Teagle Value-Added Assessment Grant
Muhlenberg College
2007-2008 Assessment Projects
November 2007
Project
Muhlenberg is studying the role of capstone experiences and student-faculty research in fostering academic growth and intentional learning, specifically in the senior year. Currently, capstone experiences and opportunities for independent research/study are available for most students but are not a requirement across the curriculum. Our project involves the collection and analysis of student work, survey results and focus group/interview data to make comparisons between students who had these experiences and those who did not. Members of the Teagle committee are Jim Bloom, Kathleen Harring, Trevor Knox, Chris Sistare, Bruce Wightman, and Carol Wilson
Essays from NonCapstone Students
During the Fall 2007 semester, we administered our essay prompt to seniors who have not had a capstone experience. We recruited faculty from majors that do not require a capstone course to administer the prompt to seniors in one of their upper-level classes These instructors will participate in a scoring session in January to apply our intentional learning rubric to the essays. Results from this session will be compared to the scores from the 2006-07 Capstone student essays to determine differences in intentional learning outcomes.
Interviews with Capstone Students
During the Spring 2008 semester, interviews will be conducted with students who had a capstone experience. A team of the most qualified students currently enrolled in Sociology Research Methods course are now in training under the supervision of their instructor to conduct the interviews. The student interviewers will also be involved in editing the questions and helping us interpret student responses.
NSSE results
We plan to analyze Muhlenberg’s 2005 NSSE data to test for differences between students who reported doing independent research/study and those who did not report this kind of experienceon items that measure intentional learning.
Essays from Independent Research/Study Students
We are now in the process of developing an essay prompt to administer to students enrolled in an independent research/study during the 2007-08 academic year. The prompt will assess the effects of these experiences on students’ ability to create and critically evaluate new knowledge, as well as to identify multiple perspectives and make connections among disciplines.