General Studies Assessment
Leslie Rach
Gallaudet University, October 2008
Email: leslie.rach@gallaudet.edu
Top Five Reasons to be your
Department’s Assessment Coordinator
• Bi-weekly flow of coffee and danish from Pat’s
office.
• Filling up spare hours formerly spent
obsessing about the election.
• Endless opportunities for career
advancement.
• The occasional chance to hobnob with MSCHE
members.
• It beats being a sub-prime mortgage lender.
The General Education
Assessment Cycle
 Write Learning
 Faculty Alter Instruction
Outcomes
Based on Results
 Decision Makers
Discuss Results
 Develop
Assessments
 Collect &
Analyze Data
The General Education Assessment
Cycle
Click the highest number of a statement
that is true for you.
1. I’m new to classroom
assessment.
2. Classroom assessment of
students is routine for me.
3. I’ve helped implement
program assessment.
4. I run program and/or
institutional assessment.
25%
25%
0%
50%
I’m new to classroom assessment.
Classroom assessment of students is routine f...
I’ve helped implement program assessment.
I run program and/or institutional assessment...
Have you ever used clickers to collect data?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Not yet.
No. It’s a bad idea.
Yes. I’m glad I did.
Yes. It was a bad
idea.
5. I’m tired; can’t you
just lecture?
25%
0%
0%
0%
75%
Not yet.
No. It’s a bad idea.
Yes. I’m glad I did.
Yes. It was a bad idea.
I’m tired; can’t you just lecture?
Which of the following best describes your
department’s view of assessment efforts
on campus?
1. It is critical for improving
student learning
experiences.
2. It takes away faculty time
from doing original
research in the discipline.
3. It’s okay as long as I don’t
have to do it.
4. I want to learn more about
it; I wish I had time.
25%
0%
50%
25%
It is critical for improving student learning...
It takes away faculty time from doing origin...
It’s okay as long as I don’t have to do it.
I want to learn more about it; I wish I had t...
What is the HIGHEST step your department has
achieved, even partially?
1. Write Learning
Outcomes
2. Develop Assessments
3. Collect & Analyze Data
4. Decision Makers Discuss
Results
5. Faculty Alter Instruction
Based on Results
6. None of the Above
37.5%
0%
25%
37.5%
0%
0%
Write Learning Outcomes
Develop Assessments
Collect & Analyze Data
Decision Makers Discuss Results
Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results
None of the Above
What is the HIGHEST step your department
has achieved completely?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Write Learning Outcomes
Develop Assessments
Collect & Analyze Data
Decision Makers Discuss
Results
5. Faculty Alter Instruction
Based on Result
6. None of the Above
25%
37.5%
12.5%
12.5%
12.5%
0%
Write Learning Outcomes
Develop Assessments
Collect & Analyze Data
Decision Makers Discuss Results
Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Result
None of the Above
Click on the EASIEST step for your department
1. Write Learning
Outcomes
2. Develop Assessments
3. Collect & Analyze Data
4. Decision Makers Discuss
Results
5. Faculty Alter Instruction
Based on Results
0%
37.5%
25%
25%
12.5%
Write Learning Outcomes
Develop Assessments
Collect & Analyze Data
Decision Makers Discuss Results
Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results
Click on the HARDEST step for your department
1. Write Learning
Outcomes
2. Develop Assessments
3. Collect & Analyze Data
4. Decision Makers Discuss
Results
5. Faculty Alter Instruction
Based on Results
37.5%
0%
0%
12.5%
50%
Write Learning Outcomes
Develop Assessments
Collect & Analyze Data
Decision Makers Discuss Results
Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results
If you reached step 4, even partially, which
step actually happened next?
1. Rewrote Learning
Outcomes
2. Altered Assessments
3. Collect & Analyze Data
4. Decision Makers Discuss
Results
5. Faculty Altered
Instruction Based on
Results
6. Nothing Happened.
Which step is of most concern to FACULTY?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Write Learning Outcomes
Develop Assessments
Collect & Analyze Data
Decision Makers Discuss
Results
5. Faculty Alter Instruction
Based on Results
6. None of the above
37.5%
0% 0%
25%
25%
12.5%
Write Learning Outcomes
Develop Assessments
Collect & Analyze Data
Decision Makers Discuss Results
Faculty Alter Instruction Based on Results
None of the above
Gallaudet Undergraduate Student
Learning Outcomes
Language and Communication
Identity and Culture
Critical Thinking
Knowledge and Inquiry
Ethics and Social Responsibility
Continued next slide…
Skills based outcomes are easier to
assess than dispositions and
knowledge. General Studies has gone
through an assessment cycle with the
following two outcomes:
Language and communication
Critical thinking
Continued next slide…
• Dispositions and knowledge outcomes
have proven to be more difficult to
assess than skills. We do not yet have
instruments to assess these outcomes:
Identity and Culture
Knowledge and Inquiry
Ethics and Social Responsibility
Continued next slide…
ASSIGNMENT
FORMATTING
AND CITING.
Pre-College Skills
Emerging Skills
Developing Skills
Mastering Skills
Exemplary Skills
1
2
3
4
5
 No regard for citing of  Attempt to cite some
sources. Does not follow sources but does so
prompt directions.
incorrectly. Follows prompt
directions minimally.
WRITTEN
 Pervasive sentence
ENGLISH
structure and grammatical
CONVENTIONS errors completely distract
and impede meaning.
 Attempt to cite most sources in
assigned style, some cited
incorrectly. Follows prompt
directions.
 All sources cited in assigned
style. Basics done correctly.
Follows prompt directions.
 All sources cited; all citations
done correctly in assigned style.
Follows prompt directions.
 Many sentence structure
and grammatical errors that
often distract and obscure
meaning.
 Sentence structure and
grammatical errors may distract, but
meaning is mostly clear.
 Most sentences are correct;
 Sentences are correct and
may have some sentence structure convey meaning fluidly.
or grammatical errors that do not
impede or distract from meaning.
CRITICAL
THINKING
 No central point. No
support for points. No
analysis, synthesis,
integration, or
interpretation of ideas.
 Displays a central point,
although not clearly
developed. Weak or
irrelevant support for central
point. No synthesis,
integration, or interpretation
of ideas.
 Central point is adequately
developed and clearly stated.
Information and ideas are
synthesized or integrated properly
but perhaps superficially.
Information is interpreted correctly
most of the time.
 Central point is stated
clearly. Information and ideas are
synthesized or integrated properly
and with depth of
development. Information is
interpreted correctly throughout.
 Central point is impressively
stated. Information is
synthesized, integrated, and
interpreted in ways that contribute
to a distinguished written work.
ORGANIZATIO
N OF IDEAS
 Introduction is
illogical or
missing. Structure within
and between paragraphs is
missing. Conclusion is
illogical or missing.
 Introduction is
weak; transitions within and
between paragraphs are
weakly articulated; structure
of paragraphs and paper is
emerging; conclusion is
weak.
 Introduction is logical and helps
articulate the overall plan for the
paper. Transitions between and
within paragraphs is logical;
structure of paragraphs and paper
follows logical plan; conclusion may
be weak by simply repeating ideas
from the paper.
 Introduction articulates the
overall plan for the
paper. Transitions between and
within paragraphs contribute to a
smooth flow of ideas; structure of
paragraphs and paper are logical;
conclusion is logical and does
more than repeat ideas from the
paper.
 Introduction uniquely
articulates the overall plan for the
paper. Transitions between and
within paragraphs contribute to a
smooth flow of ideas; structure of
paragraphs and paper are logical;
conclusion contributes to strength
of paper by offering unique ideas
not repeated from the paper.
AUTHOR’S
PERSONA,
TONE, AND
AUDIENCE
AWARENESS
 Word choice is often
 Word choice and
incorrect for the intended sentence structure may be
audience. No evidence of inappropriate for audience.
audience considerations in
sentence structure.
 Word choice is often correct
although paper may have occasional
word choice errors. Sentence
structure may not be varied or show
awareness of the audience.
 Word choice is appropriate;
sentence structure is consistent
and appropriate for the intended
audience.
 Word choice reflects
flexibility of vocabulary and
usage for intended audience.
Sentence structure is varied and
appropriate for the intended
audience and reflects flexibility.
GU Writing Rubric Categories
ASSIGNMENT FORMATTING AND CITING.
WRITTEN ENGLISH CONVENTIONS
CRITICAL THINKING
ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS
AUTHOR’S PERSONA, TONE, AND AUDIENCE
AWARENESS
Average (mean) Student Writing Scores
101/102
150
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
PreCollege
Developing
Emerging
Exemplary
Mastering
Critical Thinking Sub-Scale Data
Organization of Ideas Sub-Scale Data
What actions would you recommend?
• Based on the writing data I showed, what can
we do:
• 1. at the course level?
• 2. at the program level?
• 3. at the institutional level?
Photo Credits
• Rubik’s Cube courtesy of cybertvnews.com