Semester assessment data gathered / Fall 2011
Number of sections offered in the semester / 3 (1 by FT, 2 by PT)
Number of sections assessed / 2
Percentage of sections assessed / 66.7%
Semester held “Closing the Loop” discussion / Spring 2012
Faculty members involved in “Closing the Loop” discussion / 2
Course-Level Outcome (CLO) 1:
Outcome:Demonstrate a good understanding of the fundamental terms and concepts, beginning with definitions and culminating with the ability to interpret and apply quantitative information (e.g. formulas) and graphs to "real world" economic issues, problems, and events. Critical analysis, applying the above material, is the ultimate objective.
In the context of the course as a whole, what scores for your CLOs would indicate success for you? (Example: 75% of the class scored either 3 or 4.)
75% of the class scored 2 or above.How do your current scores match with your above definition of success?
87.7% of the class scored 2 or above.(0=4.6%; 1=7.7%; 2=27.7%; 3=21.5%; 4=38.5%)
Students struggle a bit with graphs and formulas, but this problem has been lessened by the imposition of a tough new math prerequisite at the insistence of the CSU system.
Based on the data gathered, and considering your teaching experiences and your discussions with other faculty, what reflections and insights do you have?
Economics is in some ways the most abstract course many students take, and we are always on the outlook for ways to connect abstract theories to practical, real-world examples. The advantage of an abstract course is that it can be generalized to more specific examples than a course that is very practical and concrete.What course-level and programmatic strengths have the assessment reflections revealed?
Most students are able to understand the abstractions involved and apply them to real-world examples.What actions has your discipline determined might be taken as a result of your reflections, discussions, and insights?
The Internet has proven to be a boon for learning economics, as there are now many instantly available efforts at applying abstract theories to real-world applications. Current data, in an often-quantitative field, is also more available than if one had to rely exclusively on textbooks printed some time ago using only the data then available. An extreme recent example would be all the textbooks printed in, say, early 2008 asking how long the good times would last, that were being newly used as the American economy faced major collapse in late 2008 and beyond. Being printed even that very same year wasn’t current enough!What is the nature of the planned actions?
× Curricular
× Pedagogical
c Resource based
c Change to CLO or rubric
c Change to assessment methods
c Other: ______
Course-Level Outcome (CLO) 2:
Outcome:Demonstrate an understanding of macroeconomics principles by answering both qualitative and quantitative problems presented to the students on a daily basis.
In the context of the course as a whole, what scores for your CLOs would indicate success for you? (Example: 75% of the class scored either 3 or 4.)
75% of the class scored 2 or above.How do your current scores match with your above definition of success?
87.7% of the class scored 2 or above.(0=4.6%; 1=7.7%; 2=27.7%; 3=21.5%; 4=38.5%)
Most students were able to apply insights gained in the course to real-world economic events.
Based on the data gathered, and considering your teaching experiences and your discussions with other faculty, what reflections and insights do you have?
Most students were able to apply insights gained in the course to real-world economic events. This is helped by Econ 2, unlike Econ 1, focusing on the national economy and thus on what is often in news headlines. When the chief issue in a presidential election is the economy, students pay attention more in Economics class! But events in the recent past, and present, have had a way of outrunning textbook’s theory and commentary.What course-level and programmatic strengths have the assessment reflections revealed?
Students are generally able to connect economic theory with real-world decisions and events.What actions has your discipline determined might be taken as a result of your reflections, discussions, and insights?
We should probably rely when we can on dynamic sources of information, such as periodicals and the Internet, in addition to static sources such as textbooks. While many books have now been written on the Great Depression, much of the information on the so-called Great Recession is only now being gathered into books that people can rely on in future decades. This isn’t an argument for online instruction per se, but of using online and periodical sources more in any delivery mode.What is the nature of the planned actions?
× Curricular
× Pedagogical
c Resource based
c Change to CLO or rubric
c Change to assessment methods
c Other: ______
Course-Level Outcome (CLO) 3:
Outcome:Demonstrate an ability to evaluate and reframe the interaction that takes place among the major economic variables on the national level, such as inflation, overall employment, growth and international trade.
In the context of the course as a whole, what scores for your CLOs would indicate success for you? (Example: 75% of the class scored either 3 or 4.)
75% of the class scored 2 or above.How do your current scores match with your above definition of success?
87.7% of the class scored 2 or above.(0=4.6%; 1=7.7%; 2=27.7%; 3=21.5%; 4=38.5%)
Most students “get,” to at least some degree, these potentially very complicated interactions.
Based on the data gathered, and considering your teaching experiences and your discussions with other faculty, what reflections and insights do you have?
Students are somewhat familiar with claims and counter-claims about the economy made in the public sphere, but can be a bit confused as they try to tease out which are valid and which are less valid conclusions about economic interactions. For example, should one balance the budget first, which could worsen an economic downturn, or try to speed recovery from that downturn by actions that would (temporarily, one hopes) raise the national deficit? The fact that many in the public sphere argue these issues less than honestly – because they’re running for office or have a personal financial stake in one particular set of policies – doesn’t help. Critical thinking skills can be even more handy, and necessary, in Economics than in most academic disciplines! So is some knowledge of Civics from high school, where it is not always taught these days.What course-level and programmatic strengths have the assessment reflections revealed?
By being exposed to different approaches to economic problems in an Economics class, students do gain critical thinking skills needed to apply economic principles to public and everyday private life.What actions has your discipline determined might be taken as a result of your reflections, discussions, and insights?
Increasingly integrating critical-thinking exercises into Economics courses, and some kind of quick “refresher” on Civics (there are two houses of Congress … ) would be helpful to understanding course content.What is the nature of the planned actions?
× Curricular
× Pedagogical
c Resource based
c Change to CLO or rubric
c Change to assessment methods
c Other: ______
Course-Level Outcome (CLO) 4:
Outcome:(No 4th CLO.)
In the context of the course as a whole, what scores for your CLOs would indicate success for you? (Example: 75% of the class scored either 3 or 4.)
How do your current scores match with your above definition of success?
Based on the data gathered, and considering your teaching experiences and your discussions with other faculty, what reflections and insights do you have?
What course-level and programmatic strengths have the assessment reflections revealed?
What actions has your discipline determined might be taken as a result of your reflections, discussions, and insights?
What is the nature of the planned actions?
c Curricular
c Pedagogical
c Resource based
c Change to CLO or rubric
c Change to assessment methods
c Other: ______