Motlow State Community College
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Use of Assessment Results
Fall Semester 2008
Program Title: General Education, University Parallel Major
Course: ECON 2010
Expected Student Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to:
1. Recognize and explain the significance of economics as an academic discipline and how it relates to the social interactions between individuals, institutions, structures and processes in a diverse society.
2. Analyze and communicate the methodology, values and processes that are used to formulate general economic theories regarding the social context of individual and institutional behavior.
3. Appraise the relationship and behavioral interaction between the different economic players and the impact that interaction has on social development and the quality of life for individuals, families and communities.
4. Express an understanding of fundamental economic concepts associated with recognizing and appreciating the cultural diversity of the society in which they live and how those concepts are influenced and impacted by a global culture.
5. Define and discuss different economic systems existing in the world and how those systems interact and affect the political, economical, cultural and social behavior of the different societies.
6. Discuss the macroeconomic relationships existing between individuals, households, businesses and governmental institutions, and the impact those relationships have on personal and social behavior.
7. Analyze the macroeconomic ramifications and impact of marketplace activities on the social behavior of individuals, households, businesses and government.
8. Critically analyze the macroeconomic functions of government and the impact it has on personal behavior, social development and the general quality of life for all persons.
9. Recognize and describe basic macroeconomic theory and pursuant policy making processes that help to formulate personal and institutional views and opinions concerning existing and/or proposed national and international social and behavioral state of affairs.
Performance Measure(s): Imbedded assessment.
Effectiveness Standard:
Examination Questions / Total Points / Expected Student Outcomes / Learning Outcome(s)1. Identify and briefly explain the three basic economic perspectives. / 9 points.
Three points for identification of perspectives (one point per perspective).
Six points for explaining the perspectives (two points per perspective). / It is expected that 70% of the students will successfully pass by achieving a minimum of six points. / 1, 2, 3, 4,5,6,7,8,9
2. Define “capitalism,” and identify and explain the characteristics of a “capitalist” system. / 12 points.
Two points for defining “capitalism.”
Five points for identifying the characteristics of a “capitalist” system.
Five points for explaining the characteristics of a “capitalist” system. / It is expected that 70% of the students will successfully pass by achieving a minimum of eight points. / 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
3. Define the business cycle, identify the phases of the business cycle, and explain what is happening to the economic criterion/indicators during each phase of the cycle.
(Note: The economic criterion/indicators taught in class should be demand/spending; supply/output; incomes; employment/unemployment; and prices.) / 14 points.
Two points for defining the business cycle.
Two points for identifying the phases of the business cycle (four phases, .5 points per phase).
Ten points for explaining what is happening to the economic criterion/indicators during each phase (.5 points for each criterion/indicator for each phase). / It is expected that 70% of the students will successfully pass by achieving a minimum of ten points. / 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
4. Assume that the economy is in the midst of a severe recession. What Fiscal Policy would you recommend and explain the impact it would have on the economy. / Six points.
Three points for selecting the correct Fiscal Policy action.
Three points for correctly explaining the economic impact. / It is expected that 70% of the students will successfully pass by achieving a minimum of four points. / 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
5. Assume that the economy is suffering from massive inflation and you are the Chairperson of the FED. What monetary policy/tool would you employ and then using the “cause-effect chain,” explain the effect it would have on the economy. / 6 points.
Three points for selecting the correct monetary policy/tool.
Three points for correctly explaining the economic impact of the policy/tool using “cause-effect chain.” / It is expected that 70% of the students will successfully pass by achieving a minimum of four points. / 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Assessment Results:
Question / Sections01 / 03 / 07 / 08 / 13/15/17/27 / 19 / 21
Pass/Fail / Pass/Fail / Pass/Fail / Pass/Fail / Pass/Fail / Pass/Fail / Pass/Fail
1 / 24/5 / 30/8 / 25/3 / 29/4 / 25/10 / 10/5 / 29/5
Analysis: 172 passed/40 failed for a passing rate of 81.13%
2 / 21/8 / 31/7 / 23/5 / 27/6 / 30/5 / 12/3 / 30/4
Analysis: 174 passed/38 failed for a passing rate of 82.08%
3 / 19/10 / 30/8 / 23/5 / 30/3 / 28/7 / 11/4 / 26/8
Analysis: 167 passed/45 failed for a passing rate of 78.77%
4 / 25/4 / 32/6 / 22/6 / 29/4 / 29/6 / 12/3 / 29/5
Analysis: 178 passed/34 failed for a passing rate of 83.96%
5 / 20/9 / 29/9 / 22/6 / 31/2 / 29/6 / 10/5 / 28/6
Analysis: 169 passed/43 failed for a passing rate of 79.72%
Use of Assessment Results: The anticipated outcomes were achieved on all of the embedded questions in all of the different sections. It should be noted that in 2008 only 64% of the students passed question #3, however, in 2008, 78.77% of the students passed. This represents a 14.77% increase. There was also a 9.19% increase in the number of students that passed question #2. The other questions remained relatively constant, only varying about 4 – 5 percentage points from the previous year’s rates. Based on the results of the assessment, no changes to course content/material or teaching strategies are recommended.