Bachelor of Science in Behavior Analysis

Assessment Report, 2013-2014

CLASS, Behavior Analysis

Assessment Identifiers

College / School
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Department
Social and Behavioral Sciences

Program / Major / Certificate
Behavior Analysis Major

Assessment Coordinator(s)
Katherine Stewart

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:
Katherine Stewart

Program Mission Statement

To offer students a dynamic, cutting edge major in behavior analysis, a specialized area with the field of psychology that will enhance the university’s commitment to academic excellence and address both students and community needs. Provide students with the breadth and depth of practical and theoretical application to continue their educational pursuit in higher education or to enter the workforce with viable skills. Provide students with an interdisciplinary degree which will provide marketable educational and professional skills.

The Behavior Analysis program will become the venue of choice for students interested in Behavior Analysis as a profession, and for students interested in advancing to graduate school in Behavior Analysis or Psychology. The program will provide courses that meet the coursework requirements for certification as a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. The program will continue to develop liaisons with the private sector to offer students internship positions. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in research conducted by our faculty and present their findings at local conferences.

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

PSLOs

1. Students will be able to operationally define and measure ongoing behavior in educational, business, and institutional settings.

2. Students will be able to analyze and address behavior problems in various settings using behavioral techniques and technology within the framework of the ethical guidelines of the BACB.

3. Students will be able to demonstrate the application of behavioral principles to manage one’s own behavior and/or design customized intervention plans for individuals across a variety of populations.

4. Students will be able to describe the importance of interdisciplinary research and education.

5. Students will be able to demonstrate professional, academic, and/or scientific writing skills in preparation for the field and/or graduate school.

LINK TO: Assessment Report, 2013-2014 – 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. Students will be able to operationally define and measure ongoing behavior in educational, business, and institutional settings.	Fall 2013	K. Stewart	BEHV 3104 Behavior Change in Behavior Analysis	FA Paper - FA Paper Rubric	70% of students > 70% score	TARGET MET 100% of students > 70% score	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Although students performed well on this assessment it does not fully capture the PSLO as written. The program will consider adjusting PSLO and developing/adopting new/additional assessments.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	2. Students will be able to analyze and address behavior problems in various settings using behavioral techniques and technology within the framework of the ethical guidelines of the BACB.	Fall 2013	K. Stewart	BEHV 1101 Introduction to Behavior Analysis	Ethics Exercise - Ethics Rubric	70% of students > 70% score	TARGET NOT MET 53% of students > 70% score	OVERALL: TARGET NOT MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Upon reflection, it appears that this assessment was asking too much for this level of course. The program will adopt assessment measures that are more suitable for developing levels of competency regarding ethics as well as consider adjusting PSLO and developing/adopting new/additional assessments.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	3. Students will be able to demonstrate the application of behavioral principles to manage one’s own behavior and/or design customized intervention plans for individuals across a variety of populations.	Spring 2014	K. Stewart	BEHV 3000 Basic Concepts in Behavior Analysis	Paper - Paper Rubric	70% of students > 70% score	TARGET MET 84% of students > 70% score	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Although students performed well on this assessment it does not fully capture the PSLO as written. The program will consider adjusting PSLO and developing/adopting new/additional assessments.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	4. Students will be able to describe the importance of interdisciplinary research and education.	Spring 2014	K. Stewart	BEHV 4213 Research Seminar	Hock Exam - Exam Key	70% of students > 70% score	TARGET NOT MET 55% of students > 70% score	OVERALL: TARGET NOT MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Students did not perform well on this assessment and it is not clear that it truly addressed the importance of interdisciplinary research and education. The program will consider adjusting PSLO and developing/adopting new/additional assessments.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	5. Students will be able to demonstrate professional, academic, and/or scientific writing skills in preparation for the field and/or graduate school.	Spring 2014	K. Stewart	BEHV 4213 Research Seminar	Presentation - Presentation Rubric	70% of students > 70% score	TARGET MET 100% of students > 70% score	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Although students performed well on this assessment it does not fully capture the PSLO as written. The program will consider adjusting PSLO and developing/adopting new/additional assessments.

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	Attract qualified students to the behavior analysis major, help them to achieve academic success, and facilitate their progress through the major requirements in a timely manner so that they graduate from Savannah State University with a bachelor’s degree in four years	Faculty with qualifications to teach BEHV courses	Data from Institutional Research Office on number of majors and graduation rates	Offer at least two sections of BEHV 1101 each semester and offer at least three upper-level BEHV electives in AY 2013-2014	TARGET MET Two sections of BEHV 1101 were offered each semester and four upper-level BEHV electives were offered across both semesters	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: The program will maintain offering of upper-level of electives and also provide at least one section of all the required courses for the major each semester.
Academic Engagement and Achievement		Faculty with qualifications to teach BEHV courses		Maintain/increase number of majors from AY 2012-2103 and graduate at least 10% of majors in AY 2013-2014	TARGET MET Maintained number of majors from AY 2012-2103 to AY 2013-2014 (154 and 158 respectively) and graduated 29 majors (18%) in AY 2013-2014
Academic Engagement and Achievement	Offer students a curriculum that reflects disciplinary guidelines and standards for education in the field of behavior analysis and prepares them to pursue graduate education or enter the behavior analysis workforce	Complete paperwork necessary to initiate curriculum changes and usher them through the curriculum approval process	Completed curriculum approval paperwork	Add following BEHV courses: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Community Applications of Behavior Analysis, Organizational Behavior Management, & Behavior Ethics	TARGET MET New course proposals (Autism Spectrum Disorders, Community Applications of Behavior Analysis, Organizational Behavior Management, and Behavior Ethics) submitted and approved by Department, College and Faculty Senate.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of projected use of results from the 2012-2013 academic year that is being addressed in the 2013-2014 academic year: The program needs more major electives because we had only 6 upper-level BEHV elective courses available and the major requires 5-10 BEHV/PSYC electives. We will add BEHV 3000 as an explicit minor requirements (as it is a prerequisite for the upper-level electives required for the minor). Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: The program will work new courses into the course rotation of major electives.
				Include BEHV 3000 Basic Concepts as a an explicit requirement for the minor (as it is a prerequisite course for the electives required by the minor)	TARGET MET Change of minor form submitted and approved by Department, College and Faculty Senate
				Add BEHV 4001-4030 and PSYC 4603-4630 to special topics course numbers so that student can report the course (with different topics) for credit and have courses covered by financial aid	TARGET MET Change of Course forms submitted and approved by Department, College and Faculty Senate
Academic Engagement and Achievement	Maintain a program faculty that is comprised primarily of tenure-track doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), supplemented by some full-time lecturers and part-time/adjunct faculty who are BCBAs	Support from administration to attract and retain qualified BCBA faculty	Number of faculty who are Board Certified Behavior Analysts, doctoral-level, tenure-track/lecturer, full-time/part-time	Hire two tenure-track faculty who are doctoral-level BCBAs	TARGET PARTIALLY MET Permission to hire was granted and an advertisement posted. One of the two tenure-track faculty positions was filled w/a doctoral-level BCBA, and one existing tenure-track BCBA faculty member left leaving the program in the same position it started the AY	OVERALL: TARGET PARTIALLY MET Description of projected use of results from the 2012-2013 academic year that is being addressed in the 2013-2014 academic year: The program was successful in gaining permission to hire 2 tenure-track doctoral-level BCBA faculty in the 2013-2014 year. Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2013-2014 academic year: Permission to hire two one-year temporary BCBA faculty was sought and obtained to fill vacant faculty positions and two faculty who met the criteria were hired to continue to meet future goals.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	Support faculty and student activities that promote community outreach and bring visibility to the behavior analysis program	Resources to produce promotional materials and identification of opportunities/venues for program promotion	Documents confirming participation in activities promoting program visibility	Promote/Participate in at least 4 activities/events over the AY	TARGET MET Poster & Brochures produced Participation in 2 Open campus Day Marketplace 2 Invited Speaker	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: The program will continue this goal to look for new opportunities. The program secured permission to search for two tenure-track doctoral-level BCBA faculty members during 2014-2105 to continue to meet future goals.