Campus Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

What are the student learning outcomes in your unit? 

The Communication Program has several  primary student learning outcomes for majors in Communication:

S121 Public Speaking is a General Education requirement that is campus-wide.  (See the separate document housed in Academic Affairs).  The student outcomes for S121 (per the General Education committee) are to:

• demonstrate a clearly defined purpose through an effective delivery of oral presentations that manifest logical organization, proper grammar, appropriate word choices, and coherent sentence structure.
• present a central idea, clearly reasoned arguments, and an audience-centered perspective that takes account of communicative differences across cultures.
• engage in ethical practices that include citation of credible sources.
• demonstrate effective use of media and technologies that enhance the presentation.

Other Department of Communication Student Outcomes are to:

• understand rhetorical traditions and contemporary human communication processes toward the development of functional and effective communication.

• acquire an ability to perform effectively within various communication contexts.

• prepare for success in fulfilling careers that meet both personal and professional goals in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

• master the challenges of research, critical thinking, and preparation for possible graduate school entry in the Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) degree program at IU Northwest or in Masters programs at other universities.

Evaluation of Theoretical Concepts and Analytical adaptations of material.

The Department of Communication identifies several distinct areas of learning:  classroom study, Internship experience, and the Capstone/Exit interview summation.  These areas support department specific student learning outcomes for Communication Majors.

How did you assess their skills before, during and/or at the end of the semester/ academic year?

     At the beginning, middle, or end of courses, skills are assessed through oral presentations, workshops, and project evaluations; written tests; grade distributions; GPA indices; student evaluations of teaching; individual and collaborative group peer evaluations; exit interviews; an exit examination from our Capstone S400 Course; as well as faculty and student observation of Senior Presentations are used as measures for student learning outcomes.

    We will periodically complete another departmental self-study and external review that will enhance our ability to meet and measure student outcomes.   We also continuously examine program curriculum and determine the significance of certain emphases or major tracks in meeting the changing face of the discipline as well as student needs and interests.  Faculty members have been working to indentify and test suitable instruments to better documentation quantitative measures of student outcomes.   Assessment reports are submitted to the COAS office.  The assessment outcomes are aligned with the campus’ General Education and overall departmental Student Learning Outcomes.

Please summarize the data you have collected this semester/academic year.

Examinations, speeches, analytical and response papers, workshop presentations, journals, etc., have been generated as data.

Research papers from the capstone course, Senior Projects, exit examinations, and exit interviews have been generated as data. 

Faculty members have developed foundational guidelines to promote consistency across multiple sections of our basic S121 course.

 A Director has been named.  The Director will have a two-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal.

 During Fall 2010, an Assessment form was piloted and will be used by full and part-time faculty to assess learning outcomes in S121 Public Speaking during Spring 2011.

Please describe any programmatic changes you have made or are planning to make based on the data you have collected.

• Our programmatic changes include revising our Emphasis areas.  We will complete this process in Spring 2010.

• We are also replacing outgoing faculty positions aligned with the new emphasis areas.  This may include making one of the adjunct positions a technical staff position in the area of Mass Communication.  This will assist in achieving student outcomes as well as faculty tenure stability.     

Professors Dorothy Ige and Lori Montalbano have contracted to write a book with Kendall/Hunt Publishers in which the contents will be aligned with the S121 General Education Learning Outcomes for Oral Communication.  The authors have already collected input from full time and part time S121 teachers in the department and will do so again periodically.  The information collected will be used toward developing the textbook writing project. 

During Summer and Fall 2011, the department will concentrate on Faculty Development, particularly among Adjunct faculty.