The Assessment Committee was empanelled in August 2004 and took on additional duties in December serving as an ad hoc Student Learning/Effective Teaching Committee of the college's North Central Association Site Visit Committee, with responsibility for drafting detailed notes relating to Core Components A-D of Criterion 3 of NCA's re-accreditation criteria, "Student Learning and Effective Teaching," in addition to the other duties in its charge as a standing committee of the college. Members of the committee were: Bob Blankenberger, history and philosophy; Brian Ferguson, chemistry; Amy Lakin, English; Matt Mogle, fine arts; Rick Rossetto, biology; Steve Stowers, math; Barb Tanzyus, math; and Pete Ellertsen (chair), English and mass communications. Kevin Broeckling, dean of students; and Jeff Mueller, dean of the college, served ex officio. Nerieda Avanando, resource center director, was appointed to the committee in December when the additional duties were assigned to the committee.
On a voice vote in January 2005 of the Assessment Committee
as reconstituted, its activities were combined with those of the
Student Learning/Effective Teaching Committee of NCA Site Visit
Committee, and its minutes, retroactive to December and continuing
through the school year, were kept under the names of the two
committees. The expanded committee's deliberations are reflected
in detail in the discussion of Criterion 3 in SCI's Self-Study
Report Submitted to The Higher Learning Commission Of the North
Central Association of Colleges and Schools (On-Site Review: November
7- 9, 2005) available on line at http://www.sci.edu/accreditation.html
and for that reason will not be addressed here, even though they
comprised the greatest proportion of the committee's deliberations.
A summary of strengths and recommendations for improvement relating
to Criterion 3 is copied below as Appendix I to this report, since
the self-recommendations are expected to be an important part
of the committee's deliberation in the coming year.
In addition to its role in connection with the NCA self study,
the committee deliberated and adopted the following measures:
1. Expanded into the next phase of its General Education standardized testing program by reviewing options and deciding to: (1) purchase linkage reports comparing CAAP reading module results to the ACT Inc. high school tests administered in the state of Illinois; and (2) initiate mathematics testing for SCI sophomores eligible to graduate in the spring of 2006.
2. Adopted as a working model the Common Student Learning Objectives formulated at the assessment workshop on Dec. 14, 2004; designed a procedure whereby they are to be integrated into syllabi by all faculty in order to fulfill the mission of the College; and delegated the implementation of that procedure to the Dean of Academic Affairs and the committee chair.
3. Surveyed faculty members as a preliminary step toward a matrix of core learning outcomes or objectives, and discussed methodological problems posed by a lack of uniformity of answers from different instructors teaching the same classes and difficulty in defining diversity.
4. Authorized the chair of the committee, who also serves as editor of the Nuts & Bolts assessment newsletter, to prepare an interim guide for instructors on using Classroom Assessment Techniques and the Common Student Learning Objectives and Course Based Student Learning Objectives derived from the mission statement workshop until an assessment manual can be prepared, and to have it ready for use by faculty in preparing for the 2005-2006 school year.
While most of the time available to members of the committee was taken up with drafting answers to questions relating to the core components of Criterion 3 relating to teaching and learning, the Assessment Committee administered the ACT Inc. Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency reading module to 90 eligible sophomores on March 30 and received reports on that test as well as the linked data purchased from ACT. They are as follows:
CAAP reading module. Results of the CAAP reading test showed that 2004-2005 sophomores averaged 61.2 on the reading test, compared to 60.4 nationwide. That was up from last year, when SCI students' score was 59.9 compared to 60.3 nationwide. SCI's score has averaged within a point of the national average since testing began in 2003, and the sense of the committee was that due to the small size of the population being tested we should proceed cautiously in interpreting the data but SCI now would appear to have sufficient test results to establish a benchmark against which to compare future data.
Linkage reports. Results of the first "linkage reports" ACT Inc. comparing SCI students' scores on the CAAP reading test to others in Illinois and at two-year private colleges nationwide. The linkage reports involve benchmarking of CAAP reading test scores earned by SCI sophomores who took the test in the spring of 2003 and 2004. The linkage report data consist of comparisons of: (1) our sophomores' CAAP scores in 2003 and 2004; (2) Illinois high school students' ACT scores; and (3) nationwide CAAP scores for students in our private two-year reference group. Included in the report was a comparison of SCI sophomores to students nationwide in our "reference group" of private two-year colleges. Thus, the reports give us a rough measure of what our students learn. Results were as follows:
Respectfully submitted, Peter Ellertsen, chair, Assessment Committee
Overall Strengths:
1. There is a strong emphasis on and commitment to preparing students for successful transfer to senior level institutions, both to the Benedictine University program and other institutions. SCI has from its foundation in 1929 emphasized a strong basic education in the liberal arts as a foundation to further study; and a holistic approach that grows out of the Ursuline tradition of educating young men and women to become lifelong learners and leaders, with an emphasis on service; this emphasis is reflected in the college's 1997 mission statement, and the college's commitment to educational excellence, especially on the part of faculty, has been unwavering in times of transition and financial constraints.
2. The creation of a culture of assessment of student learning and effective teaching has progressed substantially over the last several years with the addition of Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) test, the development of common Student Learning Objectives derived from the mission of the College, the dissemination of information through the Assessment Committee web-site and Nuts and Bolts publication, and the expanded use of classroom assessment techniques.
3. The college's traditional emphasis on educational excellence has been enhanced in recent years by the addition of alternative educational delivery methods through the continued improvement of traditional offerings and instruction with the addition of the accelerated New Horizons program and the opportunity to complete a Bachelor's degree on the Springfield campus through the Benedictine partnership.
4. The College has enhanced its support services for students over the several years with the addition of the Resource Center and Director of the Resource Center, the continued adaptability and effectiveness of the Library services, the addition of computer labs, and new technology available in the classrooms.
Self-Recommendations:
1. Standardize and strengthen program assessment and assessment of SLOs throughout curriculum. Primarily Responsible: Chief Academic Officer, and Division Chairs
2. Improve communication within the campus community. Primarily Responsible: Chief Academic Officer, Committees
3. Develop and implement surveys for graduates to determine the degree to which the AA prepared them for the next step in their professional educational/career planning. Primarily Responsible: Chief Academic Officer, and Division Chairs
4. Expand technology support services. Primarily Responsible: Technology Committee and Director of Information Technology