#1. Undergraduate Program Assessment Plan:Student Outcomes– Gen Ed

To be completed by Departments and submitted by the Department Chair to theBlackBoard Assessment Site.

Department: Music
General Education Committeehas selected the following area for the 2014-2015 assessment cycle:
Knowledge: to gain a base level of knowledge in core disciplines
General Education Committeehas selected the following Student Outcome for the 2014 – 2015 assessment cycle:
The student will be able to gain a broad understanding of key concepts.
General Education Committee: Background: What factors caused the committee to choose this particular assessment outcome? If this outcome was selected because of a perceived problem, please explain.
The committee selected this outcome based upon two criteria, 1) it is broad enough that each department can collect artifacts for direct assessment, and 2) students acquiring knowledge across numerous disciplines is a key goal of our general education curriculum.
Department: What student outcome will the department assess that addresses: “The student will be able to gain a broad understanding of key concepts?”
Music 111 (Music Appreciation): The student will identify the various stylistic features of Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th Century, and modern compositions.
Music 115 (History of Rock): The student will understand the relationship of Rock music to mid-20th-century American and British society.
Department: What specific question(s) are you attempting to answer through assessing this student outcome? What are you trying to find out? There may be more than one question, but no more than three.
When students don't learn in our general education courses, does the problem lie with the course material, with the teaching methods, or elsewhere?
Methodology:
  1. OBJECT* - What data (i.e. artifact, exam score, detailed description of assignment) will be collected?
We'll use targeted questions in the final exams of the two general education courses offered in Spring 2015.
  1. How does this data address the assessment question? It tells us whether students are fulfilling the learning objectives.
  2. Include/attach a description/example of assessment tool to be used.
  1. How will data be collected?We'll use these questions, or similar questions, on the final exam:
Music 111: The following is fictional concert program. Without hearing any of the music, describe each piece in as much detail as possible, including what you think the piece will sound like, given your knowledge of the titles and terms that appear on the program. Please write a paragraph for each piece on the back of this page.
Music 115: After all of your reading, listening, summarizing and synthesizing about Rock music and American life, respond to the following question:
Is the development of Rock throughout the twentieth & twenty-first centuries more of a reflection of American life and society or a reaction to American life and society? Or can it be both? And why?
Be very specific in supporting your answers by including social, cultural and musical examples throughout the entire history of Rock music that support your supposition. Point out important specific musical elements when referring to a specific artist or band.
Analysis of Artifacts: PERFORMANCE CRITERIA* -
Discuss 1) How the artifacts will be analyzed (attach rubrics/scoring tools if used) Points will be assigned as part of the final exam grading.
2) Howyou will know if it is good? (i.e. score required by % of students). A grade of "C" or above is acceptable. For students with lower scores, we will check to see whether they have been in class and have completed assignments. If they have, then we will investigate what other factors might be causing them to fail.
Submitted by: Joe Herl Date: 12/14
Reviewed by the Assessment Committee (Date): 12/14
Approved: Yes Not Approved:
Department Chair notified/additional action: na