Bachelor of Arts in History, General

Assessment Report, 2014-2015

CLASS, History

Assessment Identifiers

College / School:
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department:
Social and Behavioral Sciences

Program / Major / Certificate:
History Program (Undergraduate)

Assessment Coordinator(s)
Pedro Rivera, Felicia Bell

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:
Pedro Rivera, Felicia Bell

Program Mission Statement

This history program at Savannah State University is designed to provide students with an opportunity to acquire a solid foundation of knowledge as it relates to the human past. This is done through a variety of classes taught by a highly qualified faculty whose areas of specialization include African, African-American, Asian, European, Latin American, and United States history. The program prepares graduates for careers in teaching, public service, graduate school and law school. History graduates are trained in critical thinking, analytical research and writing skills which apply to career endeavors.

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

PSLOs

1. Information Literacy: Students will demonstrate literacy in the content of information and/or in the sources, provenance and uses of historical evidence.

2. Critical Thinking: Students will show critical thinking skills in research and thesis-governed papers or other assignments that involve written, oral or visual forms of communication.

3. Written Communication: Students will display effective communication skills and/or knowledge of field-specific conventions when writing on general or specific historical topics.

4. Integrative Learning: Students will apply course topics to experience when visiting institutions of public history.

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. Information Literacy: Students will demonstrate literacy in the content of information and/or in the sources, provenance and uses of historical evidence.	Fall 2014	Felicia Bell	HIST 3501 Colonial America	Primary Source Analysis – AACU Value Rubric (Information Literacy)	At least 70% of students will score at Level 3 Milestone.	TARGET 1 MET 92% of students scored at the level 3 Milestone. Only 1 of 13 students did not meet this requirement. No student scored at the level of 4 capstone, which is not usually expected in a 3000 level course.	OVERALL: TARGET PARTIALLY MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: TARGET 1: The program will measure PSLO #1 for the 2015-2016 year, using another class and artifact/instrument. TARGET 2: The program will measure PSLO #1 again in Spring 2016. We will pay attention and learn from the results.
Academic Engagement and Achievement		Spring 2015	Pedro Rivera	HIST 4601 Latin America in the Modern World	Research Paper – AACU Value Rubric (Information Literacy)	At least 70% of students will score at Level 3 Milestone.	TARGET 2 NOT MET This was a relatively small class with 8 students. About half the students (3 in total, representing 42%) were scored at the Level 3 Milestone, and the other half (3 in total, or 42%) were scored at the level 2 Milestone. One student (about 14%) scored at the level 1 Benchmark.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	2. Critical Thinking: Students will show critical thinking skills in research and thesis-governed papers or other assignments that involve written, oral or visual forms of communication.	Fall 2014	Felicia Bell	HIST 3501 Colonial America	Primary Source Analysis – AACU Value Rubric (Critical Thinking)	At least 70% of students will score at Level 3 Milestone.	TARGET 1 MET 85% of students scored at the level of 3 Milestone. No more than 2 students (representing 14 percent) scored at the level of 2 Milestone. However, the majority of the students (78 percent) show problems connecting the conclusion to the paper.	OVERALL: TARGET PARTIALLY MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: TARGET 1: We plan to measure PSLO #2 again for the 2015-2016 year. However, we are going to use another class and artifact/instrument. TARGET 2: We will measure PSLO #2/class and assignment again in Spring 2016. We will pay attention and learn from the results.
Academic Engagement and Achievement		Spring 2015	Pedro Rivera	HIST 4601 Latin America in the Modern World	Research Paper – AACU Value Rubric (Critical Thinking)	At least 70% of students will score at Level 3 Milestone.	TARGET 2 NOT MET The Majority of 5 students (or 62%) were scored at Level 2 Milestone. Only 1 to 2 students touched certain points of the 3 and 4 categories.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	3. Written Communication: Students will display effective communication skills and/or knowledge of field-specific conventions when writing on general or specific historical topics.	Fall 2014	Felicia Bell	HIST 3501 Colonial America	Primary Source Analysis – QEP Writing Rubric (Written Communication)	At least 80% of students should score at Level 2 (Satisfactory) Benchmark.	TARGET 1 MET 93% of students scored at the level of 2 Benchmark (Satisfactory). Only 1 student (representing a 7 percent) scored at the level of 1 Benchmark (Unsatisfactory) for one category of writing.	OVERALL: TARGET PARTIALLY MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: TARGET 1: The program will measure PSLO #3 again for the 2015-2016 year. However, we are going to use another class and artifact/instrument. TARGET 2: The program will measure PSLO #3 again for the 2015-2016 year. However, we are going to use another class and artifact/instrument.
Academic Engagement and Achievement		Spring 2015	Pedro Rivera	HIST 4601 Latin America in the Modern World	Research Paper – QEP Writing Rubric (Written Communication)	At least 80% of students should score at Level 2 (Satisfactory) Benchmark.	TARGET 2 NOT MET An average of 5 students (or 62%) were able to score at Level 2 (Satisfactory) Benchmark. 2 students, however, were scored as excellent, or Level 3 Milestone.

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	Maintain or increase enrollment in the major	Distribute flyers/pamphlets and promote the program in Open Campus Activities.	Blackboard Analytics Data	83 majors in Fall 2013	TARGET NOT MET Student enrollment went down from 83 to 62 for the Fall 2014. Larger graduation rates impacted enrollment total.	OVERALL: TARGET NOT MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: We need to hire an Americanist and fill the vacancy left by Dr. Bell. US history is perhaps the most important concentration of all the historical fields here at program. We believe that an Americanist will provide more stability to the program.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	Increase graduation rates	Mentoring, advising, independent studies.	Blackboard Analytics Data	Graduate 10% ten percent of student enrollment.	TARGET MET We graduated 11 students in the 2014-2015 year, where enrollment was 62. Target exceeded by 8%	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: These graduation rates will make enrollment maintenance a challenge for next year.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	Increase faculty presentation/publication of scholarship	Publications and conference/paper presentations.	Faculty reports of annual scholarship.	Each faculty member is to present or publish a paper at least once a year.	TARGET MET We met and exceeded this target.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2015-2016 academic year: No actions needed. Target exceeded.