Assessment of General Education Goals: Report and Analysis by Various Departments, Exams of Psychology

Download Assessment of General Education Goals: Report and Analysis by Various Departments and more Exams Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! Social Science Assessment Committee. Assessment of General Education Goal IV. Committee Members: Tim Crimmins, History, Chair; Damon D. Camp, Criminal Justice, Kim Darnell, Psychology; Shelby Frost, Economics; Truman Hartshorn, Anthropology and Geography; Arletha Livingston, African American Studies; Donald Reitzes, Sociology; Michael Smith, Political Science. Pilot Project. During the Summer term of 2004 the Social Science Assessment Committee had each department determine what areas of General Education Goal IVwere being attained in their courses and then develop an assessment method to see how these goals were being carried out. The chart below summarizes the departmental reports by listing the department and goal assessed, the assessment method, the number of sections that were selected for analysis, the results of the analysis, and a proposal for any change in the process for a more extensive assessment project that would be conducted in fall 2004. Department and Goal Assessed Assessment Method Number Sections Questions Results Change History Goal IV. 2.A Goal IV. 2.B Essay Questions on late-term exam 2110 (N=35) 1112 (N=32) Goal IV. 2.A2110-US History Survey “Based on your reading of the Slave Narratives and Adam Goodheart's article, ‘The Bonds of History,’ discuss the ways in which the institution of slavery is remembered and interpreted in the United States. Goal IV. 2.B 1112: World Since 1500: The term "Jihad" means "Fight in the way of God against those who fight against you, but do not commit aggression. The greatest Jihad of all is the one within one's self." With this thought in mind, explain the theory of "Jihad" and define the antithetical relationship to hegemonic conquest. Of what relevance is this information to our world today? Goal IV. 2.A in History 2110: 91% of the 35 students in the class effectively analyzed the issue. Goal IV. 2.B in History 1112: 91% of the 32 students in the class effectively analyzed the issue. A larger sample would be taken in the fall term and the results summarized as a total percentage of those who effectively analyzed the issues and with the results broken down in a graded scale. Psychology Goal IV. 1 Goal IV. 2.A Goal IV. 2.B Students in PSYC 1101 were given six multiple-choice questions. They saw each question once early in the semester and once on the final exam. 1 section (N=96) Goal IV. 1 1. After repeatedly witnessing the attacks on the World Trade Center on news stories and other television programs, many Americans with air travel plans cancelled their trips or decided to drive rather than fly to their destinations. This choice was based on the mistaken perception that it was more dangerous to fly after 9/11 than it was before 9/11, when it was likely just as safe (if not more so). This example best illustrates the influence of _________ on human decision making. a. confirmation bias b. framing c. functional fixedness N=96 for first pass N=91 for final exam Goal IV. 1 Question First Pass Final Exam Change 1 3% 7% +4% 2 26% 26% 0% The fall assessment project will look omit the comparison between two exams and focus on the final results. d. the availability heuristic e. the representativeness heuristic 2. Despite government warnings of a severe strain on the nation’s power grid this summer, most citizens continue to crank up their home air conditioners in the belief that their personal use of electricity will have little effect on the local or regional power grid. This reaction best illustrates the dynamics of: a. a social trap. b. the bystander effect. c. the foot-in-the-door phenomenon. d. the fundamental attribution error. e. the just-world phenomenon. Goal IV. 2.A. Which research method would be most appropriate for investigating the relationship between the religious beliefs of Americans and their attitudes toward legalizing marriage for homosexual couples? a. the survey b. naturalistic observation c. the case study d. experimentation 2 Over the past 50 years, American women have expressed ________ satisfaction with their physical appearance and have experienced a(n) ________ incidence of serious eating disorders. a. increasing; decreasing b. increasing; increasing c. decreasing; decreasing d. decreasing; increasing Goal IV 2.B 1. During the World War I era, the U.S. government developed intelligence tests to evaluate newly arriving immigrants. Many immigrants, particularly those who did not come from western European countries, did poorly on the tests. Proponents of the eugenics movement interpreted these low test scores as evidence of the immigrants’ a. poor educational background. b. ignorance of American culture. Goal IV 2.A Question First Pass Final Exam Change 1 91% 85% - 6% 2 73% 68% - 5% Goal IV 2.B: Question First Pass Final Exam Change 1 25% 31% +6% 2 46% 78% +32% The assessment goal was for 70% or more of the students to get the questions right on the final exam. From this perspective, PSYC 1101 is only adequately meeting the second goal and may be meeting the third goal under some circumstances. traveling to Cuba. C. Attempts to punish other countries/companies for doing business with Cuba. D. Attempts to punish Cuba for doing business with China. E. Attempts to punish the U.S. for imposing sanctions against Cuba. Essay Questions: Goal IV 2.A 1. Is the globalization of American culture a positive development? Goal IV 2b 2. Do U.S. efforts to stem the flow of drugs from abroad encourage human rights violations? Goal IV 2.A #1 (American culture) 100% effectively analyzed the issue. Goal IV 2b #2 (drug war) 100% effectively analyzed the issue. Anthropology Goal IV:2a Goal IV:2b short answer questions 1102 n=35 1. What is cultural relativism? List one practice or belief that is different from your own and briefly state how cultural relativism can be used to understand this behavior/belief. 2. Explain why anthropologists say that “race” is socially or culturally constructed. 3. List and define two forms of marriage that do not fit into the definition of marriage as a “monogamous union between one man and one woman.” 1. 91% of the students effectively answered question 2. 60% of the students effectively answered question 3. 86% of the students effectively answered question The results of the fall assessment will be reported in a graded scale. Geography Goal IV.1 Goal IV.2a Goal IV. 2.b Short Essay Questions 1101 N=19 End of term exam questions 4. China has approximately 1.3 billion people. About 80% of them reside in rural areas. Briefly explain why you think that China will or will not achieve Stage IV of the Demographic Transition Model during the next fifty years. End of term exam questions Refer to the map on pages 58 and 59 of the Goode’s World Atlas (20th Edition). Briefly explain what the information on this map and the supporting graphics suggest about the supply and demand situation for fossil fuels in China. 4. Out of 19 students, all 19 answered this question; and their average response was 90%. Out of 19 students 100% effectively analyzed the issue. The results of the fall assessment will be reported in a graded scale. Early semester Quiz: multiple-choice questions 1. The most numerous Canadian minority is: a) African-American b) Italian. c) French. d) Japanese. 2. Most of the French of Canada reside in: a) Newfoundland. b) Nova Scotia. c) Ontario. d) Quebec. 3. Which of the following statements most accurately describes the Hispanic population of the U.S.? a) It is the fourth ranking minority. b) It has contributed a major cultural infusion to the Borderlands. c) It mainly resides in rural areas. d) It has merged smoothly into the mainstream of American culture. 1. The average for 19 students was 90%. 2. The average for 19 students was 90%. 3. The average for 19 students was 90%. African American Studies Goal IV.1 Goal IV.2a Goal IV. 2.b AAS 1140 Goal IV 1 MAAFA is a Ki-Swahili term that means ‘great disaster’, and is used to describe the holocaust of enslaved experienced by African people beginning in the 15th century. Discuss what effect the Maafa has on the contemporary conditions of people of African descent. Goal IV.2A List the 5 major language families of Africa Goal IV.2B List two reasons why gerontocracies evolve tears hereditary monarchies. Give two examples AAS 2110 Goal IV.1 MAAFA is a Ki-Swahili term that means ‘great disaster’, and is used to describe the holocaust of enslaved experienced by African people beginning in the 15th century. Discuss what effect the Maafa has on the contemporary conditions of people of African descent. Goal IV 2a AAS 1140 Goal IV 1: 85% of students effectively analyzed the issue. Goal IV 2a: 76% of students effectively analyzed the issue. Goal IV.2b: 81% of students effectively analyzed the issue. Goal IV.1: 97% of students effectively analyzed the issue. Goal 2a: 84% of The results of the fall assessment will be reported in a graded scale. How has the emergence of multiculturalism and ethnic studies been influenced by Black (African American) Studies? Goal IV.2b. How does the reparations movement speak to the global inequities of people of African descent? (refer to The Debt by Randall Robinson) Students effectively analyzed the issue. Goal 2b 74% of students effectively analyzed the issue. Criminal Justice Goal IV.1 Goal IV. 2.a Goal IV. 2.b Course used three objective examinations throughout the term and three questions per Goal were selected from the three exams. 1 section (N=33) Goal IV.1: 1. An individual who initiates a social movement by articulating a definition of a social problem such that a desired social policy is consistent with this definition of the problem is considered a _______________________. a. Cultural relativist b. Police officer c. Judge d. Moral entrepreneur* e. Victims’ advocate 2. Moral panics often: a. Draw attention away from endemic social problems b. Focus on relatively rare events c. Focus on sensational events d. Are usually completely fictional e. “a”, “b” and “c” of the above* 3. Rape myths: a. Socialize men to believe that sexually abusive behavior is normal b. Socialize women to believe that all abusive behavior is wrong* c. Socialize society to believe that rape is the victims fault d. “a” and “c” of the above e. all of the above Goal IV. 2.a: 4. What was Nathan McCall’s reaction to being bussed to a white school? Goal IV.1: Question 1 Pass Rate was 81% Question 2 Pass Rate was 96% Question 3 Pass Rate was 47% Goal IV. 2.a: Question 4 Pass Rate was 90% Question 5 Pass Rate was 93% Question 6 Pass Rate was 61% Goal IV. 2.b: Question 7 Pass Rate was 69% Question 8 Pass Rate was 90% Question 9 Pass Rate was 75% No change.