Exploring Curriculum Evaluation for the Psychology Undergraduate Major Background: Psychology (PSY) Department scheduled for an External Review process during the academic year External Review: a review of programming to ensure that the UCB’s standard of excellence is maintained,& that departments have an opportunity to plan strategically for the future. The reviews are coordinated by the Division of Strategic Academic & Facilities Planning (SAFP), & take place over an 18-month period. Self Study: each program undertakes in a study to assess its intellectual agenda, its programmatic goals and resources, & identify critical challenges and opportunities. This external review consists of a undergraduate curriculum evaluation that aims to inform the PSY dept’s self study. Context: PSY Dept. recently revised undergraduate curriculum (pre-requisites, lower, and upper division courses, and honors) & need to evaluate these changes Transitions: New Chair & New Vice Chair in charge of overseeing external review and undergraduate curriculum As a result of new transition in leadership, having graduate student support with the undergraduate curriculum evaluation was key Problem Given new curriculum changes, the current curriculum may not match the psychology department program outcome goals Opportunity To provide a comprehensive review of the psychology department’s curriculum, & assess whether or nor the curriculum is aligned with the program outcome goals
Exploring Curriculum Evaluation for the Psychology Undergraduate Major Project plan: Meetings with Chair, Vice Chair and Graduate Student Assessment Fellowship Supervisor to discuss action plan (followed by bi-weekly/monthly meetings during the duration of the project) Examine undergraduate curriculum syllabi to assess if undergraduate curriculum program outcomes are highlighted in the course Conduct interviews with faculty to assess if program outcome goals are emphasized within their courses Execution: Curriculum Map: process for collecting and recording curriculum-related data that aligns the program outcomes and identifies core skills and content taught, processes employed, and assessments used for each course Curriculum Map Development: Collected, synthesized, and summarized the goals of Spring 2015 to Fall 2015 undergraduate course syllabi Develop and revised a grid that aligned 12 program outcome goals with Tier 2 and Tier 3 upper division 20 psychology courses with an emphasis in Neurology, Cognitive Development, Social and Personality & Clinical courses Curriculum Map Ratings : I: Introduced R: Reinforced/Developed M: MasterA: Assessed Implementation: Recruited and Interviewed 4 faculty members to assess if: Program outcomes were highlighted in their courses Curriculum map ratings (based on syllabi) were aligned with their ratings of the degree to which the program outcomes are I, R, M, or A in their course
()= Syllabi ratings PSY 127PSY 117PSY 140PSY 121 Define Basic Concepts (R ) R (R ) N/A (R ) M (I) IR Familiar w/ methods (R) M (R) M (R) R (R) IR Dev skills to eval pop media research (R) M (I) I (R) R (I) I Eval scientific papers (R) R (I) I (R) R (I) N/A Stats(N/A) R (R ) N/A (R) R (N/A) N/A Dev Argument (I) M (R) R (R) R (I) I Interpret data (I) M (I) IR (I) R (I) I Familiar w/history (N/A) N/A (N/A) N/A (I) I (N/A) N/A Apply to everyday problem (IRA) M (I) I (I) I (IR) IM Deeper understand- ing of content areas (IA) M (I) IM (I) I (I) I Bio/soc/cult -ural factors (IR) M (IA) IRM (I) I (R ) M Humanity awareness (N/A) N/A (R ) R (N/A) R (I) I Project Outcomes/Findings Curriculum Map- Syllabi vs. Faculty Interview: PSY 127 ( Cog Neuro Psych)- 4/12 match PSY 117 (Human Neuropsych)- 6/12 match PSY 140 ( Dev Psych)- 9/12 match PSY 121 (Animal Cog)- 7/12 match Committee recognized that faculty may not have been informed (prior to developing syllabi) that they should highlight program outcomes in their syllabi Committee may inform faculty to highlight program goals in their syllabi Too many program outcome goals Dept. will condense and revise program outcome goals