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Assessment of the Core – Social Inquiry

Charlyne L. WalkerDirector of Educational Research and Evaluation, Arts and Sciences

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Assessing the Major

SACS requires us to assess all degree programs bachelors through doctorate as part of Institutional Effectiveness

FIU has been assessing our degree programs since 1999-2000

Recent changes in SACS has moved us toward more direct measures

Departments assess programs in a variety of ways Sample IE document

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Social Inquiry Core Category Description In these courses students investigate

social, political, and economic configurations;cultural and psychological features of human

life; gender, race/ethnicity, and social class;consciousness and identity; social interactions with the natural environment; and local, national, and global aspects of the

human world

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Foundations of Social Inquiry

DescriptionStudents learn theories and methodologies

that underlie these areas of study and enhance their research and analytic skills.

Competency:Students will be able to use research and

analytic skills to evaluate and apply theories and methodologies.

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Societies and Identities

DescriptionStudents compare societies and cultures in

local, national, or international contexts and in contemporary or historical perspective.

Competency:Students will be able to compare and contrast

societies and cultures.

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Objectives and Measures

There should be objectives for the courses in course syllabi

As objectives are developed, we may be asking for you to include them into course syllabi

As measures are developed, you might be asked to include them into course syllabi to let students know what measures are being used

This is not a “short term” solution for the 2010 SACS visit

The measures must be on going as part of SACS requirements beyond 2010

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Types of Direct Measures Embedded questions

Set of locally developed questions intended to measure specific student learning outcomes

Placed within tests of all sections of the same course Used to track cognitive or skill development through a

program, sets of embedded questions, with each expecting a higher level of proficiency than the previous, may be used across sequential courses

Papers or short answer questions using rubrics – a rubric is used to standardize the grading of work

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Types of Direct Measures

Locally developed exams - exams produced by faculty within a discipline

Pre/Post Test - a locally developed test that measure students’ incoming and post program levels of knowledge, skills, behaviors and attitudes to measure students’ gains

You can find more types of measures at http://oeas.ucf.edu/alc/dir_measures.htm

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Examples of Objectives and Measures from UCF SYG 2000 General Sociology - To be able to gather and

synthesize information from appropriate resources, and be able to evaluate information and sources for accuracy and credibility.                

Measures:        1.1 SYG 2000 General Sociology - Pre/Post Tests. During the first

10 days of the semester a pretest with questions designed specifically to address objective, will be administered to all sections of SYG 2000. A posttest will be administered two weeks prior to the end of the course to gauge acquisition of student knowledge of objective.                

1.2 SYG 2000 General Sociology - Questions will be embedded into the last exam administered in each section of SYG2000. Item analysis of these questions will be used to gauge the acquisition of student knowledge of this outcome.

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Examples of Objectives and Measures from UCF POS 2041 American National Government - Students will

demonstrate effective written communication concerning American politics and policy.                

Measures:        8.1 POS 2041 American National Government - Students will be given

an internet learning module to complete that requires that they write a brief essay. Student writing ability will be rated as satisfactory or not satisfactory based on identified criteria measuring writing skill. 100% of the students who pass the course will achieve a score of satisfactory.                 

8.2 POS 2041 American National Government - Students will watch an in depth news program (like the News Hour on PBS) and write a brief essay in response. Student writing ability will be rated as satisfactory or not satisfactory based on identified criteria measuring writing skill. 100% of the students who pass the course will achieve a score of satisfactory.

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Examples

UCF General Education Social Foundations

http://iaaweb.ucf.edu/assessment/visitor/view_2006_07.asp?program_ID=1241

UCF Assessment Plans for 2006

http://iaaweb.ucf.edu/assessment/visitor/y67.asp?group=visitor