QLP Experiences: CRJ 3013

Drs. Rob Tillyer & Megan AugustynDepartment of Criminal Justice

Presentation to the 2015-16 QLP GroupAugust 21, 2015

QLP & CRJ 3013• CRJ 3013 – Research Design & Analysis

– Core course for Criminal Justice majors– Covers: the scientific method, research design, sampling, basic

analysis, etc.

• Impetus for inclusion in the QLP program– No CRJ courses were tagged as Q courses– On average, between 900-1,000 CRJ majors– Many of these are transfer students – Do not have an opportunity to

take a Q course in their electives or in the core curriculum – University had to offer special summer workshops to enable these

students to graduate with the Q requirement completed

QLP & CRJ 3013• Re-design occurred in 2014-15

– Pilot-tested in 3 sections (1 Fall; 2 Spring)– Roughly 40-50 students per section

• Re-design did not require significant overhaul – Unique feature: Quantitative component of the course was contained within the final one

third of the course, including an assignment

• To dos: 1. Set standard material covered for course (verify across sections)2. Design a pre-/post-test 3. Modify the existing assignment to adhere to QLP requirements

• Considerations: – Course taught by several instructors (tenure or tenure-track only)– Maintain instructor discretion – No substantively new material added to the course

QLP & CRJ 3013• Creation of all materials to ensure standardization:

– Pre-/post-test– Assignment– Associated data– Grading rubrics

• Shared in a common folder on the I drive

• Training meeting (approx. 90 minutes) to all “new” Q-instructors

Training Session Information• Pre-/Post-Test – What is it? How to administer it…

– Administer the Pre-test within the first two weeks of class; • Students need Banner ID, pencil, and calculator

– Administer the Post-test on the final day of class or during final; – Provide students with ParScore (scantron) forms (available in the CRJ office) and Test– This should be treated similar to an exam; closed book, instructor should only answer clarification

questions– These tests are not for grades; Instructor’s discretion whether to give bonus credit for completion– All materials must be returned to the instructor – Answers are not reviewed

• Pre-/Post Grading Steps: 1. Complete the ParScore training2. Register with ParScore before semester http://testing.utsa.edu/parscore

1. Indicate 2 quizzes (provide general dates)

3. Instructor grades Q.10: Graded on a scale of 0, 1, 3, 5 (see grading rubric)4. Complete the Grading Instructions Sheet

http://testing.utsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/0286_0001.pdf • Specific information required on instructions: Professor, Class, How to score Qs 1-9, Send to

QLP• We have prefilled out forms on I-drive

5. Submit ParScore forms for grading at DT Library

Training Session Information• Assignment: When to administer? How to grade?

– Assignment given toward end of course– Instructor sets how much assignment is worth in the course – Assignment requires 11 questions but can be amended to include additional questions

• We provide additional questions that can be used or instructors can make their own• All assignments must use data provided and contain 11 questions using this data – wording

cannot be changed

– Instructor/TA grades assignment– Instructor can give any point total to questions for their own grading purposes

• Translating Assignment to QLP grades– Course coordinator creates the master course template every semester

• Provide QLP goal, level, grading scheme for each question on assignment

– Either the faculty or the TA/Grader download their section(s) Excel template(s) from QLCDS http://qlcds.it.utsa.edu and fills out with• Student roster information (downloaded from ASAP and Blackboard Learn)• Scores for each Q-question on 1-5 scale (1, 3, or 5)

– Either the faculty or the TA/Grader uploads the completed Excel template to the QLCDS website

QLP & CRJ 3013• Implementation Considerations (for QLP coordinators):

– ParScore process – ease and issues?– Grading consistency across sections – how to achieve? are rubrics sufficient?

talking across sections?– TA vs. Instructor grading – all or nothing!– Errors in pre-/post-test or assignment – what to do?– Participation issues - Provide all materials for students; course credit or extra

credit at discretion of instructor– Explaining Pre-/Post-Test to students: Justification, Grading Procedures; Getting

the students to buy in to do best– Flexibility for different instructors

• Multiple assignments, data sets, practice

• Implementation Considerations (for students):– Limit knowledge of learning outcomes - avoids unnecessary confusion and

questions