success rates so there is no comparison of expected and actual outcomes in some of the examples below. However,
projecting outcomes is an important part of the assessment process; comparison between expected and actual
outcomes helps set benchmarks for student performance.
TABLE 8: SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Desired student learning outcomes:
(Copy from, Column 1,Table 6 above;
include Curricular and/or General
Education Objectives addressed)
Student achievement: Describe the group achievement of each
desired outcome and the knowledge and cognitive processes
demonstrated.
Gen-Ed objectives
See Table 9
Communicate effectively through
reading, writing, listening and
speaking.
Curricular objectives
N/A
37
TABLE 9. EVALUATION AND RESULTING ACTION PLAN
In the table below, or in a separate attachment, interpret and evaluate the assessment results, and describe the
actions to be taken as a result of the assessment. In the evaluation of achievement, take into account student
success in demonstrating the types of knowledge and the cognitive processes identified in the Course
Objectives.
A. Analysis and interpretation of assessment results:
What does this show about what and how the students learned?
The data of 24 students that completed the final exam in Chinese was gathered. Their
performance was rated according to five categories: listening comprehension, vocabulary,
grammar, reading and writing.
The results are as follows:
SCORING SHEET‐ LC 111Total Final Overall Listening Vocabulary Grammar
Reading
Writing
Total 16 16 36 16 16 11.9 13.3 29.8
12.9
13.3
81.2
24 24 24 24
24
24
The average score achieved was 81.2%
The total points a student could achieve (adding up all five categories) was 100. The scale agreed
upon beforehand by the Assessment Committee defined the following ranges: 0-60points=
student performance does not meet expectations; 61–78 points= student performance almost
meets expectations; 79-89 points= student performance meets expectations; 90-100= student
performance exceeds expectations.
Overall Student Performance
Does not meet Almost meets expectations expectations Meets expectations Exceed expectations 0‐60 3 61‐78 2 79‐89 9 90‐100 10
12% 8% 38% 42% The overall student performance shows that 80% of students meet o exceed expectations.
The results for percentage of students in each category are as follows.
Student Performance in LISTENING Does not meet expectations 0‐9.5 Almost meets expectations 10 to 12.5 Meets expectations 13 to 14.5
Exceed expectations 15‐16
5 7 7
5
21% 29% 29%
21%
38
Student Performance in VOCABULARY
Does not meet expectations 0‐9.5 Almost meets expectations 10 to 12.5 Meets expectations 13 to 14.5 Exceed expectations 15‐16
3 3 9 9
13% 13% 38% 38%
Student Performance in GRAMMAR Does not meet Almost meets Meets expectations expectations expectations Exceed expectations 0‐21.5 22‐28 28.5‐32 32.5‐36 3 3 5 13 21% 8% 13% 58% Student Performance in READING
Does not Almost Meets meet meets expectations expectations expectations Exceed expectations 0‐9.5 10 to 12.5 13 to 14.5 15‐16 5 2 3 14 21% 8% 13% 58% Student Performance in WRITING
Does not meet Almost Meets expectations meets expectations expectations Exceed expectations 0‐9.5 10 to 12.5 13 to 14.5 15‐16 1 1 18 4 4% 4% 75% 17% B. Evaluation of the assessment process:
What do the results suggest about how well the assignment and the assessment process
worked both to help students learn and to show what they have learned?
The Assessment Committee also predicted that 75% of students tested would achieve a
score indicating that their performance meets expectations.
The results in the writing, vocabulary and grammar categories show that, as predicted, at
least 75% of students tested meet or exceed expectations on overall performance of the
task. The actual percentage of students tested who meet or exceed expectations in writing
is 92%, in vocabulary is 76% and in grammar is 75%. The percentage of students tested
who meet or exceed expectations in reading is 71%, which is slightly below the
39
prediction; in listening, only 50% of students meet or exceed expectations.
B2) Evaluation of the assessment
The results obtained seem to indicate that the assessment tools used and the assessment
process undertaken have been effective in determining our students’ proficiency level.
C. Resulting action plan:
Based on A and B, what changes, if any, do you anticipate making?
The overall average achieved by students on the task in Chinese shows a satisfactory
result, with 80% of students meeting expectations as defined by the Assessment
Committee. The averages achieved on each individual category in Chinese show areas of
strength (writing, vocabulary and grammar), one area of slight weakness (reading) and
the weakest area (listening). Starting in the 2010-2011 academic year, these results will
be taken into consideration in classroom practices.
40
APPENDICES
APPENDIX I
SCORING SCALES
Grammar Task Scale (Range: 0 to 36)
GRAMMAR
SECTION
ACCURATE USE OF THE GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURES LEARNED IN
THE COURSE
Performance More than 90% completion of the task
exceeds
(32.5- 36 points)
expectations
Performance Between 79% and 89% completion of the task
meets
(28.5- 32 points)
expectations
Performance Between 64% and 78% completion of the task
almost
(22 – 28 points)
meets
expectations
Performance Between 0% to 60% completion of the task
does not
(0 - 21.5 points)
meet
expectations
41
Vocabulary Task Scale (Range: 0 to 16)
VOCABULARY ACCURATE AND ADEQUATE USE OF THE VOCABULARY
SECTION
LEARNED IN THE COURSE
Performance
exceeds
expectations
More than 90% completion of the task
(15 - 16 points)
Performance
meets
expectations
Between 79% and 89% completion of the task
(13 – 14.5 points)
Performance
almost meets
expectations
Between 62% and 78% completion of the task
(10 – 12.5 points)
Performance
does not meet
expectations
Between 0% to 61% completion of the task
(0- 9.5 points)
Listening Task Scale (Range: 0 to 16)
LISTENING
SECTION
UNDERSTAND PHRASES, EXPRESSIONS AND SHORT MESSAGES
RELATED TO THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE COURSE
Performance
More than 90% completion of the task
exceeds
expectations (15 – 16 points)
Performance Between 79% and 89% completion of the task
meets
(13- 14.5 points)
expectations
Performance
almost
meets
expectations
Performance
does not
meet
expectations
Between 65% and 78% completion of the task
(10 – 12.5 points)
Between 0% to 60% completion of the task
(0 to 9.5 points)
42
Reading Task Scale (Range: 0 to 16)
READING
SECTION
UNDERSTAND SHORT AND SIMPLE MESSAGES
RELATED TO THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE COURSE
Performance
More than 90% completion of the task
exceeds
expectations (15 – 16 points)
Performance Between 79% and 89% completion of the task
meets
(13- 14.5 points)
expectations
Performance Between 65% and 78% completion of the task
almost
(10- 12.5 points)
meets
expectations
Performance Between 0% to 60% completion of the task
does not
(0 to 9.5 points)
meet
expectations
43
APPENDIX II
Writing Task Holistic Rubric
Exceeds
expectations
Meets
expectations
Almost meets
expectations
Does not meet
expectations
Task
Completion
Level of
Discourse
Vocabulary
Grammar
Superior completion
of the task. Ss fully
address the
information
requested, and
provide additional
details
Completion of task.
Ss fully address the
information
provided, but do not
provide additional
details
Partial completion of
task. Ss complete no
more than 60% of
the information
requested
Sentences are fully
developed and
interconnected with
conjunctions (e.g.
AND, BUT, or
BECAUSE )
Rich use of
vocabulary
Perfect control of the
syntactic structures
required (accuracy
level 90% - 100%)
Sentences are fully
developed. Cohesive
devices, however,
are sporadically used
Adequate and
accurate use of
vocabulary
Sentences are
somewhat complete.
Rare use of cohesive
devices
Somewhat
inadequate and/or
inaccurate use of
vocabulary
Adequate control of
the syntactic
structures. Some
grammatical errors
(accuracy level
79% - 89%)
Emerging control of
syntactic structures.
Several grammatical
errors (accuracy
level 61% - 78%)
Minimal completion
of task. Ss complete
less than 40% of the
information
requested.
Sentences are mostly
incomplete. No use
of cohesive devices
Inadequate and/or
inaccurate use of
vocabulary
Minimal control of
syntactic structures.
Numerous
grammatical errors
(accuracy level
0% - 60%)
44
Conclusions & Action Plan
Generally speaking, data portray a uniform acquisition scenario among the foreign languages
evaluated, namely, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian and Spanish. As Table 1 shows, all
six language groups display similar percentages of students reaching or exceeding the
proficiency levels set up for a Beginning I language course.
Table 1
Percentage of students reaching or exceeding the required proficiency levels for each language group
80
70
Chinese
60
French
50
German
40
Hebrew
30
Italian
20
Spanish
10
0
However, contrary to our predictions, no language group reported more than 75 percent of their
students meeting the proficiency standards of the course. In fact, an average of less than 2/3 of
our learners reached the desired proficiency levels.
In any case, a closer look at the data reveals an interesting acquisition phenomenon. Our L2
learners seem to encounter less difficulty in developing the required speaking and auditory skills
than their reading or writing abilities. Despite their limited amount of instruction and exposure to
the target language, a relatively high number of students (avg. 87%), are able to speak and
converse at the expected level of a beginning course, irrespective of the language they are
learning. Furthermore, their ability to comprehend oral messages seems to be equally developed.
In fact, the percentage of students meeting the standards of the course is 75 percent (see Table 2
below).
45
Table 2
Percentage of students reaching or exceeding the required level of oral, auditory, reading and writing proficiency
for each language group
100
90
80
70
Oral
Auditory
Reading
Writing
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Chinese
French
Hebrew
German
Italian
Spanish
The reading and writing skills, however, do not seem to follow a similarly expedite
developmental pattern. Data indicate that an average of only 63 percent of the students write at
the level required by the course. If we eliminate the high percentage displayed by the students of
Chinese (92%), the number reaches worrisome levels (55%). These results are quite interesting
and intriguing. Normally, one would expect just opposite outcomes given that performance
limitations of psychological nature (i.e. nervousness, anxiety) are usually more visible in
generating oral than written language.
Such a clear discrepancy in students’ oral and written use of their target language (henceforth:
L2) calls for a re-analysis of the oral assessment tools used, mainly with regard to their reliability
and usefulness in generating accurate data. This re-evaluation should help us eliminate or, at
least reduce, the effects of external factors that might have altered the results obtained. The
personal and oral nature of this assessment process, in fact, may be easily subject to human
errors or bias. With that in mind, the department will organize some training sessions for the
instructors administering the oral test in order to ensure that the assessment tool is used
uniformly and appropriately.
In any case, the low percentage of students meeting the writing standards of the course is also
reflected in the appropriate use of L2 syntactic structures. Data indicate that an average of 44
percent of the students tested were able to reach the accuracy standards required by the course.
And again, if we eliminate the percentage of the students of Chinese from our calculations, the
percentile lowers to 38 percent. Interestingly, such a lower accuracy level is also encountered in
L2 oral production. Across the six language groups, the appropriate use of grammatical
structures is one of the weakest oral abilities. That being the case, one could assume that
46
internalizing L2 grammar rules is problematic. Such difficulties are displayed in both oral and
written language modes.
Fortunately, this does not seem to be case when students need to master the required vocabulary.
Lexical items do not appear to be acquisitionally as problematic as the grammar rules. As Table
3 indicates, the overall percentage of students using the required vocabulary is clearly higher
(62%), even though the Italian and Spanish learners are still showing some problems (33% and
43%, respectively)
Table 3
Percentage of students reaching or exceeding the required levels of lexical and syntactic proficiency for each
language group
80
70
60
50
Grammar
Voc.
40
30
20
10
0
Chinese French Hebrew German
Italian
Spanish
In sum, students have shown to be struggling with the mastering of L2 grammar rules. Their
behavior is quite consistent, equally involving the oral and written use of their target language.
The reasons justifying this lack of accuracy may be various and of different nature. The groups
that have shown greater number of problems are those learning morphologically rich languages
such as Italian, French Spanish and German. At a beginning level, the acquisition of grammar is
mostly morphologically-based. It is well known that morphology is a linguistic component that is
usually acquired very late.
However, the similarly lower number of students of Italian and Spanish reaching the desired
level of lexical knowledge seems to highlight a general behavior of poor study skills and habits.
In fact, L2 learners appear to fall short whenever the skill requires a more attentive participation
and thorough analysis of the language. With this in mind, the department will implement a
greater variety of grammar activities and tasks in the curricula of the beginning language courses
along with a closer monitoring of students' homework and lab assignments.
47