JWU’s School of Arts & Sciences Outcomes Assessment Committee is charged with collecting samples of students’ work in order to redefine and refine learning at the course level.
The committee consists of faculty members from each department in the School of Arts & Sciences, as well as the assistant dean. A faculty member always chairs the committee.
In the past 30 years, colleges and universities have needed to verify their ability to educate. With specific expectations from accreditation boards and increasing competition between colleges, learning institutions need to be accountable and prove that they are continually successful in educating their students.
In its early years, the committee was instrumental in drafting a set of measurable outcomes for the school, originating the curriculum audit and designing authentic assessment instruments, including atomistic and holistic rubrics and surveys. Pilot studies were conducted to determine the reliability and validity of these instruments.
The committee has adopted the Accuplacer skills tests as another assessment vehicle, thus leading to a multi-dimensional assessment program that incorporates rubrics, surveys and normed tests.
Each year, the committee works on improving existing assessment procedures and developing new ones for outcomes not yet assessed. The committee also continues to look at the complete picture and remember that closing the loop is just as important and starting it.
Membership List, Academic Year 2012 – 2013
Cheri Almeida, Social Sciences David Capaldi, Mathematics Russell Chabot, Social Sciences Robert Christopher, Economics Eve Condon, English Nadine Dame, Denver CampusLaura Galligan, Science Mark Hengen, Science Michelle Johnson-Garcia, chair, North Miami CampusDavid Jewell, chair, Charlotte CampusAnn Kordas, Humanities Evelina Lapierre, Mathematics William Lenox, English Claudette Levesque-Ware, Humanities Thomas Pandolfini, chair, Mathematics Fred Pasquariello, Humanities Mark Peres Charlotte CampusDavid Spatt, Humanities E. Spitzman, HumanitiesMichael Stephens, Charlotte CampusChristine Thompson, associate dean, A&S
Student Learning Outcomes
Higher Order Thinking Graduates should be able to perform higher order thinking skills to include both critical and creative thinking. They should be able to apply the elements of reasoning and be able to use criteria and intellectual standards in order to make decisions, analyze arguments, conduct credible research, solve problems and create original ideas. Communications Competence Graduates should be able to read, write, speak and listen effectively and be able to express ideas clearly and succinctly. The graduates should demonstrate academic competence in written and verbal/nonverbal communication, and provide and accept constructive feedback. Ethical Responsibility Graduates should be able to discuss critically and defend the need for ethical standards to guide their decision-making in their professional and personal lives. Global Diversity and Understanding Graduates should be able to defend the principles that people should be valued regardless of heritage, religion, race, gender, ability and sexual orientation. Graduates should be able to identify the elements necessary in creating positive, multiperspective solutions to issues that arise between and among diverse populations, and propose solutions on both personal and professional levels. Community Service/Responsible Citizenship Graduates should be able to explain the need for being responsible citizens, and to demonstrate this responsibility through personal and professional service. Leadership Skills Graduates should be able to identify their own sources of strength that will enable them to motivate and influence others to attain meaningful professional and personal growth. Artistic Appreciation Graduates should demonstrate a knowledge of a variety of creative art forms, including the fine arts, the performing arts, literature and music. Sociocultural Literacy Graduates are expected to understand complex ideas about human thought and life as demonstrated through awareness of disciplinary perspectives (including math and science, humanities and social sciences) and through the ability to articulate the connections among those disciplines. Quantitative Literacy Graduates should be able to demonstrate computational competency and should be able to solve problems of a mathematical nature. Scientific Literacy Graduates should be able to explain and apply the scientific method and deductive reasoning to scientific questions about man and his natural world. Information Literacy Graduates should be able to recognize the need for information, identify information needed to address a given problem or issue, find the needed information, evaluate the information, organize the information and use the information effectively to address the problem or issue at hand.
Last revised: Sep 2008.