Drake Curriculum Assessment

Wabash MemoNSSE 2013 Results +Senior Focus Groups

Report to Faculty SenateFebruary 19, 2014Kevin SaundersStephanie Majeran

Wabash Memo Recommendations

• Investigate important aspects of Drake’s teaching and learning environment that may require improvement

• Continue to build the connection between faculty/staff development and assessment

• Consider a different approach to assessing the Drake Curriculum and Areas of Inquiry (AOI)

NSSE Background• Historical Participation:– 2000-2006– 2008– 2010

• 2013: New questions and configuration• Plan to continue on 3-year cycle• Administered during the Spring via web• Only First-years and Seniors

Administration Summary

Count Full-time Female Response Rate*

First-year 317 98% 69% 35%

Senior 279 96% 66% 36%

*Number of respondents divided by total number of Drake students in the respective class

Comparison Groups• Drake Peers 2013:

– Butler University– Elon University– Loyola University New Orleans– Mercer University– Saint Mary’s College of California– Seattle University– Valparaiso University

• Carnegie Class: Master’s Universities--Private, not-for-profit only

• NSSE 2013: All NSSE participating institutions

Strategic Plan- Goal I• Reshape Drake University’s

exceptional living, working and learning environment to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the diverse and global 21st Century.

Engagement Indicators

Reflective & Integrative Learning

• Both Drake first-year students and Drake seniors responded with a lower percentage to:

– Combined ideas from different courses when completing assignments

– Included diverse perspectives (political, religious, racial/ethnic, gender, etc.) in course discussions or assignments

– Examined the strengths and weaknesses of your own views on a topic or issue

– Tried to better understand someone else's views by imagining how an issue looks from his or her perspective

– Learned something that changed the way you understand an issue or concept

• Supports the findings from the Critical Thinking and Information Literacy AOI review

Campus Engagement – Who Should Know?

• Dean’s Council• Academic Affairs

Council• Drake Curriculum

Analysis Committee• University Curriculum

Committee• Colleges and Schools• Student Life• Faculty Senate• Library

• Students• CAAD• FYS• Strategic Plan groups

(e.g., DUCEE)• Quality Initiative• College/School

Curriculum Committees

Connecting Development and Assessment – Taking Action

• Noted consistent areas of challenge and need to develop action

• Call for broad and shared engagement – systems approach

• Importance of intentionality to achieve Strategic Plan Goal 1

Taking Action– School of Education

• Student focus groups to probe for details

• Review results with Dean’s Advisory Council

• Present NSSE and focus group results to faculty and staff

• Align data with NTASC standards • Share presentation with field

supervisors

Different Assessment Approach

• Expanded perspectives and experiences beyond major/program

• Drake Curriculum is different and attractive

• AOI curriculum is not integrated• Purpose of AOIs not always explicit• Sometimes check-the-box mentality

Next Steps• Who else should be a part of the

conversation?

• What actionable steps should be taken with the data?