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Assessment of Majors Plan Development
At Millikin the major is designed with a careful progression from introductory courses to a senior-level capstone which requires a "near professional" performance within the expectations of each discipline. The assessment of student learning in the majors is based on a careful examination of the senior capstone performances of students.
Assessment guides were developed based on the following guidelines:
(1) Learning Outcome Goals.
Review the stated the purpose or mission of your major and identify the key learning outcome goals. These 3-5 key learning goals should be expressed as learning outcomes for all students graduating in the major.
And Connect your major's learning outcome goals to university-wide learning goals. How do the major's learning goals help Millikin students prepare for professional success, active engagement in diverse global communities, and a personal life of meaning and value?
(2) Snapshot.
Create a brief overview of your current situation including data on staff, facilities, types & number of students served, programs, partnerships, number and types of courses taught. Update your discussion of new initiatives and improvements currently being sought. Highlight new courses, changes in curriculum in recent times in response to assessment, and improvement initiatives underway.
(3) The Learning Story.
Explain the typical learning experience provided through our major. How do students learn or encounter experiences leading to fulfilling our learning outcome goals?
Update the overview of types of teaching and learning experiences provided, emphasizing the developmental strategy of the curriculum. Update an overview of advising. Update your rationale for the range and sequence of courses and learning experiences. Update your curriculum map identifying courses that emphasize certain learning goals in the major.
(4) Assessment Methods.
Describe your assessment data collection methods. Include the 3-4 key methods of data collection and explain how this data focuses on student performance.
(5) Assessment Data.
Update this year’s resulting data on key learning outcomes.
(6) Analysis of Assessment Results.
Establish rubrics with scales of performance levels for evaluating fulfillment of learning outcomes. We are suggesting a performance indicator based on the green, yellow, red light analogy. (see below)
Analyze each key learning outcome goal and rate the quality on it based on your effectiveness rubric scale. Provide an overall assessment as well for each stated goal of your major this year. Update comparisons to previous years.
(6) Improvement Plans.
Plan an annual assessment report and method of sharing the report with faculty responsible for deliverying the major. Write an overall assessment on the quality of student learning in your major indicating strengths and challenges for review by the responsible faculty. Make recommendations for celebrating and continuing support for effective areas, and make recommendations for improvements or at least indicate areas that should be targeted as a focus for future improvement.
Suggested Performance Indicators:
Each effectiveness measure will receive a performance indicator using the following rubric:
Green - an acceptable level or clearly heading in the right direction and not requiring any immediate change in course of action. Continuing support should be provided.
Yellow - not an acceptable level; either improving, but not as quickly as desired or declining slightly. Strategies and approaches should be reviewed an appropriate adjustments taken to reach an acceptable level or desired rate of improvement.
Red - our current status or direction of change in unacceptable. Immediate, high priority actions should be taken to address this area.
blank - insufficient information available (or governance decision pending)
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