Assessment Report Highlights

1. Assessment Report Highlights 2009-2010

2. Changes to Assessment • Overhaul of student learning objectives (slo) • Three objectives: • Students shall be able to write a clear expository essay in which they develop a coherent historical argument and marshal evidence to support an interpretation. • Students shall demonstrate adequate reading skills of primary and secondary historical sources. • Students shall use citation standards appropriate to the discipline of history (Chicago Manual of Style). • Overhaul of student survey • Creation of faculty survey • Yearly analysis of changes in attainment of slo

3. Academic Year 2009 - 2010 • All three slo were analyzed • The following classes were selected for assessment: History 5, 51, 100, and 197 a/b • At the end of fall semester, student surveys were given to History 100 and 197 a/b classes • At the end of spring semester, faculty surveys were given to instructors of History 100 and 197 a/b

4. Conclusion of Assessment • Students have attained the learning objective skills appropriate for their level of study • Our faculty are burdened with the added responsibility of teaching fundamental writing skills in addition to the department’s learning objectives • Students displayed the greatest improvement in their ability to read primary and secondary sources, as well forming arguments and the use of correct grammar • Students continue to have difficulty forming correct footnotes and bibliographies (less than half of the 197 students could correctly footnote a source)

12. Student Survey – History 100 QUESTIONS ASKED: • In what way did the furlough situation impact your education? • What courses (either currently in the catalog or not) would you like to have taken that have not been offered by the History Department? • How well did your high school education prepare you for college-level writing? • Which, if any, of your lower-division courses, offered either in History or another discipline, had writing assignments? • Which lower-division course, offered either in History or another discipline, helped to develop your writing the most? • Did History 100 teach you the difference between primary and secondary sources? • Did History 100 teach you how to analyze both kinds of sources? • Did History 100 teach you how to structure a research paper? • Did History 100 teach you the Chicago citation style? • How well did History 100 prepare you for upper-division writing assignments? What was the most useful aspect of the course? • Was History 100 an effective course for developing your research and writing skills? How could the department improve this course?

13. Student Survey – History 197 a/b QUESTIONS ASKED: • In what way did the furlough situation impact your education? • What courses (either currently in the catalog or not) would you like to have taken that have not been offered by the History Department? • Did History 192 help your critical analysis skills? • Did History 197 help improve your research and writing skills? • How did History 197 build on what you learned in History 100? • How can the History Department improve its 100 and 197 courses? • Which upper-division course, offered either in History or another discipline, helped to develop your critical analysis skills the most? • Which upper-division course, offered either in History or another discipline, helped to develop your research skills the most? • Which upper-division course, offered either in History or another discipline, helped to develop your writing skills the most? • Do you think that being a history major has improved your research and writing skills? • Do you feel the critical analysis, research, and writing skills you learned as a history major will be helpful in your future career?

14. Summary of Responses for Both Surveys • large impact of furloughs • high schools did an inadequate job preparing students for college-level writing • history courses, rather than English courses, developed student writing skills at Sac State • students affirm that they are acquiring the three major skills (slo): critical analysis, research and writing, and Chicago citations • students found the History Department to excel in teaching critical analysis, research, and writing

15. Faculty Survey QUESTIONS ASKED: • Which of the following classes have you taught: 100, 192, 197? • How long have you been teaching this/these course(s)? • What books do you feel are the most important for your course(s)? • Which of the books you assign for the course(s) you wish you could change and why? • By the end of the semester, what skills do most of your History 100 students master? • By the end of the semester, with what skills do most of your History 100 students still struggle? • By the end of the semester, what skills do most of your History 192 students master? • By the end of the semester, with what skills do most of your History 192 students still struggle? • By the end of the semester, what skills do most of your History 197 students master? • By the end of the semester, with what skills do most of your History 197 students still struggle? • What changes would you make in History 100 – structure, goals, assignments? • What changes would you make in History 192 – structure, goals, assignments? • What changes would you make in History 197 – structure, goals, assignments? • Any other comments – criticisms – recommendations?

16. Summary of Responses • Most of the faculty were pleased with their methodological approach for History 100 (75%). • There was no consensus regarding the skills acquired in History 100. • Half of the faculty responses considered that students had significant difficulty with citation. • Faculty were generally satisfied with the structure of the History 197 courses; in both, the methodology and materials had proven successful. • Faculty are unanimous in stressing that students still have difficulties with their writing. • Faculty teaching the senior seminars emphasize that students who did not master the writing skills taught in History 100 had significant difficulties in their work for History 197.

17. Assessment Committee Recommendations • Instructors of History 100 place greater emphasis on the following core skills: forming arguments, using correct English grammar, as well as appropriately formatting block quotes, citations, and bibliographies. • The department consider greater standardization of History 100 as well as limiting class size. • Preference be given to instructors who have had experience teaching History 100 and avoid having novice part-time faculty teach this critical course.

18. Conclusion • The History Department has been successful in teaching the three fundamental skills delineated in the student learning objectives. • Students have a high regard for both the courses offered in the department and many of the faculty members. • While improvement can be made in the area of citation, the Department’s main concern should be to keep a smaller class size for History 100 and 197. Committee: Jeff Wilson, Nikos Lazaridis, and Katerina Lagos.