Assessment Learning Cycle

r Define Intended

learning obJectJves

Redesi,gn pr09ram Provide teammg to improve leaml~ opportu nitles

\ Compare outcomes with

intende<I obJecUves

Academic Assessment Council: Assessment Workshop

Eric J. Bartelink, Department of Anthropology

Why We Do Assessmen t…

Western Associa:on of Schools & Colleges

ne Intended learinlng obJectilves

Rectes· n program Provide learn ng to improve learning opportu n1ties

Compare outcomes with intended object ves

Assessment = Program Improvement

Anthropology Department SLOs

• 1. Document, interpret, and analyze human cultural and biological diversity. ("Diversity")

• 2. Reason intelligently aboutethical issues in human socieBes and in the pracBce of anthropology. ("Ethics")

• 3. Integrate anthropologicalreasoningand historicalperspec:vesinto basic scholarlyresearch.("Research")

• 4. Demonstrate methodological skills in atleastone of these subdisciplines of anthropology:archaeology; social and sociocultural anthropology; museum studies; and physical anthropology.("Methods")

• 5. Effec:velycommunicate anthropologicalissuesand research. Write clear expositoryessayson anthropological topics. ("Communica:on")

Spring 2011 Assessment Report

What Are We Trying to Learn?

• Research • Integrate anthropological reasoning and historical perspec:ves into basic scholarlyresearch.

• CommunicaBon • Effec:velycommunicate anthropologicalissuesand research. Write clear expositoryessayson anthropologicaltopics.

Cultura l Anthropology

The study of ulture and societies of human being and their very recent past.

Tradicional culcural nrhropologiscs cudy

living cultures and present their observations in

an echnography.

rchaeology

The tudy of past societies and their ultures

especially the mater ial remains of t he past, uch

as tools, food remains, and pla es where people lived.

Lmgui tic Amhropology

The study of language, especially how language

i tru tured, evolution of language, and t he ocial and culcural o nre>.'ts

fo r language.

Phy ical Anthropology

I o called biologi al anthropology, physical

anthropology is t he tudy of human evolution and va riacion, both

past and urrenc.

Research: Assessment of Core Majors Courses

• Covered three subdisciplines within Anthropology • ANTH301: Physical Anthropology • ANTH302: Archaeology • ANTH303: Cultural Anthropology

ultura l Anthropology

The study of ulture and societies of human being and their very recent past.

Tradicional culcural nrhropologiscs cudy

living cultures and present their observations in

an echnography.

rchaeology

The tudy of past societies and their ultures

especially the mater ial remains of t he past, uch

as tools, food remains, and pla es where people lived.

Lmgui tic Amhropology

The study of language, especially how language

i tru tured, evolution of language, and t he ocial and culcural o nre>.'ts

fo r language.

Phy ical Anthropology

I o called biologi al anthropology, physical

anthropology is t he tudy of human evolution and va riacion, both

past and urrenc.

Research: Assessment of Core Majors Courses

• Covered three subdisciplines within Anthropology • ANTH301: Physical Anthropology • ANTH302: Archaeology • ANTH303: Cultural Anthropology

Benchmarks: • Unacceptable: <75% of students achieving (or their individual scores <75%)

• Acceptable: 75-89% of students achieving (or their individual scores 75-89%)

• Outstanding: 90-100% of students achieving (or their individual scores >90%)

ANTH 301: Physical Anthropology

• Introductory physical anthropology course forAnthropology majors

• Assessmentstrategy • Pre- vs. post-test(research methods) • N =27 (completed both pre- and post-test)

ANTH 302: Archaeology

• Introductory archaeology course for Anthropology majors

• Assessmentstrategy • Pre- vs. post-test(research methods) • N =30 (completed both pre- and post-test)

N =31 (essay-based assessmentusing a 5 pointscale)

ANTH 303: Cultural Anthropology

• Introductory cultural anthropology course for Anthropology majors

• Assessmentstrategy • Pre- vs. post-test(research methods) •

• 1) DocumentaBon• 2) InterpretaBon • 3) Analysis

� �

� �

80 75

70

60 53

50

40

30

20

10

0 Test

Pre-test 53

Post-test 75

Pre-test Post-test

ANTH 301: Physical Anthropology—Results

67% of students performed at a 75% level o higher on post-test. (Mean post-test score = 75% vs. 53% pre-test score: 22% improvement)

� �

� �

100

890

80

70

60

50

40

30 24

20

10

Test Pre-test 24

Post-test 87

Pre-test Post-test

0

ANTH 302: Archaeology—Results

86% of students performed at a 75% level or higher. (Correct response changed fro 24% in pre-test to 87% in post-test: 63%improvement)

� �

� �

100 91 90

90 85

80

70

60

50

40 30 230 25

20

10

0 DocumentaBon InterpretaBon Analysis

Pre-test 30 28 25

Post-test 85 91 90

Pre-test Post-test

ANTH 303: Cultural Anthropology—Results

100% of students performed at an acceptable level for the post-test (scores of 3-5 for all criteria). "DocumentaBon" (85% post-test vs. 30% pre-test: 55% improvement); "InterpretaBon" (91% post-test vs. 28% pre-test: 63% improvement); "Analysis" (90% post-test vs. 25% pre-test: 65% improvement).

Covered capstone seminar in Anthropology

ultura l Anthropology

The study of ulture and societies of human being and their very recent past.

Tradicional culcural nrhropologiscs cudy

living cultures and present their observations in

an echnography.

rchaeology

The tudy of past societies and their ultures

especially the mater ial remains of t he past, uch

as tools, food remains, and pla es where people lived.

Lmgui tic Amhropology

The study of language, especially how language

i tru tured, evolution of language, and t he ocial and culcural o nre>.'ts

fo r language.

Phy ical Anthropology

I o called biologi al anthropology, physical

anthropology is t he tudy of human evolution and va riacion, both

past and urrenc.

Communica:on: Assessment of Capstone Seminar

•

• ANTH496: History of Theory& Methodsin Anthropology

Benchmarks: • Unacceptable: <75% of students achieving(or their individual scores <75%)

• Acceptable: 75-89% of students achieving (or their individual scores 75-89%)

• Outstanding: 90-100% of students achieving (or their individual scores >90%)

Assessmentstrategy WeeklyBlackBoard posBng essay assignments (wri_en communicaBon)

N =18 (essay-based assessmentusing a 3 pointscale)

Franz Boas

ANTH 496: History of Theory & Methods in Anthropology

• Introductory cultural anthropology coursefor Anthro majors

••

•

• 1) Command of topic • 2) Developmentof argument • 3) OrganizaBon & language mechanics

�

�

100

90 81 81 80

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0 Development of OrganizaBon &

Command of Topic LanguagArgument Mechanics Pre-test 81 81 80

Pre-test

Bernard's four elements

The key Q u est i O n of the discipline

A ssumptions

M et h O d S used by practit ioners

E vidence that practitioners recognize as valid

For more information, see Bernard's History and Theory in Anthropology (2000).

ANTH 496: History of Theory & Methods in Anthropology—Results

83% of studentsperformedat an acceptable level (score of 6 and higher) Total mean score = 81% (Command of Topic = 81%; Development of Argument = 81%; OrganizaBon and Language Mechanics = 80%)

SLO Assessment Loop - adapted from

Peggy Maki, AAHE

Closing the Loop!

How will the assessmentdata and their evalua:onbe usedto improve the program? Possible ac:ons might includerevisingpedagogy, courses, curricula, orotherlearningsupport mechanisms.

• Results shared with department and discussed at the next meeBng. Discussed results at Spring faculty retreat, and addressed ways to improve student understanding of research methods and communicaBon skills.

• Share wriBng guides among faculty. Encouraged faculty to assign parBal final paper assignments earlier in the semester to provide feedback.

• Collect data for 5-year review & review all SLOs within cycle

Ques:ons?