PSU Anthropology Department
Assessment Procedures
Dr. Michele Gamburd
gamburdm@pdx.edu
Short History
• Departments required in 1999 to begin
formulating assessment procedures
– Michele Gamburd and Marc Feldesman undertook
this project for Anthropology
• Our goal: the easiest, most efficient, least
intrusive procedure possible
• PSU support through Center for Academic
Excellence
– Our thanks to Cheryl Ramette
• Assessment procedure implemented in 20022003 and all subsequent academic years
Learning Goals
• The department faculty captured our
programmatic goals in clear, short statements
– Three main categories of goals with 17 sub-goals
• Goals are closely related to the construction of
our curriculum and mirror our B.A./B.S.
requirements
• Examples of learning goals --
Communication Skills. Students will
show proficiency in critical thinking
and academic writing.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically, including the
ability to view problems from multiple points of view.
Students will demonstrate proficiency in a language other than their
natal language. (THIS GOAL IS MET BY THE BA/BS LANGUAGE
REQUIREMENT.)
Students will be able to write an essay or paper that conforms to the
basic rules of English grammar, syntax, and spelling.
Essays and/or papers will show an understanding of the difference
between scholarly, peer-reviewed literature versus written works for
general audiences and lay public (e.g., National Geographic, Discover,
Wikipedia). This will be shown through in-text citation and
bibliographies included with student papers/essays. As well, students
will understand and apply the principles of academic honesty codified in
the Anthropology Department’s “Statement on Academic Honesty”.
Applications of Anthropology. Students will
understand how to apply anthropological
methods in an ethical and effective fashion to
research questions, issues, and debates.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students will understand and apply the research methods
appropriate to at least one subfield of anthropology.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of how the interplay
among theory, research questions, methods, and data shapes
our knowledge and/or interpretations of the human past and
present.
Students will understand the relevance of anthropology in and to
contemporary public issues.
Students will understand the ethical codes appropriate to each
subfield of anthropology.
Anthropological Theories. Students
will show mastery of theories
fundamental to the subfields of
Anthropology.
•
•
•
•
•
Anthropology in general: 2 goals
Sociocultural Anthropology: 2 goals
Anthropological Archaeology: 3 goals
Biological Anthropology: 2 goals
Goals match key concepts in core courses
Curriculum Map
• Goals noted across the top
• Classes that meet our major requirements
noted down the side
• In the grid, each class evaluated in terms of
how it meets each goal
0 = This course does not address this goal.
1 = This goal is minimally addressed.
2 = This goal is somewhat addressed.
3 = This goal is well integrated into the course.
Curriculum Map (subsection)
DEPT GOALS:
I. Reasoning &
Communic’n Skills
II. Applications
of Anthropology
I.1 Critical Thinking I.3 Writing
II.1 Apply
research methods
304 Social Theory
3
3
1
305 Culture Theory
3
2
1
350 Arch’l Method & Th
3
3
2
370 Paleoanthropology
3
0
0
372 Human Variability
3
3
0
COURSES:
0 = This course does not address this goal.
1 = This goal is minimally addressed.
2 = This goal is somewhat addressed.
3 = This goal is well integrated into the course.
Assessment process
• Fall Faculty Retreat: decide which goal or
goals to evaluate and which 2 classes to
assess.
• Through the year: the two faculty members
collect class portfolios.
• What goes in a portfolio?
Class Portfolio
• Syllabus
• Handouts of all assignments and tests
• 5 student work samples from one assignment
– Highest A, lowest A, lowest B, lowest C, lowest grade
– Qualitative measure of student work
• Grade distribution for that particular assignment
– How many students wrote ‘papers like these’?
– Quantitative measure of student work
Assessment process, continued
End of year “Portfolio Review Day”
• Department faculty sit down and read portfolios
• Evaluate with rubric to see if the classes meet the
goal; discuss possible modifications to the classes
• Discuss where those classes fit into the
curriculum map
• Make modifications to goals, rubrics, map
• Document process and outcome in yearly report
Assessment rubrics
• List the goal(s) under assessment
• Address two aspects of class portfolios
– Materials presented by the instructors (syllabus,
course readings, course projects, assignments,
tests, etc.)
– Student outcomes
• Work samples = qualitative measure
• Grade distribution on that assignment or test =
quantitative measure
Instructor Materials
3 = Excellent -
2 = Good
-
1=
Inadequate
-
0 = N.A.
Student Work Samples
Material incorporated into multiple class
components, integral to class.
Learning goals, syllabus, readings,
assignments, and tests closely linked.
Students creatively and critically engage
in projects
Material central to a section of the class
but not integrated.
Syllabus, readings, assignments, and
tests adequately linked.
Student knowledge and application of
materials tested
Nearly all of the samples
show mastery of knowledge
or skill
OR: lowest ranked work
sample demonstrates basic
grasp of concepts
Some or many of the
samples show mastery of
knowledge or skill
Material tangential to class.
Syllabus, readings, assignments, and
tests not linked.
Students tested for only minimal
knowledge
Few or none of the samples
show mastery of knowledge
or skill
No basis for judgment
No basis for judgment
Reports
• Reports generated yearly
• The Anthropology Department’s assessment
materials, including yearly reports, are posted
on the web at
http://www.anthropology.pdx.edu/programs/
programs.html#DepartmentAssessment
Benefits of assessment
• Department has an annual conversation about
our curriculum and overarching goals
• We enjoyed seeing each other’s syllabi and
assignments
• The Portfolio Review Day provides a venue to
discuss curricular changes
– E.g. revisions to BA/BS and MA/MS requirements