Bachelor of Social Work

Assessment Report, 2014-2015

CLASS, Social Work

Assessment Identifiers

College / School:
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Department:
Social Work

Program / Major / Certificate:
Bachelor of Social Work

Assessment Coordinator(s)
Felicia Tuggle, PhD

Has there been a change to the Assessment Coordinator(s) since the last assessment plan?
No

Person(s) responsible for writing and/or submitting this report:
Roenia DeLoach and Linda Samuel

Program Mission Statement

The Department of Social Work prepares students to excel in social work practice. The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs prepares students for generalist practice and the Master of Social Works (MSW) program builds on the generalist foundation and prepares students for advanced practice in Clinical and Social Administration. The Department promotes student focused learning, affirms the African American legacy and fosters a unique multicultural environment through its BSW and MSW curriculum and advocacy roles in community change. The department graduates students who are culturally competent to practice social work in rural, urban and global settings.

Has this mission statement been revised since the last plan?
No

PSLOs

1. The students will be able to demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.

2. The students will be able to engage diversity and difference in practice.

3. The students will be able to advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.

4. The students will be able to engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.

5. The students will be able to engage in policy practice.

6. The students will be able to engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

7. The students will be able to assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

8. The students will be able to intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

9. The students will be able to evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

LINK TO: Assessment Report, 2014-2015 – Supporting Documents

Assessment Results (PSLOs)

SSU Strategic Plan Goal	PSLO	Semester	Professor	Courses	Assessment Artifacts and Instruments	Target Levels	Results and Analysis of Results	Actions in Response to Results
Academic Engagement and Achievement	1. The students will be able to demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.	Fall 2014	R.  DeLoach	SOWK 3101 Research Methods	Miss Ever’s Boys assignment - PSLO #1 Rubric	80% of the student will score at 80% or higher	TARGET MET A total of 22 BSW students were enrolled in the Research Methods course. 95% of the students scored level 3 or higher on the Miss Ever’s Boys assignment. The results were somewhat similar to the last assessment period in which 97% of the students were able to understand and identify unethical practice and unprofessional behavior related to research and practice.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of projected use of results from the 2013-2014 academic year that is being addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: The NIH online certificate course was added to the course in 2013 and was used again in the 2014-2015 assessment. However, several students did not complete the online certificate program.   Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2014-2015 academic year: As a result, an additional policy was implemented.  Students would not be allowed to collect data for the research project unless they showed proof of successful completion of the NIH Human Subject Certificate course. Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: No additional changes will be made for the next assessment period other than following up to make sure that there is a 100% participate rate in the completion the NIH online certificate course.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	2. The students will be able to engage diversity and difference in practice.	Spring 2015	L. Samuel	SOWK 3340 Interventive Methods I	Diverse Population Presentation - PSLO #2 Rubric	80% of the students will score 80% or higher	TARGET MET A total of 20 BSW students were enrolled in the course. 100% of the students scored 80 or higher on the Diverse Population Presentation. Students demonstrated an understanding of how diversity and difference characterized and shape the human experience.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of projected use of results from the 2013-2014 academic year that is being addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Modified rubric helped students clearly gather information about assigned diverse population. Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2014-2015 academic year: No changes for improvement were implemented during the academic year. Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: Because the target was met, the assignment will continue to be required in order to enhance the students understanding of engagement with diverse populations.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	3. The students will be able to advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.	Spring 2015	L. Samuel	SOWK 2200 Human Needs and Human Services	Social Issue Presentation - PSLO #3 Rubric	80% of the students will score 70% or higher	TARGET MET A total of 21 BSW students were enrolled in the SOWK 2200. 100% of the students in the course scored above 80%. The results show evidence that the students were able to apply their understanding of social, economic and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of projected use of results from the 2013-2014 academic year that is being addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Instructions on how located scholarly (research based) resources that supports social justice enhanced the students to advocate for human rights and social justice. Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2014-2015 academic year: No changes for improvement were implemented during the academic year. Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: Because the target was met, the assignment will continue to be required to encourage the engagement in practices that advance social, economic and environmental justice.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	4. The students will be able to engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.	Fall 2014	R. DeLoach	SOWK  3101 Research Methods	Research Paper - PSLO #4 Rubric	80% of the student will score at 80% or higher.	TARGET NOT MET A total of 22 students were enrolled in the Research Methods course. Only 41% of the students scored at level 3 or higher on the research paper. About 36 % of the students scored at level 2 and 18% did not complete the assignment.   The benchmark for this assignment was not met. The scores were lower than the previous assessment period.	OVERALL: TARGET NOT MET Description of projected use of results from the 2013-2014 academic year that is being addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: In the previous year, the plan was to assign graduate assistant to the research class. However, due to change in graduate assistant policy in the department, no graduate assistant was assigned to the research class. Also, this was the first time that the course was offered during the semester that the student s were in field practicum.  Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2014-2015 academic year: The research course is now offered concurrently with the Field Practicum course. However, the graduate assistant was not assigned to the course. The students also experienced challenges communicating with the field supervisor requirements for the research assignment. The professor consulted with several regarding the research process and how to help the student select agency based research project. Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: The results were discussed with faculty. The decision was made to assign a graduate assistant to the research course. The professor will also discuss potential research project based on the type of agency with the students during the beginning of the semester and consult with field supervisors regarding research topics if needed. Because of the rigorous requirements of this course, the department submitted and was approved by the NPCC to offer two research courses beginning Fall 2018 (required for the Fall 2015 entering Freshman/transfer students). Research Part I will include the introduction to research, proposal development; Research Part II will include the implementation of the research project.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	5. The students will be able to engage in policy practice.	Fall 2014	R. DeLoach	SOWK 2205 History of Social Welfare and Social Policy	Policy Advocacy Presentation - PSLO #5 Rubric	80% of the student will score at level 3 (80% - 89%) or higher	TARGET MET A total of 37 students were enrolled in this policy course. 97% of the students scored at level 3 on the policy advocacy presentation. The benchmark was met. Students generally do very well on this assignment. The students also did had a greater understanding of the government structure, power and impact on social programs.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of projected use of results from the 2013-2014 academic year that is being addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: To increase the student’s understanding of the impact of government policy on program implementation, the chapter on government structure was covered prior to the Policy Advocacy Presentation. Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2014-2015 academic year: The only change made was during this period was the inclusion of the chapter on government structure prior to the completion of the Policy Advocacy Presentation. Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: No changes will be made for the 2015-2016 assessment period.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	6. The students will be able to engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.	Fall 2014	L Samuel	SOWK 3341 Interventive Method II	Group Practice Session Assessment - PSLO #6 Rubric	80% of the students will score 80% or higher	TARGET MET 21 BSW students’ group practice session assimilation assignments were scored using five items scale with a total of 100 points. 100% of all students in the course scored above 80%.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of projected use of results from the 2013-2014 academic year that is being addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: As a result of the combination of peer review and instructor’s feedback, students were able to clearly understand that engagement is an ongoing component of the dynamics and interactive process of social work practice. Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2014-2015 academic year: No changes for improvement were implemented during the academic year Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: Because the benchmark was met, the assignment will continue to be required to help the students understand strategies to engage diverse clients and constituencies to advance practice effectiveness.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	7. The students will be able to assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.	Spring 2015	L Samuel	SOWK 3340 Interventive Method I	Individual Practice Session Assessment - PSLO #7 Rubric	80% of the students will score 80% or higher	TARGET MET 20 BSW students’ individual practice session assessment assignment was scored using ten items scale with a total of 100 points. 100% of the students in the course scored above 80%. The results show evidence that the students understand that assessment is an ongoing component of the interactive process of social work practice.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: Because the target was met, the assignment will continue to be required to help the students understand how their personal experiences and affective reactions may affect their assessment and decision-making. Additionally, students will learn how to collect and organize data, and apply critical thinking to interpret information from clients.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	8. The students will be able to intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.	Fall 2014	L Samuel	SOWK 3341 Interventive Method II	Group Practice Session Assessment - PSLO #8 Rubric	80% of the students will score 80% or higher	TARGET MET 21 BSW students’ individual practice session assessment assignment was scored using ten items scale with a total of 100 points. 100% of the students in the course scored above 80%. The results show evidence that the students understand that engagement is an ongoing component of the interactive.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of process of social work practice. Projected use of results from the 2013-2014 academic year that is being addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: A combination of peer review and instructor’s feedback allowed students to clearly understand that engagement is an ongoing component of the dynamics and interactive process of social work practice. Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2014-2015 academic years: No changes for improvement were implemented during the academic year. Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: Because the target was met, the assignment will continue to be required to help the students understand strategies to engage diverse clients and constituencies to advance practice effectiveness.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	9. The students will be able to evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.	Spring 2015	R. DeLoach	SOWK 3342 Interventive Method III	Macro Community Project - PSLO #99 Rubric	80% of the students will score 80% or higher	TARGET MET A total of 22 BSW students were enrolled in Interventive Methods III course. Overall, 95 % of the students scored at 80% or higher.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of projected use of results from the 2013-2014 academic year that is being addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: No changes were made to the Macro Community Project.  Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2014-2015 academic year: Slight changes were made to the project description. Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: The modified description of the project will continued to be used, as it provides additional clarification for the students.

Assessment Results (POs)

SSU Strategic Plan Goal	PO Goal	Enabling Strategies	Measures	Targets	Results and Analysis of Results	Actions in Response to Results
Academic Engagement and Achievement	Increase the number of BSW students enrolled in graduate school 2-year post BSW degree	a. Increase discussion of graduate school b. Transport students to other university visitations c. Invite graduate social work program recruiters to campus d. Invite alums to speak with students	List of students accepted and attending a graduate programs	At least 25% of the cohort will attend graduate school	TARGET MET A total of 12/23 (52%) students were in a graduate program two years post BSW degree. All 16 students entered a Master of Social Work Graduate Program	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: No action needed. The program will continue with current strategies.
	Increase funding opportunities to provide stipends, travel, tuition awards for students via grants or other funding sources	Develop grant writing team	List of grants awarded for each year	≥ 2 per year	TARGET EXCEEDED The department has a total of  6  grants for this academic year 1) Title IV-E Child welfare Grant (renew yearly) 2) SAMHSA HIV/AIDS, Substance Abuse and Hepatitis C (2015-2018) 3) HRSA- Behavioral Health Specialization Program (2014-2017) 4) President Mini Grant-Saturday School (annual application) 5) CMP- Quality Care and Improvement (QCPI) Program (applied not awarded) 6) Gilman Student International Travel (2 students funded)	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: Faculty will continue to identify sources of funding to assure that we have a minimum of 2 grants per academic year. Once a grant cycle is over, we would have identified a replacement grant if we will have fewer than two grants.
	First year retention of BSW students.	Restructure the BSW curriculum to offer social work courses each semester beginning with the incoming freshman cohort	Banner data	≥ 50% retention rate	TARGET MET Fall 2013 to Fall 2014 retention rate = 58%	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: Although we were able to meet the target, there were more students admitted as social work majors who were not able to register for the bridge course. We decided to offer two sections with plans to add an additional section if needed. Also, the course was closed to non-social work majors; the advising unit and the Social Work Department were the two units allowed to register social work students and identified non-declared majors into the course Fall 2016.