OFFICE OF ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION
GOAL ASSESSMENT REPORT: AY 08/09
Masters of Education
Section One: Describe all department activities with respect to improving student learning in the degree. This may include new faculty hires, course revisions, assignment creation, rubric revisions, goal evaluations, etc.
Activity Statement:
· During AY 2008-09, the TU Masters of Education coordinated the following activities designed to improve student learning in the MEd degree:
o Identified and hired new adjunct education instructors who have extensive professional K-12 teaching experience
§ 50% faculty hold terminal degrees or ABD
§ All faculty hold K-12 teaching credentials
§ One faculty is Nationally Board Certified
§ Methods instructor is recipient of 2009 “Golden Apple” Teacher Award
o Designed and built 13 new online course offerings
§ EDU534Foundations of Education [Bailey]
§ EDU536Philosophy of Education [Gillies]
§ EDU538Information Literacy for Educators [Chiara]
§ EDU542Multicultural Education [Bailey]
§ EDU548Advanced Technology for Teachers [Gillies]
§ EDU611Psychology & Sociology of Learning [Scheira]
§ EDU613Current Issues in Curriculum and Instruction [Schiera]
§ EDU615Ethical & Legal Issues in Education [Boxley]
§ EDU617Current Practices in Classroom Behavior & Management [Chiara]
§ EDU621Reading in the Content Areas [Fulkerson]
§ EDU641Educational Research [Collins]
§ EDU643Educational Measurements [Ingalls]
§ EDU654Analysis of Ohio Standards in Social Studies [Finney]
o Renumbered courses to reflect more accurately academic levels
o Added course offerings to remediate writing and research skills
o Reevaluated program goals resulting in 4 new course offerings
o Doubled student enrollment in inaugural year
Outcome #1:
For the 2008-2009 academic year, students in EDU534, EDU536, EDU542, EDU611, EDU613, EDU641 and EDU643 will write critical papers examining works in educational research. In addition to examining and identifying the essential components of research works, students will apply critical theory to evaluate the work in order to make applications to their own further research efforts. Students will hone and demonstrate graduate-level ability in analytic and evaluative skills.
Outcome #2:
Students in EDU534, EDU536, EDU542, EDU611, EDU613, EDU641 and EDU643 will review and compile data pertaining to educational theory and practice and create a chronologically sequenced project, web quest, or teaching unit representing major educational benchmarks. Student activity will reflect a coherent, useful synthesis of knowledge by demonstrating familiarity with and knowledge of the educational theories, constructs, and strategies.
Outcome #3:
Opportunities for peer interaction will be included in EDU538, EDU613, EDU617, and EDU630. Students will create class presentations that could eventually be used additionally as an individual professional development tool. The presentation will make use of a variety of technologies appropriate for the online platform and will reflect a student knowledge through a synthesis of learning practices and behaviors.
Section Two: Describe which program goal(s) in the Major Program Plan was assessed during the academic year.
Intended Outcome #1: To demonstrate an understanding of the social, cultural, and legal issues that impact education and develop responsive approaches to such issues. Courses Involved: EDU542, EDU611, EDU613, and EDU641
Activity Statement: Students will use reflective teaching and learning approaches to evaluate and assess personal teaching methods and philosophies in view of current trends, issues and, practices. Student activity will consist of crafting personal philosophy statement that also incorporates contemporary best practices in teaching and learning.
Assessment Criteria: 75% of Masters of Education candidates will achieve scores of at least 90% on written critical analysis papers, research evaluations, or case studies based on the instructor grading rubric.
Results of Outcomes Activity:
2008-2009 / Met / Data Details· EDU542 Multicultural Education
o 100% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better on written critical analysis paper
· EDU611 Psychology & Sociology of Learning
o 88% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better on written critical analysis papers
· EDU615 Ethical & Legal Issues in Education
o 100% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better on written case study analyses
· EDU641 Educational Research
o 100% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better evaluating research studies including accurately identifying appropriate methodologies and study components
Intended Outcome #2: To demonstrate an understanding of the latest theories regarding learning, curriculum and instruction; to apply theoretical constructs; and to employ curriculum and teaching strategies that promote learning for all students. Courses Involved: EDU534, EDU536, EDU542, EDU611, EDU613, EDU641 and EDU643.
Activity Statement: Students will review and compile data pertaining to educational theory and practice and create chronologically sequenced projects or web quests representing major educational benchmarks. Student activity will reflect a coherent, useful synthesis of knowledge by demonstrating familiarity with and knowledge of the educational theories, constructs, and strategies by constructing a teaching unit.
Assessment Criteria: 75% of Masters of Education candidates will achieve scores of at least 90% on a research-based project, teaching unit, or web-quest using the instructor grading rubric.
Results of Outcomes Activity:
2008-2009 / Not Met/ Met / Data Details· EDU534 Foundations of Education
o 100% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better on web quest project
· EDU536 Philosophy of Education
o 100% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better on written critical analysis papers
· EDU542 Multicultural Education
o 100% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better on teaching unit assignment
· EDU611 Psychology & Sociology of Learning
o 88% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better on written critical analysis papers
· EDU613 Current Issues in Curriculum & Instruction
o 100% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better on chronological issues project
· EDU641 Educational Research
o 100% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better evaluating research studies including accurately identifying appropriate methodologies and study components
· EDU643 Educational Measurements
o 63% of candidates met the standard of 90% in applying quantitative strategies to data analysis
Intended Outcome #3: To use a variety of strategies that incorporate the appropriate use of technology and be able to assess the potential of these resources to address personal, lifelong, and educational (workplace) needs. Courses involved: EDU548
Assessment Criteria: 75% of Masters of Education candidates will achieve scores of at least 90% on a technology-focused teaching unit assignment based on the instructor grading rubric.
Results of Outcomes Activity:
2008-2009 / Met / Data Details· EDU548 Advanced Technology for Teachers
· 93% of candidates met the standard of 90% or better on teaching unit assignment
Section Three: Describe analysis of assessment data and action plans for upcoming academic year.
Analysis and Action Plans:
· We will continue to collect data on these courses during the second year of the program to validate the results from the first year.
· Since AY08-09 was the inaugural year for this new graduate program, program developers decided to assess the entire spectrum of course offerings to establish baseline measures for future standards and criteria. Therefore, student achievement across the full range of courses was examined. TU found that these activities successfully addressed preliminary program goals, and further, students were successful in meeting and, in most cases, exceeding these preliminary goals. The criteria and levels for achievement should be revisited and goals could be increased based on the initial achievement results.
· In AY 2009-10 goals related to the understanding and use of practical and theoretical educational skills will be addressed through activities in the EDU650-655 course series Analysis of Standards. Since the achievement of graduates level candidates in the AY08-09 cohort exceeded program developers’ expectations, standards for these courses during AY 09-10 are increased to reflect that 90% of Masters of Education candidates will complete relevant course requirements with scores of at least 90%.
Revised 7 July 2009 1