Assessment-driven Core Reform Dmitriy Krichevskiy, Brian Newsome, Fletcher McClellan

Session outcomes Audience members will learn how to Gain faculty support for the initiation of Core assessment Foster a collaborative process of Core reform Confront unforeseen challenges and maintain momentum on both Core assessment and Core reform

Background: Institutional Learning goals at Elizabethtown College Adopted in 2007, Elizabethtown’s Institutional Learning Goals (ILGs) state that students will be able to: Assume responsibility for their intellectual development, personal growth and well-being. Reason, analyze and engage in critical thinking. Demonstrate thoughtful and articulate communication by applying knowledge in a variety of contexts, including writing, speaking, listening and interpretation. Understand the creative process and its role in human expression, and cultivate the ability to make informed aesthetic judgments. Navigate diverse cultural worldviews and perspectives, with the realization that differing frames of reference influence analysis, communication and behavior. Make reflective ethical decisions and act with integrity to seek just outcomes with relationships, communities and society. Apply and integrate different strands of learning and comprehend interconnections in the process of gaining knowledge and experience. Identify and cultivate a sense of purpose that inspires a commitment to meaningful work in service to society.

The core program Elizabethtown’s general education or Core Program includes one common course – First-Year Seminar – and 10 courses in 8 Areas of Understanding: Power of Language – 2 courses English (composition) Modern or Ancient Language Mathematical Analysis Creative Expression Humanities Western Cultural Heritage Non-Western Cultural Heritage Social Science Natural and Physical Science – 2 courses At least one of the non-POL courses must be intensive writing

Middle states assessment mandate: 2009 Following an institutional self-study and external review in 2008-09, Middle States reaccredited Elizabethtown but required that the College submit a progress letter by spring 2011 that documented compliance with Standards 7 (Institutional Assessment) and 14 (Assessment of Student Learning) To comply, the College needed to: Align ILGs with Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) at the program (curricular and co-curricular) and course levels Gather authentic evidence of student learning at the course, program and institutional levels Use the results to improve educational programs and instruction The progress letter was accepted by Middle States in spring 2011. In December 2012 the College was invited to present its assessment program at the annual Middle States conference.

Getting started Educational Assessment Committee Core Committee Coordinated faculty development seminars Spearheaded department-level assessment “Just do something” Core Committee Writing in the First-Year Seminar Fall 2010: revealed significant deficiencies and led to reform Fall 2011: indicated new measures worked Lessons learned from St. Olaf College, AAC&U, Spring 2011 Pilot Program for Natural and Physical Sciences, 2011-2012

Discussion How have you—how would you—initiate Core assessment?

Moving forward Other units assessed: Power of Language – English Power of Language – Other Math Western Cultural Heritage Non-Western Cultural Heritage Humanities First Year Seminar

Closing the feedback loop Student performance assessment Student Learning Outcomes reassessment Methods revisions Teaching recommendations Curriculum recommendations

Recent challenges Writing in the First-Year Seminar, Fall 2014 Absence of “anchor” papers Elaborate weighting system Results:   2010 2011 2014 Thesis/Purpose Statement 75.4 85.1 91 Content 59.3 74.2 80 Logic and organization 57.3 67.0 81 Use of Sources 61.8 74.0 82 Citations 63.4 72.5 60 Grammar and Style 48.2 55.8 54

Pushing the envelope of reform: Interdisciplinary colloquium Working with EAC, the Core Committee accumulated evidence of adequate but not exceptional student performance in ILGs 2 (critical thinking) and 7 (applying and integrating learning, developing interconnections) In addition, a majority of faculty surveyed in 2011 believed that the Core Program did not promote integrative learning effectively To address these concerns, Core Committee proposed in spring 2015 an Interdisciplinary Colloquium (IC) of topical, team-taught courses, aimed mainly at sophomores and juniors, that would satisfy two AUs and the intensive writing requirement After faculty reaction and discussion, Core Committee will submit a revised IC proposal in fall 2015

Closing the Feedback loop What have you done—what could you do—to close the feedback loop?