1. Kennedy-King College’s Assessment Academy Project Report October 2013

2. A Brief History of Writing Across the Curriculum WAC has been an ongoing initiative at KKC for nearly ten years Two years ago, WAC was added as a project to KKC’s Assessment Academy Project with the Higher Learning Commission Last year, WAC worked in partnership with the Dean’s office to assess our students’ writing across the general education curriculum

3. What We’ve Done… Re-tooled scoring rubric to provide a better snapshot of student writing (based on Academy mentor recommendation) During 2011-12 committee collected 230 writing samples from 10 departments During 2012-2013 committee collected 377 writing samples from 23 different courses

4. What We’ve Done… Held workshops to train committee members on paper scoring Scored writing samples analytically using revised WAC rubric Compiled data for distribution to faculty Provided concrete recommendations for improving writing on campus

5. WAC Analytic Scoring Rubric (Old version)

7. 2012-2013 WAC Scores (Raw Numbers) ScoreCompositionOrganizationStyle Sentence Structure UsageMechanics 41019076666164 3155 142135145 2103112141144126134 1182018323534

8. 2012-2013 WAC Scores (Percentages) ScoreCompositionOrganizationStyle Sentence Structure UsageMechanics 427%24%20%18%17% 341% 38%36%38% 227%30%37%38%36% 15% 9%

9. Some Quick Takeaways… Composition is the strongest aspect of our students’ writing with 68% scoring a 4 or 3. Sentence Structure is the weakest aspect of our students’ writing with 47% achieving only a 1 or 2. Usage and Mechanics also proved difficult for our students with only 55% achieving a 4 or 3 in both areas.

10. How We Compare To Last Year… Composition Scores: 2012 2013Net Change 4 –37%27% -10 3 – 44%41% -3 2 – 17%27% +10 1 – 2%5% +3

11. Organization Scores: 2012 2013Net Change 4 –n/a24% n/a 3 – n/a41% n/a 2 – n/a30% n/a 1 – n/a5% n/a How We Compare To Last Year…

12. Style Scores: 2012 2013Net Change 4 –29%20% -9 3 – 39%38% -1 2 – 31%37% +6 1 – 1%5% +4 How We Compare To Last Year…

13. Sentence Structure Scores: 2012 2013Net Change 4 –32%18% -14 3 – 41%36% -5 2 – 25%38% +13 1 – 2%9% +7 How We Compare To Last Year…

14. Usage Scores: 2012 2013Net Change 4 –22%17% -5 3 – 43%38% -5 2 – 32%36% +4 1 – 2%9% +7 How We Compare To Last Year…

15. Mechanics Scores: 2012 2013Net Change 4 –25%17% -7 3 – 43%38% -5 2 – 32%36% +4 1 – 2%9% +7 How We Compare To Last Year…

16. Why The Change? Bigger sample size Rubric changes Submissions focused only on general education classes Submissions process

17. Concrete Things We’ve Done: Recommend all faculty provide writing rubrics to students for all writing assignments Encourage use of the Writing Center tutoring services through adoption of GradesFirst technology WAC Committee regularly meets with Communications Department to discuss strategies

18. Concrete Things We’ve Done: WAC Committee makes annual presentation of findings to all faculty and staff during Faculty Development Week WAC Committee members have been participants on college search committee for new institutional researcher

19. Where We’re Heading… WAC is scheduled to officially report out of the Assessment Academy this fall WAC will meet separately and with Department Chairs to formulate specific more recommendations to improve writing WAC will continue to explore ways to expand awareness of the project and to increase submissions.

20. Where We’re Heading… Recommendations will be shared and refined with the English Department Final recommendations will be distributed to entire KKC faculty through Department Chairs

21. Questions? Thank you