The Texas A&M University System delivers a common set/embraces a common view of important outcomes and is accountable for sustained measurement.
For all TAMU System universities, the rationale for assessing student learning outcomes (SLOs) originates primarily from efforts to maintain institutional effectiveness, which is defined as a process of identifying outcomes, assessing the extent to which they are achieved, and providing evidence of improvement based on their analysis.
Upon completion of their degree program, students will be able to express ideas clearly and coherently orally, in writing, and electronically to a diverse range of audiences and interact with others in large and small group settings.
EXEMPLARY
All criteria met and results exceed expectations with little room for improvement.
PROFICIENT
Most criteria met and results indicate mastery of objective with some room for improvement.
SUFFICIENT
Acceptable number of criteria met and results meet expectations with room for improvement.
EMERGING
Some criteria met and results indicate need for improvement.
INSUFFICIENT
Few criteria met; results indicate need for significant improvement or no/insufficient results reported to measure performance of objective.
PVAMU
Direct Measures
1) ETS Proficiency Profile
2) ENGL 1133 Composition II Essays scored with LEAP-Aligned Rubric
Indirect Measures
1) NSSE Items
2) Graduate Experience Survey
Emerging / Sufficient
Direct Measures
1) ETS Proficiency Profile: Writing 112.69 Mean
2) Organization 2.22/4.0, Control of Language 2.26/4.0; Format/Delivery 2.12/4.0
Indirect Measures
1) NSSE Items: 17a Writing Clearly and Effectively, (Quite a Bit to Very Much), 73%; 17b Speaking Clearly and Effectively, 78%
2) Graduating Student Experience Survey: C-2 Express Ideas Clearly and Coherently Orally and in Writing, (Very Good to Excellent), 65.4%
1) Fully implement Freshmen Common Read program entitled the “A-GAME”. The program is designed to ensure the involvement of LCC’s, faculty and advisors in the acclimation to academic rigors of college life. All faculty members who teach freshmen are asked to incorporate references to the program on their syllabus and to volunteer as workshop speakers and promote reading as a shared intellectual experience. The program capitalizes on what the University has learned from the iREAD QEP.
2) Post and hire a Writing Center Director responsible for developing, facilitating and providing tutoring services; organizing workshops to help students with their writing; creating, and modifying or updating educational resource materials, among other duties
The new core curriculum and approach to teaching began in Fall 2014. Results of this initiative will show over time. At present, data show only slight gains. For the ETS Profile, the mean went from 111.43 in 2013 to 112.69 in 2015. But on NSSE, students perceived more emphasis on communication across the curriculum going up 11.8 points from 2013 to 2015. Because the iREAD QEP focused on freshmen starting largely in 2011, a large group of graduating seniors have not yet been assessed.