This document provides an overview of the general education curriculum and assessment process at a university. It discusses the mission and structure of general education, which aims to provide well-rounded knowledge and skills to students. Assessment is conducted through courses in areas like communication, arts/humanities, and math/sciences. Faculties review data from assessments and implement changes to improve student learning outcomes. Examples provided show assessment results for written communication and oral communication exceeded criteria in most areas, while some competencies were identified for increased focus. The assessment process aims to continuously improve curriculum and pedagogy based on results.

1. GENERAL EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT
Prepared by: Maria Boada, Assistant Dean
General Education and Foundations Departments

2. Mission and Structure
General Education Curriculum
Provides knowledge and skills required to become a
well-rounded graduate and citizen.
Facilitates artistic and aesthetic appreciation, develop
knowledge, and enhance the skills and critical thinking
abilities needed for professional success.
Constitutes 30% of all degree programs
Individual
Program's
Curriculum
General
Education
Curriculum

3. General Education
Student Learning Outcomes
Behavioral and
Arts and Humanities
Social Sciences
Oran Math and Natural
Communication Sciences
Develop
students
professionally
and
Written Information Fluency
Communication personally:
well rounded
academic
experience

4. FY2012 Process and Faculty
Engagement
Use of Results and
revision of future
plans
Faculty Review
•Data
• Means of and Planning collection
assessment takes place •Recommendations
and criteria •Faculty in each throughout are implemented in
for success discipline the curriculum and
provided by review and academic pedagogy
Ai System plan year •Changes to
implementatio •Analysis of assessment plan are
Assessment n of assessment data takes recommended for
Office instrument(s) in place during next cycle
Assessment Model
provided by Ai
their courses in-service
System •Data collection faculty
planned Data Collection
meeting
and Analysis

5. Learning Outcomes:
Written Communication
Courses Assessed:
Written Means of Assessment:
ENG095 (Transitional
Communication English), ENG1010 a. Writing Portfolio is
Graduates will (English Composition I) evaluated according to
demonstrate effective and ENG1020 (English a set five point rubric
written Composition II)
communication by
Means of Assessment:
providing their
audience sufficient b. ETS (Educational
Testing Service)
information on a topic Proficiency Profile
that is organized and
employs the generally Success Criteria:
accepted conventions a. 80% of students will
of English Language score a 3 or higher
b. 75% of graduates will
score at or above the
national ETS average on
the ETS writing component

6. Written Communication:
FY12 Results
Assessment Cycle: ENG courses
Quarter of Artifact (s) Additional
Data Collected Data
Collection Collected
ENG095 FA2011 25% random FY2012
sample of all cumulative
Writing Portfolios passing rates.
Passing rates
in ENG1010
ENG1010 WI12 30% random Qualitative
sample of all focus on
writing portfolios. reflective
ETS Proficiency essay
Profile Data
ENG1020 Collected NA NA
during FY2011.
Next data
collection:
WI2013

7. Written Communication..cont.
ENG095: Transitional English
Criteria: 80% of
students will earn 96% of students achieved an
a 3 or higher overall score of 3.0 or better
(5 point rubric)
– Far exceeded set criteria
74% of all student who
Criteria: 70% of took ENG095 in
students will SU11, FA11, WI12 and
earn a C or SP12 earned a C or
better better – Exceeded set
criteria
Additional Data will be presented in the
Transitional Curriculum Assessment report

8. Written Communication..cont.
ENG095 Results: results by Competencies
Competency Average score
Writing process—prewriting, drafting, revising,
proofreading and editing 3.6
Structure 3.4
Use of detail 3.8
Use of standard rules of English grammar, mechanics 3.3
and sentence construction
Understanding of reading and writing as interconnected 3.4
processes
Use of critical thinking through argument or narrative 3.4
•Results exceeded set criteria
•Students did particularly well in the competency related to
understanding the writing process.
•Future assessment will focus on reading and writing as
interconnected processes.

9. Written Communication..cont.
ENG1010: Composition and Language
Criteria: 80% of students will 70% of students earned a 3 or
better – did not meet criteria
earn a 3 or higher (5 point (see analysis)
rubric)
Writing Level 1: 55%
Proficient (National
Average is 69%)
Criteria: 75% of Writing Level 2: 15%
graduates will score at Proficient (National
Average is 41 %)
or above national Writing Level 3: 6 %
average in ETS Proficient (National
Average is 8%)
Proficiency Profile
Average Scores were
writing component below the ETS
National Averages for
College Seniors

10. Written Communication..cont.
ENG1010: Breakdown of Average Scores by Competency
Writing process—
prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading and 3.0
editing
Structure 3.4
Use of detail 3.0
Use of standard rules of English grammar,
mechanics and sentence construction 3.5
Understanding of reading and writing as
interconnected processes 3.1
Use of critical thinking through argument or
narrative 3.4

11. Written Communication..cont.
Analysis and Use of Results
 While the 80% criteria was not met, the total
average scores was 3.25.= and no average for
each competency was below 3.0. Further
analysis showed two sections of ENG1010 with a
high percentage of left-outliers.
 The discussions centered on emphasizing data-
generating exercises and a higher focus on
intertextuality.
 The ETS data showed writing proficiency levels
below the national average. We recommend
additional data collection and comparison with
institutions that have programs similar to AiP.

12. Learning Outcomes:
Oral Communication
Means of Assessment:
a. Capstone assignment
Graduates will Course evaluated:
in COM3010: Analytical
demonstrate effective COM3010 oral presentation with
oral communication Advanced visual aids.
by providing their Communication
audience sufficient
information on a topic Means of Assessment:
that is organized and b. Graduate Surveys
that employed the
generally accepted
conventions of English Success Criteria:
Language. a. 80% of students will
score a 3 or higher
b. 90% of students agree
that they have good
communication skills

13. Oral Communication:
FY12 Results
Assessment Cycle: Communications
Quarter of Data Artifact (s) Collected Additional Data
Collection Collected
COM3010 FA2011, SP2012 A random 30% sample Results from
Advanced of all final oral graduate surveys
Communications presentations, related to
centered around the communication
SWOT analysis) were skills
evaluated by a in-
class panel of faculty

14. Oral Communication…cont.
COM3010 Advanced Communication - Results
Criteria: 80% of 90% of students
students will earn a scored a 3 or higher
score of 3 or higher in in the oral
the oral presentation presentation – Far
exceeded set criteria
(5 point rubric)
Criteria: 90% of
graduate students
Data no yet received
agree/strongly agree from corporate office
that they have good
communication skills

15. Oral Communication…cont.
Average Scores: Overall and breakdown by Competency
Overall Average Average Average Average
% of 3 Score: Score: Score: Score:
and Structure Non- Visual Support
above verbal Aids
Skills
FA11 90% FA11: FA11: SP12: FA11:
and 3.19 3.54 2.59 3.47
SP122
SP12:
2.35

16. Oral Communication…cont.
Analysis and Use of Results
 The overall results met the stated criteria but some of the
competencies highlighted areas of improvement.
 Scores for the “Support” category were lower in SP12 than in the
FA11 cycle. Oral communication instructors recommend a higher
emphasis in research-based information and will collaborate with
Writers’ Center to incorporate MLA workshops and other
information literacy initiatives.
 Average scores for the “Visual Aids” were also lower than
expected. Added emphasis will be placed on visual aids
requirements for final oral presentations.
 Support and Visual Aids will be evaluated in the next
assessment cycle.

17. Learning Outcomes:
Arts and Humanities
Means of Assessment:
Course Assessed:
Graduates will a. Comparative
Analysis essay
demonstrate the ART3010 holistically scored with
ability to interpret American Art a five-point rubric
and analyze artistic History
work, historical
Means of Assessment:
events, or
b. ETS (Educational
philosophical thought Testing Service)
and describe the Proficiency Profile
relevance of the
work to
themselves, society Success Criteria:
and cultures. a. 70% of students will
score a 3 or higher
b. 75% of graduates will
score at or above the
national ETS average
subscore for humanities

18. Assessment: Sustainable and
Uninterrupted
 The results present a sample of the holistic
assessment picture in our general education
department
 Additional results for all outcomes can be found
in the FY12 Assessment Report
 Assessment also takes place in the online
modality and results are compared to the
outcomes from campus students
 Results from assessments continuously feed into
curriculum modifications and improvements in
pedagogy

19. Questions or Comments?