STUDENT LEARNING ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
SUMMARY FORM AY 2012-2013
Degree and
Program Name:
MA History Historical Administration
Option
Submitted By:
Nora Pat Small
Please use size 10 font or larger.
Please complete a separate worksheet for each academic program
(major, minor) at each level (undergraduate, graduate) in your
department. Worksheets are due to CASA this year by June
14, 2013. Worksheets should be sent electronically to
kjsanders@eiu.edu and should also be submitted to your college
dean. For information about assessment or help with your
assessment plans, visit the Assessment webpage at
http://www.eiu.edu/~assess/ or contact Karla Sanders in CASA at
581-6056.
PART ONE
What are the learning
objectives?
How, where, and when are they
assessed?
What are the expectations?
What are the results?
1. Students will incorporate
the theories and principles of
Historical Administration into
their written work, oral
presentations, and major
projects, thus demonstrating
their ability to think critically
and analytically about these
concepts, as well as
demonstrating effective oral
and written communication
skills.
Four major capstone
experiences:
1.) installed class exhibit
2.) written comprehensive exam
3.) revised seminar paper
(chosen by the student) for
defense at oral comprehensive
exam
4.) oral comprehensive exam
(which covers the gamut of their
experience as a student and an
intern, as well as the scholarship
demonstrated in the seminar
paper).
Rubric for assessment of oral
and written comprehensive
exams is attached.
1. Class Exhibit
 Exhibit plan and design
will demonstrate ability to
deliver complex messages
in simple manner
 Exhibit plan and design
will respond to, address,
or demonstrate an
awareness of multiple
perspectives or arguments
 Exhibit plan and design
will demonstrate an
awareness of multiple
audiences
 Exhibit will respond to
front-end analysis
conducted by students
 Students will critique the
exhibit through summative
evaluations or final reports
2. Written Comprehensive
Exam
 Students will respond in a
1. Class Exhibit, 2012-13
Students researched ,
designed, fabricated, and
installed “Experiences of the
Illinois Civil War Soldier:
Reflections in Art and
Artifact.”
Central to the exhibit design
process is translation of
complex topics into a
presentation that is readily
accessible to visitors with no
knowledge of the topic,
while remaining interesting
to those with more
familiarity. The students
accomplished this through
careful choice of artifacts for
display, concise label copy,
and gallery design.
Objects in the exhibit
required that students
Committee/ person
responsible? How are
results shared?
1. Instructor for exhibit
design course. Results
shared through the exhibit
itself; through discussion
among the HA faculty,
guest exhibit curator, and
exhibit site client; and
through discussions
between faculty and
students. While the
exhibit is public, and
therefore the results are
technically shared with
anyone who visits, the
analysis of the outcome
remains confined to those
who participated in the
process.
2. Two to three members
of the HA faculty read
each written
comprehensive exam and
share impressions of
clear and organized
fashion to a total of four
questions
 Students will employ
relevant theories and/or
principles to support their
answers
 Students will incorporate
their own projects,
research, and perceptions
gained from the fall and
spring study trips into
their answers
3. Revised Seminar Paper
Paper
 Paper clearly states and
defends a thesis
 Paper incorporates and
explains relevant theories
and/or principles
 Paper demonstrates ability
to use primary and
secondary sources
critically
4. Oral Comprehensive Exam
 Students will be able to
succinctly state seminar
paper thesis
 Looking back on their
coursework, students will
analyze the ways in which
relevant theories and
principles were
incorporated into their
various projects and
papers, as well as into
their written
comprehensive exam
answers
 Students will discuss the
theory and principles of
Historical Administration
consider the multiple
historical perspectives of
those who created the
artifacts, as some were
created during the war on the
war front, some on the home
front, some after the war.
Students reached multiple
audiences through the use of
digital media on-line, as well
as through in-gallery
activities and multi-media
explorations of various
exhibit themes. The exhibit
will continue to exist in
digital form after the
physical exhibit is
dismantled.
Students did not conduct a
front-end analysis this year,
but participated in numerous
meetings with HA faculty,
the guest curator, and Tarble
staff to devise and refine the
exhibit’s ‘Big Idea.’
Students critiqued the
exhibit during their final
walk-through with TAC staff
prior to the exhibit opening,
making alterations requested
by the client (TAC) prior to
opening. Students also
completed individual
reflections of the exhibit
process in their exhibit log
books
2. Written Comprehensive
Exam
All members of the class of
those exams prior to the
oral comprehensive exam.
Comments are either
written on the exam or
shared with the
coordinator. Students are
also informed of the
assessment of their
written exams at their oral
exams (assuming there
were no serious problems
that would have required
retaking the exam—
which has never happened
to my knowledge), and
are sometimes asked to
delve more deeply into a
topic they addressed in
their writtens.
3. One to two members of
the HA faculty read each
seminar paper submitted
for the student’s
permanent file. The
student then responds to
suggestions for revision.
The revised paper is read
by two-three members of
the HA faculty, who share
their critiques prior to and
during the oral
comprehensive exam. All
faculty are informed of
the student’s performance
after the oral exam.
4. Two or three members
of the HA faculty
participate in each oral
comprehensive exam.
Results of the exam are
discussed immediately
in the context of their
internships
2011-2012 passed their
written exams. As always,
each exam was read by twothree faculty members
(including the coordinator)
who provided feedback to
the coordinator on whether
or not the students had
achieved the previously
stated expectations. Written
comprehensives demonstrate
that the strength of the
program lies in its applied
aspects. All students
answered the process parts
of the questions very well,
incorporating examples from
coursework and the study
trips, and justifying their
answers with reference to
professional standards. Few
chose to incorporate
literature from the field that
helps to contextualize
(providing underlying
philosophy or
historiography) those
professional standards and
practices.
following administration,
prior to deciding whether
the student has passed, or
achieved a pass with
distinction. The student is
informed of the decision
immediately.
3. Revised Seminar Paper
Students are required to
revise their seminar paper in
accordance with one faculty
member’s suggestions.
Seminar papers are read by
two-three faculty members
prior to oral comprehensive
exams. Eight of the 11 fulltime members of the class of
2011-12 have submitted
their papers and passed their
oral exams. (The part-time
Finally, the HA
coordinator, at multiple
points throughout the year
reviews with the students
(as a group) the
expectations for the
written and oral exams,
the internship reports, and
their revised seminar
papers. The students are
reminded to employ their
HA Student Handbooks
as reference guides.
The HA Program
Committee meets at least
once a year to discuss
overall results of written
and oral comprehensive
exams, as well as papers
and projects that have
been or will be
incorporated into class
work.
The HA faculty continue
to evaluate and discuss
student performance and
stress levels throughout
the year. In this way we
are able to detect and
address particular
strengths and weaknesses
of the group and of
individuals.
student in that class will be
counted in the class of 201213, having finished his
coursework this academic
year.) All eight of those
students who have
completed their oral comps
have successfully fulfilled
all of the expectations for
their seminar paper, which
becomes a permanent part of
their file. While all papers
were solid, only 2 were
particularly insightful. In
general, they demonstrate a
weakness in the broader
contextualization of their
chosen topics. We believe
this is because of time
constraints. (See Part 3 for
the way we are addressing
this.)
4. Oral Comprehensive
Exam
Eight of the eleven full-time
members of the class of
2011-12 have taken and
passed the oral
comprehensive exam. (The
other three are expected to
complete their oral comps in
Fall 2013.) All were able to
clearly and concisely restate
their seminar paper’s thesis,
and were able to discuss/
defend their paper topic. All
reflected on their
coursework and affiliated
projects, as well as their
internships, in the process
considering the principles
and theories that underlay
that work.
2. Students will apply the
theories and principles of
Historical Administration in
accordance with professional
standards. Successful
application will demonstrate
the ability to think critically
and analytically about the
application of those concepts
In order to achieve Objective 1,
students need the opportunity to
apply the theory and principles
they are attempting to master.
They have multiple opportunities
throughout the academic year
and during their 6-month
internship to apply these theories
and principles. Specific projects
vary from year to year but
include such things as writing
grants for area historical and
cultural agencies, creating public
programming for local historical
and cultural organizations,
designing, fabricating and
installing an exhibit in a local
venue. These projects are
completed as part of the course
requirements for HIS 5010
Administration of Historical
Organizations, HIS 5030
Archival Methods, HIS5090
Care and Management of
Historic Artifacts, HIS 5110 and
5111 History Museum Exhibits,
HIS 5112 and 5113 Digital
Applications in Museums and
Archives, and HIS 5060 Historic
Preservation. The assessment
measure for this objective is
simply the attempt to incorporate
theory and principle into practice
through these discrete projects.
Students’ overall success in
applying the theories and
principles of the multiple
disciplines incorporated in the
field of Historical
Administration is assessed
Applied projects will explore
the relationship between theory
or principles and practice.
During the oral exam, students
will explain the application of
theory and principles in their
own applied projects, or as
observed on study trips to
various institutions.
APPLIED PROJECTS
Multiple courses throughout
both semesters require
students to complete projects
in which they must translate
readings and theoretical
knowledge into practice.
Among those projects for the
class of 2012-13 were
digitization of Tarble
artwork, the re-evalutation
of Lincoln Log Cabin’s 5th
Grade Live-In program, the
creation of public
interpretive programming
“Food Preservation and
Herbs” for Lincoln Log
Cabin’s Harvest Frolic,
creation of an interpretive
plan for the CCC at
LLCSHS, creation of a CCC
website for LLCSHS,
researching and writing a
National Register
nomination, the creation of
the annual exhibit,
collections care at Dudley
House, an inventory of
archival records relating to
the Tarble’s annual traveling
student show, a conservation
plan for Coles County
Circuit Court Records held
at IRAD. Undertaking these
projects required reflecting
on the intersection of best
practices and theory with onthe-ground conditions.
Students will receive a pass or
pass with distinction on written
STUDENT EXHIBIT
The students’ annual exhibit
Student exhibit will
demonstrate familiarity with a
variety of media and
presentation methods.
Internship special project
report will explain both the
practical and theoretical
principles involved in the
project.
Internship supervisor will
express satisfaction with the
knowledge and skills the
student brought to the
internship.
Written exams will incorporate
students’ own projects,
research, and perceptions
gained from the fall and spring
study trips into their answers,
and will explain the role of
theory and principles in their
projects and/or in the projects
and practices of the institutions
visited.
through the written and oral
comprehensive exams (the
written exam administered at the
end of the academic year, the
oral exam administered at the
completion of the internship) and
through the required internship
report, internship special project
report, revised seminar paper,
and internship supervisors’
letters of evaluation.
and oral comprehensive
exams. A pass will constitute a
demonstration of knowledge
commensurate with an
emerging professional:
1. knowledge of professional
standards
2. some experience applying
those professional standards
3. knowledge of principles and
theories that underlay museum
and cultural institution practice
4. some experience applying
those principles and theories
incorporated a wide variety
of media and presentation
methods. In addition to
creating an official exhibit
website, the students also
created a Facebook page and
tumblr and twitter accounts.
They loaded I-pods in the
exhibit with images, music,
and poetry. They created
educational materials
available through their
website.
INTERNSHIP AND
SPECIAL PROJECT
REPORT
All of the members of the
class of 2011-12 who have
completed their internships
and filed their reports, wrote
thoughtfully about their
projects, their overall
internships, the conditions
they encountered, and how
and why they proceeded as
they did with their various
projects. They incorporated
references to course
materials, professional
standards, and professional
literature/ resources as
appropriate.
All internship supervisors
were completely pleased
with the students’
preparation and knowledge.
WRITTEN COMPS
As stated above, the written
comprehensives demonstrate
that the strength of the
program lies in its applied
aspects. All students
answered the process parts
of the questions very well,
incorporating examples from
coursework and the study
trips, and justifying their
answers with reference to
professional standards.
ORAL COMPS
Students seem better able, or
more inclined, to discuss the
principles and standards that
underlie all decision-making
in the museum field during
their oral comprehensives
than in the writtens. This
may be because they have
recently completed their
internships and internship
reports where they are
required, and have had time,
to reflect on these issues. All
members of the class of
2011-12 who have
completed their oral comps
were able to do this.
3. Students will demonstrate
advanced scholarship through
achieving a competency in the
historiography of the
disciplines integral to
Students’ grasp of relevant
historiography is assessed
through their use and discussion
of that literature in their research
papers and major projects in HIS
In the aggregate, a student’s
research papers and
comprehensive exams will
demonstrate awareness of
multiple historiographies
COMPREHENSIVE PASS
All members of the class of
2011-12 passed their written
comps. 8 members have
attempted and have
succeeded in passing their
oral comprehensive exams,
in accordance with the
standards laid out in the
previous column.
Members of the class of
2011-12 grappled with the
literature and historiography
of the field throughout the
curriculum. Collectively,
historical administration.
Competency requires
familiarity with the literature
of the respective disciplines
and the incorporation of that
literature into their research
papers and projects.
5010 Administration of
Historical Organizations, HIS
5020 Historical Interpretation
and Research Methods in Local
History, HIS 5050 History of
American Architecture, HIS
5330 Material Life in America,
and in their US History elective.
Again, gaining a competency in
this literature requires repeated
exposure and practice in its use.
Students’ overall success in
achieving a competency in the
relevant historiography is
demonstrated through use of and
discussion of that literature in
written and oral comprehensive
exams, and in the revised
seminar paper turned in for their
permanent file.
4. Students will demonstrate a
competency in formulating,
conducting, and presenting
research. Competency in
presenting research includes
the ability to articulate, in
writing and orally, such things
as key concepts that drive
their research, research
questions , thesis statements,
Assessed throughout the
academic year in papers and
projects completed for HIS 5010
Administration of Historical
Organizations, HIS 5020
Historical Interpretation and
Research Methods in Local
History, HIS 5050 History of
American Architecture, HIS
5330 Material Life in America.
associated with the various
disciplines within historical
administration.
Papers and comprehensive
exams will demonstrate
familiarity with specific
authors’ viewpoints and
arguments.
Papers and comprehensive
exams will demonstrate an
awareness of the ways in
which politics, society, and
culture shape perceptions of
the past and museum policy.
Formulating: Students’ papers
or projects will be based on a
research question or thesis
derived from course readings
and discussions or from
curiosity about a particular
aspect of the material studied
in that course; seminar papers
will reflect wide reading in
both primary and secondary
they demonstrated their
understanding of the
literature associated with
exhibit design and public
programming through their
public exhibit and programs.
Individually, all students
achieved all course goals,
and so have demonstrated
familiarity with each area’s
literature and/or
historiography.
All members of the class of
2011-12 who have
completed their oral
comprehensive exams have
demonstrated familiarity
with various authors’
viewpoints and arguments.
Examining the field through
the lens of history and
historiography in order to
better comprehend the
social, cultural, and political
influences that have shaped
museum policy remains the
most difficult task for most
students. We hope that our
revised curriculum will more
directly address this area.
(See Part 3)
Members of the class of
2012-13 have produced a
variety of papers and
projects throughout the
academic year. In the
process they have articulated
key concepts, devised
research questions and thesis
statements, and marshaled
evidence to support their
and supporting arguments.
As with the previous learning
objectives, this is a skill that
requires practice. The
assessment measure for this
objective is the attempt, in
various formats, to articulate key
concepts, research questions,
thesis statements, and supporting
arguments.
Students’ overall success in
achieving this objective is
assessed through the seminar
paper submitted for the oral
comprehensive exam and for
their permanent file.
Students’ overall success is also
assessed during their oral
comprehensive exam, where the
examiners are looking
particularly for the ability to
verbally articulate and present
their research
sources in the subject area.
Conducting: Students will seek
out resources in a variety of
formats and from a variety of
sources, both secondary and
primary; student research will
ensure that the student has a
strong grasp of the scholarship/
historiography in the field of
research.
Presenting: Seminar papers
offer a clear thesis; supporting
argument is clearly laid out;
argument is based on accurate
and valid evidence; paper
provides synthesis and analysis
of arguments from secondary
sources and demonstrates that
student has interpreted primary
sources critically; oral
presentations or public
presentations of any sort
(exhibit, public programming,
paper presentation)
demonstrate command of
subject and ability to engage
and inform audience.
arguments or procedures.
They have presented this
research publicly in the form
of an exhibit, in gallery
talks, and through the
creation of websites, and less
publicly through informal
class presentations.
One member of the class of
2012-13 has successfully
completed his oral
comprehensive exam, and
has therefore defended his
seminar research paper.
Eight members of the class
of 2011-12 have successfully
completed their oral
comprehensive exams where
they have presented and
defended their research
papers to two or three HA
faculty members.
(Continue objectives as needed. Cells will expand to accommodate your text.)
PART TWO
Describe your program’s assessment accomplishments since your last report was submitted. Discuss ways in which you have responded to the
CASA Director’s comments on last year’s report or simply describe what assessment work was initiated, continued, or completed.
We continue to conduct informal exit interviews after students have passed their oral exams. Each student after passing the oral exam sits down with the exam
committee to discuss various aspects of the program. Students continue to be satisfied with their preparation, and they continue to offer constructive suggestions
for the program. As a result of one of our exit interviews, we are looking into adding discussions with the business or development office of the museums we
visit on the Fall and Spring Study Trips. Students often mention specific computer programs they wish they had had more practice with. While we cannot do it all
in one year, we continue to look for ways to incorporate introductions to and use of various computer programs and digital resources into all courses. The standalone Digital Applications in Museums course has been removed as we have come to realize that each area has specific digital applications that we incorporate
into our course-specific projects or papers. Our new HA faculty hire is also a ‘digital humanist’ and will be working with all of us as we continue to develop this
important aspect of the program. All students felt prepared to step into their internships or jobs. The students can always, and do, come up with things they would
like to see added to the curriculum, but also note that the one-year curriculum is one of the program’s strengths and attractions. The informal exit interview may
be revised in light of a recent AASLH Technical Leaflet on “Skills Most Valued for Entry-Level Professional Museum Positions.” We are considering creating a
checklist of competencies that the students feel they possess and/or that they used in their internships.
PART THREE
Summarize changes and improvements in curriculum, instruction, and learning that have resulted from the implementation of your assessment
program. How have you used the data? What have you learned? In light of what you have learned through your assessment efforts this year and
in past years, what are your plans for the future?
Our continual assessment of the program (as opposed to assessment of the students which, of course, is part of what drives the assessment of the program) and
how it prepares students for the museum world resulted in a 5-year effort to re-examine and revise the curriculum. That examination involved all HA faculty,
formal and informal discussions with alumni and other museum professionals, consultations with current students, and consideration of the results of our
assessments. The curriculum and course revisions were all approved by early Spring semester 2013. Although we were unable to devise a way to offer our
courses in blocked format (see the assessment summary form for 2011-12), we have reconfigured how courses are grouped over the course of the two semesters,
removed some courses, added a couple of new courses, and revised all syllabi to reflect new goals. (See attached curriculum and explanation.) As a result of
students tending to excel at the concrete and applied, and to continue to be less strong when it comes to demonstrating critical and analytical thinking skills
(Learning Objective 1), we will be reducing the numbers of research papers and projects overall to give students more time to concentrate on more in-depth
papers and projects. We anticipate that the new curriculum will enable students to become more familiar with the professional and historical literature and to be
more thoughtful in their application of that knowledge to their projects and papers. We have long struggled with a very full curriculum and believe that these
revisions will enable students to more fully comprehend the interdisciplinary nature of museum work, the importance of historiography, and the differences
between, and the intersections of, historical writing and public history, and to apply that in their academic work as well as at their internships.
They will also be creating professional portfolios comprised of their major research papers and projects, and presenting those portfolios to our program applicants
and faculty during interview weekend in March, thus providing them with another opportunity to practice and demonstrate effective oral communication skills
(Learning Objectives 1, 4). Several students in recent years have suggested finding a way to incorporate the creation of professional portfolios into the academic
year. They will be able to refer to these portfolios as they seek out internships and apply for jobs.
The coordinator has begun the task of revising our program’s assessment tools in light of the curricular revisions that will be in place beginning Fall 2013. These
revisions will appear in the new HA Handbook for 2013-14, as well as in next year’s assessment program summary form.