Program Assessment Review Report

 

Academic Year Assessed

2019

College

Letters and Science

Department

MSSE

Department Head

Greg Francis

Program (s)

Master of Science in Science Education

Review of Submitted Report

Does the report contain

Y

N

Comments

 

Assessment Plan with outcomes to be assessed by year and data sources

 

X

 

Yes, on program learning outcomes and data sources, but no timeline of when program learning outcomes will be assessed. There was a column for 2019-2020 – not clear if this refers to the timeline for assessing all

the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Threshold Values that will demonstrate student achievement

 

X

 

 

Rubric that demonstrates how data was evaluated

 

X

 

 

How data were collected including information about sample size

 

X

 

 

An explanation of the assessment process and who participated in analysis of the data

 

X

 

 

Areas of strengths and weaknesses consistent with data and program learning outcomes

 

X

 

 

Evidence that there was a forum for faculty to provide feedback and recommendations regarding the assessment report

 

 

X

 

Indications of planned changes to the program based on faculty feedback and discussion

 

 

 

No changes proposed

A plan for when proposed improvements will be assessed next

 

 

 

Documentation from previous years that can demonstrate program level changes that have led to outcome improvements

 

 

X

 

Comments and Recommendations:

The assessment plan is descriptive.

Data sources in the two tables (the first and third) are not consistent.

If I am interpreting it correctly, it looks like the rubric levels were translated into a letter grade for the Capstone course. If this is accurate, then include more verbiage in the report to indicate this.

It is not clear what "standards expectations" indicate. Final grades from MSSE 575 are too general to be evaluated in the context of a specific PLO. Parts 5 and 6, describing what was learned and responses, were not consistent with PLOs. The Threshold value is 100% will “Meet or Exceed Standards Expectations” but the rubric does not have these categories. What equates to that?

How does the area for improvement relate to the data? There is no mention of graduate school formatting guidelines in the rubric or assessment.

Curricular or Assessment Changes Proposed in (please address in next Assessment Report)

  • Gather additional data to verify or refute the result.                                                                                
  • Identify potential curriculum changes to try to address the problem                           
  • Change the acceptable performance threshold, reassess                         
  • Choose a different assignment to assess the outcome                                                              
  • Faculty may reconsider thresholds                                                           
  • Evaluate the rubric to assure outcomes meet student skill level                       
  • Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to consider stronger learning outcomes                                            
  • Choose a different assignment to assess the outcome                    

From the Report:

“The major area of improvement was adherence to MSU's Graduate School's formatting guidelines. MSSE faculty and staff met with Liz Johnson to discuss the transition for MSSE students. As a result, Liz created a designated help page for MSSE students. MSSE implemented full compliance with formatting for the summer 2020 graduating class. Because it was a late addition to the Capstone requirements, and due to COVID, the Program gave students the choice of writing under the NEW requirements or staying with the old writing formatting guidelines. Students were informed that only papers written with the new guidelines would be submitted to the MSU library for archival. Thirty-five Capstone papers met the new requirements, six did not (n=41). The latter will be housed in the MSSE Office

 

NOTE: Program Assessments should be submitted using the assessment templates provided on the Provost’s Program Assessment Webpage. Undergraduate programs should complete an assessment report annually. Graduate Programs should complete one every other year.

The due date for Program Assessment Reports is October 15th.

https://www.montana.edu/provost/assessment/program_assessment.html

 

 

Click here to download a printable copy of this report