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Achievement of Student Learning Outcomes

Achievements from 2011-2018

Student learning is at the core of the Mount Saint Mary’s University mission. Below you find results of the most current assessments of student learning measuring MSMU students’ skills in the following core competencies:

Critical Thinking
Quantitative Literacy
Information Literacy
Oral Communication
Written Communication

Critical Thinking (2012-2018)
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Recognize Assumptions

Goal - 75%
48% 2012
63% 2015
69% 2018

Recognize Values

Goal - 75%
29% 2012
75% 2015
46% 2018

Assess Arguments

Goal - 75%
48% 2012
88% 2015
69% 2018

Develop Counter Argument

Goal - 75%
52% 2012
81% 2015
31% 2018

Faculty discussed the following actions in order to improve student learning:

  • Practice more on the fundamental skills in class and in homework
  • Ensure the assignment is aligned with the rubric criteria
  • Help students identify what pieces of their argument are most important and the power of each (begin with the strongest points, and not jump to a weak/insignificant point right after that) – have a logical thread in their argument.
View Critical Thinking Rubric (PDF)

 

Quantitative Literacy (2011-2017)
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Identify Problem

Goal - 75%
83% 2011
94% 2014
82% 2017

Determine Strategy

Goal - 75%
83% 2011
86% 2014
78% 2017

Implement Strategy

Goal - 75%
75% 2011
80% 2014
67% 2017

Reflection on Results

Goal - 75%
73% 2011
55% 2014
37% 2017

Faculty discussed the following:

  • Students performed best on understanding the problem
  • Students struggled with reflection, although some assignments did not specifically ask students to reflect
  • Results are consistent with faculty expectations
  • The downward trend occurring may be related to the assignments not being as well aligned to the rubric as past years
  • Consider having a common question for all assignments
  • Encourage students to use resources provided in class for checking the reasonableness of results
  • Have faculty model how to determine whether answers are reasonably correct
  • Discuss with students the idea of the growth mindset by introducing meta-cognitive thinking exercises
View Quantitative Literacy Rubric (PDF)

 

Information Literacy (2015)
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Determine Extent of Information Needed

Goal - 75%
69% 2015

Access the Needed Information

Goal - 75%
77% 2015

Evaluate Information and Sources Critically

Goal - 75%
23% 2015

Creating Citations

Goal - 75%
77% 2015

Faculty discussed the following:

  • Goals were met for accessing the needed information and creating citations
  • Increased learning is needed in determining the extent of information needed and evaluating information and sources critically
  • Recommended to use an annotated bibliography to evaluate student skill level
  • Rubric was revised
View Information Literacy Rubric (PDF)

 

Oral Communication (2014-2017)
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Content

Goal - 75%
65% 2014
80% 2017

Arrangement of Ideas

Goal - 75%
73% 2014
83% 2017

Voice Projection

Goal - 75%
95% 2014
93% 2017

Delivery

Goal - 75%
80% 2014
65% 2017

Pace

Goal - 75%
80% 2014
75% 2017

Non-Verbal Communication

Goal - 75%
63% 2014
50% 2017

Eye Contact

Goal - 75%
48% 2014
56% 2017

Faculty discussed the following:

  • The results indicate that students performed best on content, arrangement of ideas and vocal projection
  • Since 2014, student skills in content, arrangement, and eye contact increased
  • Skills in projection, delivery, pace, and nonverbal communication decreased
  • Consider incorporating exercises to help students be more comfortable with public speaking, so that students appear to be talking about the topic rather than reading a document
  • Also consider having students evaluate each other through peer evaluations
View Oral Communication Rubric (PDF)

 

Written Communication (2011-2015)
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Content

Goal - 75%
31% 2011
57% 2014
63% 2015

Organization

Goal - 75%
22% 2011
65% 2014
39% 2017

Style

Goal - 75%
35% 2011
57% 2014
51% 2017

Mechanics

Goal - 75%
35% 2011
66% 2014
46% 2017

Faculty discussed the following:

  • Students appear to be having difficulty with organization, style and mechanics
  • Students need greater skills at editing and proofreading their work prior to submitting
  • Students also struggle with formulating a clear central idea (thesis), which affects organization
  • Since 2011, the overall results have improved
  • Faculty should use more formal pieces of writing for this assessment (e.g. essays)
  • Department should consider creating a separate, mandatory, college-level grammar class to be taken by all students prior to ENG 1A/B
View Written Communication Rubric (PDF)