ASSESSMENT PLAN - SOCIAL SCIENCE CLUSTER

Behavioral Sciences

Fall, 2005

This plan is the pilot project for assessing courses in Social Sciences. Eventually additional courses in Behavioral Sciences, Political Science and History will also be assessed. Currently courses in Sociology, Anthropology and Psychology are assessed.

Learning Outcome/Objective

Life Long Skill Assessed: Critical Thinking

Learning Outcome: 80% of students completing a critical thinking assignment (e.g. research paper, critical thinking exercise or reflection paper) will achieve a minimum score of 80% on the critical thinking rubric.

Measures of Student Learning

Direct Measure: A research paper (or alternative writing assignment approved by the Department Chair) will be required of each student. A sample of these assignments will be reviewed and scored by a team of instructors who are trained to use the rubric.

Indirect Measure: All students will complete a pre-test and post-test self-assessment on critical thinking skills in the Ant, Psy or Soc 101 courses.

Persons responsible for selecting the measures: Department Chair and Behavioral Science Assessment Team. (BehSciAT)

Data Collection

Direct Measure: At the end of each semester, the Behavioral Science Assessment Team will identify representative sections of Ant 101, Psy 101 and Soc 101 from which to draw writing assignments. Student numbers drawn from each section will designate the students whose assignments will be reviewed. Papers will be copied by each teacher and turned in to the department chair; a number or letter will identify papers, rather than student name.

Indirect Measure: the Assessment Team will tabulate data from the Student pre and post test Self-Assessment.

Responsibility: Behavioral Science Assessment Team

Data Recording and Storage

Recording of Data: The Behavioral Science Assessment Team will record data from the critical thinking rubric, the Student Self-Assessment questionnaires as well as comments of the reviewing team.

Storing Data: Data will be stored on an Excel Spreadsheet that will be maintained by the Department Coordinator.

Persons responsible for data storage: Data will be maintained by the Department Coordinator.

Data Analysis and Reporting

How will data be analyzed: The Behavioral Science Assessment Team will look at the strengths and weaknesses of students' papers using the critical thinking rubric. They will also review the Student Self-Assessment questionnaires. Analysis will look for patterns in data, including which criteria received the highest scores; which received the lowest scores; what percent of students demonstrate acceptable scores on each criteria.

How will data be reported to Psychology faculty: A written report will be prepared for Behavioral Science faculty which will present the results and the team's recommendations.

Decision Making and Program Change Based on Data

Encouraging faculty to make use of data: Specific recommendations will be made to faculty based on the results of the data. Some recommendations might include: familiarizing students with the critical thinking rubric, use of the rubric in assignments throughout the semester, focusing attention on a particular characteristic of critical thinking during a semester. Faculty will be asked to submit plans for incorporating recommended changes in their classes.

Responsible persons: Behavioral Science Assessment Team

Student and Adjunct Faculty Involvement

Adjunct faculty will be involved as members of the Behavioral Science Assessment Team; as providers of student papers; in meetings to evaluate findings and develop plans for improvement; in revising syllabi, lesson plans, handouts, etc.

Students will be involved in: completing the self-assessment questionnaires, writing papers and using critical thinking in preparation of their papers.