IN140 University Seminar Assessment Plan
Coordinator of University Seminar: Dr. Robert Money, Associate Professor of Philosophy
University Seminar Learning Outcome Goals
The learning outcome goals for students taking IN140 are that students will be able to:
1. use ethical reasoning to analyze and reflect on issues that impact their personal lives as well as their local, national, and/or global communities;
2. reflect on the significance of contributions to community through service learning; and
3. work collaboratively and creatively with diverse others.
As indicated by the course learning goals, the course asks teachers and students to do several different things. Regardless of the particular substantive content of the course (content is chosen by the particular faculty member teaching the course), each course is expected to do the following: engage students in ethical reasoning, engage students in service learning with reflection, and discuss orientation topics pertaining to the first-year student.
Snapshot
The seminar topics for University Seminar are varied and are selected by individual instructors. However, all sections are required to deliver the learning goals that are definitive of the course and address orientation topics pertaining to the first-year student.
During fall 2007 semester, 25 sections of University Seminar were offered. This included four honors sections and three “enhanced” sections for students who were co-enrolled in an enhanced Critical Writing, Reading and Researching section. Regular and honors sections averaged 19.5 students. The three enhanced sections averaged 14.3 students.
The Learning Story
The University Seminar experience is intended to be a unique learning opportunity for first-year students entering the university. University Seminar is an introduction to academic inquiry; it is not an introduction to any particular major. This distinction is crucial for understanding the learning goals of the course. University Seminar is an academic course designed to facilitate the development of certain specific skill sets while engaging students in a particular substantive content. While allowing for great diversity of substantive content among sections, this introduction to academic inquiry is anchored by two key skills: (1) critical and ethical reasoning, and (2) reflection. By engaging students in critical and ethical reasoning and reflection, the course introduces students to skill sets that will be further developed by the sequential elements of the University Studies program as well as courses in the students’ chosen majors. Moreover, by engaging students in critical and ethical reasoning and reflection, the course facilitates the development of skill sets that are indispensible to professional success, democratic citizenship in a global environment, and the discovery and creation of a personal life of meaning and value. By having student engage in reflection about their service learning experiences, the course takes academic skills out of the formal classroom setting and connects them with our larger community. The course, thus, serves as an initial introduction to Millikin’s commitment to “theory-practice” education, a pedagogical commitment that will be reinforced in the students’ chosen majors.
In addition to its academic focus, the course also provides students with an opportunity to build community on campus. All students enrolled in a fall section of University Seminar participate in First Week orientation. First Week provides students opportunities to acclimate to campus life and to meet and bond with their University Seminar classmates and instructors. This community building function is reinforced over the course of the semester by the “cohorting” of each section of University Seminar with a section of IN150, Critical Reading, Writing, and Research. The students move as a group between these two academic courses. This “cohorting” experience builds community among the students, and allows for the possibility of cross-disciplinary collaboration by the faculty involved.
Assessment Methods
An Old Method Retained
In last year’s report (2006-2007), learning outcomes goals for University Seminar were assessed through (1) The Your First College Year student survey and (2) a survey sent to University Seminar faculty. While recognizing the limitations of these methods, this report will continue to employ the YFCY survey instrument.
New Methods Needed
Given the reforms made to University Seminar, new methods for assessing the course are required. However, the following new methods will be employed going forward (in addition to continued employment of the YFCY survey instrument):
• Tracking SIR data for University Seminar and comparing that data against similar SIR data for faculty across the University.
• Syllabi audits (using an audit form specifically designed for University Seminar). The syllabus audit form specifically asks faculty teaching the course to indentify the assignment or assignments that will be used as the basis for artifact collection relative to each of the primary academic learning goals.
• Review of a random sampling of specific artifacts collected for purposes of assessing the two primary academic learning goals of the course: ethical reasoning and service learning with reflection.
Assessment Data
The full-length assessment report includes results from the student surveys as well as analysis of student artifacts and reflection. See the 2008 Report for details.
Analysis of Assessment Results
The full-length assessment report summarizes data collected and gauge effectiveness in meeting learning outcome goals.
Improvement Plans
Results of the assessment report are shared with the Dean of Teaching and Learning and University Seminar faculty in order to determine areas for improvement. |
