Submitted Fall, 2005
Data Report
During the fall semester 2004, spring semester 2005 and 2005 summer session, a total of 680 undergraduate student major artifacts and 72 graduate student artifacts were assessed for this report. Almost 100 more undergraduate student artifacts were assessed as compared to the previous year. The number of graduate student artifacts was slightly less than the previous year. Only direct measures were assessed during fall semester 2004, spring semester 2005 and 2005 summer session.
Table 1 is a display of data gathered from the assessment of graduate student artifacts.
Table 1
Graduate Program Artifact Scores
| Program |
Artifact No. |
Artifact |
No. Students |
Mean Score |
| Exercise Science |
1 |
Foundations |
6 |
3.2 |
| |
2 |
Case Study |
3 |
3.5 |
| |
3 |
Treatment Program |
2 |
3 |
| |
4 |
Clinical Summary |
9 |
3.5 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Master Teacher of Physical Education |
1 |
Assessment |
5 |
3.35 |
| |
4 |
Health Lesson Plan |
12 |
3.76 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Recreation |
1 |
Leadership Profile |
11 |
3.38 |
| |
3 |
Facility Design |
6 |
3.33 |
| |
5 |
Policy Manual |
3 |
3.5 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Sports Admin. |
1 |
Philosophy |
3 |
3.66 |
| |
2 |
Facility Design |
6 |
3.33 |
| |
3 |
Budget |
1 |
3 |
| |
4 |
Marketing Plan |
3 |
3 |
| |
5 |
Policy Manual |
2 |
3.5 |
Interpretation of Data Gathered
Mean scores of 3.0 or higher on program specific learning objectives indicate HPERLS majors are scoring at the “Good” level, which indicates an acceptable student achievement outcome for the department. Based on this scale the Health & Physical Education Teaching Candidates achieved a mean score 3.0 or higher on all artifacts assessed. Recreation, Sports Administration, and Exercise Science majors were mostly successful at producing mean scores of 3.0 or higher on artifacts measured during the past year. Mean scores of 4.0 or higher obtained on the Student Performance Evaluation indicates “above average” performance by student majors during their internship experience and a successful outcome for the HPERLS department. As noted above, the mean score for students assessed during their internship experience was 3.62.
What the Data Indicates About Student Learning
Graduate Majors
Exercise Science: Artifacts 1, 2, 3, & 4
The mean scores for all artifacts was greater than 3.0 and indicates that students are achieving above the “good level” in understanding foundational knowledge, formulation of case studies, development of treatment plans, and the demonstration of competence in the day-to-day skills associated with employment in clinical settings. Exercise science faculty will work to maintain this level of student achievement.
Master Teacher of Physical Education: Artifacts 1 & 4
The mean scores of 3.35 and 3.76 indicate that the average Master Teacher of Physical Education student is achieving above the level of good on the artifacts associated with competence in the assessment of learning and the formulation of health education lesson plans. Faculty will work to maintain this level of achievement.
Recreation: Artifacts 1, 3 & 5
The average Recreation graduate student achieved above the good level in the development of artifacts associated with professional leadership, facility design and management, and policy development. These are encouraging findings that faculty will work to maintain.
Sports Administration: 1,2,3,4, & 5
The average Sports Administration graduate student achieved or surpassed the “good” level on the development of artifacts associated with philosophy development, facility design and management, budget development and monitoring, marketing and policy development. These are encouraging findings that faculty will work to maintain.
Recommendations
The following recommendations are based on interpretation of data generated from assessment of artifacts. A section is devoted to undergraduate programs and graduate programs.
Graduate Programs
Exercise Science
- Faculty should consider and implement procedures to maintain student achievement in the areas where artifacts are generated.
Master Teacher of Physical Education
- Faculty should consider and implement procedures to maintain student achievement in the area where artifacts are generated.
- Faculty should consider and implement procedures whereby all artifacts are gathered and assessed on at least a bi-annual basis.
Recreation
- Faculty should consider and implement procedures to maintain student achievement in the areas where artifacts are generated.
Sports Administration
- Faculty should consider and implement procedures to maintain student achievement in the areas where artifacts are generated.
Assessment of the Assessment Process
Selected faculty met twice to discuss the assessment plan. Based on the outcome of discussions, the following beliefs prevailed.
- Faculty in the professional programs (Exercise Science, Recreation and Sports Administration) have effectively implemented a process whereby portfolios with the required artifacts are assessed. The process needs to be maintained.
- Health and Physical Education Teaching faculty need to consider revising the artifact associated with assessment of student learning. Further, the process for assessment of portfolios and artifacts needs to be monitored closely.
- Student teaching data needs to be integrated into the assessment process along with alumni data and perhaps perceptions of employers regarding graduates effectiveness as educators.
- Data gathered from performance during internships needs to be sorted and analyzed by professional program.
- Alumni survey data needs to analyzed and integrated into the assessment report. Consideration should be given to a survey of employers to discern beliefs about the effectiveness of graduates.
It is the perception of the Department Chairperson that the assessment plan has shortcomings. First the assessment of individual artifacts rather than a totally completed portfolio may dilute the evaluation of student’s achievement and the overall effectiveness of the program of study. Second, the current plan places the responsibility for artifact assessment on a relatively few faculty persons. The department may need to consider how to more effectively spread the responsibility for assessment. Third, the Chairperson needs more knowledge and experience regarding assessment to upgrade and improve the current plan. The Chairperson intends to seek support from the institution to engage in activities that might yield an improved assessment plan.