“The effectiveness of an institution rests upon the contribution that each of the institution’s programs and services makes toward achieving the goals of the institution as a whole.” (Middle States Commission on Higher Education)
QTA continues its contributions to that end through the following accomplishments:
- Members reviewed existing assessment measures and the recommendations from the 2015-16 Core report to identify the following advancements to current core assessment:
- The math department will continue to administer the same pre- and post‐test but the assessment population for Quantitative Literacy will be expanded to include all true freshmen of Fall 2016. A post‐test will be conducted in Spring 2018 and every semester thereafter to the same group of students to measure their progress.
- The Information Literacy assessment tool, SAILS, will be replaced with an in-house tutorial assessment for all students in ENL 111 with a post-test the second and fourth year.
- Computing Literacy will continue the ongoing process in CSC 124 utilizing the existing assessment tool.
- Scientific literacy will continue same process but will demonstrate linkage of assessment measures to RSOs and Natural Science core in order to provide evidence of improved student learning.
- The collection and evaluation of writing samples from WRT designated courses will continue with emphasis on increased participation. The 5-page criteria needs addressed prior to the next cycle.
- Art faculty designed cross-course assessment tools to provide direct measures of Art Appreciation to replace the previous indirect measures. Prior to implementation, the faculty will take the assessment tool to Deans’ Council for feedback.
- QTA’s members provided insight and perspective to representatives from the Core Curriculum Review Committee on the proposed core goal framework.
- A peer review of the Periodic Review Report provided constructive comments and feedback to the PRR committee in the development of their report.
- QTA members provided ongoing assessment related professional development for faculty and school leaders. The annual Academic Program Review training included a session on course and program level assessment. Three members presented at the annual Assessment Academy in Fall 2016. Topics included course level assessment, NSSE and core goal outcomes, and the use of data results to close the loop. QTA members continue to be the point of contact for individual school questions and concerns that can be addressed by the committee.
- Committee members studied the MSCHE’s Accreditation Standards and Requirements of Affiliations document. Utilizing a document roadmap template, members initiated a self-review of Standard 1. Since this concept is in its infancy, it was determined additional training would be beneficial prior to the review of the other standards.
- QTA failed to meet its goal to increase the number of applicants for the President Award for Outstanding Assessment of Student Learning. Need to update the award criteria to specify the time interval to re-apply and allowance to resubmit previous applications.
- Language on award criteria needs to reflect . . . word changed to reflect spacing between applications – time frame-announcement –
- QTA membership needs to promote the award to their respective school and units.