TO:Mary Blakefield, Associate Vice Chancellor; Larry Richards, EVCAA

From:General Education Committee, Joanne Passet and Kumara Jayasuria, Co-Chairs; T.J. Rivard, Frances Peacock, and Roberta Roswell, members; and Duane Lundy, statistical consultant.

DATE: 5 March 2010

RE:General Education Assessment for 2009-10

Introduction

In spring semester 2008, the General Education Assessment Committee piloted general education rubrics to determine if the information gathered would be useful in assessing the campus learning objectives (LO) in courses that met the general education requirements. The committee completed a General Education Assessment based on these rubrics in the fall semester 2008. Based on the results of this assessment, the committee recommended a) that the information it gathered in fall semester 2008 and analyzed in spring semester 2009 serve as a baseline, and b) that the Committee administer the rubrics in the fall semester 2009, to be analyzed in the spring semester 2010, and c) that the Committee identify specific courses for specific LOs rather than allow faculty to choose the LO they wanted to assess. These recommendations were implemented in the fall semester, but due to the appointment of a new Dean in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the rubrics were not administered as early in the semester as would have been ideal.

Method

On November 4, 2009, the following e-mail the co-chair sent the following message to approximately 100 faculty teaching 100- and 200-level courses in the general education program:

The IU East Assessment Academy has been working with the Higher Learning Commission on developing an assessment plan for General Education (not programs). We piloted the program last spring and are fully implementing it this fall. That means all 100 and 200 level courses that fit into the category of gen ed need to turn in an assessment rubric. This does not apply to courses in the Writing Program or SPCH-S121 courses; they already have an assessment process in place. All other 100 and 200 level courses should conduct an assessment. You have been included in this e-mail because you teach a 100 or 200 level class that counts toward general education at IU East.

The IUE Assessment Academy decided that general education only addresses Learning Objectives 3-7. Since the Speech Program and the Writing Program assess Learning Objective 3, the only objectives that we need to concern ourselves with are Objectives 4-7. The Gen Ed Assessment Committee designed rubrics for each of those areas.

Here is what we need instructors to do:

1)Read over the attached rubrics for the Learning Objectives you have been assigned.

2)Choose an assignment from the latter portion of the course: a paper, an exam, if appropriate, or other assignment.

3)Randomly select five examples of the completed assignment.

4)Make five copies of the rubric (one for each of the randomly selected student works).

5)Circle the appropriate number on the scale based on your assessment of the piece for each item within the rubric (remember, this is about what the students appear to be accomplishing, NOT about whether the teacher of the course is doing the course justice).

6)Send the scored rubrics from your classes with a cover sheet that identifies the course (not the section) and the nature of the assignment being assessed to Joanne Passet, TR Hall 238, by December 15th.

Thenumber of sections surveyed included:

Learning Objective #4: 23
Learning Objective #5: 35
Learning Objective #6: 30
Learning Objective #7: 20

Results

The Committee received responses from 71% of the 108 class sections surveyed. 47% of the 108 instructors who responded by the stated deadline were adjuncts, while 53% were full-time.

In10% of the sections surveyed, the instructor indicated that there was no relevant assignment to assess, the instructor received the rubric after assignments had been returned to students, or the instructor completed the rubrics incorrectly.

Both adjunct and full-time faculty participated in the assessment process, with adjunct responses equaling 47%, and full-time responses tallying 53%.

The following chart illustrates the numeric data gathered from the SPSS(Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) analysis completed by our statistical consultant, Duane Lundy. Each of the learning objectives were broken into their component parts which is why LO#4 is broken into 3 parts, LO#5 into 2, and so on. See Appendix 1 for details about the specific skills assessed under each Learning Objective.

General Education Assessment

Data Collected Fall Semester 2009

NMeanMedianModeStd. Deviation

Objective 4.1874.11494.00004.001.2429

Objective 4.2834.12054.00005.001.2337

Objective 4.3813.96304.00005.001.2791

Objective 5.11154.34785.00005.001.0517

Objective 5.21144.27194.00005.001.0415

Objective 6.1804.02504.00005.001.4580

Objective 6.2854.01184.00005.001.3318

Objective 7.1584.56905.00005.001.1411

Objective 7.2604.48335.00005.001.2002

General Education Assessment

Data Collected Fall Semester 2008

NMeanMedianModeStd. Deviation

Objective 4.1244.385.00005.001.173

Objective 4.2244.214.00006.001.444

Objective 4.3244.294.00004.001.233

Objective 5.1994.315.00005.001.375

Objective 5.2994.354.00004.001.181

Objective 6.1173.884.00003.001.317

Objective 6.2173.884.00003.001.269

Objective 7.154.04.00004.00 .0707

Objective 7.253.43.00003.001.140

Analysis and Comparison of Responses

The fall semester 2009 response rate exceeded the response rate for fall semester 2008, because of this, the committee believes the 2009 data is more meaningful. Currently we have just two year’s data, but with each passing year, we will be able to complete more sophisticated comparative analysis. Due to clerical error, there are some minor clerical errors in reporting, but our statistical consultant assures us that they do not statistically affect the results.

The results for fall semester 2009 are encouragingly positive, with rubric scores averaging 4 or more out of 6. All of the Learning Objectives were assessed at being between developing and mastering. In general, most of the objectives remained about the same (with a few decreasing a little). We improved in LO 6 and LO7, with the gains for LO 7 quite large. The data gathered indicate that students are developing and mastering skill in the area of ethics as a result of meeting their general education requirements, despite a lack of a required ethics course. However, the increase in LO 7 may be due to the adjustments made in the data gathering system during Fall 2009:

Increased sample size
Involvement of more disciplines in the assessment process than in the previous year.
The Committee’s decision to assign learning objectives to specific sections rather than to let faculty select learning objectives. This change was made due to feedback from the first year’s assessment.

Recommendations for Assessment Process

1)With this second data collection, we are in a position to begin comparative analysis. This will improve if we continue to use the same rubric in ensuing years.

2)One minor suggestion is to remove the comment line because it is not yielding useful information.

3)Increase faculty participation in the assessment process by initiating the process earlier in the semester and following a schedule that will maximize participation, as follows:

First Tuesday after Labor Day--Identify instructors to participate in General Education Assessment.
Mid September: Notify instructors that their courses have been chosen to participate in assessment of a specified learning objective.
September 30: Distribute assessment packets (paper rubrics plus instructions) to instructors. Provide a colored envelope for return of completed rubric).
November 1: Send a reminder to faculty that the assessment rubrics are due at the same time as final grades are due to the Registrar’s Office
End of semester: Chair of General Education Assessment Committee collects completed rubrics for review by committee.
First week of February, Spring semester: General Education Assessment Committee analyzes data and drafts recommendations.
First week in March—General Education committee will disseminate results to the Associate Vice Chancellor and request that the EVCAA share a short summary with Faculty Senate.
First week in March--Provide each participant with a short summary of the assessment results and a short letter of appreciation to all participants, which will raise awareness of our campus learning objectives, the assessment results, and the importance of taking part in the process.

4)The Committee willcontinue to refine and clarify instructions to instructors.

5)The committee will continue to explore the collection of direct and indirect (self-reported)data.

6)The committee will continue to explore how IUE can use this data to improve the ability of the general education requirements to meet the IUE Learning Objectives.

Continued Discussion:

1)The General Education Assessment committee is currently considering the use of a rubric for computer literacy, which also is a General Education requirement.

2)Continued discussion of the best way to meet and assess the ethics objective.

3)Students should be given an assessment of General Education instrument when they apply for graduation. This should be implemented in fall 2010 for graduates applying for graduation in 2011.

4)Make concrete plans for using the data. With only two years of data, it is still too early to make recommendations for changes to General Education, but that is the ultimate goal of this assessment.

Appendix 1

Indiana University East

Campus Learning Objectives

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR GENERAL EDUCATION

1. Educated persons should be exposed to a broad variety of academic fields traditionally known as the Liberal Arts (humanities, fine arts, social sciences, natural sciences) in order to develop a critical appreciation of a diversity of ideas and creative expression.

Achieved through distribution requirements

2. Educated persons should have achieved depth in some field of knowledge. A sequential accumulation of knowledge and skills in an academic discipline is essential for a focused personal and professional development.

Achieved through requirements in the major

Educated persons should be able to express themselves clearly, completely, and accurately. Effective communication entails sharing ideas through a variety of techniques, including reading, writing, speaking, and technology.

Through their general education, students should be able to:

a. Express themselves in oral and written formats to a variety of

audiences

b. Evaluate diverse sources of information and cite them accurately in

formal essays

c. Use technology for finding and presenting information

Educated persons should be able to relate computational skills to all fields so that they are able to think with numbers. At a minimum, students should be able to carry out basic arithmetical and algebraic functions; they should have a working concept of simple statistics; and they should be able to interpret and use data in various forms.

Through their general education, students should be able to:

a. Apply quantitative information and procedures to contexts outside the

classroom

b. Perform arithmetical and algebraic computations to solve quantitative

problems, presented both numerically and verbally

c. Organize and apply techniques, rules and models to analyze and solve

problems using data

Educated persons should have the ability to develop informed opinions, to

comprehend, formulate, and critically evaluate ideas, and to identify problems and find solutions to those problems. Effective problem solving involves a variety of skills including research, analysis, interpretation, and creativity.

Through their general education, students should be able to:

Clarify and evaluate the facts, concepts, evidence and/or relationships

that are important to identifying questions and solving problems

Apply problem-solving skills to case study scenarios and/or real

situations

Educated persons should develop the skills to understand, accept, and relate to

people of different backgrounds and beliefs. In a pluralistic world one should not be provincial or ignorant of other cultures; one's life is experienced within the context of other races, religions, languages, nationalities, and value systems.

Through their general education, students should be able to:

Identify and analyze commonalities and differences among cultures through a variety of disciplines
Analyze and place in context the contributions of diverse cultures to personal identity and local/global communities

Educated persons should be expected to have some understanding of and

experience in thinking about moral and ethical problems. A significant quality in educated persons is the ability to question and clarify personal and cultural values, and thus to be able to make discriminating moral and ethical choices.

Through their general education, students should be able to:

Describe and analyze differences among competing or conflicting values, morals and ethical issues

Appendix 2

Assessment Rubrics for Learning Objectives 4, 5, 6, 7

Assessment Rubric for Learning Objective 5

Directions: For each of the following criteria below, assess the work by circling a numeric score.

Educated persons should have the ability to develop informed opinions, to comprehend, formulate, and critically evaluate ideas, and to identify problems and find solutions to those problems. Effective problem solving involves a variety of skills including research, analysis, interpretation, and creativity.

1. Comprehending, formulating, and critically evaluating problems or questions.

Emerging DevelopingMastering

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
Fails to identify, summarize, or explain the main problem, or question.
Represents the issues inaccurately or inappropriately. / Identifies the main problem or question but does not summarize or explain clearly or sufficiently.
Successfully identifies and summarizes the main problem or question, but does not explain why/how it is a problem or creates a question. / Clearly identifies the challenge and summarizes main problem or question and successfully explains why/how they are problems or questions; and identifies embedded or implicit issues, addressing their relationships to each other.
Comments:

2. Finding solutions to those problems through research, analysis, interpretation and creativity.

Emerging DevelopingMastering

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
An inappropriate strategy is selected, or no strategy is selected.
No strategy is applied, or a strategy is applied incorrectly.
The result is not evaluated.
The solution is not presented. / A strategy is selected, but may not be appropriate.
The selected strategy is partially or incorrectly applied.
The result is not evaluated
The solution is not correct and/or is not clearly presented. / Selects an appropriate strategy to solve the problem.
Correctly applies the selected strategy.
Evaluates the result for correctness and plausibility.
Clearly and fully presents a correct solution.
Comments:

Assessment Rubric for Learning Objective 6

Directions: For each of the following criteria below, assess the work by circling a numeric score.

Educated persons should develop the skills to understand, accept, and relate to people of different backgrounds and beliefs. In a pluralistic world one should not be provincial or ignorant of other cultures; one's life is experienced within the context of other races, religions, languages, nationalities, and value systems.

1. Identifies and analyzes commonalities and differences among cultures through a variety of disciplines

Emerging Developing Mastering

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
Lack of identification of commonalities and differences among cultures.
Failure to analyze crossroads and common ground with regard to virtues and values.
Failure to separate the compelling from the trivial in analysis. / Partial identification of commonalities and differences among cultures.
Attempts to analyze crossroads and common ground with regard to virtues and values.
Begins to separate the compelling from the trivial in analysis. / Readily Identifies commonalities and differences among cultures.
Effectively analyzes crossroads and common ground with regard to virtues and values.
Demonstrates keen ability to separate the compelling from the trivial in analysis.
Comments:

2. Analyzes and places in context the contributions of diverse cultures to personal identity and local/global communities

Emerging Developing Mastering

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
Failure to analyze and place in context the contributions of diverse cultures to personal identity and local/global communities.
Inability to recognize connections between micro-cultural contributions and meta-cultural development.
Inability to personalize, localize and globalize impact of contributions of diverse cultures. / Limited ability to analyze and place in context the contributions of diverse cultures to personal identity and local/global communities.
Emerging ability to recognize connections between micro-cultural contributions and meta-cultural development.
Attempts to personalize, localize and globalize impact of contributions of diverse cultures. / Demonstrates ability to analyze and place in context the contributions of diverse cultures to personal identity and local/global communities.
Easily recognizes connections between micro-cultural contributions and meta-cultural development.
Personalize, localizes and globalizes impact of contributions of diverse cultures.
Comments:

Assessment Rubric for Learning Objective 7

Directions: For each of the following criteria below, assess the work by circling a numeric score.

Educated persons should be expected to have some understanding of and experience in thinking about moral and ethical problems. A significant quality in educated persons is the ability to question and clarify personal and cultural values, and thus to be able to make discriminating moral and ethical choices.

1. Recognizes, comprehends, and critically evaluates competing or conflicting values and moral or ethical issues.

Emerging DevelopingMastering

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
Fails to recognize the relationship of values or moral/ethical issues to the main question or problem.
Ignores the cultural context of the issue.
Represents the issues inaccurately or inappropriately. / Recognizes the values or moral/ethical issues but does not summarize or explain clearly or sufficiently.
May successfully identify and summarize the values or moral/ethical issues, but does not explain why/how the values or moral/ethical issues interact with the problem. / Clearly identifies and summarizes main problem or question and successfully explains why/how they are problems or questions; and identifies embedded or implicit issues, addressing their relationships to each other.
Comments:

2. Reaches a clear understanding of personal and cultural values through research, analysis, interpretation and creativity.

Emerging DevelopingMastering

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
An inappropriate strategy is selected, or no strategy is selected.
No strategy is applied, or a strategy is applied incorrectly.
The result is not evaluated.
The solution is not presented. / A strategy is selected, but is not appropriate.
The selected strategy is partially or incorrectly applied.
The result is not evaluated.
The solution is not correct and/or is not clearly presented. / Selects the most appropriate strategy to solve the problem.
Correctly applies the selected strategy.
Evaluates the result for correctness and plausibility.
· Clearly and fully presents a correct solution.