Annual Assessment Report to the College 2009-2010
College: ___________Humanities_____________________
Department: ________Religious Studies____________________
Program: ____________RS___________________
Note: Please submit report to your department chair or program coordinator and to the Associate Dean of your College by September 30, 2009.
You may submit a separate report for each program which conducted assessment activities.
Liaison: ______Kenneth Lee__________________________
1. Overview of Annual Assessment Project(s)
1a. Assessment Process Overview: Provide a brief overview of the intended plan to assess the program this year. Is assessment under the
oversight of one person or a committee?
The Department of Religious Studies is currently continuing the plan to assess the five (5) SLOs, which are outlined in the RS Department
Assessment Rubrics. For each SLO, a survey is distributed to students in five (5) RS 150 Introduction to World Religions courses and the RS 498
Tutorial, which samples approximately 160 students altogether. The survey contains a series of questions, which are designed to measure (based
on a scale of 1-10, 1=not at all, 10=very much) the effectiveness of RS courses in meeting the aims of these SLOs.
The assessment process is under the oversight of one appointed member of the RS Department. The assessment liaison gives a status report at
department meetings and invites other members to contribute ideas towards the assessment process and implementation of new programs or
events in response to the results from the assessment.
1b. Implementation and Modifications: Did the actual assessment process deviate from what was intended? If so, please describe any
modification to your assessment process and why it occurred.
Due to an oversight, the RS 498 Tutorial assessment was not included in this year’s report. However, it will be included for SLO #5.
March 30, 2009, prepared by Bonnie Paller
2. Student Learning Outcome Assessment Project: Answer questions according to the individual SLO assessed this year. If you assessed an
additional SLO, report in the next chart below.
2a. Which Student Learning Outcome was measured this year?
SLO #4 “Apply intercultural methods to religious inquiry and analysis”
2b. What assessment instrument(s) were used to measure this SLO?
A SURVEY was used to ask students to rank from a scale of 1-10 how much taking Religious Studies courses has affected their intellectual-critical
approach to the study of their own and others’ cultures/beliefs.
2c. Describe the participants sampled to assess this SLO: discuss sample/participant and population size for this SLO. For example, what type of
students, which courses, how decisions were made to include certain participants.
The survey was given to FIVE (5) classes of RS 150: Introduction to World Religions, with 158 students in total as participants. The majority of
students (~85%) were first-year students non-majors, with varying majors – most undecided, and others (including liberal studies, economics,
and psychology majors). Male and female students were about 50/50.
2d. Describe the assessment design methodology: For example, was this SLO assessed longitudinally (same students at different points) or was
a cross-sectional comparison used (comparing freshmen with seniors)? If so, describe the assessment points used.
SLO was assessed using a cross-sectional sample/analysis (of five RS 150 sections with different professors).
2e. Assessment Results & Analysis of this SLO: Provide a summary of how the data were analyzed and highlight important findings from the
data collected.
The results of the survey indicated that the majority of students do learn to “apply intercultural methods to religious inquiry and analysis”
from taking Religious Studies courses. On a scale of 1-10 (1= not at all, 10= very much), when asked to what extent did taking Religious
Studies courses help students to learn intercultural methods, the MEAN was 7.8, which indicates that Religious Studies courses, on the
whole, did help students to acquire intercultural methods (i.e., the process of critical examination of the cultural contexts that influence the
individual’s behavior, attitudes, and beliefs). When asked to comment on the extent that religious studies courses affected their intellectualcritical approach to their study of OTHER CULTURES/BELIEFS, 85% circled “yes” and the mean was 7.3, as to the question of how much taking
Religious Studies courses helped them. Interestingly, however, when students were asked to respond to whether Religious Studies courses
helped them better understand their OWN CULTURE/BELIEFS, the 76% circled “yes” and responded with a mean of 5.9. The last part of the
survey seems to reflect that, on the whole, Religious Studies courses help them to better understand their own and others’ culture/beliefs,
March 30, 2009, prepared by Bonnie Paller
but do not necessarily have a significant effect (5.9/10) on helping them towards a critical examination of their own culture/beliefs. These
results seems to reflect that these CSUN students believe they have a good understanding of their own culture, but also appreciate taking
religious studies to help them to better understand their own culture, and particularly others’ cultures. These results seem to reflect that
CSUN students believe they already possess a fundamental cultural mindset and good understanding of their own cultural heritage.
2f. Use of Assessment Results of this SLO: Think about all the different ways the results were or will be used. For example, to recommend
changes to course content/topics covered, course sequence, addition/deletion of courses in program, student support services, revisions to
program SLO’s, assessment instruments, academic programmatic changes, assessment plan changes, etc. Please provide a clear and detailed
description of how the assessment results were or will be used.
Assessment results will be used to educate faculty/staff, brainstorm as a department to plan more events (e.g. symposiums, speakers), advise
students, revise department brochures and websites to address needs, evaluate the curriculum, and make announcements in classes to attract
RS majors/minors.
Some programs assess multiple SLOs each year. If your program assessed an additional SLO, report the process for that individual SLO below. If
you need additional SLO charts, please cut & paste the empty chart as many times as needed. If you did NOT assess another SLO, skip this
section.
2a. Which Student Learning Outcome was measured this year?
None
2b. What assessment instrument(s) were used to measure this SLO?
2c. Describe the participants sampled to assess this SLO: discuss sample/participant and population size for this SLO. For example, what type of
students, which courses, how decisions were made to include certain participants.
2d. Describe the assessment design methodology: Was this SLO assessed longitudinally (same students at different points) or was a crossMarch 30, 2009, prepared by Bonnie Paller
sectional comparison used (comparing freshmen with seniors)? If so, describe the assessment points used.
2e. Assessment Results & Analysis of this SLO: Provide a summary of how the data were analyzed and highlight important findings from the
data collected.
2f. Use of Assessment Results of this SLO: Think about all the different ways the results were (or could be) used. For example, to recommend
changes to course content/topics covered, course sequence, addition/deletion of courses in program, student support services, revisions to
program SLO’s, assessment instruments, academic programmatic changes, assessment plan changes, etc. Please provide a clear and detailed
description of each.
3. How do your assessment activities connect with your program’s strategic plan?
ment activities give the RS Dept valuable feedback that the department is meeting SLOs and responding to the needs of students, to better advise
s, and attract students to majors/minors.
4. Overall, if this year’s program assessment evidence indicates that new resources are needed in order to improve and support student
learning, please discuss here.
Several students have commented that they would like to see more “religious fairs” or events on campus, have opportunities to do field trips,
and hear more speakers on campus. In order to respond to these comments, the RS Department has planned a 3-Part Series on “Sex in the
World Religions” to be held on campus during the 2010-2011 academic year.
March 30, 2009, prepared by Bonnie Paller
5. Other information, assessment or reflective activities not captured above.
In order to attract more majors and minors, several RS faculty members, along with two students who are RS majors, will be visiting all 50+ RS
courses to make announcements about becoming an RS major or minor.
6. Has someone in your program completed, submitted or published a manuscript which uses or describes assessment activities in your
program? Please provide citation or discuss.
No
March 30, 2009, prepared by Bonnie Paller