General Studies Assessment

Leslie RachGallaudet University, October 2008

Email: leslie.rach@gallaudet.edu

Top Five Reasons to be your Department’s Assessment Coordinator• Bi-weekly flow of coffee and danish from Pat’s

office.• Filling up spare hours formerly spent

obsessing about the election.• Endless opportunities for career

advancement.• The occasional chance to hobnob with MSCHE

members.• It beats being a sub-prime mortgage lender.

The General EducationAssessment Cycle

Write Learning Outcomes

Develop Assessments

Collect & Analyze Data

Decision Makers Discuss Results

Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results

The General Education Assessment Cycle

Click the highest number of a statement that is true for you.

1. I’m new to classroom assessment.

2. Classroom assessment of students is routine for me.

3. I’ve helped implement program assessment.

4. I run program and/or institutional assessment.

Have you ever used clickers to collect data?

1. Not yet.2. No. It’s a bad idea.3. Yes. I’m glad I did.4. Yes. It was a bad

idea.5. I’m tired; can’t you

just lecture?

Which of the following best describes your department’s view of assessment efforts

on campus?1. It is critical for improving

student learning experiences.

2. It takes away faculty time from doing original research in the discipline.

3. It’s okay as long as I don’t have to do it.

4. I want to learn more about it; I wish I had time.

What is the HIGHEST step your department has achieved, even partially?

1. Write Learning Outcomes

2. Develop Assessments3. Collect & Analyze Data4. Decision Makers Discuss

Results5. Faculty Alter Instruction

Based on Results6. None of the Above

What is the HIGHEST step your department has achieved completely?

1. Write Learning Outcomes2. Develop Assessments3. Collect & Analyze Data4. Decision Makers Discuss

Results5. Faculty Alter Instruction

Based on Result

6. None of the Above

Click on the EASIEST step for your department

1. Write Learning Outcomes

2. Develop Assessments3. Collect & Analyze Data4. Decision Makers Discuss

Results5. Faculty Alter Instruction

Based on Results

Click on the HARDEST step for your department

1. Write Learning Outcomes

2. Develop Assessments3. Collect & Analyze Data4. Decision Makers Discuss

Results5. Faculty Alter Instruction

Based on Results

If you reached step 4, even partially, which step actually happened next?

1. Rewrote Learning Outcomes

2. Altered Assessments3. Collect & Analyze Data4. Decision Makers Discuss

Results5. Faculty Altered

Instruction Based on Results

6. Nothing Happened.

Which step is of most concern to FACULTY?

1. Write Learning Outcomes2. Develop Assessments3. Collect & Analyze Data4. Decision Makers Discuss

Results 5. Faculty Alter Instruction

Based on Results6. None of the above

Gallaudet Undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes

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Skills based outcomes are easier to assess than dispositions and knowledge. General Studies has gone through an assessment cycle with the following two outcomes:

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• Dispositions and knowledge outcomes have proven to be more difficult to assess than skills. We do not yet have instruments to assess these outcomes:

Continued next slide…

Pre-College Skills

1

Emerging Skills

2

Developing Skills

3

Mastering Skills

4

Exemplary Skills

5

ASSIGNMENT FORMATTING AND CITING.

No regard for citing of sources. Does not follow prompt directions.

Attempt to cite some sources but does so incorrectly. Follows prompt directions minimally.

Attempt to cite most sources in assigned style, some cited incorrectly. Follows prompt directions.

All sources cited in assigned style. Basics done correctly. Follows prompt directions.

All sources cited; all citations done correctly in assigned style. Follows prompt directions.

WRITTEN ENGLISH CONVENTIONS

Pervasive sentence structure and grammatical errors completely distract and impede meaning.

Many sentence structure and grammatical errors that often distract and obscure meaning.

Sentence structure and grammatical errors may distract, but meaning is mostly clear.

Most sentences are correct; may have some sentence structure or grammatical errors that do not impede or distract from meaning.

Sentences are correct and convey meaning fluidly.

CRITICAL THINKING

No central point. No support for points. No analysis, synthesis, integration, or interpretation of ideas.

Displays a central point, although not clearly developed. Weak or irrelevant support for central point.  No synthesis, integration, or interpretation of ideas.

Central point is adequately developed and clearly stated. Information and ideas are synthesized or integrated properly but perhaps superficially. Information is interpreted correctly most of the time.

Central point is stated clearly.  Information and ideas are synthesized or integrated properly and with depth of development.  Information is interpreted correctly throughout.

Central point is impressively stated.  Information is synthesized, integrated, and interpreted in ways that contribute to a distinguished written work.

ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS

Introduction is illogical or missing.  Structure within and between paragraphs is missing.  Conclusion is illogical or missing.

Introduction is weak; transitions within and between paragraphs are weakly articulated; structure of paragraphs and paper is emerging; conclusion is weak.

Introduction is logical and helps articulate the overall plan for the paper. Transitions between and within paragraphs is logical; structure of paragraphs and paper follows logical plan; conclusion may be weak by simply repeating ideas from the paper.

Introduction articulates the overall plan for the paper.  Transitions between and within paragraphs contribute to a smooth flow of ideas; structure of paragraphs and paper are logical; conclusion is logical and does more than repeat ideas from the paper.

Introduction uniquely articulates the overall plan for the paper. Transitions between and within paragraphs contribute to a smooth flow of ideas; structure of paragraphs and paper are logical; conclusion contributes to strength of paper by offering unique ideas not repeated from the paper.

AUTHOR’S PERSONA, TONE, AND AUDIENCE AWARENESS

Word choice is often incorrect for the intended audience.  No evidence of audience considerations in sentence structure.

Word choice and sentence structure may be inappropriate for audience.

Word choice is often correct although paper may have occasional word choice errors. Sentence structure may not be varied or show awareness of the audience.

Word choice is appropriate; sentence structure is consistent and appropriate for the intended audience.

Word choice reflects flexibility of vocabulary and usage for intended audience. Sentence structure is varied and appropriate for the intended audience and reflects flexibility.

GU Writing Rubric Categories

ASSIGNMENT FORMATTING AND CITING.

WRITTEN ENGLISH CONVENTIONS

CRITICAL THINKING

ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS

AUTHOR’S PERSONA, TONE, AND AUDIENCE AWARENESS

Average (mean) Student Writing Scores

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

PreCollege Developing Exemplary

101/102150

Emerging Mastering

Critical Thinking Sub-Scale Data

Organization of Ideas Sub-Scale Data

What actions would you recommend?

• Based on the writing data I showed, what can we do:

• 1. at the course level?• 2. at the program level?• 3. at the institutional level?

Photo Credits

• Rubik’s Cube courtesy of cybertvnews.com