General Education Annual Course Assessment Form
Course Number/Title English 169: Ethnicity in American Literature GE Area: S
Results reported for AY 2010-2011 # of sections 2
# of instructors 2
Course Coordinator: Professor Balance Chow, Balance.Chow@sjsu.edu
Department Chair: Professor John Engell
College: Humanities and the Arts
Part 1
To be completed by the course coordinator:
(1) What SLO(s) were assessed for the course during the AY?
SLO 1: Students will be able to describe how identities (i.e. religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual
orientation, disability, and/or age) are shaped by cultural and societal influences within contexts of equality and
inequality.
(2) What were the results of the assessment of this course? What were the lessons learned from the
assessment?
By design, this SLO is met as students read a variety of literary texts representing self-identities
from different historical periods and social backgrounds, and examine their cultural and social
contexts—with particular emphasis on issues of equality. Examples of books used in the course
include: Toni Morrison, A Mercy; Sarah Winnemucca, Life Among the Piutes; Ernesto Garlarza,
Barrio Boy; Iris Chang, Rape of Nanking; Mohja Kahf, Girl in the Tangerine Scarf; Tamin Ansary,
West of Kabul, East of New York; Sherman Alexie, Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian;
Abraham Cahan, The Imported Bridegroom; Louise Erdrich, Tracks; Jhumpa Lahiri, Unaccustomed
Earth; Julie Otsuka, When the Emperor Was Divine; Tomas Rivera, And the Earth Did Not Devour
Him; Jean Toomer, Cane. Writing about these texts, in the form of exam questions, essays, and/or
research papers, students are trained to master the knowledge and articulate their understanding of
ethnic identities in relation to the search and struggle for social equality.
One of the instructors reports that in her section of 169 student success in achieving SLO#1 is
assessed by means of the final exam, the research paper, and classroom discussions, and that 24 out
of 27 students successfully demonstrate their ability to meet this SLO.
The coordinator notes that a more detailed analysis of students’ different levels of performance may
be in order; in addition, the SLOs listed in this section do not fully match those currently adopted.
The instructor is made aware that some modifications will be needed to improve the situation.
Another instructor reports that in his section of 169 student success in achieving SLO#1 is assessed
by means of a specific question included in the exams: “With the help of evidence/examples from the
literary texts studied in the course, discuss your understanding of ethnic identity by highlighting at
least five ways (religion, gender, race, etc.) in which the individual deals with the culture or society
around him/her when struggling against inequality or striving for equality” (15 points).
The analysis of the outcome shows that out of 25 students assessed, 2 students failed (earning 10-11
out of 15 points), 5 passed by earning 12 points each, 3 passed by earning 13 points, 2 passed by
earning 14 points, and 13 (more than half of the students) passed by scoring the maximum 15 points.
The instructor notes that in this assessment a very small number of students (those who failed) tend
to repeat the storyline without critical analysis and may need help mastering the concepts of identity
and equality.
(3) What modifications to the course, or its assessment activities or schedule, are planned for the
upcoming year? (If no modifications are planned, the course coordinator should indicate this.)
The mastery of the concepts of identity and equality should be reinforced.
All instructors who teach the course, including those who do so occasionally, will be informed about
the currently adopted SLOs and plans to assess them.
Part 2
To be completed by the department chair (with input from course coordinator as appropriate):
(4) Are all sections of the course still aligned with the area Goals, Student Learning Objectives (SLOs),
Content, Support, and Assessment? If they are not, what actions are planned?
Sections of 169 offered by instructors who teach the course regularly are fully aligned with the area
Goals, SLOs, Content, Support, and Assessment. The coordinator will take extra steps to ensure that
instructors who teach the course occasionally will be informed of the need for such alignment.