Question 1 – What did you do on assessment this year?

PRAXIS scores for all master's candidates were collected and reviewed for program evaluation.  Field Experience signature assignments were also collected and reviewed to determine mastery of program goals and personal dispositions. Exit surveys were also reviewed to review what candidates thought about overall program quality, course delivery and instructor/advisor feedback.

Question 2 – What data did you collect?

Master's Level: 1) Educational Leadership PRAXIS and 2) Self-Efficacy surveys were completed  by each candidate of the graduating cohort group.  3) An exit survey that asks about quality of coursework, instruction and field experience was also given during the final comprehensive retreat.

Doctoral Level: comprehensive exam pass rates and dissertation defense pass rates were collected and examined. Individual interviews were done with finishing doctoral students.

Question 3 – What did your review of the data indicate for you?

  1. Pass rates for PRAXIS for students graduating spring 2015 was 45 of 49 graduates passing or 91.8% passing.  For spring of 2016, 28 of 28 students passed the PRAXIS for a pass rate of 100%
  2. Students' knowledge of special education law and programs was relatively weak.
  3. Students prefer more face to face meetings to discuss and debrief theory to practice assignments as well as field experience.
  4. Doctoral students gave feedback about how the lack of a strong, consistent cohort left them feeling more isolated in their degree pursuits.

Question 4 – As a result of your review of the data, what did you do?

  1. We instituted a new class (EDLD 566 Supervision and Administration of Special Education) required of all EDLD master's students. The first course was offered Spring 2016.
  2. We offered bi-weekly ADOBE Connect sessions to increase face to face time in EDLD 532, and 520. EDLD 534, 508 and 526 meet face to face at least 2x/semester.   There is a week-long on campus/face to face component for all summer masters and doctoral/superintendent licensure courses.
  3. We now will only review doctoral program applications in the spring for fall admission to insure that students are enrolled in courses as cohort groups. We believe the consistent cohort grouping will reduce isolation and increase the satisfaction and completion rates of doctoral students.  If need be, we may only admit a doctoral cohort of 10-12 students every other year.   That will be determined by looking at data for the following 1-2 years examining the success of the new cohort approach.