Academic Assessment Committee

Policies and Practices

 

The Academic Assessment Committee’s principal functions are to assist in the development of academic assessment measures and program and general education annual assessment reports.

 

Meetings:

The committee meets on a monthly basis throughout the academic year.  The semester schedule is established at the beginning of each semester.

 

Academic Assessment Measures:

Development of academic assessment measures occurs on an as-needed basis, particularly in the area of general education (see below).

 

Through attendance at assessment conferences and workshops and reviews of the literature, the committee will gather tools and make them available to the college community primarily via the academic assessment website (http://www.marietta.edu/~assess/).

 

Program Assessment:

In the fall of each academic year, the committee, under the Provost’s signature, issues a call for the annual program assessment reports.  The call includes a description of the assessment process as well as report summary and feedback report forms.  The assessment reports are due near the end of the fall term, with the exact date being set in consultation with the Provost.

 

The assessment reports are divided among the committee members; each report is reviewed and comments summarized on the feedback report form.  The reviewer’s remarks are returned to the report’s author by the end of the spring term.  Copies of the assessment reports and reviewer’s remarks are organized by academic year and housed in the Provost’s office.

 

Committee members are available to assist the college community throughout all stages of the process.

 

General Education Assessment:

General education assessment is coordinated by the committee.

 

Each spring the academic profile test, developed by Educational Testing Services, is administered to randomly-selected members of the graduating class.  Those taking the exit exam must have sat for the same exam as entering freshman so that comparative data may be generated.  The committee assists the Director of Institutional Research in the administration of the exit exam.

 

At the beginning of each semester, the committee distributes a general education assessment form to each instructor of a general education course offering.  Each instructor is required to select at least one educational outcome to be assessed that semester.  The outcome to be assessed is selected from a list of the educational outcomes of the Marietta College 21^st Century Curriculum.  The assessment committee collects assessment forms from each instructor, and then tabulates the results to insure that each general education outcome is assessed annually.

 

At the end of the semester, instructors submit their assessment data to the committee.  The data are compiled and a general education assessment report generated.

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21^st Century Curriculum

GENERAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT FORM

Please attach to curriculum proposal form

(To be completed for EACH section offered)

 

1.  Course Dept/Number/Section:  __________________________

 

2.  Course Title:  ________________________________________

 

3.  Instructor:  __________________________________________

 

4.  The following is a list of educational outcomes of the Marietta College 21^st Century Curriculum. While each course offering within a cognate area must meet multiple criteria, assessment will focus on only ONE outcome per course section per semester.  (A section instructor may, at their option, choose to assess multiple outcomes.)

 

From the cognate area in which this course falls, circle (at least) ONE outcome this section will focus on for assessment.

 

Writing Competency (Core Value 1)

* Internalize modes of inquiry through writing

* Practice discipline-specific formal and stylistic writing

* Develop an understanding of the human condition through writing

* Learn to communicate effectively through writing

* Develop an understanding of causes and consequences of past ideas

 

Historical Perspective (Core Values 1 & 9)

* Be able to explain processes of historical change and continuity

* Be able to analyze events, people, movements, and ideas over time

* Learn to appreciate historical contexts and the construct of reality

 

Scientific Inquiry (Core Values 1 & 4)

* Acquire basic content knowledge in at least one scientific discipline

* Develop a working knowledge of the scientific method

* Use experimentation and measurement to explore and test hypotheses

* Connect scientific thinking and technology to societal issues

 

Social Analysis (Core Value 1)

* Apply models/theories to analyze the behavior of individuals/groups

* Learn to use empirical methods to evaluate models/theories

* Understand the human behavior-social institutions interrelationship

* Apply social analysis to understand social events and situations

 

Quantitative Reasoning (Core Value 1)

* Develop the ability to interpret data

* Develop the skills needed for logical thinking/deductive reasoning

* Learn to use quantitative reasoning to make decisions

* Apply quantitative reasoning tools to specific contexts

* Gain a cultural appreciation for quantitative reasoning

 

 

 

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Leadership and Ethics (Core Value 8)

* Recognize the way leaders and followers share goals and values

* Recognize major moral principles

* Reflect upon living in a society with pluralistic values

* Identify factors that influence the leaders and followers

 

Fine Arts (Core Value 1)

* Practice visual or performing art in a significant way

* Develop skills in evaluating and appreciating art

 

Literature (Core Value 1)

* Develop the basic ability of how to intellectually study text

* Recognize genre characteristics and critical approaches

 

Global Issues and Diversity (Core Value 9)

* Acquire basic knowledge of at least one culture outside the USA

* Be able to understand contemporary world issues

 

Diversity (Core Value 9)

* Acquire basic knowledge of at least one issue pertinent to diversity

* Develop analytical skills suitable for understanding differences

 

5.  Briefly describe the method by which this outcome will be measured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Example Assessment of a General Education course

Outcome: Develop a working knowledge of the scientific method

 

Method of Measurement: Students will be given the procedures for a series of experiments and be able to determine, with 70% accuracy, if the scientific method is being correctly applied.

 

At the conclusion of the semester, a one-page form will be sent to each section instructor on which they will summarize their assessment effort; these forms will be returned to the Academic Assessment Committee for compilation and review.  The process will be ongoing.

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STUDENT OUTCOME ASSESSMENT

REPORT SUMMARY

 

 

Name of Program: _____________________________

 

Date Report Submitted: _____________________________

 

Person Submitting Report:________________________________________________

 

Date Report Received by Assessment Committee:_____________________________

 

                                                                                                      Don’t

                                                                                Yes    No   Know            Evidence Provided

Are the program’s vision, mission, educational goals, and learning outcomes clearly defined?  (Attach copy.)
Were documented improvements made to the program this year as a result of the assessment process last year?  (Attach summary of recommendations made and subsequent program improvements.)
Are learning outcomes clearly defined and tied to the educational goals?
Are the learning outcomes measurable and were they actually measured?  (Attach evidence.)
Have the learning outcomes been satisfied?
Have the educational goals been satisfied based on the measured learning outcomes?
Have suggestions been made to improve the program next year as a result of the assessment process this year?  (Attach evidence.)
Were the vision, mission, educational goals, and learning outcomes reviewed?  (Attach evidence detailing who reviewed them and document any changes made.)
Additional comments:

 

 

 

 

 

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STUDENT OUTCOME ASSESSMENT

FEEDBACK REPORT

 

 

Name of Program: ____________________________

 

Date Report Submitted by Assessment Committee:____________________________

 

Name of Reviewer:_______________________________________________________

 

                                                                                                                Don’t

                                                                                                        Yes   No  Know            Suggestions

Are the program’s vision, mission, educational goals, and learning outcomes clearly defined?
Were documented improvements made to the program this year as a result of the assessment process last year?
Are learning outcomes clearly defined and tied to the educational goals?
Are the learning outcomes measurable and were they actually measured?
Have the learning outcomes been satisfied?
Have the educational goals been satisfied based on the measured learning outcomes?
Have suggestions been made to improve the program next year as a result of the assessment process this year?
Were the vision, mission, educational goals, and learning outcomes reviewed?
Were changes made to the vision, mission, educational goals, and           learning outcomes?