General Education Assessment

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General Education Assessment

• Summary of Assessment Results
• Bea Babbitt, Ph. D.
• Director of Academic Assessment

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Available Data

• English Composition
• World Literature
• Constitution
• Not yet assessed Math, multicultural,
  international, nor distribution requirements in
  humanities fine arts, life and physical
  sciences, analytical thinking, and social
  sciences.

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English Composition

• Learning outcome Student will demonstrate
  effective written communication skills.
• Focus on a purpose and respond to the needs of
  different audiences
• Use conventions of format, structure, and
  language
• Integrate their own ideas with those of others
• Logically organize ideas
• Adopt appropriate voice, tone, and level of
  formality
• Understand the strategies of argument, and
  analyze and evaluate reasons and evidence
• Design and implement appropriate research
  strategies and evaluate research sources
• Summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize research
  material
• Document research sources
• Control such surface features as syntax, grammar,
  punctuation, and spelling

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Proposed Assessment Tools

• Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency
  (CAAP).
• CAAP is a standardized, nationally-normed
  assessment vehicle developed by ACT for use by
  postsecondary institutions to evaluate the
  outcomes of their general education programs.
• Portfolios
• Timed Essays

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CAAP Results

• Essay Writing Test

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Interpretation

• 3 Adequate
• Take a position on issue
• Support position with only a little elaboration
  or explanation
• Organization clear enough to follow
• Control of language apparent even though there
  may be numerous errors in mechanics, usage, or
  sentence structure

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CAAP Results

• Writing Skills Test

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CAAP Results

• Writing Skills Test

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CAAP Results

• Critical Thinking Test

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World Literature

• Learning Outcome Students will interpret and
  compare world literatures.
• Specific Outcomes - Students will demonstrate
  basic knowledge of
• Major works of world literature of various genres
  from a range of historical periods and cultural
  traditions
• Literary, historical, and cultural contexts
  informing these works
• Essential literary concepts and terms
• Students will be able to read, analyze, and write
  arguments about literary texts.

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Implemented Assessment Tool

• Faculty-developed multiple-choice test
  administered across sections.
• Assesses first 3 specific outcomes
• Expected mean score 75

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World Literature Results

• English 231 (n902) mean 73.7
• English 232 (n637) mean 72.4
• (Mean score of the large section taught by a
  senior faculty 81.2)
• Fall 07

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Interpretation

• Results nearly match expectations
• Results consistent from semester to semester
• Results are higher for students taught by senior
  faculty

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Constitutions

• Learning Outcome Students will interpret the
  U.S. and Nevada Constitutions in broad contexts.

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Specific Outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge of the basic content of the
  U.S. and Nevada constitutions, such as the
  structure of the documents and the amending
  processes.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts of
  the U.S. and Nevada constitutions, such as
  popular sovereignty, representation, and
  separation of powers.
• Demonstrate how to place the U.S. and Nevada
  constitutions into a broader historical context,
  including comparative perspectives upon
  governance.

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Assessment Tools

• 20 item faculty-developed MC exam
• Expected pass rate - At least 80 of students
  will receive a passing grade (12/20 items).
• Review sample (2) of papers in HIST 101 and 102
• Expectation - Majority of students will receive
  passing grade on essay assignment.

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Constitutions Results

• HIST 102 71 of students (N82) passed MC exam
  on first attempt, 24 passed on the second
  attempt, 1 failed, and 4 dropped the course.
• HIST 100 100 of students (N37) passed MC exam
  on first attempt.
• The median grade on essays was B-

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Interpretation

• Students are meeting expectations
• Students whose first language was not English
  seemed to struggle more than others on the test