Central Washington University
Assessment of Student Learning
Department and Program Report
Please enter the appropriate information concerning your student learning assessment activities for this year.
Academic Year of Report: 2013-2014
Department: Psychology
College: COTS
Program: M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis
1. What student learning outcomes were assessed this year, and why?
In answering this question, please identify the specific student learning outcomes you assessed this year, reasons for
assessing these outcomes, with the outcomes written in clear, measurable terms, and note how the outcomes are
linked to department, college and university mission and goals.
For the 2013-2014 academic year, student learning outcomes for the MS Applied Behavior Analysis program were
clarified and condensed from seven to four outcomes. All four of these student learning outcomes were assessed
because these outcomes represent different but equally important facets of the student’s professional repertoire.
The student learning outcomes for the Applied Behavior Analysis program as well as a summary of the related
department, college, and university goals are shown in Appendix 1.
2. How were they assessed?
In answering these questions, please concisely describe the specific methods used in assessing student learning.
Please also specify the population assessed, when the assessment took place, and the standard of mastery (criterion)
against which you will compare your assessment results. If appropriate, please list survey or questionnaire response
rate from total population.
A) What methods were used?
B) Who was assessed?
C) When was it assessed?
Please refer to Appendix 1 which identifies the student learning outcomes for the Applied Behavior Analysis
program for a summary of the methods of assessment to be employed, which students will be assessed, and when the
assessments will take place. A variety of different assessment methods are used to evaluate student learning
including GPA, faculty evaluations, and internship supervisor evaluations.
Assessments are conducted on graduate students in their first or second year in the program. The first-year students
included in the assessments are enrolled in the MS Applied Behavior Analysis program. The second-year students
included in the assessments were enrolled in the Applied Behavior Analysis Specialization of the MS Experimental
Psychology program. These second-year students began their coursework in the 2012-2013 academic year before the
MS Applied Behavior Analysis program was approved as a standalone degree program. Two first-year students and
three second-year students were assessed.
3. What was learned?
In answering this question, please report results in specific qualitative or quantitative terms, with the results linked
to the outcomes you assessed, and compared to the standard of mastery (criterion) you noted above. Please also
include a concise interpretation or analysis of the results.
Student learning outcomes, criterion of mastery, and assessment results are presented in the table below.
Student Learning
Outcomes
1. Students will demonstrate
mastery of the content areas
identified on the Behavior
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Criterion of Mastery
Assessment Results
Non Academic Criteria
1. A score of 80% or higher on
1
1. Two 1st-year students completed the post-test at
Analysis Certification Board
(BACB) Fourth Edition
Task List.
the post-test.
the end of Spring quarter 2014. Both students
scored above 80%. Individual scores were 82%
and 91%.
2. At least 80% of graduates
will pass the BCBA
certification exam on their first
attempt.
2. No data are yet available for results of the
BCBA certification exam as the 2nd-year students
from 2013-2014 have yet to take the exam.
Academic Criteria
2. Students will demonstrate
mastery of basic clinical
skills in at least one applied
setting.
3. Cumulative GPA 3.0 or
higher.
3. All students maintained a 3.0 or higher GPA
for the 2013-2014 academic year.
- Two 1st-year students had an average
GPA of 3.71.
- Three 2nd-year students had an average
GPA of 3.91.
4. No grade lower than a B in
all required and elective
courses.
2. One 1st-year student received a B- in one
course, but her GPA remains above a 3.0.
Non-Academic Criteria
1. A positive PSY 590
evaluation from the on-site
internship supervisor (i.e., a
rating of 4 or 5 on the Midterm
and Final Evaluations provided
by Cooperative Education).
1. Only one 2nd-year student was evaluated by her
on-site internship supervisor. This student
received ratings of 4 or 5 (Good or Excellent) on
all evaluation items. Evaluations for the
remaining two 2nd-year students were not received
from the on-site supervisors.
Academic Criteria
2. Satisfactory completion of all
learning objectives and
activities specified for inclusion
in PSY 590 (S or U grade).
3. Students will maintain a
professional disposition and
behave ethically.
Non-Academic Criteria
4. Students will demonstrate
competence in applied
research methods.
Non-Academic Criteria
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1. A minimum rating of
“satisfactory” by instructors and
supervisors (i.e., a rating of at
least 3 on a 5-point Likert
scale).
1. At least 25% of students in
each cohort will author or coauthor a presentation at a local,
regional, or national conference
2
2. All three 2nd-year students completed the
designated learning objects during each quarter of
their internships and received grades of S.
1. Ratings for professional disposition were
collected for 1st-year students at the end of each
quarter in which a required course was taken.
Both 1st-year students were rated as 3
(satisfactory) or higher on all evaluations.
1. The following professional presentations were
recorded:
- Source presentations: One 2nd-year, one
1st-year
- National presentations: One 2nd-year, one
1st-year
*Note: The same students made the Source and
national presentations. Given total enrollment of 5
students, 40% of students presented (2 of the 5).
Academic Criteria
2. Thesis chair and committee
members approve defense.
2. Successful thesis defenses were recorded for
two of the three 2nd-year students.
Based on these assessment results, we can draw the following conclusions:
 Student learning outcomes were met overall for the past academic year, and GPA for all students remains
above 3.0. Posttest performance for first-years was also above criterion; however, some limitations of this
instrument were observed in the administration process. These limitations will be discussed in question 4
below.
 There are currently no data on performance on the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) examination.
The recent graduates must finish their remaining clinical fieldwork hours before sitting for the exam. This
is an important indicator of program success as certification is necessary to practice ABA.
 The evaluations of clinical skills that were collected indicate satisfactory performance. However, some
internship supervisors are neglecting to complete student evaluations. This items will be addressed in
question 4 below.
 Results of faculty ratings of student professionalism indicate the current students are performing well in
these skills.
 The 25% presentation rate for students was met through participation in SOURCE as well as a national
conference.
4. What will the department or program do as a result of that information?
In answering this question, please note specific changes to your program as they affect student learning, and as they
are related to results from the assessment process. If no changes are planned, please describe why no changes are
needed. In addition, how will the department report the results and changes to internal and external constituents
(e.g., advisory groups, newsletters, forums, etc.).


As mentioned above, some limitations were observed related to the post-test instrument used to assess
student mastery of the BACB 4th Edition Task List material. This post-test is meant to reflect potential
performance on the BCBA certification examination, which contains one question related to each item on
the task list. There are 165 items on the BACB 4th Edition Task List but only 100 questions on the post-test.
Some post-test items were also duplicates of the same task list item. Therefore, the current post-test is not
providing a quality measure of potential performance on the certification exam, and must be updated. The
only individual in the Psychology Department currently qualified to revise the post-test is the ABA
program director. Because the program director is a BCBA-D (i.e., has taken the certification exam) and
has previously participated in a work group to create new questions for the certification exam, she is not
permitted to create a mock exam for the students. There is, however, a book available that contains a
practice BCBA exam. The ABA program director is in the process of obtaining this book in order to review
the material for use as a future post-test.
Given the low response rate by internship supervisors for student evaluations, steps will be taken to ensure
greater on-site supervisor feedback. A document will be created for the on-site supervisors clarifying the
importance of supervisor evaluation of students and clearly identifying the points during the quarter to
expect the evaluations to be emailed by Cooperative Education. This document will be reviewed with the
on-site supervisors at the start of each quarter to remind them of the importance of the data. The internship
site visit checklist for the faculty supervisor will also be modified to include an evaluation reminder for the
on-site supervisor.
5. What did the department or program do in response to last year’s assessment information?
In answering this question, please describe any changes that have been made to improve student learning based on
previous assessment results. Please also discuss any changes you have made to your Assessment Plan or assessment
methods.
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3
In moving forward with the separation of the MS Applied Behavior Analysis program from the MS Experimental
Psychology program, extensive curriculum changes were drafted and submitted in Fall 2014. These changes are
meant to strengthen the foundation of coursework for the new ABA program and ensure the ABA program is fully
aligned with the Behavior Analysis Certification Board requirements in order to maintain status as a BACB
approved course sequence.
As mentioned previously, the student learning outcomes were condensed and the assessment methods updated in
order to clarify the program goals. The largest change to the student learning outcomes was compiling the
assessment of the various content areas on the BACB 4th Edition Task List into a single learning outcome because the
same assessment methods are used to evaluate each of the four content areas.
6. Questions or suggestions concerning Assessment of Student Learning at Central Washington University:

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N/A
4
Appendix 1: Psychology Student Learning Outcomes (2013-2014)
Program: M.S. Program in Applied Behavior Analysis
Student
Learning
Outcomes
(performance,
knowledge,
attitudes)
1. Students will
demonstrate
mastery of the
content areas
identified on the
Behavior Analysis
Certification
Board (BACB)
Fourth Edition
Task List.
2. Students will
demonstrate
mastery of basic
clinical skills in at
least one applied
setting.
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Related
Program/
Departmental
Goals
Related
College
Goals
Related
University
Goals
Goal 1. Assess
and improve
our curriculum
and
instructional
methods.
Goal 2.
Promote
excellence in
learning to
prepare
students for
careers and
advanced
study.
Goals I & II:
Maintain and
strengthen an
outstanding
academic and
student life at
all sites.
Goal III:
Provide for
outstanding
graduate
programs that
meet focused
regional
needs and
achieve
academic
excellence.
Goals I & II:
Maintain and
strengthen an
outstanding
academic and
student life at
all sites.
Goal V:
Achieve
regional and
national
prominence
for the
university.
Goal VI:
Build
inclusive and
diverse
campus
communities
that promote
intellectual
inquiry.
Goals I & II:
Maintain and
strengthen an
outstanding
academic and
student life at
all sites.
Goal V:
Achieve
regional and
national
prominence
Goal 1. Assess
and improve
our curriculum
and
instructional
methods.
Goal 2.
Promote
excellence in
learning to
prepare
students for
Goals I & II:
Maintain and
strengthen an
outstanding
academic and
student life at
all sites.
Goal III:
Provide for
outstanding
graduate
programs that
5
Method(s) of Assessment
(What is the
assessment?)*
Who Assessed
(Students from what
courses – population)**
Non-Academic
Assessment
For assessments 1, 3, &
4, First year ABA
students.
1. Post-test including
items from all areas of the
BACB Fourth Edition
Task List.
2. BCBA certification
examination
For assessment 2,
program graduates
When
Assessed
(term,
dates) ***
End of
Spring
quarter for
assessments
1, 3, & 4
Following
graduation
for
assessment
#2
Academic Assessments
3. Overall GPA
4. Class grades
Standard of Mastery/
Criterion of Achievement
(How good does
performance have to be?)
Non Academic Criteria
1. A score of 80% or higher
on the post-test.
2. At least 80% of graduates
will pass the BCBA
certification exam on their
first attempt.
Academic Criteria
3. Cumulative GPA 3.0 or
higher.
4. No grade lower than a B in
all required and elective
courses.
Non-Academic
Assessments
1. Cooperative Education
(PSY 590) Evaluation
Academic Assessments
2. PSY 590 learning
objective performance
review
Second-year ABA
students enrolled for
PSY 590
End of each
quarter
enrolled in
PSY 590
Non-Academic Criteria
1. A positive PSY 590
evaluation from the on-site
internship supervisor (i.e., a
rating of 4 or 5 on the
Midterm and Final
Evaluations provided by
Cooperative Education).
Academic Criteria
careers and
advanced
study.
Goal 8. Serve
as a center for
psychological
and
educational
services to the
community
Goal 9. Enrich
student life at
CWU and the
region.
3. Students will
maintain a
professional
disposition and
behave ethically.
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Goal 1. Assess
and improve
our curriculum
and
instructional
methods.
Goal 2.
Promote
excellence in
learning to
prepare
students for
careers and
advanced
study.
Goal 9. Enrich
student life at
CWU and the
region.
meet focused
regional
needs and
achieve
academic
excellence.
Goal V:
Build
partnerships
with private,
professional,
academic,
government
and
communitybased
organizations.
Goals I & II:
Maintain and
strengthen an
outstanding
academic and
student life at
all sites.
Goal III:
Provide for
outstanding
graduate
programs that
meet focused
regional
needs and
achieve
academic
excellence.
Goal V: Build
partnerships
with private,
professional,
academic,
government
and
communitybased
for the
university.
Goal VI:
Build
inclusive and
diverse
campus
communities
that promote
intellectual
inquiry.
Goals I & II:
Maintain and
strengthen an
outstanding
academic and
student life at
all sites.
Goal V:
Achieve
regional and
national
prominence
for the
university.
Goal VI:
Build
inclusive and
diverse
campus
communities
that promote
intellectual
inquiry.
6
2. Satisfactory completion of
all learning objectives and
activities specified for
inclusion in PSY 590 (S or U
grade).
Non-Academic
Assessments
1. ABA Professional
Behavior and Disposition
Survey completed by
faculty instructors or
internship supervisors.
First and second-year
ABA students
End of Fall,
Winter, and
Spring
quarters
Non-Academic Criteria
1. A minimum rating of
“satisfactory” by instructors
and supervisors (i.e., a rating
of at least 3 on a 5-point
Likert scale).
4. Students will
demonstrate
competence in
applied research
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Goal 2.
Promote
excellence in
learning to
prepare
students for
careers and
advanced
study
Goal 5.
Support
involvement of
undergraduate
and graduate
students in
psychological
research
Goal 8. Serve
as a center for
psychological
and
educational
services to the
community
Goal 9. Enrich
student life at
CWU and the
region.
organizations.
Goals I & II:
Maintain and
strengthen an
outstanding
academic and
student life at
all sites
Goal III:
Provide for
outstanding
graduate
programs that
meet focused
regional
needs and
achieve
academic
excellence.
Goal IV:
Develop a
diversified
funding base
to support
teaching,
research, and
service.
Goal V:
Build
partnerships
with private,
professional,
academic,
government,
and
communitybased
organizations.
Goals I & II:
Maintain and
strengthen an
outstanding
academic and
student life at
all sites
Goal V:
Achieve
regional and
national
prominence
for the
university.
Goal VI:
Build
inclusive and
diverse
campus
communities
that promote
intellectual
inquiry.
7
Non-Academic
Assessments
1. First and second-year
ABA students
1. End of
each year
1. Participation in
research presentations at
conferences.
2. Second-year ABA
students
2. End of
program
Non-Academic Criteria
1. At least 25% of students in
each cohort will author or coauthor a presentation at a
local, regional, or national
conference
Academic Assessments
Academic Criteria
2. Thesis oral defense
2. Thesis chair and
committee members approve
defense.
Appendix 2: ABA Professional Behavior and Disposition Survey
Student:
Quarter & Year:
Instructor:
Course:
Please rate the student on each item using the scale below. Data from all faculty respondents will be
averaged, and generalized feedback will be provided to the student. When completed, please return this
form to Dr. Sadie Lovett (MS 7575).
N/A
1
2
3
4
5
Rating Scale
No opportunity to observe/ Don’t know
Needs substantial improvement/unsatisfactory
Needs some improvement/ Somewhat lower than expected
Satisfactory/Expected
Very good/ Better than expected
Superior/Greatly exceeds expectations
Characteristic
Oral Communication: Expresses self clearly & effectively
Written Communication: Writes in an organized/clear fashion;
effectively uses scientific writing (e.g. APA).
Problem Solving/Critical Thinking: Effectively analyzes
situations/problems and conceptualizes solutions.
Data-oriented: Uses data to conceptualize problems, generate
solutions, and evaluate outcomes.
Dependability/Time Management: Reliably follows through on
tasks; completes assignments in a timely manner.
Independence/Adaptability: Functions with minimal
supervision & initiates activities when appropriate; adapts
effectively to the demands of a situation
Interpersonal Relations/Teamwork: Relates effectively to
colleagues/faculty; works and collaborates well with others
Respect for Diversity: Respects all human differences;
demonstrates the sensitivity to work with diverse groups.
Self-awareness: Shows realistic awareness of strengths &
weaknesses and how this impacts professional functioning.
Responsiveness to Feedback: Is open to feedback and responds
appropriately and in a timely manner
Professional Ethics: Follows ethical guidelines; is aware of
ethical issues as they relate to research/professional settings.
Professional Appearance: Presents self professionally in terms
of language, demeanor, dress, and disposition.
1
1
Rating (circle one)
2
3
4
5
2
3
4
5
NA
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
1
2
3
4
5
NA
Please list any concerns about this student’s performance or general comments below:
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