University of Nebraska Kearney

Interior Design Assessment Report 2004

Submitted Fall, 2004

This report reflects assessment activities for the Family Studies Program in the Department of Family Studies and Interior Design.

1. Methodology

   Learning Objectives: Knowledge

   1. Students will develop an understanding of a broad knowledge and understanding of their disciplinary studies and how they may be applied in the working world.

      Assessment Tool - Senior Show. Senior show will be assessed Spring of 05.

      Assessment Tool - External Review of Student Drawings - FSID 305.

   Learning Objectives: Skills

   1. Students will demonstrate proficiency in the use of computer technologies necessary for competence and proficiency in the workplace.

      Assessment Tool - Senior Show. Senior show will be assessed Spring of 05.

   2. Students will demonstrate the ability to write in their professional field.

      Assessment Tool - Ethics paper generated in FSID 446 - Professional Practice. The Ethics paper will be assessed Spring of 05.

   3. Students will demonstrate competency in oral communication by creating and delivering public presentations related to their disciplinary studies.

      Assessment Tool - Senior Show. Senior show will be assessed Spring of 05.

   Learning Objectives: Values

   1. Students will demonstrate professional attitudes such as good work place habits, motivation, anticipating work demands, and ethical and social sensitivity, deemed essential for professional competence.

      Assessment Tool - Internship Assessment Rubric. Internships will be assessed commencing Spring/Summer 05.

   2. Students will demonstrate professionalism in the workplace regarding appropriate dress, deportment, sensitivity to diversity issues, as well as ethical and moral issues that may confront them. Length of Internships is 320 clock hours or seven credits. Internships are processed through an Internship Coordinator the department shares with another department.

      Assessment Tool - Internship Assessment Rubric. Internships will be assessed commencing Spring/Summer 05.

    
2. Results

   Learning Objectives: Knowledge

   Assessment Tool - External Review of Student Drawings - FSID 305. Student project drawings were submitted to the National Kitchen and Bath Association in November 2003. The drawings were reviewed by a national panel of practicing design professionals using the rubric "Endorsed Programs Student Work Sample Score Sheet" (see department for copy). NKBA reported UNK's Interior Design Student scores ranged between 88% and 92%. NKBA also reported that the national scores ranged between 53% to 93%. This places UNK's Interior Design students very near the top scores of the nation.

   Learning Objectives: Values

   1. Students will demonstrate professional attitudes such as good work place habits, motivation, anticipating work demands, and ethical and social sensitivity, deemed essential for professional competence.

      Assessment Tool - Internship Assessment Rubric. Internships will be assesses commencing Spring/Summer 05

   2. Students will demonstrate professionalism in the workplace regarding appropriate dress, deportment, sensitivity to diversity issues, as well as ethical and moral issues that may confront them. Length of Internships is 320 clock hours or seven credits. Internships are processed through an Internship Coordinator the department shares with another department.

      Assessment Tool - Internship Assessment Rubric. Internships will be assesses commencing Spring/Summer 05

    
3. Conclusions and Recommendations

   The very favorable national ranking of UNK's design students' work indicates that students do indeed develop an understanding of their disciplinary studies in the practice of the substance areas of interior design. Recommendations are to continue with the curriculum and instruction currently in place and work to ensure the quality is maintained and further enriched.

4. Use of Results

   Results of the NKBA external review and ranking will be maintained on an annual basis so that comparative analysis can be conducted. Although NKBA has required submission of students work since the mid 90's, this is the first year national rankings have been made available to endorsed colleges and/or universities.

5. Observations of the Process

   The following internal questions were discussed during a Family Studies retreat summer of 04.

   1. Are current measures of student assessment reflective of the competencies we expect our graduates to have?
   2. Are current methods of assessing students effective, consistent, and in keeping with standards in our disciplines?
   3. Are there new or modified methods which will better assess what we want to learn about student outcomes?

   The responses to these questions include:

   1. The current measures of student assessment are very reflective of the competencies we expect our graduates to have?
      • The NKBA external review of student project drawings is especially appropriate in measuring competencies as it measures a student's ability in all interior design knowledge substance areas. The review is conducted by a board of external jurors who are certified practicing designers.
       
   2. The current methods of assessing students were found to be effective, consistent, and within the standards of our discipline except for the following:
      • The Biannual Survey of Graduates was found to be an ineffective means of measure, as so few graduates returned the survey in a timely manner. It was found to be very difficult to be able to ensure the graduates actually received the survey. The Biannual Survey of Graduates will not be used in the future.
      • The FSID 446 - Portfolio Review was found to be problematic to administer. Therefore it was combined with the FSID 407 Senior Show. Both will be measured in Spring 05 as a single assessment activity using the Senior Show Rubic assessment instrument already developed.
       
   3. The modified reporting of scores of student project drawings that NKBA is now able to provide is a very valuable improvement over previous reporting. In the past, NKBA reported whether or not students' work "was acceptable or not acceptable" for continued endorsement by NKBA. Actual individual student scores plus the addition of national rankings is an invaluable aid to assessment.

   Interior Design faculty will continue to monitor assessment activities for efficiency, accuracy, and relevance to the established mission and objectives of the program. Data will continue to be gathered, analyzed, and used toward continued improvement activities.