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Roots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] Assessment
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Introduction
Roots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] courses are foundational first-year experience courses for UCORE. The courses introduce students to five of WSU’s Seven Learning Goals of Undergraduate Education (Critical & Creative Thinking, Information Literacy, Communication, Diversity, and Depth, Breadth & Integration of Learning) by asking students to explore and understand the historical and global roots of various issues facing the world today.
Assessment
The Roots of Contemporary Issues Final Papers Assessment Project is intended to provide [ROOT] faculty with information for program improvement, as well as gauge student learning on three of the WSU Learning Goals (Critical & Creative Thinking, Information Literacy, and Communication in AY 2016-17) at the first-year level. Each academic year, beginning in AY 2012-13, [ROOT] faculty evaluate a random sample of students’ final research papers from all campuses using a faculty-developed rubric. The Roots of Contemporary Issues program, in collaboration with the WSU Libraries and Office of Assessment of Teaching and Learning (ATL), coordinates the assessment, reporting and data analysis for the Roots of Contemporary Issues Final Papers Assessment Project.
Evidence of Student Learning
Each year, the Roots of Contemporary Issues Final Papers Assessment Project results are compiled to provide a summary of student learning on three of the WSU Learning Goals at the first-year level. Click on the links below for current and past summaries of Roots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] Assessment results.
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Assessing Student Learning at the First-Year Level: AY 2016-17 Roots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] Final Papers Assessment Results
As reported in the AY 2016-17 [ROOT] Final Papers Assessment Summary of Key Evidence for UCORE, assessment results indicated that 98% of first-year students partially met, met or exceeded expectations at the first-year undergraduate level at the end of their UCORE first-year experience [ROOT] course on rubric outcomes related to Critical & Creative Thinking. Additionally, 98% partially met, met or exceeded expectations for outcomes related to Information Literacy and 98% for Written Communication.
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Student Learning at the First-Year Level: AY 2015-16 Roots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] Final Papers Assessment Project Results
As reported in the AY 2015-16 [ROOT] Final Papers Assessment Summary of Key Evidence for UCORE, assessment results indicated that 93% of first-year students partially met, met or exceeded expectations at the first-year undergraduate level at the end of their UCORE first-year experience [ROOT] course on rubric outcomes related to Critical & Creative Thinking. Additionally, 96% partially met, met or exceeded expectations for outcomes related to Information Literacy and 79% for Diversity.
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Student Learning at the First-Year Level: AY 2014-15 Roots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] Final Papers Assessment Project Results
As reported in the AY 2014-15 [ROOT] Final Papers Assessment Summary of Key Evidence for UCORE, assessment results indicated that 97% of first-year students partially met, met or exceeded expectations at the first-year undergraduate level at the end of their UCORE first-year experience [ROOT] course on rubric outcomes related to Critical & Creative Thinking. Additionally, 96% partially met, met or exceeded expectations for outcomes related to Information Literacy and 85% for Diversity.
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Assessing Critical Thinking and Information Literacy at WSU: AY 2013-14 Roots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] Final Papers Assessment Project
As reported in the AY 2013-14 [ROOT] Final Papers Assessment Summary of Key Evidence for UCORE, assessment results indicated that 97% of History 105 students performed at the “Developing First Year-Level” or higher on their ability to select and evaluate primary and secondary sources appropriate to a research paper and critically evaluate the nature of those sources. Additionally, 92% of History 105 students performed at the “Developing First Year-Level” or higher on their ability to use evidence necessary to construct an argument.
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Assessing Critical Thinking and Information Literacy at WSU: AY 2012-13 Roots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] Pilot Final Papers Assessment Project
With WSU’s new General Education program (UCORE) inaugurated in 2012-13, the Roots of Contemporary Issues Final Papers Assessment Project was piloted for the first time, to provide [ROOT] faculty with information for program improvement, as well as assess student learning on two of the WSU Learning Goals (Critical & Creative Thinking and Information Literacy). Reported in the AY 2012-13 [ROOT] Pilot Final Papers Assessment Summary of Key Evidence for UCORE, pilot results indicated that the average student taking History 105 performed at a “Developing First Year-Level” or higher for all eight of the elements evaluated to assess Critical & Creative Thinking and Information Literacy.
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Uses of Assessment
The Roots of Contemporary Issues Steering Committee and faculty review the Final Papers Assessment Project results each year and suggest actions for improved assessment or use to inform decision-making. The Roots of Contemporary Issues program also works closely with the WSU Libraries’ research services librarians to use assessment to develop and refine information literacy curriculum. For more information about this partnership, see Research Services Librarians Conduct and Use Information Literacy Assessment.
Below are some examples of how student learning evidence from the Roots of Contemporary Issues Final Papers Assessment Project contributes to decision making intended to support student learning and quality educational programs, including general education.
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Final Papers Assessment Project Participation Influences Teaching and Learning in UCORE First-Year Experience [ROOT] Courses
Participation in assessment offers ways for faculty to think about student learning in the curriculum and about how to support it most effectively in their own classes. For example, rubric use and participation in norming sessions can deepen a common understanding of program goals among faculty, and, over time, can help focus instruction and improve communication and feedback to students. While difficult to capture, these impacts also accumulate and contribute over time to promoting student learning and more effective curriculum.
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Using Final Papers Assessment Project Results to Improve UCORE First-Year Experience [ROOT] Courses
The Final Papers Assessment Project results provide Roots of Contemporary Issues [ROOT] faculty with information about students’ grasp of program outcomes. In this way, rubric scores from student papers evaluated by program faculty can be used to direct and improve instruction.
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