Program or Area Name: Sociology
Faculty Participation: Jamie Harazmus, Jerry Harazmus, Shelly Dutchin, Joyce Altobelli
Academic Year 2017-18
Students feel that instructors are qualified in their fields.
Students are not as satisfied with how their individual needs are addressed.
Students would like to be notified early if they aren’t doing well and to have quick and frequent feedback on their performance.
Above data is from Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, survey data from fall 2015.
C or better*, 2013-2017: Intro to Diversity Studies: 69%; Intro to Soc: 74%; Social Problems: 74%; Pri nciples of Soc: 67%; Ma rriage a nd Fa mily: 63%; Ra ce, Class, Gender: 72%; Retention*: overa l l, between 85% a nd 93%; s ummer is 5% to 10% l ower than other terms
Success*, 2016 SU – 2017 SP: Intro to Diversity Studies: 83%; Intro to Soc: 89%; Social Problems: 97%; Pri nciples of Soc: 88%; Ma rriage a nd Family: 100%; Ra ce, Cl ass, Gender: 83%
*C or better = pass/total; Retain = (pass + D or F)/total; Success = pass / (total – (withdraw + F1))
Strengths and best practices our program/department could share with others include:
Example:
Faculty are knowledgeable in their fields.
Classes deal with practical applications and experiences. Faculty are available outside of class.
Students report experiencing intellectual growth.
Data above is from Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, survey data from fall 2015, distributed at a Data and Evidence Analysis workshop in fall 2016.
The Whys – For each area of concern, ask why this is the case
5
Using the data and evidence for your program/department, identify themes that you see in your qualitative data.
Some students didn’t understand the definition of some of the core abilities, such as sustainability. Students appear to agree that they have learned to work with others in a diverse population.
Some core abilities may not be relevant to some social sciences (such as technology sustainability)
Above Data is from Student Learning Outcome Report, May 2016.
4Based upon thorough data and evidence analysis, the 3-4 areas or issues we are most concerned about include:
Students report lower satisfaction regarding being treated as individuals. Students report lower satisfaction regarding timely faculty performance feedback. Students wish to be alerted early if they are not performing well.
Data above is from Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, survey data from fall 2015, distributed at a Data and Evidence Analysis workshop in fall 2016.
For each concern or focus area, identify possible high impact solutions that may not yet be present in your program or depart ment -- or that may not be fully scaled. Consider the priorities in Western’s Academic 2020 plan, the Achieving the Dream Implementation Plan, and other solutions that may be associated with things such as program-level accreditation or grants tied to your program or department. Be sure to connect your solutions to your data and evidence analysis process.
· Timely Feedback:Develop a department deadline procedure regarding faculty performance feedback to students.
Budget time to meet deadline procedure. Convey policy to students. / · Early Alerts:
Develop a department procedure regarding how/when sociology instructors will address student early alerts.
Work with college counselors when developing early alert procedure.
· Attend professional day workshops on early alert referrals.
· Determine when an early alert is appropriate.
· Determine how an early alert should be conducted.
High Impact Solution / Current Level of Performance / De / sired Le / vel of Performance / Resources Needed / Point Person / Timeline
Limit class size to 25 students / Class size is 30 students. / Limit class size to 25 students. / Administrative approval / Dean, General
Studies.
VP of Instruction / December 2018
Develop a department procedure regarding faculty feedback to students. / Each instructor has their own
deadline procedure. / Develop a consistent deadline
procedure for all sociology instructors. Procedure will include faculty providing feedback within one week of assignment due date. / Meeting times for sociology
faculty to develop a procedure. / Sociology faculty / April 2018
Develop a department procedure to address student early alerts. / Each instructor determines
if/when/how they use alerts. / Develop a consistent policy for
all sociology instructors to address student early alerts. Policy will include appropriate contacts, and guidelines for when and how to use alerts. / Meeting times for sociology
faculty to develop a procedure. Input, assistance, and collaboration with college counselors. / Sociology faculty,
college counselors / April 2019
Gather ideas and best practices as a department. / Each instructor utilizes his/her
own practices and there is no channel to share ideas. / Regular sharing of best
practices. Faculty will implement one agreed upon best practice technique from their peers. / Regular times for faculty to
meet. / One designated
faculty member. / December 2018
On the recommendation to limit class size, I would want to see that this proposed solution is supported by empirical evidence. And, it should be taken into account that although 30 students may enroll, not all remain in the class, and some never attend from day 1. As it stands, I (Dean Strauss) cannot support this proposed solution.