Queensborough Community College
DEPARTMENT:
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Year: 2013- 2014
SOCIAL SCIENCES
A. DEPARTMENT SERVICES/ACTIVITIES REPORT IN 2013-14
1.
Department-sponsored services (fall and spring semesters combined): NOT APPLICABLE
Area of Service
NA
Number Served
Area of service (for example): a department-run learning laboratory (not laboratories for which students register as part of their courses), the reference desk or reserve area of the
Library, department tutoring program, etc. (Note: Do not report courses or laboratories for which students register.)
2.
Department-sponsored faculty/staff development activities: NOT APPLICABLE
Type of Activity and Topic
NA
Date
Number Attending
Note: Faculty and staff development activities (grants, presentations, exhibitions, performances, publications, instructional improvement activities, laboratory development,
curriculum development, etc.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
For each activity, please indicate
1. whether department members organized the activities or gave presentations or both
2. the topic and type of activity and name of organizer/presenter, if applicable
3. the date (if not the exact date, indicate the month)
4. the number attending the event
B. COURSE CHANGES IN 2013-14
INSTRUCTIONS: For each course that changed, indicate:
1.
2.
3.
4.
whether the course is new, revised, or deleted
the course number
the course title
the semester the change was approved at the Academic Senate
1
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
Year: 2013- 2014
5. for revised courses, in the Comments section, describe the type of change(s)—i.e., course title, description, pre/corequisites, credits, hours, designation
New, revised, or
deleted
Revised course
number
Course
number
SS360
Course title
Semester approved
Comments
Sociology of Education
Fall 2014
Changed number to SOCY260
C. PROGRAM CHANGES IN 2013-14
Program
Program change*
Dual/Joint A.S.-B.A. Degree
in Criminal Justice (w/ John
Jay College of Criminal
Justice)
modified
Effective Date
(Semester and year)
Fall 2014
Comments
Changed Math requirements
From: MA119, MA121, MA442
To: MA119, MA336
Changed Free Electives from 0-2 cr.
to 0-4 cr.
*Key: (a)=initiated, (b)=closed, (c)=renamed, (d)=modified
INSTRUCTIONS:



Use the full title of the program, i.e. A.A. in Visual and Performing Arts.
Indicate whether the program change is initiated, closed, renamed, or modified. (If a new program has been approved by
the CUNY Board (or is expected to be approved by June 2013), use fall 2013 as the effective date.)
Describe the exact status (i.e., proposal submitted to CUNY Board; approved by CUNY Board; etc.) in the Comments.
D. DEPARTMENT CHANGES IN 2013-14
Type (see menu
below)
Description of Change
Reason for
Change
Date/Semester
Evaluation of
Change*
2
Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Personnel
Promotion of Dr. Patricia
Spradley to Associate Professor
Personnel
Promotion of Ms. Kam Tim
(Heather) Ou to Senior College
Lab Technician
Personnel
Retirement of Dr. Deleri Springer
Facilities/Space
Installation of Mac/PC lab in
M130
Met
qualifications for
promotion
Met
qualifications for
promotion due to
increased
responsibilities
Completed
Travia Leave
Jan. 2014
Increased
demand for
classes in labs
Year: 2013- 2014
Approved Spring
2014
Effective Fall 2014
Approved Spring
2014
Effective Fall 2014
NA
Effective Spring
2014
NA
Effective Fall 2013
Excellent utilization
of lab space.
Increases student
access to web-based
in-class activity
NA
3
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
Equipment purchased
Equipment
Laptop Replacement Battery
Flash Drive /USB Drive
Memory Card
iClicker2
iClicker Instructor kit
iClicker Bag
iPad air
ipad
Apple TV
USB Powered Speaker
iPad Defender Series Cases
Defender Series Casses for ipad
Defender series shell for ipad
Apple TV
Apple Adapter
Sony Rechargeable battery
External hard drive
Speaker
USB Powered Speaker
Autorewind Extension Cord
Increase and
support use of
instructional
technology by
faculty
Year: 2013- 2014
Fall 2013/Spr. 2014
Equipment is being
used by faculty.
*Please note that, if change has been too recent to evaluate, you may indicate NA.
Type of change
Personnel or organizational change
Facilities/space
Equipment
Other
MENU
Description
New hires, retirees, resignations, promotions, department name changes, etc.
Renovations or development of office space or new facilities (i.e., computer laboratories)
Acquisition of new or disposition of old equipment
Other changes affecting the department not included above and including interactions with other departments
4
Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Year: 2013- 2014
E. DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT IN 2013-14
1.
Departmental procedures for conducting assessment
The fundamental elements of standard 14 (assessment of student learning) of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education include:
clearly articulated statements of expected student learning outcomes…at all levels (institution, degree/program, course) and for all
programs that aim to foster student learning and development; a documented, organized, and sustained assessment process to evaluate and
improve student learning; evidence that student learning assessment information is shared and discussed with appropriate constituents and
is used to improve teaching and learning.
Describe below the department’s ongoing procedures for assessing student learning and using assessment results to improve
teaching and learning. In your description, please explain how the department fulfills each of the Middle States
fundamental elements above.
In response to the college's renewed emphasis on the assessment of learning and teaching, the Social Sciences Department at
Queensborough has reconstituted its Committee on Assessment. Currently, the committee has ten members representing all of
the disciplines in the department, and over the past year it has focused on piloting a series of assessments in four disciplines
(Sociology, PSYCHOLOGY, Criminal Justice, and Economics).
The learning assessments in these disciplines were ORIENTED TOWARDS ASSESSING TWO OVERLAPPING GENERAL
EDUCATION AND PATHWAYS OBJECTIVES: students' use of analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and
evaluate evidence in order to make informed decisions (General Education), and students' evaluation of evidence and
arguments critically or analytically (Pathways). GUIDED BY THE Critical Thinking Value Rubric developed by the
Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), as well as several critical thinking AND READING templates
from various colleges and universities, the COMMITTEE developed a standard assessment rubric to rate students on four
related criteria (explanation of issues, evidence, influence of context and assumptions, and student's ability to implement other
perspectives and positions) from emerging understanding to mastery of the material.
Using the standard departmental template, faculty members were asked to help design A 16 question multiple choice
ASSESSMENT based on a reading selected by the faculty representing each discipline. AT WRITING, the faculty
participants in the pilot assessment project HAVE COLLECTED the resulting data AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
DISCUSSING their findings AND LAYING the foundation for the next round of PILOT assessment projects scheduled FOR
EDUCATION, PHILOSOPHY, POLITICAL SCIENCE, and ANTHROPOLOGY IN THE fall of 2014.
5
Queensborough Community College
2a.
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Year: 2013- 2014
Departmental participation in self-study/program review during 2013-2014, if applicable
NOT APPLICABLE
Program(s) reviewed: [GIVE FULL TITLE, i.e., A.A.S. in Digital Art and Design]
External Agency or Reviewers: [GIVE NAME OF AGENCY OR NAME OF REVIEWER(S)]
Date of site visit:
Major conclusions of self-study
NA
Major conclusions of external reviewers
Resulting action plan
2b.
Program review follow-up (from 2012-13 to 2013-14): NOT APPLICABLE
Action item from program review
Timeline for completion
Accomplishments during current year
NA
Note: If your department was involved in a program review in the previous academic year, the table above must be filled in.
3a.
Course assessment follow-up (from 2012-13 to 2013-14)
Course(s) assessed from
previous year
Action plan from previous year
Evaluation of Results
Follow-up
6
Queensborough Community College
ECON150 Labor and
Management
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Revise the debate format with
an eye toward simplifying and
streamlining
The revised format for the debate
was well-received, as were the
other strategies from the previous
Action Plan
Present a short debate on some
labor-related topic via one of
the reputable online video
services
PSYC215 Child
Development
Year: 2013- 2014
extend short one-on-one
debates to promote rebuttal in
response
assign weekly propositions to
be rebutted with citation
throughout the semester
Conduct a brief lesson in
persuasive speaking
Give assignments that ask
students to make bridges
between theory and research
Students interviewed a
friend/relative about their
childhood. Special attention was
devoted to identifying cultural
Have students note how the
influences. Then, an empirical
ideas and information
article was chosen by students
presented in the class pertain to centering around a cultural factor
parents and children in
in an effort to make connections
everyday life
between theory, research, and the
interview. Initially, about 50%
had considerable difficulty and
needed additional help.
Likewise, it proved equally
difficult for students to apply the
information presented in the class
to parents. In a paper focused on
comparing Piaget’s theory of
cognitive development to that of
information processing, students
were asked to note four reasons
why the information is of value to
In the coming semester,
students will be asked to do
additional in-class writing to
support finding linkages
between theory, research, and
practical application.
A possible activity will be
asking students to keep a
journal identifying topics
from the class and drawing
parallels between different
theories, research areas, or
contemporary issues
encountered in daily life or in
other academic disciplines.
7
Queensborough Community College
PSYC290 States of
Consciousness
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Future assessment outcome
surveys should make sure that
students understand the
statements themselves. The
present survey attempted to
address this by providing
examples for each item.
parents. At least two thirds of the
class had difficulty initially.
However, the writing intensive
nature of the class allowed drafts
of the paper to be written with
ideas honed and developed.
Assessment goals integrated and
met in questionnaires distributed
throughout the semester as well
as in course examination items
Year: 2013- 2014
In progress
Psychology faculty could
integrate the assessment goals
within the course materials.
Psychology faculty could
include assessment items on
each exam given during the
semester to evaluate the extent
to which goals are being met.
SOCY275 Media and
Society
The professor will develop
materials to address the unmet
methodological objectives
The Professor introduced a
lecture emphasizing the
distinction between qualitative
approaches to the media and
quantitative approaches to the
media.
The professor will continue to
develop these materials to
deepen students
understanding of the
quantitative/qualitative
distinction.
8
Queensborough Community College
3b.
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Year: 2013- 2014
Course assessment: current year
Course(s) assessed
(list individually)
Relevant General
Educational Outcomes
Relevant Curricular
Outcomes
Evaluation of Assessment
Results
Action plan
SOCY-101
Use analytical reasoning
to identify issues or
problems and evaluate
evidence in order to make
informed decisions
Use analytical reasoning
to identify issues or
problems and evaluate
evidence in order to make
informed decisions
Use analytical reasoning
to identify issues or
problems and evaluate
evidence in order to make
informed decisions
Use analytical reasoning
to identify issues or
problems and evaluate
evidence in order to make
informed decisions
Use analytical reasoning
to identify issues or
problems and evaluate
evidence in order to make
informed decisions
Evaluate evidence and
arguments critically or
analytically
Not yet available
Not yet available
Evaluate evidence and
arguments critically or
analytically
Not yet available
Not yet available
Evaluate evidence and
arguments critically or
analytically
Not yet available
Not yet available
Evaluate evidence and
arguments critically or
analytically
Not yet available
Not yet available
Evaluate evidence and
arguments critically or
analytically
Not yet available
Not yet available
PSYC-101
ECON-101
ECON-102
CRIM-101
9
Queensborough Community College
4.
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Year: 2013- 2014
Results of certification examinations, employer and alumni surveys, student surveys, advisory board
recommendations (if applicable, please use the table below)
Data Source
Results
Action plan
Certification exams
Employer/alumni surveys, including
graduation and placement survey
Student surveys (current students)
Advisory Board recommendations
5.
Other assessment activity (if applicable)
F. DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
1.
Goals/objectives for 2013-2014
(Please indicate [Yes or No] if the objectives were part of the College’s Strategic Plan for 2013-2014.)
Departmental goals/objectives 2013/2014
Complete revision of LE1 degree
program in collaboration with
Queens College
Implement LA1 degree
Develop course assessment plan that addresses
Pathways Student Learning Outcomes
Strategic
Plan Y/N
N
N
Y
Evaluation of achievement
Resulting action plan
Not completed. Still waiting to meet
with representatives of Queens
College to discuss revisions.
Successfully launched several
concentration areas within LA1
degree program: American Studies,
Urban Studies, Gender Studies,
Sociology, Psychology, Education
NA
Work with LA1
Academy Advisors to
inform students of
concentration area
requirements
Implementation of task-based assessments for introductory-level
courses.
10
Queensborough Community College
2.
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Year: 2013- 2014
Goals/objectives for 2014-2015
(Explain how these goals/objectives align with the College’s goals and Strategic Plan for 2014-2015)
Departmental goals/objectives 2014-2015
Review and refine course assessment methodology
for introductory courses and select elective courses
Conduct two faculty searches for Criminal Justice
positions
Mission/Strategic Plan
Y
Y
Planned method of evaluation
Results of task-based assessments of student
learning outcomes
Completion of search process culminating in
hiring two faculty to begin in Fall 2015
11