-* F >■ James Madison University Monday, September 22,1986 Vol.64 No.7 JMU prepared forproposed Assessment test to be given By Martin Romjue JMU acting President Russell Warren sent letters to education shift staff writer about 550 freshmen, asking them to take the test. Testing A random selection of freshmen will take an assess- starts Wednesday and also will be conducted Oct. 1 and By Heather Dawson ment test within the next two weeks as JMU plans to base 2. staff writer general studies improvements on test results. "We really encourage and need the students to par- ticipate," Erwin said. "We want their help because stu- Proposed changes in public educa- Known as the College Outcome Measures Program test, the assesssment will measure skills and knowledge dent input is very important. We don't want to leave tion would not catch JMU off guard them out of this process." if they are implemented, said Dr. gained from college education, said Dr. Dary Erwin, Julius Roberson, dean of the College associate coordinator for student assessment. The test is Students were selected randomly, and the test will have of Education and Human Services. devised by the American College Testing Program. no affect on their quality point average or academic Gov. Gerald Baliles has asked the "We want to find out what students know when they reputation at JMU, Erwin said. Freshmen were given Governor's Commission for Ex- come to JMU, and test them sometime in the future to see several testing times so they could fit it into their cellence in Education to draw up a how much they have learned," Erwin said. schedules without missing classes. report outling proposals to improve The assessment test is part of JMU's five-year plan for The COMP test covers communicating ability, pro- Virginia's education system. academic excellence. Its purpose is to identify weaknesses in the curriculum and provide a basis, for reforms, he Baliles wants the commission to See TEST page 2 >■ "make recommendations that would said. place Virginia's public school system in the top 10 in the nation," Rober- son said. "They were urged to be bold and innovative." To keep up with proposed and im- College or Education aim nmha.. Services to study the proposals and their effects on JMU. "JMU graduates more teacher education students than any other college in the state of Virginia," Roberson said. "We are going to keep that reputation. "We are not going to fall behind. We are very healthy, quite vital, and employers (will continue) to seek our graduates." JMU's study committee will be "surveying students and teachers, looking at the literature, and coming to me next summer with its own recommendations," Roberson said. The committee is headed by Dr. Steven Fairchild, assistant pro- fessor of education. "We are taking a very close look at it (the changing education policy) right now," he said. The present draft of the report contains 10 recommendations, most of which deal with changes in teaching kindergarten through 12th grade. But three proposed changes would have a major effect on college degrees in education. Staff photo by CATHY UDELL Another proposal before the com- Off the ground mission would require teachers earn Sophomore Dennis McClure and graduate student Greg Becker take a hot air balloon ride an undergraduate degree in a field over Godwin Field Friday evening. About 200 students attended a three-hour party hosted other than education and take one by First American Bank, which opened this year as the on-campus bank. See EDUCATION page 2 >• Student 'Some JMU students are helping Three The JMU football team out area children through the remains winless after a loss support Big Brother/Big Sister program. straight to Liberty University Saturday. *^ ::: :■ \ & [■^ Page 2, The Breeze, Monday. September 22, 1986 Test getting bigger with other states joining in the ef- ing things that are unique," Erwin said. "This is > (Continued tram page 1) fort," he said. an opportunity where we will have the lead com- Assessment testing eventually will be a part of blem solving, personal values, the importance, of pared to other universities." The Virginia General Assembly passed a resolu- every student's education in Virginia, he said. social institutions, use of science and technology, "Hopefully in the future we will identify in- and art and culture. tion in 1985 to investigate student assessment as a means of maintaining and improving the quality of dividual student weaknesses," Erwin said. The test, which is completely objective, takes Future testing will cover students' education about three hours. Audio-visual equipment will be higher education in the state. The State Council of Higher Education for outside the classroom, he said. used for some portions. "A student also develops personally and social- Virginia released a study later that year entitled Results will be available to students at the end of ly," Erwin said. "We would like to document the semester. "The Measurement of Student Achievement and the Assurance of Quality in Virginia Higher those areas such as interpersonal skills and deci- Erwin said members of this year's freshman sion making to prove the entire value of a college Education." class will be asked in the next few years to take a education." follow-up test to measure how much students have In reference to JMU's goals under the five-year plan, the council's report stated, "Perhaps the Erwin said part of the learning experience is to learned under JMU's general studies program. see how much a student has grown in terms of in- "We want to And out the overall impact of the assessment effort with the greatest potential for all of Virginia higher education has been undertaken tellect and maturity. curriculum now and at various points in time," Er- "It's neat to let students know what they're like at JMU." * I win said. when they get here, and then to look back when Implementing the first stage of an assessment Several other states, including Tennessee, Maryland and Colorado, have implemented stu- they're seniors and see how much they have chang- program this year makes JMU a forerunner in the ed," Erwin said. state, Erwin said. Other state universities will not dent assessment programs with positive results, Er-; win said. "We hope students will do well. If we look good start assessment programs until next year. it will enhance our reputation." "We are a leader in the state because we are do- "The movement started several years ago, and is Education blems if implemented, but overall, >■ (Continued from page 1) finance a fifth year of college. a degree would be affected because "The group most adversely af- the changes would be gradual. Roberson said he is pleased with the statewide push for improvement. year of graduate courses in educa- fected by the changes would be low- The trend in education reform that is sweeping through Virginia is "I'm real excited about the tion. income minority students, and this comes at a time when decreasing "largely a result of what's happen- changes in education that are taking That change would mean "all place. We're going to improve what students going into the teaching pro- "numbers of blacks and other ing nationwide," Roberson said. minorities are going into teaching," Many news reports so far have we're doing, and the working condi- fession should earn a bachelor's been premature in forecasting educa- tions for classroom teachers," he degree in an academic discipline such Roberson said. Proposed changes also could tion changes. he said. A finol »»»•* *<rfaK. wiMgiccuiciu aiong we way, I as history or math," Roberson said. — .*.. y.<ii.o3T now **»ys uiai an November. think that the end result will be quite ''Then thCY would Ulr« »»>'■'■"' i He extended program, as Rober- prospective teachers must earn an Some proposals might cause pro- good." son calls it, is not included in the pre- academic degree," Roberson said. sent draft of the commission's For students interested in teaching report. The program might be added elementary school children, "it will later, after the plan has been studied. be difficult to decide which academic This summer, Roberson con- field to specialize in," he said. ducted his own informal survey of "It might require restructuring the education students. way pupils are taught. You could "I was teaching 25 students in a come in as a specialist in math or class that is required to become a social studies as an example. But I certified teacher," he explained. "I don't think it's good for children to asked them, 'If JMU now required a move around from one teacher to COTIPLETE CH1NCSC tt£MU five-year program (for a teaching another." certificate) how many of you would But any controversy caused by AM* ftJUl-ft-Qll£ that proposal probably is premature, 890 CanireU Axe not have elected to go into Mon - Thurs teaching?' " Roberson said. "As with anything II am ■ 10 pm CASlSUJ OUT else (in the report), it's too soon to Fn . II am ■ II pm Roberson said less than 10 percent Sat 12 noon - II pm of those students said they would not tell." Sun , 12 noon - 10 pm enter a five-year program. If signed into law, none of the 434-3003 Those who said they would have proposals would go into effect in VISA MASTnCAH) chosen another field of study did so 1989 or 1990. No one currently AOXf ILL) because they would be unable to employed as a teacher or working on EDUCATION . MAJORS "\ Fomnd*d1tt The KM leaner •To toe peaa atom, cnaotmrrd at it a with abuses, Teacher's Aide Managing •allot Mart Chemoc* the world Is indebted foe all ike triumphs whtch fctw Business manager Michael Scoffem been femes' by raoto* and huammUy <ntr error and is oppression " — James Madison Me«s editor Maria Oeeom THE STORE FOR VQU Assistant news editor Hike Wilson Deafen/Layout adltor Ken Mates* TV Breeze la poWlahed Monday and Thursday for Feature* adltor PemWHey mornings and distributed throughout JMU.