Clifton E. Watts, PhD
Dept. of Recreation & Leisure Studies
East Carolina University
wattsc@ecu.edu
Utilization-focused Assessment in Foundations Curriculum:
Examining RCLS 2601: Leisure in Society
Assessment:
Learning outcomes are assessed in face-to-face lectures, as well as distance
education courses developed for the world wide-web. Specifically, RCLS
2601 focuses on three outcomes for Foundations Curriculum:
Outcome 1: Understanding of Leisure Studies and Social Science:
Students will learn the subject matter of Leisure Studies, a discipline in the
Social Sciences
Assessment Method:
Direct assessment through embedded test questions on Leisure Meanings
and Theory. These questions are assessed on the final exam.
Criterion for Success:
Answers reported to reflect the percent of students who answer each
question correctly. The target is to have 70% of students enrolled in RCLS
2601 course identify the correct answer for each question.
Conclusion:
Abstract:
Utilization-focused assessment is increasingly important when considering the format and delivery of instruction. Leisure in Society (RCLS 2601)
is an ECU Social Science Foundations Curriculum course. Course formats are implemented as lecture or distance education. Multiple class
sections require several faculty instructors, who bring varying levels of teaching experience and strengths in content knowledge. The purpose of
this poster is to demonstrate how focused instructional training and curriculum refinement occurs through assessment utilization and planning.
RCLS 2601 Overview:
Leisure in Society (RCLS 2601) fulfills social science foundations requirements by exploring the concept of leisure from historical, sociocultural, and individual perspectives. Consistent with the goals of a liberal education, this course is designed to encourage students to think
critically, understand contexts, reflect, and take action. This course provides students with the fundamental knowledge and abilities essential to
living worthwhile lives through developing awareness about how they utilize leisure, and examining how leisure supports human function and
culture.
Outcome 2: Understanding Research Methodology in Leisure Studies
Students will learn the research methodology, principles, and concepts
required to understand and conduct undergraduate-level research in Leisure
Studies
Assessment Method:
Direct assessment through embedded test questions on Research Methods
and Techniques in Leisure Studies. These questions are assessed on the final
exam.
Assessment Method:
Direct assessment through embedded test questions on Research Methods
Leisure Studies. These questions are assessed on the final exam for RCLS
2601 students.
Assessment of the third outcome also utilizes an indirect measure of student
opinions related to how RCLS 2601 contributes to fundamental knowledge
and abilities essential enhancing quality of life.
Criterion for Success:
Direct assessment counts correct answers and summarizes counts to reflect
the percent of students who answer each question correctly. The target is to
have 70% of students enrolled in RCLS 2601 course identify the correct
answer for each question.
Indirect assessment examines the mean values of the student opinion items
with the standard mean value of five on a seven point (seven indicating
strongly agree). Likert scales assess the extent to which students agree with
how this course develops awareness and competence on how leisure is
experienced, and the ability of how cultural and contextual variations impact
leisure experiences.
Over the three year period, assessment results were utilized to:
-Assure consistency between distance education and lecture-based instructional
formats
-Develop orientation and training meetings for incoming faculty
-Establish a monitoring system for distance education and lecture-based
formats
-Foster peer mentoring from experienced faculty in content areas where
inconsistent achievement was identified
-Revise and strengthen course content in distance education and lecture-based
formats
As a result of these actions, we observed:
Results:
Criterion for Success:
Answers are reported to reflect the percent of students who answer each
question correctly. The target is to have 70% of students enrolled in RCLS
2601 course identify the correct answer for each question.
Outcome 3: Demonstrating a Discipline Understanding
Students will learn about the discipline’s contribution to general knowledge
Foundations Curriculum outcomes are developed to support students’
acquisition of fundamental knowledge and enhance their abilities to learn and
live successfully. Utilization-focused assessment is increasingly important
when considering the format and delivery of instruction. This is especially
relevant to RCLS 2601, a course taught as face-to-face lecture or through
distance education. Multiple sections of the class require several faculty
instructors, who often bring varying levels of teaching experience and strengths
in content knowledge. Assessment was used to pinpoint where inconsistencies
in outcome achievement existed, and develop appropriate instructional training
and curriculum refinement to address these inconsistencies in order to enhance
student learning.
• 2009-10 Assessment
• Outcomes 1 and 3 fell below
standard
• Many items used in direct
assessment were below 70% target
• Inconsistent performance on
outcome assessment results were
observed when comparing Distance
Education (DE) and Lecture
formats (DE sections performing
better).
2010-11 Approach
1. Prioritize graduate assistant and
adjunct training
2. Identify DE and Lecture course
monitors
3. Strengthen Lecture-based units and
implement DE developed units into
lecture-based formats
2011-12 Approach
1. Continue graduate assistant
and adjunct training
2. Continue utilizing DE and
Lecture course monitors
3. Target curriculum refinement
based on low performing
items in assessment
4. Implement revised curricula
in DE and Lecture units
• 2010-11 Assessment
• Improved scores, some individual
items remained below target % for
Outcomes 1 and 3
• Mean scores for indirect assessment
of Outcome 3 above target means
for all items
-Consistent performance on outcomes between distance education and lecturebased instructional formats
-Better performance in outcome areas where achievement was lacking or
where performance was inconsistent
• 2011-12 Assessment
• Continued improvement for
Outcomes 1 and 3 in Fall 2011. All
items above target percentages.
• In Spring 2012 we observed
differences on outcome measures
between classes taught by full time
and adjunct faculty. Measures for
all three outcomes were lower for
adjunct when compared to full time
faculty.
2012-13 Approach
1. Continue graduate assistant and
adjunct training
2. Continue utilizing DE and Lecture
course monitors
3. For first-time lecturers, utilize
course monitors to oversee or serve
as guest lecturers in content areas
where outcome performance is
inconsistent
In the case of RCLS 2601, the utilization-focused framework has spurred
action and helped close gaps related to instructional format, while setting
standards for all faculty members to achieve. Assessment thrives when
monitoring and program refinement processes function to support utilization
plans.