ASSESSMENT PLAN
DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT
I. INTRODUCTION: This assessment plan was finalized September, 2003.
It is, and must be, preliminary. This is because there has existed,
and presently exists, some ambiguity in the personnel composition of the
Department of Government. Our ability to carry out certain assessment procedures
has been impeded by the fact that during the 2002-2003 academic year, our
four person department was at temporarily reduced strength. Even today,
while the size of our department is fixed, the specific personnel within
the Government department remains somewhat uncertain. This flux has affected
the Government department in two important ways. Retrospectively, it
has temporarily slowed the development of certain assessment tools (identified
below). Presently, and in the near future, it will also slow
our attempt to make important and needed curricular changes at the margins.
Different faculty have different strengths and interests and we will need
to identify our permanent faculty before undertaking these incremental changes.
And, of course, full and complete assessment will be most meaningfully formulated
and implemented after the completion of this curricular revision.
II. OUTCOME RESULTS, broad categories: The Government department
has identified the following three, broad outcome categories about which
it is concerned:
–Skills and Intellectual tools
–knowledge and understanding
–Attitudes
III. OUTCOME RESULTS, Specific formulations:
A. Sub-categories of Skills and Intellectual Tools.
We wish to help improve a student’s:
1. analytical thinking
and logic
2. ability to write
clearly and persuasively
3. clarity of oral
expression
4. ability to read
carefully
5. ability to do research and
defend scholarly conclusion (for students intending to pursue graduate work).
B. Sub-categories of Knowledge and Understanding. We wish to
help improve a student’s:
1. political literacy (necessary for the exercise of responsible citizenship)
2. grasp of the key concepts of everyday domestic and international politics
(e. g. justice power, authority, etc).
3. general overview of the historical realities, ongoing influences and future
political prospects that have important world-wide impact
4. awareness of, and knowledge about, the specific fields within political
science
5 understanding of the major thinkers and schools of thought within
the discipline
6. awareness of the basic working of the United States government and other
kinds of governments
7. comprehension of the effect of different kinds of regimes upon human well-being
C. Sub-categories of Attitudes. The
department wishes to promote the following attitudes and beliefs:
1. recognizing that truth is
sometimes difficult to discern, therefore it is important to recognize the
legitimacy of,
different points of view
2. a love of learning
3. respecting diverse
political traditions
4. recognizing that
moral judgments (e.g. judgments about justice and injustice, right and wrong,
etc.) are
sometimes unavoidable
5. Political
conclusions should be supported by arguments (including data, if appropriate).
IV. ASSESSMENT TOOLS: Their status and application
A. The Government Department Assessment Test. This
is a 100 question test covering the five major fields of political science.
It is being written by department members. It was to be finished and
administered by 9/03 but has been delayed by departmental instability.
The test will be administered to first year students and to graduating seniors.
The test will be helpful for evaluating III B 1-6.
B. The Senior Survey. For three years, we
have distributed the senior survey. We will modify it to help measure
self-reported student altitudes and beliefs. The test will be helpful
for measuring III C 1-5. We also believe that we will learn important
information for all stated outcomes (I A 1-5 and I B 1-7)
C. Student writing portfolio. Each year,
10 first year students will be randomly selected and a portfolio of their
writing development will be analyzed. American Government (Government 200)
will require a writing assignment, providing an early example of all majors’
writing ability. When fully implemented, this should aid in evaluating
outcome III C 1-2..
D. Current Events Class. This is a one credit
course voluntarily taught by the department. The class was specifically
designed to advance the goal of III B-1.
E. Honors Program. This program was instituted
9/03. It consists of two seminars, a research and honors seminar.
It is designed to produce an extended research paper. This program
is intended to implement III A-5 as well as to advance III A 1-3.
F. In-Class Requirements. Of course, writing,
testing and other aspects of regularly taught classes advance all the goals
of the evaluation process. Important skills, knowledge and attitudinal aspects
of each class need to be identified. As noted in the Introduction,
this process has been hampered by personnel issues. It remains
a task to be undertaken.
V. Assessment Tools Implementation Timetable: Obviously, more work needs
to be done in order to produce and implement all our assessment tools.
Below is an estimated timetable of the department’s schedule:
9/03 Identify the first 10 first-year students
for whom writing portfolios will be kept. Begin keeping files.
2/04 Revise senior student evaluations
5/04 Distribute new senior surveys
9/04 Re-examine, and possible revise, department
mission statement
9/04 Complete comprehensive test
9/04 Administer comprehensive test to first-year
class.
2/05 Clarify the extent to which classes taught
in the department advance the identified assessment outcomes