General Education Roundtable

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General Education Roundtable

• Weber State University
• January 8, 2008

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Why are we here today?

• PurposeTo discuss ways to improve
• WSUs general education program by
• using information we already have.

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Some Background Information

• Assessment Models
• What Do We Know?
• What Do We Do With What We Know?

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Assessment Models
Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses
shifting the focus from teaching to learning by
Huba and Freed 2000
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Discussing and Using Assessment Results to
Improve Teaching and Learning

• Results should be used to improve student
  learning.

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Formulating Statements of Intended Learning
Outcomes

• Are we ready yet?

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Formulating Statements of Intended Learning
Outcomes
The First Step Learning Outcomes
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WSU Learning Outcomes

• Communicate, understand and interpret ideas and
  information using written, oral and visual media.
• Think critically and creatively to construct
  well-reasoned arguments supported by documented
  research.
• Use quantitative, mathematical relationships,
  operations and reasoning.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the history,
  foundational principles, economics, and politics
  of the United States.

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WSU Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate proficiency in computer and
  information literacy.
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the
  biological and physical sciences describe and
  explain the natural world.
• Demonstrate an understanding of humans, their
  behavior, and their interaction with and within
  their physical, social, local and global
  environments.
• Demonstrate an understanding of diverse forms of
  aesthetic and intellectual expression.

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State-Wide Learning Outcomes

• Communicate effectively
• Employ quantitative and qualitative analysis in
  problem solving
• Interpret and evaluate information
• Work successfully within diverse groups and
  complex organizations
• Adjust to and manage change
• Act with social responsibility, intellectual
  honesty, and ethical judgment.

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Formulating Statements of WSUs Intended
Learning Outcomes

• Life Science Outcomes
• Physical Science Outcomes
• Social Science Outcomes
• Creative Arts Humanities Outcomes

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Conclusion 1

• WSU has established learning outcomes.

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Assessment Measures
Step 2--Collecting Data
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Assessment Measures
WSU has collected data at entry and during the
first-year (i.e., Accuplacer and CLA Exam).
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Assessment Measures

• WSU has collected data at different points in the
  undergraduate experience (e-portfolio pilot).

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Assessment Measures
WSU has collected data at the conclusion of the
senior year (CLA Exam).
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Assessment Measures
WSU has used indirect assessment measures (e.g.,
the National Survey of Student Engagement).
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Assessment Measures
Targeted research studies (e.g., math
proficiency, diversity)
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General EducationAssessment Measures
Groups working to develop assessment strategies
for each of the three breadth areas life
science/ physical science, humanities/creative
arts, and social science. In addition, four
groups addressing the same issues in the core
areas of American institutions, composition,
computer and information literacy, and
quantitative literacy. Each group is
responsible for developing learning outcomes, a
curriculum grid, and an assessment plan.
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Assessment Measures
POST-GRADUATION ASSESSMENT Alumni Survey Rating
of Competency by Employers Student Reports and
Self-Assessment of Experience END-OF-PROGRAM
ASSESSMENT (SENIOR YEAR) Collegiate Learning
Assessment Portfolios Capstone Courses Exit
Interviews/Surveys Specific Assessment
Projects National Survey of Student
Engagement MID-PROGRAM ASSESSMENT Assessment of
Core and Breadth Areas COURSE-BASED
ASSESSMENT Individual Faculty Review Common
Questions In Required Courses Common Syllabi and
Standards of Achievement and/or grading for all
sections PRE-ENTRY ASSESSMENT Accuplacer, ACT/SAT
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Conclusion 2
While you can always gather more data, we already
have a lot.
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The Learning Experience
Step 3 What is the Learning Experience?
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Creating Experiences Leading to OutcomesGeneral
Education
General Education Program
General Education Curriculum
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Elements of the WSU General EducationProgram
Half of all classes have 20 or fewer
students. More WSU first-year students say the
purpose of attending college is to acquire a
broad general education (81) than to acquire
work-related skills (52). 34 of WSU student
engaged in service learning during their first
year. Only, 2 participated in undergraduate
research.
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The General Education Curriculumthe Majority of
WSU Students Choose
AI AMERICAN CIVILIZATION CA INTRO TO VISUAL
ARTS INTRO TO MUSIC HU SMALL GROUP
COMMUNICATION PUBLIC SPEAKING LS NUTRITION EN
VIRONMENTAL APPRECIATION SS INTRO TO
PSYCHOLOGY PS NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS OF
EARTH INTRO TO CHEMISTRY EARTHQUAKES AND
VOLCANOES
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General Education
In case you blinked, we just looked at some
assessment data.
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Conclusion 3

• The general education program can be improved
  without changing the curriculum. It can certainly
  be improved without changing the entire program.
• Of course, changing the curriculum may also
  improve the program.

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What do we know?
Do we have results we can use?
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What do we know?
WSUs top 10 assessment results.
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Ask Yourself Two Questions
Are you pleased with this result? Can the
General Education program help to change this
result?

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What do we know?
10. WSU first-year students dont read for
pleasure. 20 percent of first-year students
have never read an unassigned book for
personal enjoyment or enrichment. (Source
National Survey of Student Engagement)
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What do we know?
9. WSU senior students dont read much more than
first-year students. 19 percent of WSU senior
students have never read an unassigned book for
personal enjoyment or enrichment. (Source
National Survey of Student Engagement)
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What do we know?
8. The General Education Program influences
Attitudes toward diversity. Irrespective of
the age, students showed greater appreciation of
the similarities and differences between
themselves and others after completing general
education courses than before completing them.
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What do we know?
On the other hand 17 of WSU seniors say they
have never had a meaningful conversation with
students of a different race or ethnicity. 9
say they have never had a conversation with
students who are different in terms of religion,
political opinions, or personal values. (Source
National Survey of Student Engagement)
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What do we know?
7. WSU students may not appreciate diverse
forms of aesthetic and intellectual
expression. 35 percent of WSU senior students
have never attended an art exhibit, gallery,
play, dance, or theater performance. (Source
National Survey of Student Engagement)
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What do we know?
6. WSU students are most impressed with the
development of their critical and analytical
thinking skills. To what extent have your
experiences contributed to 80 percent respond
quite a bit or very much. (Source National
Survey of Student Engagement)
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What do we know?
5. WSU students are less impressed with the
development of their writing skills. To what
extent have your experiences contributed to
29 percent respond very little or
some. (Source National Survey of Student
Engagement)
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What do we know?
4. On a national examination which measures
critical thinking, analytic reasoning, written
communication and problem solving skills, WSU
first-year students score significantly below the
national average. Source Collegiate Learning
Assessment
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What do we know?
3. On a national examination which measures
critical thinking, analytic reasoning, written
communication and problem solving skills, WSU
senior students score above the national
average. Source Collegiate Learning Assessment
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What do we know?
2. On a national examination which measures
critical thinking, analytic reasoning, written
communication and problem solving skills, WSU
senior students score significantly above their
predicted score based upon the statistical
models. Source Collegiate Learning Assessment
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CLA Scoring and our CLA Results
WSU Seniors Scored 17 Points Above the National
Mean for Seniors
WSU First-Year Students Scored 93 Points Below
the National Mean For First-Year Students
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What do we know?

• If you torture the data long enough,
• it will confess .
• R. H. Coase

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Conclusion 4

• We have enough information to act upon.
• We just need to decide where to start.

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Discussing and Using Assessment Results to
Improve Teaching and Learning

• What next?

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Possibilities

• Integrating general education courses with the
  major
• Across the curriculum initiatives which infuse
  general education skills in major courses
• reading
• writing
• analytical reasoning
• Course sequencing

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Possibilities
Preparatory assignments Common experiences
Common themes