GE RUBRIC/ASSESSMENT AT CSUN:
STARTING SMALL AND SCALING UP
Beth Lasky, Director of GE
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Anu Thakur, Coordinator of Academic Assessment
FORMING THE TEAM
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Different colleges and departments
Tenured, tenure-track, full-time lecturer, part-time
lecturer
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THE PROCESS - CCS
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Discuss classes and assignments to
identify commonalities
Develop rubric
Assess sample reflection papers
from each of the five classes using
a common CCS rubric
Indirect assessment implemented in
Spring 2014 – pre- and post-surveys to
assess student motivation in the class
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THE RUBRIC
Assignment
Component
Content
Excellent
4
Adequate
2
Poor
1
Reflection
Articulates awareness of
how own experiences
have shaped perception
towards other cultures
and/or people with
different backgrounds
Identifies own
experiences, biases or
changing perceptions
and gives significant
supportive evidence.
Identifies own
experiences, biases, or
changing perceptions
and provides some
supportive evidence
Identifies either own
experiences, or bias, or
changing perceptions, but
not enough supportive
evidence.
Does not identify own
experiences, biases, or
changing perceptions and
provides no support
Empathy/Openness
Recognizes the feelings
and views of others from
diverse backgrounds
Effectively discusses the
feelings and views of
others from diverse
backgrounds
Discusses the feelings
and views of others
from diverse
backgrounds
Adequately discusses the
feelings and views of
others from diverse
backgrounds
Does not recognize the
feelings and views of
others from diverse
backgrounds
Observations
Descriptions about
diverse group or contexts
Observations are
specific and objective
with significant
supporting data or facts
Good observations that
are specific with good
supporting data or
facts
Observations are general
with adequate supporting
data or facts
Lacking in observations
and/or sufficient data.
Application of Knowledge
Effectively applies
course concepts to
personal views and
experiences
Good application of
course concepts to
personal views and
experiences
Adequately applies
course concepts to
personal views and
experiences
Does not apply course
concepts to personal views
and experiences
Paper has excellent
grammar and
organization
Paper has good
grammar and
organization
Paper has adequate
grammar and
organization
Paper has many
grammatical errors and
poor organization
Links course concepts to
personal views and
experiences
Style
Good
3
Writing & Organization
Writing is free from
grammatical errors.
Paper is well organized
and flows well
4
INDIRECT ASSESSMENT
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Pre-test questions - student involvement/motivation survey
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I am taking this course to gain knowledge and fundamentals on the
topic (terminology, theories, methods, trends). As a result of this
course, I have increased my knowledge in this subject.
I am taking this course to develop specific skills, competencies, and
points of view needed by professionals in the field most closely related
to this course
I am taking this course to gain a broader understanding and
appreciation of cultures and/or people with different backgrounds.
From this course, I expect to analyze and critically evaluate diverse
ideas, arguments and points of view.
I am interested in taking this course, because of the instructor.
Based on the course title/description, this course is relevant to my
course of study.
Based on my current and existing knowledge in this subject, I feel
prepared to do well in this course.
I am taking this course because I am genuinely interested in the
topic/subject of the course .
I am taking this course because it fit most conveniently in my
schedule.
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INDIRECT ASSESSMENT

Post-test questions - student involvement/motivation survey
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As a result of this course, my interest in this department or field of
study has increased.
As a result of this course, I have increased my knowledge in this
subject.
My background prepared me well for this course’s requirements.
As a result of taking this course, I have more positive feelings toward
this field of study.
Regardless of why I originally decided to take the course, I am happy
that I did.
As a result of this course, I have developed specific skills,
competencies, and points of view needed by professionals in the field.
As a result of this course I have gained a broader understanding and
appreciation of cultures and/or people with different backgrounds.
As a result of taking this course, I have more positive feelings toward
the field of study.
As a result of taking this course, I am contemplating changing my
major.
Please list 3 specific ideas or competencies that you have
learned in this course that you will take back to real life
applications.
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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RUBRIC
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Ask other instructors in CCS to use the rubric –
presentations to
General Education Council
 Various departments across campus
 Associate Deans
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Team members used rubric for grading in their
classes
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GE CRITICAL THINKING ASSESSMENT
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Critical Thinking GE assessment/rubric team
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Five common steps and competencies:
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Introduce and Define
Recognize
Analyze
Evaluate
Apply to current issues and problem solving
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Diagnostic questionnaire as pre-test at start of
semester
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Continue discussions about strategies for
longitudinal assessment using quizzes and/or essays
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DIAGNOSTIC PROMPT
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1)
2)
Embryonic stem cell research is like Nazi research. It
does not respect the sanctity of life of the fetus, like
the Nazis did not respect the life of the people they
experimented on. Next thing we know we will be
using full grown fetuses for research or worse. Such
blatant disregard for human life was immoral for the
Nazis and it should be immoral for stem cell research.
Therefore, we should not engage in embryonic stem
cell research.
Please state, from the above passage, whether the
argument is rational (or at least whether the
premises provide rational support for the conclusion)
and why?
Are the premises reasonably accepted and why?
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THANK YOU!
QUESTIONS…
Beth.lasky@csun.edu
 Anu.thakur@csun.edu
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