Associate of Arts s2

Associate of Arts Matanuska-Susitna College Assessment Plan

Adopted by

The MSC Associate of Arts Faculty: March 29, 2013

Submitted via http://anc-tbquimby01.uaa.alaska.edu/10assessfile/

to the Office of Academic Affairs: March 29, 2013

for review by

The Academic Assessment Committee of the Faculty Senate TABLE OF CONTENTS MISSION STATEMENT

The Associate of Arts (AA) is part of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), which centers its mission on acting as

the home and heart of the academic tradition at the University of Alaska Anchorage. It provides foundational education in the liberal arts and sciences for all students, as well as undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the humanities, the fine arts, the mathematical, natural, and social sciences. Through teaching, research, scholarship, artistic creativity, and public service, the College contributes to the advancement of knowledge and the betterment of communities in Alaska, the nation, and beyond. (CAS website: Introduction, 2011, para. 2)

Additionally, the AA is entirely congruent with the Matanuska-Susitna College (MSC) Mission Statement that MSC must “[e]ducate students and prepare them for future learning, employment, and community engagement through a challenging and rigorous curriculum combined with exceptional support” (MSC Catalog, 2011-2012, p. 10). No matter what programs students may eventually join, many of the courses they take at MSC are in the general curriculum. This makes the AA both foundational and critical to student success.

PROGRAM INTRODUCTION

MSC, an extended campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage system, is dedicated to educating and preparing students for opportunities in future learning, employment, and community engagement trough a challenging and rigorous curriculum combined with exceptional support services, and continues to promote the intellectual development and well- being of the community, state, nation, and world.

Furthermore, the AA program is integral to students trying to earn specific degrees or to transfer their credits to four-year institutions. Most courses within the AA are specifically designed “to prepare students for careers in vocational and technical fields, and for transfer to a four-year institution of higher learning” (Northwest Committee on Colleges and Universities, Standard 2C, 2008, para. 4). Thus, students apply what they learn in the AA program to their own lives, their disciplines, their community, and, indeed, the state and nation. With its emphasis on critical thinking, communication, and deep knowledge of the world around us, the AA is a significant portion of the intellectual development of MSC’s students.

AA Assessment Plan Page 3 of 64 March 29, 2013 The Associate of Arts (AA) is a broad liberal arts degree that provides students with a “solid foundation in mathematics and written communication, the natural and social sciences, the humanities and fine arts” with the goal of preparing students “for career advancement . . . and to better understand their world” (UAA Catalog, 2011-2012, p. 87). It consists of 33 credits of General Education Requirements (GER) in seven broad disciplinary categories: Oral Communication Skills (3), Written Communication Skills (6), Humanities and the Fine Arts (9), Mathematical and Natural Sciences (9), Social Sciences (6), plus 27 credits of elective coursework for a total of 60 credits.

Its core courses, GERs, can be selected from the following:

1. Oral Communication Skills (3) COMM A111 Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3) COMM A235 Small Group Communication (3) COMM A237 Interpersonal Communication (3) COMM A241 Public Speaking (3)

2. Written Communication Skills (6) ENGL A111 Methods of Written Communication (3) CIOS A260A Business Communications (3) ENGL A211 Academic Writing about Literature (3) ENGL A212 Technical Writing (3) ENGL A213 Writing in the Social and Natural Sciences (3) ENGL A214 Persuasive Writing (3)

3. Humanities and the Fine Arts (9) Three courses from the GER Classification List. At least one course each from the Humanities and Fine Arts areas.

4. Mathematical and Natural Sciences (9) MATH A105 Intermediate Algebra (3) or One course from the Quantitative Skills area of GER Classification List (3). Two Natural Science courses from the Natural Science area of the GER Classification List (6).

5. Social Sciences (6) Two Social Sciences courses (from two different disciplines) from the Social Sciences area of GER Classification List.

Students then select 27 credits of electives.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this document is to provide a guide for assessing the overall academic effectiveness of the AA at MSC. This document addresses the needs of accreditors, administrators, external stakeholders, students, and faculty. Accreditors set general standards including the requirement that actual results agree with the stated mission. Administrators are accountable for program effectiveness and need to know whether the program is delivering promised learning outcomes. External stakeholders value the program’s effectiveness and also require and deserve empirical assurance of learning. Students need to know what they can reasonably expect to achieve from their investment of time and money in the AA program. The faculty is responsible for instructional effectiveness and for making continuous improvements to the program based on the analysis of collected assessment data.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Student learning outcomes articulate what graduates should be able to do and/or what overall traits they should possess at the conclusion of the AA program.

AA program graduates will possess the following skills as defined by these Learning Outcomes. Students graduating with an AA degree from MSC will be able to:

 Communicate effectively with diverse audiences (individual, group, or public) using a variety of verbal and nonverbal communication strategies;  Respond effectively to writing assignments using appropriate genres and standard written English;  Use library and electronic research responsibly and appropriately;  Identify, describe, and evaluate the aesthetic, historical, and philosophical aspects of material culture, including artistic expressions, language, and texts;  Apply critical thinking skills to identify premises and conclusions of arguments, evaluate their soundness, and recognize common fallacies;  Use appropriate mathematical language and symbols to develop and communicate solutions and demonstrate quantitative and analytical skills and knowledge;  Articulate the fundamentals, developments, and impacts of one or more scientific disciplines and develop and analyze evidence-based conclusions about the natural and social world.

AA Assessment Plan Page 5 of 64 March 29, 2013 Table 1: Association of Assessment Measures to Student Learning Outcomes

This table is intended to help organize outcomes and the measures that are used to assess them. Each measure contributes to information on the students’ achievement of a different set of outcomes. That contribution is tracked in this table.

This table also forms the basis of the template for reporting and analyzing the combined data gathered from these measures. MSC uses Coordination Units rather than strict departments to organize the disciplines. Because faculty members and courses are assigned to a Coordination Unit within their specific discipline, assessment outcomes have been broken down by Coordination Unit at MSC: English and the Humanities, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural and Physical Science, and Social Science. This should allow for more consistency in collection methods as well as analysis of the data.

Discipline Outcomes Indirect Direct Measure Measure English and the Humanities 1. Communicate effectively with diverse audiences (individual, group, or public) using a 1 1 variety of verbal and nonverbal communication strategies

2. Respond effectively to writing assignments using appropriate genres and standard written 1 1 English

3. Use library and electronic research 1 1 responsibly and appropriately

4. Identify, describe, and evaluate the aesthetic, historical, and philosophical aspects of material culture, including artistic expressions, 1 1 language, and texts Fine Arts 1. Identify, describe, and evaluate the aesthetic, historical, and philosophical aspects of material culture, including artistic 1 1 expressions, language, and texts

Mathematics 1. Use appropriate mathematical language and symbols to develop and communicate solutions and demonstrate quantitative and 1 1 analytical skills and knowledge

Natural and Physical 1. Articulate the fundamentals, developments, Science and impacts of one or more scientific disciplines and develop and analyze evidence-based conclusions about the natural and social world 1 1

Social Sciences 1. Identify, describe, and evaluate the aesthetic, historical, and philosophical aspects 1 1 of material culture, including artistic expressions, language, and texts

0 = Measure is not used to measure the associated outcome.

1 = Measure is used to measure the associated outcome.

AA Assessment Plan Page 7 of 64 March 29, 2013 ASSESSMENT MEASURES

For the purposes of this plan, an assessment measure is a procedure, protocol, or exercise that is reasonably reflective of an outcome, repeatable over time, and can be used to measure both direct (student work) and indirect (student perceptions) outcomes.

A description of the measures used in the assessment of the student learning outcomes and their implementation are summarized in Table 2: Direct and Indirect Measures below. The measures and their relationships to the student learning outcomes are listed in Table 1, above.

There is a separate appendix for each measure that shows the measure itself and describes its use and the factors that affect the results. Due to the nature of the AA, the appendix section has been broken up by Coordination Unit.

Table 2: Assessment Measures and Administration Direct Measures

Discipline Outcome Description Start Date/ Collection Administered Frequency Method by English and 1 Exam or student presentation Spring 2013; Evaluation Course the every spring, by instructors Humanities with a 4-year instructors rotation 2 Final project Fall 2014; Evaluation Course for one year, by instructors with a 3-year instructors rotation 3 Final project Fall 2015; Evaluation Course for one year, by instructors with a 3-year instructors rotation 4 Final project or student exam English Evaluation Course Literature: by instructors Spring 2013, instructors varies when offered

Languages: Spring 2014, with a 2-year rotation Fine Arts 1 Classroom critiques and Ongoing Evaluation Course assignments, research papers, by full-time instructors exams, exhibitions and faculty critiques

Mathematics 1 Exam and self-assessment Beginning Evaluation Course tool AY13-14, a by instructors 4-year instructors rotation, excepting MATH 105 (assessed each spring) Natural and 1 AY13: BIOL Evaluation Course Physical by instructors

Science AY14: instructors CHEM

AY16: ENVI and LSIS

AY17: PHYS Social 1 Exam or final project Each faculty Evaluation Course Sciences member will by instructors assess one instructors class per academic year, in either spring or fall terms

Table 2: Assessment Measures and Administration Indirect Measure

Discipline Measure Description Frequency/ Collection Administered Start Date Method by All Survey instrument Annually, AA exit Administration Disciplines 1 starting surveys Spring 2013

AA Assessment Plan Page 9 of 64 March 29, 2013 ASSESSMENT PROCESS

General Implementation Strategy

MSC is responsible for:

 providing sufficient financial and staff support for the development and implementation of this plan, including copying and distributing survey instruments

 ensuring faculty assessment efforts are appropriately reflected in workload assignments

Faculty and coordinators for the AA Program are responsible for:

 undertaking assessment efforts as an integral portion of teaching activity by assessing individual student work

 participating in meetings to discuss assessment data and offer recommendations for program involvement

 providing assessment support staff with information on a timely basis so they can meet their information processing deadlines

Assessments vary depending on the discipline. Please see the appendix for a more developed timetable.

Assessment Timetable

Because of the varied nature of the disciplines under the AA, assessment timetables can be found in the appendix; the timetables are arranged by each disciplinary unit at MSC.

Proposed program changes may be any action or change in policy that the faculty deems as being necessary to improve performance relative to program outcomes and general student outcomes. Recommended changes should also consider workload (faculty, staff, and students), budgetary, facilities, and other relevant constraints. A few examples of proposals that should be made include

 recommended changes in course content, scheduling, sequencing, prerequisites, delivery methods, etc.

 changes in faculty/staff assignments

 changes in advising methods and requirements  addition and/or replacement of equipment

 changes to facilities

Description of Faculty Involvement

In general, the faculty will have the following roles in the assessment process:

 The AA faculty discipline coordinators will be responsible for writing and revising the assessment plan within their specified area of the overall AA degree in consultation with the Council of Coordinators.

 The faculty members teaching courses will be responsible for determining how they will measure the degree program outcomes taught in their courses and collection of direct and indirect measures.

 The AA faculty discipline coordinators will work with the Assessment Coordinator to establish data analysis methods within their specified area of the overall AA degree.

 The faculty discipline coordinators in conjunction with course instructors will develop recommendations and action plans for degree improvements within their specified area(s) of the overall AA degree.

Modification of the Assessment Plan

Assessment plans will be reviewed every year by the Council of Coordinators and recommendations for plan changes will be provided to the faculty discipline coordinators within the specified area of the overall AA degree; the coordinators will review the recommendations and make changes they believe will enhance the AA program assessment process.

Measure Description

Measure descriptions for each discipline unit can be found in the appendix.

Factors that Affect the Collected Data

Factors that affect the collected data for each discipline unit can be found in the appendix.

How to Interpret the Data

Data interpretation instructions for each discipline unit can be found in the appendix

AA Assessment Plan Page 11 of 64 March 29, 2013 APPENDIX A:

ENGLISH AND THE HUMANITIES ENGLISH AND THE HUMANITIES: ASSESSMENT PLAN

Sheri Denison, PhD, English and the Humanities, MSC

This document provides an assessment plan for written communication and oral communication General Education Requirements (GER) disciplinary categories; it is not intended as a comprehensive assessment document for all subject areas under the AA degree program, nor does it assess non-GER courses. Social Sciences, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and other Humanities faculty will need to develop their own assessment plans as part of the larger AA degree assessment at Mat-Su College.

The following list of courses taught in the English and Humanities discipline unit at MSC is broken by content courses and skills courses. Only those courses offered at MSC are listed.

Oral Communication Skills courses include:

COMM A111 Fundamentals of Oral Communication COMM A235 Small Group Communication COMM A237 Interpersonal Communication COMM A241 Public Speaking

Written Communication Skills courses include:

ENGL A111 Methods of Written Communication ENGL A211 Academic Writing about Literature ENGL A212 Technical Writing ENGL A213 Writing in the Social and Natural Sciences ENGL A214 Persuasive Writing

General Humanities Content courses include:

ENGL A121 Introduction to Literature ENGL A201 Masterpieces of World Literature I ENGL A202 Masterpieces of World Literature II ENGL A301 Literature of Britain I ENGL A302 Literature of Britain II ENGL A305 Topics in National Literatures ENGL A306 Literature of the United States I

AA Assessment Plan Page 13 of 64 March 29, 2013 ENGL A307 Literature of the United States II ENGL A310 Ancient Literature ENGL A383 Film Interpretation

Humanities Skills courses include:

ASL A101 Elementary American Sign Language I ASL A102 Elementary American Sign Language II ASL A201 Intermediate American Sign Language I ASL A202 Intermediate American Sign Language II FREN A101 Elementary French I FREN A102 Elementary French II FREN A201 Intermediate French I FREN A202 Intermediate French II JPN A101 Elementary Japanese I JPN A102 Elementary Japanese II JPN A201 Intermediate Japanese I JPN A202 Intermediate Japanese II RUSS A101 Elementary Russian I RUSS A102 Elementary Russian II RUSS A201 Intermediate Russian I RUSS A202 Intermediate Russian II SPAN A101 Elementary Spanish I SPAN A102 Elementary Spanish II SPAN A201 Intermediate Spanish I SPAN A202 Intermediate Spanish II ENGLISH AND THE HUMANITIES: ORAL COMMUNICATION

Oral Communication is part of the GER for the AA, intended to give students a foundation in communicating effectively with diverse audiences through sound principles of oration. The courses measured are as follows:

COMM A111 Fundamentals of Oral Communication COMM A235 Small Group Communication COMM A237 Interpersonal Communication COMM A241 Public Speaking

AA Program Outcomes for Oral Communication

The AA Oral Communication outcome measures student ability to communicate effectively in oral presentation. The program outcomes have been broken into 2 measurable outcomes.

Communicate effectively with diverse audiences (individual, group, or public) using a variety of verbal and nonverbal communication strategies

Outcome 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the communication process and communication components involved in the process

Outcome 2 Understand how to effectively adapt a message to an audience (individual, group, or public)

Measure Description for Oral Communication

Individual faculty members will choose their own method of assessment from the list below for individual courses. Individual faculty members will choose their own method of assessment from the list below for individual courses. To meet the program outcomes, students should receive the equivalent of a “C” (70%-79.9%) on the measured outcome. Any grades above a “C” will be considered meeting the outcome while grades below a “C” will be considered not meeting the program outcomes. The faculty member will summarize student performance on the cover sheet (see below) and submit these results to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs

AA Assessment Plan Page 15 of 64 March 29, 2013 along with a copy of the assignment and examples of both successful and unsuccessful assignments.

Instructors may choose from the following instruments to measure student learning outcomes:

Instrument Description 1. Pre- and post-test A test of varied format, administered at the beginning and end of the semester. Instructors should tailor and customize the test as much as possible to fit course content or methods. 2. Assignment or project Rubric(s) for scoring of oral assignment(s) or project(s) already assigned for the course, such as a presentation, along with examples of student work

Instructors will complete the attached cover sheets indicating which instruments were used to assess student learning outcomes. Course instructors will assess individual student work as not meeting, meeting, or exceeding the program outcome.

To meet the program outcome, students should receive the equivalent of a “C” (70%-79.9%) on the measured outcome. Any grades above a “C” will be considered exceeding the outcome while grades below a “C” will be considered not meeting the program outcome. One copy of student work determined to not meet, meet, and exceed the course outcomes should be included for each outcome. For oral assignments, a rubric for work that did not meet, met, and exceeded the expectations should be submitted instead.

To determine if the program itself has succeeded, acceptable student success rates will be set at 75%. Thus, 75% of all AA students taking oral communication courses evaluated for assessment must meet a “C” or above (70%-79.9%) for the outcome itself to have succeeded. Anything falling below 75% will be evaluated as a failure in acceptable student success rates.

Factors that Affect the Collected Data for Oral Communication

Data collected for the Communication discipline portion of the AA degree may be impacted by the following:

 the reliability of the instrument to effectively measure the considered outcome(s)

 student ability to effectively utilize the instrument, including the capability to express themselves in writing  length of time between concept discussion and assessment

 student motivation

 clarity of the instrument and/or assignment

Any of these factors can distort results for individual students. However, this data will be compared to data on student-perceived learning, and gaps between the two can serve as possible indicators of ineffective assessment.

How to Interpret and Use the Data for Oral Communication

Analyzing the data should occur in three steps:

1. determine whether each student’s performance did not meet, met, or exceeded the student learning outcomes

2. determine the percentage of sampled students who met the outcomes

3. analyze the data on two levels: students enrolled in the course who are not enrolled in the degree program and students enrolled in the degree program

This data will be used to assess program effectiveness.

Schedule for Assessment for Oral Communication

COMM courses will be assessed in the following timeline:

Description Start Date/Frequency Collection Method Administered by COMM Exam or Spring 2013; rotation Evaluation by Course A111 student every 4 years instructors instructors presentation COMM Exam or Spring 2014; rotation Evaluation by Course A235 student every 4 years instructors instructors presentation COMM Exam or Spring 2015; rotation Evaluation by Course A237 student every 4 years instructors instructors presentation COMM Exam or Spring 2016; rotation Evaluation by Course A241 student every 4 years instructors instructors

AA Assessment Plan Page 17 of 64 March 29, 2013 presentation COVER SHEET: COMMUNICATION, OUTCOMES 1 & 2

Course Number: ______Course Section(s): ______

Semester/Year: ______Instructor: ______

Total Enrollment: ______Total Students Assessed: ______

Type of Instrument (circle one): 1. Pre- and post-test

2. Assignment or project with rubric

Student Performance:

Outcome Did Not Meet Outcomes Met Outcomes Exceeded Outcomes Number (# of students) (# of students) (# of students) 1

2 * Students who did not meet expectations scored 69% or below. ** Students who met expectations scored 70%-79.9%. *** Students who exceeded expectations scored 80% or above.

Document Collection:

We realize you are busy, and we thank you for your help! To help with program assessment, please:  List all individual student points or scores for this assessment OR attach a copy of your grade sheet.  Attach a copy of the grading instrument (exam, rubric for grading presentation, project guidelines, etc.).

 Attach examples of “successful” and “unsuccessful” assessment sheets and student work.

 Submit materials to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs for recording.

AA Assessment Plan Page 19 of 64 March 29, 2013 COMMUNICATIONS PRE- AND POST-TEST: EXAMPLE QUESTIONS

Outcome one: Demonstrate an understanding of the communication process and communication components involved in the process

1) What is ethos?

2) Discuss four ways speakers can improve their ethos.

3) Discuss the three models of communication (all courses except COMM A241: Public Speaking).

Outcome two: Understand how to effectively adapt a message to an audience (individual, group, or public)

4) Discuss the value of understanding your audience. ENGLISH AND THE HUMANITIES: WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Written Communication is part of the GER for the AA, intended to give students a foundation in communicating effectively with diverse audiences; in the courses, students develop a sound understanding of language conventions, rhetorical situations, and writing genres. Because this assessment plan measures AA program cumulative outcomes, only 200-level courses are measured. These courses include the following:

ENGL A211 Academic Writing about Literature ENGL A212 Technical Writing ENGL A213 Writing in the Social and Natural Sciences ENGL A214 Persuasive Writing

AA Program Outcomes for Written Communication

The AA Written Communication outcome measures student ability to communicate effectively in writing. The program outcomes have been broken into three measurable outcomes.

Respond effectively to writing assignments using appropriate genres and standard written English

Outcome 1 Use Standard Written English correctly and effectively

Outcome 2 Respond appropriately and effectively to writing assignments

Use library and electronic research responsibly and appropriately

Outcome 3 Use library and electronic research responsibly and appropriately

Measure Description for Written Communication

Individual faculty members will use their final project for assessment. Individual faculty members will choose their own method of assessment from the list below for individual courses. To meet the program outcomes, students should receive the equivalent of a “C” (70%-79.9%) on

AA Assessment Plan Page 21 of 64 March 29, 2013 the measured outcome. Any grades above a “C” will be considered meeting the outcome while grades below a “C” will be considered not meeting the program outcomes. The faculty member will summarize student performance on the cover sheet (see below) and submit these results to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs along with a copy of the assignment and examples of both successful and unsuccessful assignments.

To determine if the program itself has succeeded, acceptable student success rates will be set at 75%. Thus, 75% of all AA students taking written communication courses evaluated for assessment must meet a “C” or above (70%-79.9%) for the outcome itself to have succeeded. Anything falling below 75% will be evaluated as a failure in acceptable student success rates.

Instructors will use their final project to measure student learning outcomes.

Instrument Description Final project to show cumulative work Rubric(s) for scoring of final project already assigned for the course, including but not limited to the following:  literature review  feasibility study or recommendation report  analytical research paper  persuasive research paper

Instructors will complete the attached cover sheets indicating which final project was used to assess student learning outcomes. Course instructors will assess individual student work on a five-point scale:

 1 represents failed performance in meeting student learning outcomes  2 represents unsatisfactory performance in meeting student learning outcomes  3 represents satisfactory performance in meeting student learning outcomes  4 represents above average performance in meeting student learning outcomes  5 represents outstanding performance in meeting student learning outcomes

Rubrics will be provided for the purpose of assessment; instructors will return completed rubrics for assessment. One copy of student work for each ranking will also be provided.

Factors that Affect the Collected Data for Written Communication

Data collected for the Written Communication discipline may be impacted by the following:

 the reliability of the instrument to effectively measure the considered outcome(s)  student ability to effectively utilize the instrument, including the capability to express themselves in writing

 length of time between concept discussion and assessment

 student motivation

 clarity of the instrument and/or assignment

How to Interpret and Use the Data for Written Communication

Analyzing the data should occur in three steps:

1. determine where each student’s performance fell on a 1-5 point scale, with a 1 representing failure to meet outcomes and a 5 representing outstanding performance

2. determine the percentage of sampled students who met the outcomes with a 3, 4, or 5 on the 1-5 point scale (where 3 indicates satisfactory performance, 4 indicates above average performance, and 5 indicates outstanding performance)

3. analyze the data on two levels: students enrolled in the course who are not enrolled in the degree program and students enrolled in the degree program

This data will be used to assess program effectiveness.

Schedule for Assessment for Written Communication

ENGL courses will be assessed in the following timeline:

Description Start Date/Frequency Collection Method Administered by * ENGL Final project When offered Evaluation by Course A211 instructors instructors ENGL Final project Spring 2013; Evaluation by Course A212 Fall 2015/Spring 2016; instructors instructors rotation every 3 years

ENGL Final project Fall 2013/Spring 2014; Evaluation by Course

AA Assessment Plan Page 23 of 64 March 29, 2013 A213 Fall 2016/Spring 2017; instructors instructors rotation every 3 years

** ENGL Final project Fall 2014/Spring 2015; Evaluation by Course A214 rotation every 3 years instructors instructors

* ENGL A211 is only offered on an as-needed basis. ** Beginning in Fall 2013, ENGL 214 will be offered every semester. However, whether it makes is uncertain. COVER SHEET: WRITTEN COMMUNICATION, OUTCOMES 1 & 2

Course Number: ______Course Section(s): ______

Semester/Year: ______Instructor: ______

Total Enrollment: ______Total Students Assessed: ______

Title of Assignment (e.g., Literature Review): ______

Student Performance:

For each outcome, please indicate the number of students who fell in each of the ranking levels: failed, unsatisfactory, satisfactory, above average, and outstanding performance.

Outcome Failed Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Above Average Outstanding Number 1 2 3 4 5 Genre Organizatio n Development

Audience Academic Style

Document Collection:

We realize you are busy, and we thank you for your help! To help with assessment, please:

 Attach a copy of the Rubric, filled out.

 Attach a copy of the grading instrument (exam, rubric for grading presentation, project guidelines, etc.).

 Attach examples of student work and rubrics at each level of the 1-5 ranking system.

AA Assessment Plan Page 25 of 64 March 29, 2013  Submit materials to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs for recording. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS: RUBRIC

Student Genre Organization Development Audience Academic Appropriate Paragraphs are Logical ideas Appropriate Style genre used; organized; are discussed audience is Tone, style, genre used arrangement of with purpose; addressed; voice, and according to paragraphs details are audience needs formality are conventions effective provided met appropriate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Please indicate student performance in each area: 1 = failure in performance; 2 = unsatisfactory performance; 3 = satisfactory performance; 4 = above average performance; 5 = outstanding performance.

AA Assessment Plan Page 27 of 64 March 29, 2013 COVER SHEET: WRITTEN COMMUNICATION, OUTCOME 3

Course Number: ______Course Section(s): ______

Semester/Year: ______Instructor: ______

Total Enrollment: ______Total Students Assessed: ______

Title of Assignment (e.g., Literature Review): ______

Student Performance:

For each outcome, please indicate the number of students who fell in each of the ranking levels: failed, unsatisfactory, satisfactory, above average, and outstanding performance.

Outcome Failed Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Above Average Outstanding Number 1 2 3 4 5 Locate Sources Evaluate Sources Integrate Sources Cite Sources

Document Collection:

We realize you are busy, and we thank you for your help! To help with assessment, please complete the following tasks:

 Attach a copy of the Rubric, filled out.

 Attach a copy of the grading instrument (exam, rubric for grading presentation, project guidelines, etc.).

 Attach examples of student work and rubrics at each level of the 1-5 ranking system.  Submit materials to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs for recording.

AA Assessment Plan Page 29 of 64 March 29, 2013 WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS: RUBRIC

Student Locate Sources Evaluate Sources Integrate Sources Cite Sources Find or produce Use appropriate, Paraphrase, quote, Cite responsibly and sources for credible sources that and summarize accurately; avoid assignments fit the assignment sources effectively plagiarism guidelines 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Please indicate student performance in each area: 1 = failure in performance; 2 = unsatisfactory performance; 3 = satisfactory performance; 4 = above average performance; 5 = outstanding performance. ENGLISH AND THE HUMANITIES: THE HUMANITIES

Humanities is part of the GER for the AA, intended to give students a wide exposure to the ideas and skills found in the humanities; in the courses, students study historical artifacts as well as languages. These courses include the following:

General Humanities Content courses include:

Humanities Skills courses include:

AA Assessment Plan Page 31 of 64 March 29, 2013 SPAN A201 Intermediate Spanish I SPAN A202 Intermediate Spanish II

AA Program Outcomes for the Humanities

The AA Humanities outcome measures student ability to communicate effectively in writing. The program outcomes have been broken into three measurable outcomes.

Identify, describe, and evaluate the aesthetic, historical, and philosophical aspects of material culture, including artistic expressions, language, and texts

Outcome 1 Identify, describe, and evaluate the aesthetic aspects of language and texts

Outcome 2 Identify, describe, and evaluate the historical aspects of language and texts

Use language in a way that meets cultural and linguistic needs of different societies

Outcome 3 Use language in ways that meets cultural and linguistic needs of different societies

Measure Description for Humanities

Individual faculty members will choose their own method of assessment from the list below for individual courses. To meet the program outcomes, students should receive the equivalent of a “C” (70%-79.9%) on the measured outcome. Any grades above a “C” will be considered meeting the outcome while grades below a “C” will be considered not meeting the program outcomes. The faculty member will summarize student performance on the cover sheet (see below) and submit these results to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs along with a copy of the assignment and examples of both successful and unsuccessful assignments.

To determine if the program itself has succeeded, acceptable student success rates will be set at 75%. Thus, 75% of all AA students taking humanities courses evaluated for assessment must meet a “C” or above (70%-79.9%) for the outcome itself to have succeeded. Anything falling below 75% will be evaluated as a failure in acceptable student success rates.

Instructors may choose from the following instruments to measure student learning outcomes: Instrument Description 1. Pre- and post-test A test of varied format, administered at the beginning and end of the semester. Instructors should tailor and customize the test as much as possible to fit course content or methods. 2. Assignment or project Rubric(s) for scoring of assignment(s) or project(s) already assigned for the course that shows cumulative work, such as a paper or even an oral assignment, along with examples of student work

Factors that Affect the Collected Data for Humanities

Data collected for the Humanities discipline portion of the AA degree may be impacted by the following:

 the reliability of the instrument to effectively measure the considered outcome(s)

 student ability to effectively utilize the instrument, including the capability to express themselves in a class environment or exam

 length of time between concept discussion and assessment

 student motivation

 clarity of the instrument and/or assignment

 reliability of offering or filling courses

AA Assessment Plan Page 33 of 64 March 29, 2013 Any of these factors can distort results for individual students. However, this data will be compared to data on student-perceived learning, and gaps between the two can serve as possible indicators of ineffective assessment. How to Interpret and Use the Data for Humanities

Analyzing the data should occur in three steps:

1. determine where each student’s performance fell on a 1-5 point scale, with a 1 representing failure to meet outcomes and a 5 representing outstanding performance

3. analyze the data on two levels: students enrolled in the course who are not enrolled in the degree program and students enrolled in the degree program

This data will be used to assess program effectiveness.

Schedule for Assessment for Humanities

Because of the difference in how often they are offered, ENGL and language courses have been placed into separate tables.

ENGL courses include the following:

ENGL courses will be assessed in the following timeline:

Description Start Date/Frequency Collection Method Administered by ENGL Final project When offered Evaluation by Course courses or cumulative instructors instructors

AA Assessment Plan Page 35 of 64 March 29, 2013 exam

Language courses include the following:

Because MSC does not regularly offer or fill 200-level language courses, the second semester of each language will be assessed. They will be assessed in the following timeline:

Description Start Date/Frequency Collection Method Administered by ASL Final project Spring 2014; every two Evaluation by Course A102 or cumulative years instructors instructors exam FREN Final project Spring 2014; every two Evaluation by Course A102 or cumulative years instructors instructors exam JPN Final project Spring 2014; every two Evaluation by Course A102 or cumulative years instructors instructors exam RUSS Final project Spring 2015; every two Evaluation by Course A102 or cumulative years instructors instructors exam SPAN Final project Spring 2015; every two Evaluation by Course A102 or cumulative years instructors instructors exam

COVER SHEET: HUMANITIES, ENGLISH, OUTCOMES 1 & 2

Course Number: ______Course Section(s): ______

Semester/Year: ______Instructor: ______

Total Enrollment: ______Total Students Assessed: ______

Type of Instrument (circle one): 1. Pre- and post-test

2. Assignment or project with rubric

Student Performance:

Outcome Did Not Meet Outcomes Met Outcomes Exceeded Outcomes Number (# of students) (# of students) (# of students) 1

2 * Students who did not meet expectations scored 69% or below. ** Students who met expectations scored 70%-79.9%. *** Students who exceeded expectations scored 80% or above.

Document Collection:

 Attach examples of “successful” and “unsuccessful” assessment sheets and student work.

AA Assessment Plan Page 37 of 64 March 29, 2013 Submit materials to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs for recording.

ENGLISH LITERATURE HUMANITIES:

RUBRIC

Student Objective 1.1 Objective 1.2 Objective 2.1 Objective 2.2 Identify, Identify, Identify, Identify, describe, and describe, and describe, and describe, and evaluate the evaluate the evaluate the evaluate the aesthetic aesthetic historical historical aspects of aspects of aspects of aspects of language texts language texts

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. Please indicate student performance in each area: 1 = failure in performance; 2 = unsatisfactory performance; 3 = satisfactory performance; 4 = above average performance; 5 = outstanding performance. COVER SHEET: HUMANITIES, LANGUAGES, OUTCOME 3 Course Number: ______Course Section(s): ______

Semester/Year: ______Instructor: ______

Total Enrollment: ______Total Students Assessed: ______

Type of Instrument (circle one): 1. Pre- and post-test

2. Assignment or project with rubric

Student Performance:

Outcome Did Not Meet Outcomes Met Outcomes Exceeded Outcomes Number (# of students) (# of students) (# of students) 1

2 * Students who did not meet expectations scored 69% or below. ** Students who met expectations scored 70%-79.9%. *** Students who exceeded expectations scored 80% or above.

Document Collection:

 Attach examples of “successful” and “unsuccessful” assessment sheets and student work.

Submit materials to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs for recording. APPENDIX B:

FINE ARTS

AA Assessment Plan Page 39 of 64 March 29, 2013 FINE ARTS:

ASSESSMENT PLAN

Felicia Desimini, PhD, Fine Arts, MSC

The Associate of Arts (AA) degree provides a solid foundation in mathematics and written and oral communication, the natural and social sciences, the humanities, and the fine arts. The AA degree prepares students for career advancement and baccalaureate programs and to better understand their world:

The fine arts (visual and performing arts) focus on the historical, aesthetic, critical and creative approaches to understanding the context and production of art as academic and creative disciplines as opposed to those that emphasize acquisition of skills. Students who complete the fine arts requirement should be able to identify and describe works of art by reference to media employed, historical context and style, and structural principles of design and composition. They should be able to interpret the meaning or intent of works of art and assess their stylistic and cultural importance by reference to their historical significance, their relationship to earlier works and artists, and their overall impact of subsequent artistic work. (UAA Catalog, 2012-2013, p. 85)

The Art Department at Mat-Su College believes its principal function to be the promotion of student ability to see, consider, and actively engage in visual culture. We aim to provide opportunities for broad artistic and intellectual development of members of the College and the University to specifically nurture and support a quality education for aspiring fine arts professionals, as well as provide GER courses across the curriculum.

The department believes an extensive knowledge of studio art, art history, aesthetics and related technologies is essential to the success of creative work for art professionals and the development of innovative thinkers to succeed in the global economy.

The art department at Mat-Su College will promote the inclusion and appreciation of the values of all people. We strive for a diverse curriculum to complement the college’s diverse student body. We encourage art students to engage in an extended art world through professional development, (upcoming international programs), and the study of global visual culture in an environment of free inquiry. We cultivate individual visual expression through media exploration and learning communities within the department and across the curriculum.

We believe the department serves the community at large by providing continued exposure to the arts by encouraging student participation in the community via leadership roles. Our faculty is committed to excellence in personalized undergraduate teaching, innovative research, and instruction in a variety of formats (textual, oral, media- and exhibition-based.)

We strive to provide a learning environment that is conducive to intellectual and aesthetic creativity. The department seeks to present the faculty and students with opportunities, resources, and awards to achieve excellence in their respective disciplines. Fine Arts courses include the following:

MUS A215* Music of Alaska Natives and Indigenous Peoples of Northern Regions ART A160 Art Appreciation ART A261 History of Western Art I ART A262 History of Western Art II ART A360A History of Non-Western Art I ART A360B History of Non-Western Art II DNCE A170 Dance Appreciation MUS A121* Music Appreciation MUS A124* History of Jazz MUS A221* History of Music I MUS A222* History of Music II THR A111 Introduction to the Theatre THR A311 Representative Plays I THR A312 Representative Plays II THR A411 History of the Theatre I THR A412 History of the Theatre II *Note: Music majors must select courses outside the major.

AA Program Outcomes for Fine Arts

Goals for student learning are more easily attained with clearly defined student learning objectives. The ability to discuss and analyze works is dependent upon the appropriate use of vocabulary and the ability to articulate visual and conceptual relationships among works of art. The fabrication of art requires an understanding of composition, a mastery of craftsmanship, and an understanding of a conceptual framework or intention for the work. Additionally, professional skills require an understanding of how to present oneself and one’s work to venues, in grant applications and the workforce.

Students graduating with an AA degree from Mat-Su College will be able to:

AA Assessment Plan Page 41 of 64 March 29, 2013  Communicate effectively with diverse audiences (individual, group, or public) using a variety of verbal and nonverbal communication strategies;  Respond effectively to writing assignments using appropriate genres and standard written English;  Use library and electronic research responsibly and appropriately;  Identify, describe, and evaluate the aesthetic, historical, and philosophical aspects of material culture, including artistic expressions, language, and texts;  Apply critical thinking skills to identify premises and conclusions of arguments, evaluate their soundness, and recognize common fallacies;  Use appropriate mathematical language and symbols to develop and communicate solutions and demonstrate quantitative and analytical skills and knowledge;  Articulate the fundamentals, developments, and impacts of one or more scientific disciplines and develop and analyze evidence-based conclusions about the natural and social world.  Develop ability to discuss and analyze works of art  Develop proficiency in art fabrication  Develop professional skills appropriate to field

Measure Description for Fine Arts

Collection and analysis of data on the above objectives will assess the department’s progress in achieving the goals. A variety of assessment methods will be employed:

 classroom critiques and assignments  research papers  exams  exhibitions and critiques

Schedule for Assessment for Fine Arts

Assessment will be an ongoing project, and the implementation of this assessment plan will be conducted in stages: collection of data, analysis, and evaluation. Responsible Person(s)

Full-Time faculty, Dr. Felicia Desimini, is involved in the collection, analysis, and evaluation of the assessment data. This spring, adjunct faculty are offered a more visible role in the assessment process.

Data Collection

Instructors of art history classes will collect research papers, and studio faculty will collect class assignment data where appropriate.

Data Analysis

The department has implemented standardized questions and a data collection form to assess student learning. The form (see Attached) addresses faculty perception of both the students’ abilities to speak about their work and their abilities to fabricate works of art, which are two of our learning goals.

Assessment Outcome(s)

The department anticipates improvements in our program, as well as in the development of student outcomes, performance, and expectations.

Analysis of Historical and Theoretical Literature:

1. Demonstrates the ability to analyze art perceptively and to evaluate it critically.

Disengaged: Does not recognize the relevance or is confused by the use of themes, motifs, symbols, and other nuances of historical images and theoretical material.

Emerging: Seeks to understand and communicates themes, motifs, symbols and other nuances of historical images and theoretical material.

AA Assessment Plan Page 43 of 64 March 29, 2013 Developing: Understands the concepts of themes, motifs, symbols, and other nuances of historical images and often utilizes them, as well as theoretical material

Engaged: Understands, communicates and effectively utilizes themes, motifs, symbols, and other nuances of historical images and theoretical material.

Range of Genres/Styles/Authors

2. Demonstrated ability to understand and discuss historical and theoretical literature drawn from different genres, styles, and authors.

Disengaged: Does not attempt to alter the approach to creative activity, technology or management, depending on the style or genre of the art.

Emerging: Acknowledges that various styles and genres of art exist but fails to initiate adjustments to specific needs.

Developing: Recognizes the varying needs of different types of art through the production process and takes basic steps towards effective action.

Engaged: Understand and effectively adjusts to the varying needs of different types of art through the production process.

Communication, Rendering, Paperwork, Etc.

3. Demonstrates the ability to communicate artistic, technical and/or organizational ideas through appropriate means including written or visual:

Disengaged: Uses little or no effective methods of written or visual communication, fails to create clear and useful paperwork in support of projects.

Emerging: Actively creates paperwork/artwork in support of projects but fails to do so in a consistently effective manner. Developing: Creates and utilizes paperwork/artwork that contributes to the success of a project. Clarity, usefulness, and/or accuracy needs improvement.

Engaged: Creates and utilizes paperwork/artwork that contributes to the success of a project with consistent accuracy, timelines, and usefulness.

Specific Needs/Details

4. Understands the specific requirements of developing a creative project, including personal vision, research or theoretical basis, technical application of materials and innovative designs.

Disengaged: Utilizes a generic approach to art with little or no attention to the specific needs of an individual project.

Emerging: Struggles to recognize the specific details of individual artwork or fails to address the uniqueness of design once they are identified.

Developing: Recognizes the specific needs of style, content, technique and makes attempts, often successfully to address them.

Engaged: Clearly identifies the unique needs of specific projects and maintains a focus on supporting them.

AA Assessment Plan Page 45 of 64 March 29, 2013 APPENDIX C:

MATHEMATICS MATHEMATICS:

ASSESSMENT PLAN

Heather Allen, PhD, Mathematics, MSC

The Associate of Arts (AA) is a broad liberal arts degree housed in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and unrelated to any specific program or certificate. The AA consists of seven broad disciplinary categories: Oral Communication Skills, Written Communication Skills, Humanities, Fine Arts, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.

The mission of the AA degree program is to provide a solid foundation in mathematics, oral and written communication, the social and natural sciences, humanities, and fine arts. It prepares students for baccalaureate programs and career advancement and to better understand their world.

The AA degree provides students with a “broad exposure to systems of thought and inquiry, allows exploration of a variety of disciplines and learning experiences, and provides a solid foundation for further study at the baccalaureate level.”1 It consists of 30 credits of General Education Requirements (GER) (Oral Communication Skills 3, Written Communication Skills 6, Humanities and Fine Arts 9, Natural Sciences 6, Social Sciences 6) courses; 3 credits of MATH A105 or any course from the Quantitative Skills category of the GERs; and 27 credits of elective coursework, for a total of 60 credits.

As a liberal arts degree, the AA provides students a reasonable degree of flexibility in choosing courses. With the exceptions noted below, required portions of the AA degree closely reflect the University’s GER requirements for a baccalaureate degree:

1. The Quantitative Skills portion of the AA degree allows as one option MATH A105 Intermediate Algebra, which is not a GER course.

2. One of the options in the Written Communications requirements is CIOS A260A Business Communications, which is not a GER course.

3. The Natural Sciences requirement does not include a lab component.

4. There is no Tier III Capstone requirement.

The AA Program was substantially altered in AY2005-2006 to bring it more in line with the baccalaureate requirements, improve retention, and enable students to matriculate more quickly. These changes included adding a 3-credit Quantitative Skills requirement (MATH A105 or any GER Quantitative Skills course), reducing the Social Sciences requirement from 9 credits to 6; and eliminating the 9-credit Applied Studies requirement. With the required number of general education credits over

1 UAA Catalog, p. 78

AA Assessment Plan Page 47 of 64 March 29, 2013 one-half (33), the AA program is well within the Association of American Colleges and Universities recommendations for supporting the “centrality of general education.”2

In addition to the GER Quantitative Skills courses, we will also assess the MATH A105 course, as it is often considered the terminal math course for many AA degrees. The courses to be assessed are as follows:

MATH A105* Intermediate Algebra MATH A107 College Algebra MATH A108 Trigonometry MATH A109** Precalculus MATH A172 Applied Finite Mathematics MATH A200 Calculus I MATH A201 Calculus II MATH A272 Applied Calculus and STAT A252 Elementary Statistics STAT A253*** Applied Statistics for the Sciences

* MATH A105 is the terminal mathematics course for many AA degrees. **MATH A109 will be offered for the first time on this campus in Spring 2014. ***STAT A253 will be offered for the first time on this campus in Summer 2013.

AA Student Learning Outcomes for Mathematical Sciences

1. Apply critical thinking skills to identify premises and conclusions of arguments, evaluate their soundness, and recognize common fallacies. 2. Use appropriate mathematical language and symbols to develop and communicate solutions and demonstrate quantitative and analytical skills and knowledge. 3. Articulate the fundamentals, developments, and impacts of one or more scientific disciplines and develop and analyze evidence-based conclusions about the natural and social world.

2 Taking Responsibility for the Quality of the Baccalaureate Degree: A Report form the Greater Expectations Project on Accreditation and Assessment. AAC&U, 2004, p. 9. AA Program Outcomes for Mathematical Sciences

1. Use appropriate mathematical language and symbols to develop and communicate Solutions

 Use appropriate arithmetic symbols and language  Use appropriate algebraic symbols and language  Use appropriate geometric symbols and language 2. Demonstrate quantitative and analytical skills and knowledge  Compute and interpret rations and percentages, and use scientific notation  Use function notation, including composition and inverses  Convert between exponential and logarithmic notation  Solve simple applied problems using appropriate algebraic techniques  Demonstrate graphical competency in graphing lines, parabolas, and circles

Measure Description for Mathematical Sciences

The assessment of the Mathematical Science program at Mat-Su College will have both quantitative and qualitative components.

Quantitative Component

The quantitative component will be given as a pre/post-test. Ten multiple-choice comprehensive questions will be developed the previous semester before assessment with input from all faculty members, adjunct, term and full-time, teaching the course. The questions will be designed as comprehensive final exam questions. The agreed upon 10, course-specific questions will then be administered the first class day and again the same questions as part of the final exam.

Qualitative Component

The qualitative component will be given during the last 4 weeks of the course as a student self- assessment tool. The questions for this Likert-scale instrument will have the student reflect on their own learning experiences through a directed examination of their mathematical development through the semester’s progression.

AA Assessment Plan Page 49 of 64 March 29, 2013 Schedule for Assessment for Mathematical Sciences

The mathematical science courses at Mat-Su College will initially be assessed in the following way. This cycle is designed to be repeated every fifth year. The schedule may be altered to fit the needs of the program.

First Year Second Year Third Year Fourth Year (AY 13-14) (AY 14-15) (AY 15-16) (AY 16-17) Fall MATH 200 MATH 107 MATH 172 MATH 108 Semester MATH 201 Spring MATH 105 MATH 105 MATH 105 MATH 105 Semester STAT 252 MATH 272 STAT 253 MATH 109

Actions Resulting from Assessment for Mathematical Sciences

Actions resulting from assessment can include changes to curriculum, academic policies, funding and planning that supports leaning, and/or faculty development. Information will be included in Mat-Su College’s annual assessment report. All faculty members (full time, term, and adjunct) participating in course assessment will be informed of how their classroom data were analyzed and acted upon by the Mat-Su College Office of Academic Affairs. Academic Affairs and/or department coordinators will meet with individual faculty members to discuss and act upon courses of action to improve student performance. APPENDIX D:

NATURAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE

AA Assessment Plan Page 51 of 64 March 29, 2013 NATURAL SCIENCES

This document provides an assessment plan for Matanuska Susitna College Natural Sciences GER courses offered in support of the AA degree program. To complete their AA natural sciences requirement, students need 7 credit hours within the natural science discipline, including a laboratory course. Student outcomes in sciences include an understanding of and an ability to apply the scientific method through formulating questions, proposing and testing hypotheses, and reaching supportable conclusions. Students will also demonstrate an understanding of one or more scientific disciplines and the ability to work with the tools and technologies of the discipline through completion of laboratory classes.

Natural Science courses in the General AA program include the following, keeping in mind that courses listed with laboratory are integrated laboratory required classes:

BIOL A102 Introductory Biology BIOL A 103 Introductory Biology Laboratory BIOL A111/A111L Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lab BIOL A112/A112L Human Anatomy and Physiology II and Human Anatomy and Physiology II Lab BIOL A115/A115L Fundamental of Biology I and Fundamental Biology I Lab BIOL A116/A116L Fundamental of Biology II and Fundamental Biology II Lab CHEM A103 Survey of Chemistry CHEM A103L Survey of Chemistry Lab CHEM A104 Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry CHEM A104L Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry Lab CHEM A105 General Chemistry I CHEM A105L General Chemistry I Lab CHEM A106 General Chemistry II CHEM A106L General Chemistry II Lab ENVI A211 Environmental Sciences: Systems and Processes ENVI A211L Environmental Sciences: Systems and Processes Lab GEOL A111/A111L Physical Geology and Physical Geology Lab GEOL A 115 Environmental Geology GEOL A115L Environmental Geology Lab LSIS A102 Origins: Earth-Solar systems-Life LSIS A 201 Life on Earth LSIS A 202 Concepts and Processes: Natural Sciences PHYS A123 Basic Physics I PHYS A123L Basic Physics I Lab PHYS A124 Basic Physics II PHYS A124L Basic Physics II Lab

AA Program Outcomes for Natural Sciences

The AA Natural Sciences outcome measures whether students are able to articulate the fundamentals, developments, and impacts of one or more scientific disciplines; additionally, students must develop and analyze evidence-based conclusions about the natural and social world.

The following is adapted from UAA AA Degree Assessment Document for consideration

Measure Description for Natural Sciences

We want to determine the effectiveness of Natural Science GER (NS-GER) in teaching students how to apply the scientific method to issues both in the natural sciences and to the ways that sciences impacts their lives. We also propose using natural science articles from media (most likely accessed by our students) to assess their understanding of fundamental principles and knowledge about a discipline’s discoveries and impacts.

Construction of Discipline-specific Tests

The Natural Science faculty anticipate using a basic set of ten multiple-choice questions that will be modified according to the given NS-GER being measured that can include:

 A description of observations, empirical hypothesis or research question;  A table or graph of observed phenomena that may include a quantitative and/or verbal summary;  A series of ten objective multiple-choice questions based on the information provided;  A scoring rubric using a 10-point scale will be employed.

Test Preview

Each natural science discipline NS-GER set of test questions will be submitted to the NS coordinator by week 5 of fall and spring semesters for review and comments.

Test

Students will be given a discipline-specific NS-GER test as part of their final exam.

AA Assessment Plan Page 53 of 64 March 29, 2013 How to Interpret and Use the Data for Natural Sciences

Faculty will score test results separately from the overall grade to determine whether students have attained a level of understanding that demonstrates their successful achievement of NS- GER objectives.

Schedule for Assessment for Natural Sciences

It is proposed that AA assessment through NS-GER courses commence the fall semester of Academic Year 2013-14 and that it rotate through each of the natural science disciplines until AY17-18 as listed below:

Department AY13 AY14 AY15 AY16 AY17 Biology BIOL A102, A103 BIOL A111, A112 BIOL A115. A116 Chemistry CHEM A103, A104 CHEM A105, A106 Environmental ENVI A211 Sciences and LSIS A102 Liberal Studies LSIS A201 Integrated LSIS A202 Sciences Geology GEOL A111, A221 GEOL A115, A179 Physics PHYS A123, A124 PHYS A211, A212 APPENDIX : SAMPLE NATURAL SCIENCES AA ASSESSMENT EXAM

1. Assessment exams should follow a basic format for all natural science courses for the AA Degree so that:

a. Examples and subject matter derived from the natural science (Physics, Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Geology) disciplines assessed for a given academic year will be presented in tabular, graphic and/or textual (newspaper, magazine) formats. A sample article from www.biologynews.net that addresses the genetic decoding of an oral pathogen is provided below:

AA Assessment Plan Page 55 of 64 March 29, 2013 b. A total of 10 multiple-choice questions will be administered in two sections on the last exam of a semester. 2. Section 1: a. Focus on Scientific Method and its elements. b. Differentiate between observation, hypothesis, testing, theory and paradigm shifts. c. Sample questions: c.i. On the basis of the above article, the ability of Streptococcus sanguinis to cause lethal infections of the human heart is a(n): c.i.1. Observation. c.i.2. Hypothesis. c.i.3. Experimental result. c.i.4. Theory. c.i.5. None of the above. c.ii. The statement that Streptococcus sanguinis can cause bacterial endocarditis in humans is a(n): c.ii.1. Fact. c.ii.2. Observation. c.ii.3. Hypothesis. c.ii.4. Experimental result. c.ii.5. Theory. 3. Section 2: a. Apply the Scientific Method. b. Formulate hypotheses and conclusions on the basis of data, information and articles taken from the media. c. Sample questions: c.i. On the basis of the above article, the genome of Streptococcus sanguinis is considerably larger compared to those of other related bacteria that have been sequenced. The additional genomic material possessed by this species of bacterium was probably acquired through a process called Bacterial ______: c.i.1. Transduction c.i.2. Transformation c.i.3. Transfiguration c.i.4. Transgenesis c.i.5. None of the above. c.ii. Some of the extra DNA possessed by Streptococcus sanguinis may promote this species enhanced survival in the face of good oral hygiene and explain its emergence as an important pathogen. If true, this example represents a case of: c.ii.1. Evolution. c.ii.2. Natural selection. c.ii.3. Adaptation. c.ii.4. Decent with modification. c.ii.5. All of the above. APPENDIX E:

SOCIAL SCIENCES

AA Assessment Plan Page 57 of 64 March 29, 2013 APPENDIX F:

SOCIAL SCIENCES/HUMANITIES

(Anthropology, History, Philosophy)

The Associate of Arts (AA) is a broad liberal arts degree housed in the UAA College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and unrelated to any specific program or certificate. The AA consists of seven broad disciplinary categories: Oral Communication Skills, Written Communication Skills, Humanities, Fine Arts, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. According to the UAA Catalog, the AA degree provides students with a “broad exposure to systems of thought and inquiry, allows exploration of a variety of disciplines and learning experiences, and provides a solid foundation for further study at the baccalaureate level.”

This document provides an assessment plan for anthropology, history, and philosophy courses at Mat-Su College, which fall under the Humanities and Social Science disciplinary categories; it is not intended as a comprehensive assessment document for all subject areas under the AA degree program. Communication, English, Languages, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and other Humanities faculty will need to develop their own assessment plans as part of the larger AA degree assessment at Mat-Su College.

All courses listed below are content courses with the exception of PHIL A101, Intro to Logic, which is a skills course. Lower-Division Political Science courses are not included in the AA Program.

ANTH A101 Intro to Anthropology ANTH A200 Natives of Alaska ANTH A202 Cultural Anthropology ANTH A250 The Rise of Civilization HIST A101 Western Civilization I HIST A102 Western Civilization II HIST A121 East Asian Civilization I HIST A122 East Asian Civilization II HIST A131 History of United States I HIST A132 History of United States II HIST A341 History of Alaska PHIL A101 Intro to Logic PHIL A201 Intro to Philosophy PHIL A211 History of Philosophy I PHIL A212 History of Philosophy II AA Student Learning Outcomes

Student learning outcomes articulate what graduates should be able to do and/or what overall traits they should possess at the conclusion of the AA program.

AA program graduates will possess the following skills as defined by these Learning Outcomes. Students graduating with an AA degree from MSC will be able to:

1. Communicate effectively with diverse audiences (individual, group, or public) using a variety of verbal and nonverbal communication strategies. 2. Respond effectively to writing assignments using appropriate genres and standard written English. 3. Use library and electronic research responsibly and appropriately. 4. Identify, describe, and evaluate the aesthetic, historical, and philosophical aspects of material culture, including artistic expressions, language, and texts. 5. Apply critical thinking skills to identify premises and conclusions of arguments, evaluate their soundness, and recognize common fallacies. 6. Use appropriate mathematical language and symbols to develop and communicate solutions and demonstrate quantitative and analytical skills and knowledge. 7. Articulate the fundamentals, developments, and impacts of one or more scientific disciplines and develop and analyze evidence-based conclusions about the natural and social world.

AA Program Outcomes for Humanities (History, Philosophy)

The AA program outcomes for humanities cover both history and philosophy and are broken into two different categories:

1. For content-oriented courses students will be able to identify texts or objects, place them in the historical context of the discipline, articulate the central problem they address, and provide reasoned assessment of their significance. 2. For skills-oriented courses in logic students will be able to identify the premises and conclusions of brief written arguments, evaluate their soundness or cogency, and recognize common fallacies. Students will be able to use the formal techniques to determine the validity of simple deductive arguments and evaluate the adequacy of evidence according to appropriate inductive standards.

According to the UAA catalog, “the humanities examine the characteristic of reality, the purpose of human existence, the properties of knowledge, and the qualities of sound reasoning, eloquent communication, and creative expression. They study the problems of right conduct in personal, social, and political life. They also consider the qualities of the divine, the sacred, and the

AA Assessment Plan Page 59 of 64 March 29, 2013 mysterious. In these tasks the humanities reflect upon the world’s heritage of the arts, history, languages, literature, religion, and philosophy.”

AA Program Outcomes for Social Sciences (Anthropology)

There are two basic outcomes for anthropology:

1. Students will be able to apply the scientific method to understanding the social world. 2. Students will be able to develop and apply evidence-based conclusions about the social world.

According to the UAA catalog, “the social sciences focus on the acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of empirical data relevant to the human experience. Disciplines differ in their focus on collective as opposed to individual behavior, biological as opposed to social or cultural factors, the present as opposed to the past, and quantitative as opposed to qualitative data.”

Measurement Description for Social Sciences

Individual faculty members will choose their own method of assessment for individual courses from the list below. The faculty member will also choose a grade and/or percentage that serves as a cut off for measuring success. The faculty member will summarize student performance on the cover sheet (see below) and submit these results to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs along with a copy of the assignment and examples of both successful and unsuccessful assignments. Below are possible assessment tools:

1. A discipline-specific multiple-choice (not more than 20-25 questions) pre-and post-test, to be administered at the beginning and the end of the semester. Faculty are encouraged to customize and tailor their quiz as much as possible around their course’s content and/or methods. 2. Rubric(s) for scoring of a written assignment(s) already assigned for the course, such as a research paper and/or an analytical essay. Cover Sheet for Course-level Direct Assessment

Individual faculty will submit an individual cover sheet, provided by the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs, to accompany samples of multiple-choice pre-and post- tests and/or rubrics/student papers.

Below is a sample cover sheet:

Associate of Arts Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Planning/Results Sheet for (put course number, subject here)

Semester/Year:

Outcome (s):

Instructor and rank:

Total Enrollment:

Total Number of Students Assessed:

Total Number Successful:

Total Number Unsuccessful:

Total Points or Percentage Possible:

Total Points or Percentage Required for Success:

Description of Assignment:

Please either list all individual student points or scores for this assessment OR attach a copy of your grade sheet.

Please use the back side to write any analysis or comments regarding this assessment tool, this course, or this program.

AA Assessment Plan Page 61 of 64 March 29, 2013 Please attach examples of “successful” and “unsuccessful” assessment score sheets and student work.

Submit to the Assessment Coordinator in MSC Academic Affairs for recording.

Rubric and Pre-Post Test Examples

The following rubric and pre-post test examples are provided as examples. Instructors are encouraged to develop their own course-specific rubrics and/or pre/post tests.

Minimal Rubric (5 being best, 1 the worst)

Option 1. Naming the Traits Option 2. Describing the Top Performance

Essay Thesis is clear, debatable, complex, and Thesis: 5 4 3 2 1 creative: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Organization: 5 4 3 2 1 Etc.

Full Rubric for Essay Thesis (5 being best, 1 the worst)

5: The thesis of the paper is clear, complex, and challenging. It does not merely state the obvious or exactly repeat others’ views, but thoughtfully opens up critical thinking about the topic(s).

4: The thesis is both clear and reasonably complex.

3: The thesis is clear, though it may be unimaginative, largely a recapitulation of readings and class discussion, and/or fairly obvious.

2: Thesis is discernable, but the reader has to work to understand it, or the thesis seems to change as the essay proceeds.

1: Thesis is irrelevant to the assignment and/or not discernible.

Pre-Post Test Example

The same quiz should be proctored at both the start and finish of the semester, with students encouraged to put their names down in order to better track individual progress as well as the class’s collective progress. Not to exceed 20-25 questions. History A131, History of the United States I (example)

1. North American Indian agriculture before the arrival of Europeans consisted of the following crops and animals. a. Corn, beans, squash, turkeys, dogs b. Wheat, barley, alpacas c. Yams, oats, ducks, dogs d. Potatoes, tomatoes, guinea pigs, llamas 2. The Spanish explorer who conquered the Aztec Empire was a. Cabeza De Vaca b. Hernando De Soto c. Hernando Cortez d. Geraldo Rivera 3. The first permanent English settlement in North America was a. Boston b. Jamestown c. Roanoke d. Charles Town 4. Puritan communities in colonial New England believed in a. Predestination b. Three Covenants c. Religious Freedom d. a and b 5. The French and Russian colonies in North America were primarily centered on a. Agriculture b. The Fur Trade c. Mining d. Religious freedom 6. The Restoration Colonies include all of the following except a. New York b. Pennsylvania c. Carolina d. Massachusetts 7. The French and Indian War of 1754-1763 led to the expulsion of which colonial power from North America? a. Spain b. England c. France d. Netherlands 8. American forces were victorious at the following Revolutionary War battles. a. Bunker Hill b. Concord c. Saratoga d. b and c 9. The U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788 after a long debate between the a. Democrats and Republicans b. Federalists and Anti-Federalists c. Whigs and Democrats d. Populists and Progressives 10. The War of 1812 between Great Britain and the U.S. was fought primarily over a. Merchant shipping b. western lands c. Florida and Louisiana d. a and b 11. Andrew Jackson presided over the founding of the a. Democratic Party b. Republican Party c. Whig Party d. Federalist Party 12. The percentage of white Southerners who owned black slaves in the pre-Civil War South never exceeded a. 10% b. 25% c. 50% d. 75% 13. During the middle 1850s, violence between pro-slavery and anti-slavery militias erupted in a. Florida b. Texas c. Kansas d. Kentucky 14. In the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln issued the Final Emancipation Proclamation in a. 1861 b. 1862 c. 1863 d. 1864 15. By 1864 the top Union Army commander in the Civil War was a. William T. Sherman b. Ulysses S. Grant c. Douglas MacArthur d. Robert E. Lee

AA Assessment Plan Page 63 of 64 March 29, 2013 Schedule for Assessment

Individual faculty members teaching courses in the AA program will assess one class per academic year, with some faculty performing assessment in the fall semester, others in the spring semester. If individual faculty members teach more than one class in the AA program, the instructor will perform assessment on a different course the following academic year. Individual academic year assessment schedules will be provided by the department coordinator in advance of the academic year.

Actions Resulting from Assessment

Actions resulting from assessment can include changes to curriculum, academic policies, funding and planning that supports learning, and/or faculty development. Information will be included in MSC’s annual assessment report. All faculty members (full time, term, and adjunct) participating in course assessment will be informed of how their classroom data were analyzed and acted upon by the MSC Office of Academic Affairs. Academic Affairs and/or department coordinators will meet with individual faculty members to discuss and act upon courses of action to improve student performance.