PACE Program
ASSESSMENT PLAN
May 17, 2001
Mission: The Program for Adult College Education (PACE) is an innovative degree completion program which enables adult students to efficiently earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in either Human Development or Liberal Studies in a reasonable period of time while maintaining full-time employment. This is accomplished using a carefully structured sequence of courses in conjunction with flexible instructional delivery which includes evening, Saturday, and online courses augmented by take-home media, usually in the form of videotapes.
PACE relies on the strength and diversity of its two majors, Human Development and Liberal Studies, as well as the variety of minors and options available to PACE students. This accelerated pathway enables transfer students to minimize their time-to-degree without compromising academic quality. Through these two interdisciplinary majors coupled with our alternative delivery system, PACE students receive a true liberal arts education that will facilitate career advancement or entry into graduate school or a multiple subject teaching credential program.
Program Goals: 1. to provide an accelerated, yet intellectually rigorous, path for working adults to complete their B.A. in either Human Development or Liberal Studies.
2. to provide a carefully structured curriculum designed to fulfill degree requirements for both majors in a timely manner, at both the Hayward and Contra Costa campuses.
3. to employ innovative scheduling and various instructional media and technologies that will enable working students to make steady progress toward the B.A.
4. to provide a stimulating yet safe and nurturing learning community, through an annual student cohort that will support and encourage a diverse population of re-entry adult students.
5. to develop and maintain an academically rigorous curriculum emphasizing broad-based, interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition, critical reasoning, and excellence in written communication skills.
6. to maintain high retention and graduation rates for students enrolled in the program through effective scheduling and advising.
Student Learning
Outcomes: Learning outcomes for PACE students are the same as those specified by the Human Development Department and the Liberal Studies Program for their non-PACE majors. Academic performance inevitably will be demonstrated through coursework in many departments and by other measures as may be developed by Human Development and Liberal Studies.
Performance
Indicators: 1. Retention rate – as measured by students who enroll in PACE and persist to the degree
2. Time to degree
3. Student satisfaction as measured by:
· annual student survey
· analysis of LBS exit questionnaire for LBS PACE students
· mandatory student evaluations of PACE faculty
· alum survey
4. Comparative performance with non-PACE LBS and HDEV majors:
· pass rate on WST
· admission to graduate school or credential program
· other major department (HDEV or LBS) criteria, as appropriate
ALSS Learning about Student Learning
YEAR-END -REPORT 2002-03
1. Degree Program PACE Program Report Writer(s) Nancy Sadoyama
2. Mission Statement: Last Revised___2001___ on Blackboard Site? yes
3. Program Goals: Last Revised __2001____on blackboard Site? yes
4. Program Outcomes: Last Revised __2001____on Blackboard Site? yes
5. Program Outcomes Listed on Course Syllabi? n/a
a. If yes, which courses? ______
6. For Each Study ~ Complete the following
a. Date / February 2003b. Title of Study / PACE Program Student Survey
c. Why study was done? / PACE students have been surveyed on an annual basis every
year since 1996-97 to gather demographic and other information
as well as to ascertain student satisfaction.
d. What population was covered? / PACE students enrolled in PACE courses during Winter 2003.
e. What was assessed - i.e. program outcomes? / n/a
e. What type of instrument or data-gathering approach was used? / Survey
f. What was the response rate or number of people assessed? / n = 136
g. What were the results? / A detailed analysis will be reported to the PACE Advisory Board.
h. How were the results analyzed? / Computerized scoring by the Assessment and Testing Office. Open-ended remarks will be checked as time permits.
i. What was the impact of the study on dialogue within the department and/or decisions? / Survey results will be included in any discussions about
potential off-campus PACE partnerships.
j. Where is the data and analysis housed? / PACE Director’s office.
k. How is data & analysis presented and made available to your faculty? / Survey analysis will be presented to the PACE Advisory Board.
l. Reflecting on your responses to the previous questions, what do you observe and recommend for the coming year's assessment efforts? / Continue with the annual PACE student survey in Winter 2004.
Michael Strait in the Office of Assessment and Testing will explore automating PACE retention rates and student time-to-degree.