University of Nebraska Kearney

General Studies Program Comprehensive Assessment Report Academic Year 2003-2004: Revised Plan for General Studies Assessment 

The General Studies Council approved a revised assessment plan on October 7, 2004. The plan includes 9 data collection, some of which to be pilot tested immediately. Most of the activities listed are the responsibility of the General Studies Office with the help of the Assessment Director and Coordinator.

The 2003-2004 General Studies assessment report has suggested that the objectives written for the General Studies Program may be inappropriate for student outcome assessment. We will be looking to revise these objectives in the course of the General Studies discussions planned for this academic year.

General Studies Assessment Activities

1.     Individual Course Analysis. A survey will be constructed in a similar form to the Dixie College Survey but based on UNK General Studies objectives. Each question will address a specific General Studies Objective appropriate for the course. Students will respond by indicating how well the objective was incorporated into the design of the course and how well the objective was accomplished over the semester. For example:

The survey will be administered on-line to students from a sample of General Studies courses. A similar survey will be constructed for the instructors of the courses.

2.     Standardized General Studies Test. UNK will purchase a test designed to assess the student outcomes for general education programs. It will be administered to a sample of students (N = 200) who are at or near the end of their general studies program. Perhaps an additional sample of beginning students could also be selected. The selection of the test and the procedure for sampling students will be reviewed by the General Studies Assessment subcommittee.

3.     Department Contributions. Assessment of individual General Studies courses will become the responsibility of the departments. The manner and frequency of the assessment will be left up to the department, but any assessment of General Studies courses should be reported annually to the General Studies Council. Since an assessment of General Studies courses will included in their Academic Program Review, departments should assess their General Studies courses annually and begin building a data base to strengthen their self-study in the APR. The Office of General Studies and the Office of Assessment can also assist with the development of these activities.

4-5. Writing and Speech Samples. This is a continuation of the writing assessment of English 101 students that was done last year. It is possible to assess students' speeches by video taping their speeches and applying a rubric to their performances. The Office of General Studies can assist the Communications Department. The writing assessment could also continue with some modifications based on last year's data. Given the prospect of the governance change concerning WI and CD courses, some of this assessment may migrate to the unit responsible for WI courses. At the least, the Director of the UNK Writing Center should have a significant role in the process.

6.     Registrar's Exit Questionnaire. We review the Registrar's questionnaire and consider adding other relevant questions.

7.     Sampling of Standardized Test Scores. Many standardized tests are required of our outgoing students who are applying to professional schools. A summary of the data may be available to the institution. For example, ETS provides summary data of students who take the Graduate Record exam. This could be expanded to include the Law Boards, etc.

8.     Diversity Attitude Surveys. We will assess the incorporation of an appreciation of diversity into the students' attitudes by using a survey that is administered to a sample of students who have finished their CD requirements. The assessment of diversity values can be accomplished via an on-line survey. Given the prospect of the governance change concerning CD courses , some of this assessment may migrate to a different academic unit.

9.     Focus Groups. Members of the General Studies Council will lead focus groups that work through a set of programmed questions concerning the GSP. For example, the GSC faculty from Natural and Social Sciences would lead a focus group comprised of faculty from the College of Education. Likewise, they would lead a focus group comprised of students from the College of Education. The procedures and schedule of the focus groups should be complete by the end of fall semester.
 
The assessment of General Studies has become a high priority for this campus. Given some of the restructuring of the Academic Offices and the hiring of Drs Murray, Powell and Butler, the assessment of the General Studies program should be able to move forward in a more concerted and productive fashion. I hope that we will move forward quickly as the UNK academic community incorporates assessment activities into its "normal" operations. It should be a relatively painless task, given the great collegiality that we enjoy on this campus.

Bill Wozniak

Director of General Studies

General Studies Assessment
Matrix of Assessment Components