Nothing So Near Can Take You So Far

Elizabeth NesiusWriting Center Coordinator

Passaic County Community College

Collaborative Assessment: Getting Help at All Levels

This presentation will focus on the Passaic County Community College Writing Initiative’s use of collaboration in the area of assessment of these courses. PCCC applies the technologies used in the classes to the process of assessment, which allows for input from all levels at the college: student, instructor, administrative, and the college as a whole through the Institutional Research Department.

Writing InitiativeTitle V Grant: $2.5 million over 5 yearsDevelop 20 Distinct, Writing Intensive Courses (with multiple sections, across 3 campuses)Support students and faculty with an on-ground writing center and online tutoringDevelop and provide online resources for technology and writingStudents required to take 2 WI courses (1 if getting AAS degree)

Writing Intensive Courses

Current WI Courses

Critical ThinkingCultural AnthropologyIntroduction to LiteratureIntroduction to PsychologyIntroduction to PhilosophyIntroduction to Political ScienceWestern Civilization I Western Civilization II

Spring 2010—Additional Courses

Art AppreciationComputer Concepts and ApplicationsU.S. History IIMusic AppreciationEnvironmental ScienceAdditional Sections of Certain Original Courses

Assessment

Grant calls for improvement in student writing as they move through the programStudent writing assessed by Initiative administrators at various points in program

At the beginning of the first WI courseAt the end of each WI courseAs they get close to graduation (via College Writing Exam)

Assessment Input: A Little of Everything

Assignments and grades from instructors Feedback and reports from tutorsUsage and student needs from Writing CenterWriting and reflections from studentsTest scores and surveys from Institutional Research

Instructor Input: LibGuides

Tutor Input: WC Online

Writing Center Input: WC Online

Student Input: eFolio

Institutional Research: Reports

WI Student CWE Pass Rate

Passed

Failed

WI Course Pass Rate

Passed

Failed

Initiative Assessment

Initiative Administrators assess 3 areasWritingCritical ThinkingInformation Literacy

Rubric for eachCombine/compare with others’ assessments for final analysis and report

Findings

Early in program: ¼ of the way throughEarly results show that student writing is improvingStudent consciousness of writing and writing process is improvedStudents are very satisfied with and make use of services

Thank You!

Elizabeth NesiusPassaic County Community College

Writing Center Coordinatorenesius@pccc.edu

LibGuides

Writing Initiative: http://pccc.libguides.com/writing

Writing Center: http://pccc.libguides.com/writingcenter

Some Course Guideshttp://pccc.libguides.com/en205http://pccc.libguides.com/hi101http://pccc.libguides.com/hi102

Links to eFolios

Political Sciencehttp://jonathanrodriguez.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/ http://nataleewilliams.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/http://marielatudela.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/PL101WIhttp://mehmettas.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/http://ericsantos1.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/

Psychologyhttp://mariethiel.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/http://roseannekautz.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/http://nadiahapatsha.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/ http://johnfoy.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/

Critical Thinkinghttp://tiffanyulmer.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/http://lorrainepoat.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/http://elizabethestremera.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/http://susanclayton.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/

Helpful Links

LibGuides: http://www.springshare.com/ eFolio: http://efolioworld.com/ eTutoring: http://www.etutoring.org/ WC Online: http://www.therichco.com/