Assessment Details
Academic Year: 2020-2021 Level: Undergraduate
Campus Department: Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences [UG and Grad]
Program Type: Core [UG]
Program Name: Psychology Core
Description of Data Collection:
1) An anonymous survey of students who take psychology core courses.
2) Direct evidence based on evaluation of samples of two kinds of student work:
a) Appropriate papers written by the students.
b) Appropriate essay questions on exams.
Review Process:
Each year the faculty meet to review the results, both qualitative and quantitative, of the analyses and to discuss changes that might be implemented to improve student learning. The faculty also discuss the strengths and weakness of the assessment procedures and consider potential changes in the procedures including the goals and the methods to evaluate them. In addition to the analyses of the department’s core committee, suggestions for improvement in undergraduate teaching are solicited from course instructors and thesis advisers. Analyses also focus on the results of specific changes that had been implemented on the basis of earlier analyses.
Resulting Program Changes:
The results of the major survey were relatively positive. Modal responses on the 5-point scale was a 5 for ten survey items, and a 4 for the remaining 10 of our traditional likert-scale items. However, we view this data with caution primarily because, as in 2020, the number of respondents was substantially lower than in prior years. Also, it was difficult to determine how the varied course delivery formats employed as BC navigated the COVID-19 pandemic affected survey results. In order to glean as much as possible from the
data, we ranked the average responses for each item as a within-subjects analysis of what these 65 students felt we were doing relatively well. Students indicated most strongly that our major curriculum helped students master the ability to read a research article critically. “General knowledge of psychology” and “research skills” were rated second and fifth highest, and other items related to evaluating scientific argument and data appeared in the top half of the ranked order. These data suggest that we are succeeding best at Learning Outcomes 1b, 2b, and 1a. The lowest ranked item was related to preparation for graduate programs outside of the field of psychology, which is not surprising. However, the second-lowest ranking was “statistical skills.” We have discussed measures that could improve the retention of statistical training provided in the two required quantitative courses in the majors. “Ability to communicate yourself in writing” was also ranked relatively lowly. We have discussed the challenges faced with providing quality training in writing, particularly in science writing, with the rapidly increasing size of our majors (and the corresponding increase in the size of our course rosters). Finally, we added two new likert-scale items and one free response item to our survey to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As noted in our 2020 E-1-A, our Department responded to the recent social unrest related
to racial inequality by the creation of a Department-wide Diversity and Inclusivity Committee with four working groups. The two likert ‘agreement’ items added to the survey were: 1) The courses that I took in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience reflected and/or were relevant to a diverse range of viewpoints and experiences, and 2) The instructors I encountered in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience respected students’ diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures. Ratings for these items were 4.16 and 4.30, respectively (between Agree and Strongly Agree). These rankings are toward the lower end of rankings of our other 20 items, suggesting there is more work to be done. In 2021, our Department will continue to promote diversity in course content, and enact practical change such as entering more formally as a partner in the Biology Department’s Gateway program, providing one first-year advisor and two new discussion sections to the program
Date of Most Recent Program Review:
The results of the major survey were relatively positive. Modal responses on the 5-point scale was a 5 for ten survey items, and a 4 for the remaining 10 of our traditional likert-scale items. However, we view this data with caution primarily because, as in 2020, the number of respondents was substantially lower than in prior years. Also, it was difficult to determine how the varied course delivery formats employed as BC navigated the COVID-19 pandemic affected survey results. In order to glean as much as possible from the
data, we ranked the average responses for each item as a within-subjects analysis of what these 65 students felt we were doing relatively well. Students indicated most strongly that our major curriculum helped students master the ability to read a research article critically. “General knowledge of psychology” and “research skills” were rated second and fifth highest, and other items related to evaluating scientific argument and data appeared in the top half of the ranked order. These data suggest that we are succeeding best at Learning Outcomes 1b, 2b, and 1a. The lowest ranked item was related to preparation for graduate programs outside of the field of psychology, which is not surprising. However, the second-lowest ranking was “statistical skills.” We have discussed measures that could improve the retention of statistical training provided in the two required quantitative courses in the majors. “Ability to communicate yourself in writing” was also ranked relatively lowly. We have discussed the challenges faced with providing quality training in writing, particularly in science writing, with the rapidly increasing size of our majors (and the corresponding increase in the size of our course rosters). Finally, we added two new likert-scale items and one free response item to our survey to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As noted in our 2020 E-1-A, our Department responded to the recent social unrest related
to racial inequality by the creation of a Department-wide Diversity and Inclusivity Committee with four working groups. The two likert ‘agreement’ items added to the survey were: 1) The courses that I took in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience reflected and/or were relevant to a diverse range of viewpoints and experiences, and 2) The instructors I encountered in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience respected students’ diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures. Ratings for these items were 4.16 and 4.30, respectively (between Agree and Strongly Agree). These rankings are toward the lower end of rankings of our other 20 items, suggesting there is more work to be done. In 2021, our Department will continue to promote diversity in course content, and enact practical change such as entering more formally as a partner in the Biology Department’s Gateway program, providing one first-year advisor and two new discussion sections to the program
Attachments (if available)