Numerous UMD programs were recognized last month with Excellence in Program Assessment awards. Those honored were chosen by subgroups of the Assessment Subcommittee, based on peer review ratings and related Annual Program Assessment Reports.
“Assessing student learning is an important part of the academic process that helps to inform improvements to teaching and learning. I congratulate the programs and their faculty and staff who have demonstrated excellence in student learning assessment, working to ensure our students are acquiring the knowledge they need to launch successful careers,” said Fernando Delgado, UMD’s Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.
"Students learn outside the classroom through a host of activities, student employment opportunities, and co-curricular programs. I'm excited about the assessment that is being done in academic support and student activities programs and thank the staff who are engaged in that work. A focus on learning inside and outside the classroom ensures that the UMD environment is a positive one for our students," said Lisa Erwin, Vice Chancellor of Student Life and Dean of Students.
Four programs received awards in the category of measurement.
The Integrated Elementary and Special Education program in the College of Education and Human Service Professions received an award for its conscientious and deliberate use of multiple measures to determine progress against its outcomes. Direct measures include a nationally normed measure scored by an outside agency, several course embedded measures, and two longitudinal program level scales. Plus, the program used indirect measures including perception feedback from students, supervisors, and cooperating teachers. The current and former program assessment liaisons, Associate Professors Jennifer Frisch and Gerry Nierengarten accepted the award on behalf of the program.
The Katherine A. Martin Library received an award for a co-curricular program that has conscientiously and carefully created sensitive measures to delineate the teaching effect of the collaboration between the library and faculty teaching College Writing (WRIT 1120) and Advanced Writing (WRIT 31xx). The measures provide rich and precise data that informs the work of both entities. Associate Librarian Kim Pittman, the program’s assessment liaison, accepted the award.
The Art History program in the School of Fine Arts received an award based on its exceptional use of creative and engaging authentic assessment to measure complex and interconnected understandings. Associate Professor Jennifer Webb, who is the program area coordinator and the assessment liaison, accepted the award for the program.
The final award in the measurement category was given to the Communication Sciences and Disorders M.A. program in the College of Education and Human Service Professions for its inclusion of multiple direct measures from all courses aligned to each program learning outcome. In addition, student progress is tracked and a remediation plan is developed for any student who falls short of meeting an outcome. Program representatives accepting the award included Department Chair Professor Mark Mizuko; Director of Graduate Studies and program assessment liaison Associate Professor Dana Collins; Graduate representative to the CSD program committee Sommer Heikkila; and Clinic Director and program assessment liaison Lynette Carlson.
In the program development reporting category, one program went beyond presenting the results of previous assessment.
The School of Fine Arts’ Theatre B.F.A and B.A. core program assessment report provided details about the program changes implemented as a result of the previous assessment and described the impacts of those changes using the current assessment results. The program assessment liaison who accepted the award on behalf of the program was Associate Professor Rebecca Katz Harwood.
Two programs received awards for stakeholder involvement.
The Master of Social Work program in the College of Education and Human Service Professions demonstrates comprehensive involvement of stakeholders, and is especially commended for the manner in which faculty ensure course learning outcomes align with program learning outcomes and the involvement of students in soliciting feedback on assessment measures and rubrics. Associate Professor Lake Dziengel, director of Graduate Studies, and Associate Professor Jim Amell received the award on behalf of the program.
The Geographic Information Sciences program in the College of Liberal Arts has far exceeded expectations with regard to how students are involved in the program’s assessment activities. Associate Professor Laure Charleux and Assistant Professor Ryan Bergstrom accepted the award for this program.
John Schwetman, associate professor in English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies, and Lyndsey Andersen, associate director in Study Abroad, serve as subcommittee chair and vice chair respectively for the 2018-19 academic year.
Learn more about assessment at UMD.