Drake Curriculum Assessment Wabash Memo NSSE 2013 Results + Senior Focus Groups Report to Faculty Senate February 19, 2014 Kevin Saunders Stephanie Majeran

Wabash Memo Recommendations Investigate important aspects of Drake’s teaching and learning environment that may require improvement Continue to build the connection between faculty/staff development and assessment Consider a different approach to assessing the Drake Curriculum and Areas of Inquiry (AOI)

NSSE Background Historical Participation: – – 2008 – : New questions and configuration Plan to continue on 3-year cycle Administered during the Spring via web Only First-years and Seniors

Administration Summary CountFull-timeFemaleResponse Rate* First-year31798%69%35% Senior27996%66%36% *Number of respondents divided by total number of Drake students in the respective class

Comparison Groups Drake Peers 2013: – Butler University – Elon University – Loyola University New Orleans – Mercer University – Saint Mary’s College of California – Seattle University – Valparaiso University Carnegie Class: Master’s Universities--Private, not-for-profit only NSSE 2013: All NSSE participating institutions

Strategic Plan- Goal I Reshape Drake University’s exceptional living, working and learning environment to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the diverse and global 21st Century.

Engagement Indicators

Reflective & Integrative Learning Both Drake first-year students and Drake seniors responded with a lower percentage to: – Combined ideas from different courses when completing assignments – Included diverse perspectives (political, religious, racial/ethnic, gender, etc.) in course discussions or assignments – Examined the strengths and weaknesses of your own views on a topic or issue – Tried to better understand someone else's views by imagining how an issue looks from his or her perspective – Learned something that changed the way you understand an issue or concept Supports the findings from the Critical Thinking and Information Literacy AOI review

Campus Engagement – Who Should Know? Dean’s Council Academic Affairs Council Drake Curriculum Analysis Committee University Curriculum Committee Colleges and Schools Student Life Faculty Senate Library Students CAAD FYS Strategic Plan groups (e.g., DUCEE) Quality Initiative College/School Curriculum Committees

Connecting Development and Assessment – Taking Action Noted consistent areas of challenge and need to develop action Call for broad and shared engagement – systems approach Importance of intentionality to achieve Strategic Plan Goal 1

Taking Action– School of Education Student focus groups to probe for details Review results with Dean’s Advisory Council Present NSSE and focus group results to faculty and staff Align data with NTASC standards Share presentation with field supervisors

Different Assessment Approach Expanded perspectives and experiences beyond major/program Drake Curriculum is different and attractive AOI curriculum is not integrated Purpose of AOIs not always explicit Sometimes check-the-box mentality

Next Steps Who else should be a part of the conversation? What actionable steps should be taken with the data?