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DATE/TIME: Tuesday, April 21, 1998

3:00 PM in the Prairie Lounge

SUBJECT: Minutes of the Tenth Meeting of the Committee on Assessment of Student Learning

PRESENT: Bert Ahern (Chair), Mary Elizabeth Bezanson, Jim Cotter, Aaron O’Leary, Carol Marxen, Erica Rosch, Engin Sungur (Coordinator of Assessment)

ABSENT: Mario French, Tom Johnson, Dean Sam Schuman

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AGENDA

Subcommittee Reports

Progress Report on Senior Surveys

Relationship with NCA Reaccreditation Committee

Timeline for the Remainder of the Year

MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED

Minutes for meetings 7-9 approved. They can be put on our web site and on the minutes e-mail list.

1) Expect to do three components--abstract systems, historical perspectives, and writing (not foreign language).

2) For the components, expect educational outcomes to go to Curriculum Committee or ASL Committee for review/advise/conceivable revision, not methods of assessment.

3) In reviewing abstract systems, one sees the value of the exercise. How meaningful are learning outcomes? Are they translatable to be used by three disciplines--logic, math, and statistics? To the extent which they are not, do they need modification?

4) No closure on how to implement survey. Don’t expect all seniors but a random sample. Expect first-year students might do better than seniors on some of the pre-testing. Compare what happens when students take "x" course with pre and post-testing. Results will have an impact and changes might occur. Writing and computing--how do we assess for experiences imbedded in majors? Might we use the Common Course for pre-test for freshmen?

5) Potential for other types of measures--standardized tests, etc. Needs further study.

Guidelines have been set up to use in reviewing the unit assessment plans. There have been 18 plans (about 1/2 of total) that have been returned. Each is being looked at by two individuals on the subcommittee. This will then be put together into one report and given to the discipline coordinator. They should all be given out next week.

Continuing work on questions (will not use more than nine). Will only send surveys to discipline coordinators. Hope to get it out in the sixth week and back by the eighth. Will also look at responses we have received to date.

This was the first electronic survey on campus. We have 110 responses so far.

Next meeting is scheduled for May 5 at 3:00 PM in the Student Activities Conference Room.

Meeting adjourned at 4:00 PM.