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Practices
King’s
College, William G. McGowan School of Business
Director: David G. Martin, PhD
Description. Assessment at King’s focuses on
the integration of knowledge in the major with the skills of liberal learning.
The key competency areas assessed are:
- Critical
thinking and problem solving
- Effective
writing
- Technological
competency
- Effective
oral communication
- Quantitative
reasoning
- Library
and information literacy
- Moral
reasoning
The foundation for assessment at King’s College is the
competency plan, which describes competencies expected each year, strategies for
developing these competencies (specific learning experiences), and assessment
criteria. (See sample Competency Growth Plan.)
Faculty adopted a course-embedded assessment model to
emphasize the linkage between assessment, teaching, and learning. The approach
also ensures that students fully participate in the process. Previous attempts
to require participation in assessment activities outside of the classroom were
viewed as “extra work” and not taken seriously by students.
The assessment process begins with placement tests to assign
incoming students to appropriate courses in critical thinking, effective
writing, and quantitative reasoning. Next, exercises in the core curriculum help
faculty to understand how well students think and communicate within a
discipline. These may be
administered at the beginning and at the end of core courses.
The third step in the process is the Sophomore/Junior
Diagnostic Project, which is designed to test students’ readiness to proceed
with their intended major. Students who do not perform well on this project are
provided with career counseling and assistance to improve skills and enhance
base knowledge. These projects are embedded in courses required for majors. They
are discipline-specific and focus primarily on communication and critical
thinking skills. Professors in each major design the projects and determine how
they will be assessed. Grading criteria are communicated to students in advance.
(See example of a diagnostic project.)
The last step in the assessment process is the Senior
Integrated Assessment Project. Embedded in required senior courses for each
major, these exercises measure command of subject matter and methodology, as
well as advanced-level competence in the seven skill areas (see sample Senior
Integrated Assessment Project). The projects carry substantial weight
in determining course grades and are more comprehensive and ambitious than the
Sophomore/Junior Diagnostic Projects.
Using the Data. Annually, each department submits
a grade distribution report and examples of very good, average,
and marginal papers from the Sophomore/Junior Diagnostic Projects and
Senior Integrated Assessments.
The Business School held its first annual “Assessment
Review Day” in 2002-2003. Faculty in each major area presented assessment data
and discussed implications for the curriculum. Discussions are designed to
generate ideas for improvement. For example, the Senior Integrated Assessment in
finance indicated that students were relatively weak in their
ability to provide analysis using large amounts of computed data. Changes
to the capstone finance course were proposed to better develop these skills.
Administration and Budget. There is no direct budget line for assessment within
the William G. McGowan School of Business. The culture of King’s College is
such that faculty and administrators perform assessment in the normal course of
their professional duties. There are some funds in the Director’s budget to
provide breakfast and lunch for the annual Assessment Review Day.
Contact
Cheryl O’Hara
Assistant Professor of Marketing
Tele: 507-208-5900
Email: cmohara@kings.edu
William G. McGowan School of Business http://www.kings.edu/frames/tb_frames/academics.html
(select McGowan School of Business)
King’s College Assessment web site http://www.kings.edu/frames/tb_frames/academics.html
(select Assessment Program)
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