2013-2014 Annual Program Assessment Report
Please submit report to your department chair or program coordinator, the Associate Dean of your College, and to , director of assessment and program review, by Tuesday, September 30, 2014. You may submit a separate report for each program which conducted assessment activities.
College: Humanities
Department: Religious Studies
Program: Undergraduate
Assessment liaison: Mustafa Ruzgar
1. Overview of Annual Assessment Project(s). Provide a brief overview of this year’s assessment plan and process.
In 2013-2014, in compliance with its “Program Assessment Plan, 2011-2016,” the Religious Studies Department assessed SLO3, “Acquire knowledge of the history and belief system of more than one major religious tradition,” in Fall 2013 (one section of RS 307: Religion in America, two sections of RS 361: Contemporary Ethical Issues, and eight sections of RS 150: World Religions) and Spring 2014 (one section of RS 307: Religion in America, five sections of RS 361: Contemporary Ethical Issues, and nine sections of RS 150: World Religions). For each class, ten multiple-choice questions were asked to assess students’ competency in acquiring knowledge of the history and belief system more than one major religious tradition. Each question consisted of four options, one correct answer and three incorrect ones. The ten questions were created with the contributions of the assessment liaison, assessment committee members, the chair, and individual faculty members teaching the relevant courses. For each class, students were given twenty minutes to answer all the ten questions. Students’ answers were quantified and evaluated by the assessment liaison. The results were initially discussed among the assessment liaison, members of the assessment committee, and the chair of the department.
2. Assessment Buy-In. Describe how your chair and faculty were involved in assessment related activities. Did department meetings include discussion of student learning assessment in a manner that included the department faculty as a whole?
The chair, assessment liaison, assessment committee members, and individual faculty members were actively involved in several steps of the assessment process. This involvement included, but not limited to, deciding which classes to be assessed, creating assessment questions, discussing assessment results, and determining what concrete steps to be taken based on assessment results. Each step was conducted through both informal meetings with relevant faculty and through discussions at department meetings.
For example, the ten multiple choice questions were created by seven full time and part time faculty members who were teaching the relevant courses. Q#1 by Nkulu-N’Sengha, Q#2 by Rodman, Q#3 & #9 by Todd, Q#4 & 5 by Ruzgar, Q#6 & 7 by Tevanyan, Q#8 by Myers, and Q#10 by Lee.
3. Student Learning Outcome Assessment Project. Answer items a-f for each SLO assessed this year. If you assessed an additional SLO, copy and paste items a-f below, BEFORE you answer them here, to provide additional reporting space.
3a. Which Student Learning Outcome was measured this year?
SLO3: “Acquire knowledge of the history and belief system of more than one major religious tradition.”
3b. Does this learning outcome align with one or more of the university’s Big 5 Competencies? (Delete any which do not apply)
· Critical Thinking
· Oral Communication
· Written Communication
3c. What direct and/or indirect instrument(s) were used to measure this SLO?
Students were asked ten multiple-choice questions. Each question consisted of four possible answers (one correct, three incorrect). Students were asked to circle the best/correct answer for each question.
3d. Describe the assessment design methodology: For example, was this SLO assessed longitudinally (same students at different points) or was a cross-sectional comparison used (Comparing freshmen with seniors)? If so, describe the assessment points used.
Assessment was conducted using a cross-sectional methodology comparing lower division general education courses (seventeen sections of RS 150 in Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 semesters) with upper division courses (one section of RS 307 and two sections of RS 361 in Fall 2013 and one section of RS 307 and five sections of RS 361 in Spring 2014).
3e. Assessment Results & Analysis of this SLO: Provide a summary of how the results were analyzed and highlight findings from the collected evidence.
A. PROCESS
For RS 150 (eight sections in Fall 2013 and nine sections in Spring 2014), RS 307 (one section in Fall 2013 and one section in Spring 2014), and RS 361 (two sections in Fall 2013 and five sections in Spring 2014), students were asked to circle the best/correct answer in the following ten multiple-choice questions. And then each answer was evaluated on the basis of “correct/incorrect” criterion.
1. Hanukkah commemorates:
A. The Nazi Holocaust.
B. The creation of the State of Israel.
C. The struggle of the Jews against Greek culture in the 2nd century B.C.E. It celebrates the victory of the Maccabean rebellion against the Greek ruler Antiochus who attempted to force non-Jewish practices on the Jewish people.
D. The atonement for sins and prayers of forgiveness.
2. Which of the following characterizes "the American religion"?
A. Pluralism (existence of many religions).
B. Post-pluralism (the new combinations that occur as people borrow religious ideas and practices from one another).
C. Neither.
D. Both a & b.
3. What is the central concern of ethics as envisioned by Jesus of Nazareth?
A. Love is the supreme value that should motivate all ethical concerns.
B. Going to church to worship God.
C. Praying regularly.
D. Giving 10% of one’s income to charity.
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the divisions within Buddhism?
A. Theravada.
B. Vajrayana.
C. Shi’ism.
D. Mahayana.
5. Which figure played a major role in the 16th century Protestant Reformation?
A. Saint Augustine.
B. Thomas Aquinas.
C. Martin Luther.
D. John the Baptist.
6. Mark the correct chronological order:
A. First Buddhism, then Christianity, then Hinduism.
B. Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity.
C. Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism.
D. Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism.
7. Shiite vs. Sunni controversy refers to:
A. The question of opposition to the west.
B. The Quran and its interpretation.
C. The question of succession to Muhammad.
D. The role of women.
8. The following are modern divisions within Judaism:
A. Conservative.
B. Reform.
C. Orthodox.
D. All of the above.
9. The main goal of Indian religious thought was to:
A. Be freed from Samsara or re-birth.
B. Pray regularly.
C. Memorize the Mahabharata.
D. Treat cattle with supreme respect.
10. Siddhartha Gautama was born in:
A. Egypt.
B. India.
C. China.
D. Tibet.
B. RESULTS
Overall Results
All 26 Courses
Total number of students: 868
Total number of answers: 8680 (10 questions)
Correct answers: 6048 (%70)[1]
Incorrect answers: 2632 (%30)
Upper Division (RS 307 & RS 361—9 Courses)
Total number of students: 226
Total number of answers: 2260 (10 questions)
Correct answers: 1379 (%61)
Incorrect answers: 881 (%39)
Lower Division General Education (RS 150—17 Courses)
Total number of students: 642
Total number of answers: 6420 (10 questions)
Correct answers: 4669 (%73)
Incorrect answers: 1751 (%27)
Contrast between Lower Division (RS 150) and Upper Division (RS 307 & RS 361)
There is a %12 decrease in correct answers from lower division courses to upper division courses.
Results for Individual Questions
Q1:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 563 (%65)
Incorrect answers: 305 (%35)
Q2:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 527 (%61)
Incorrect answers: 341 (%39)
Q3:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 704 (%81)
Incorrect answers: 164 (%19)
Q4:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 641 (%74)
Incorrect answers: 227 (%26)
Q5:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 573 (%66)
Incorrect answers: 295 (%34)
Q6:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 543 (%63)
Incorrect answers: 325 (%37)
Q7:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 501 (%58)
Incorrect answers: 367 (%42)
Q8:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 682 (%79)
Incorrect answers: 186 (%21)
Q9:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 694 (%80)
Incorrect answers: 174 (%20)
Q10:
Total number of Answers: 868
Correct answers: 620 (%71)
Incorrect answers: 248 (%29)
C. ANALYSIS
1. Overall Results
a) We use a %70 benchmark for expected level of success. In all twenty six courses, the correct answers (%70) were the same with the %70 benchmark.
b) In the upper division courses, the correct answers (%61) were below the %70 benchmark.
c) In the lower division general education courses, the correct answers (%73) exceeded the %70 benchmark.
2. Overall Analysis
The overall results of 26 courses demonstrate that our department succeeds in implementing SLO#3 (%70). However, the %12 decrease in correct answers from lower division courses to upper division courses indicate that the upper level courses selected for the assessment of SLO#3 were not appropriate for the assessment method of this particular SLO. The ten multiple choice questions chosen for this assessment were pertinent to at least five major religious traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism). RS 150: World Religions is perfectly appropriate for asking questions from such diverse religious traditions. However, RS 307: Religion in America and RS 361: Contemporary Ethical Issues were not appropriate for such questions that cover as diverse as five major religious traditions.
In our department, SLO#3 is best achieved through some lower level courses (such as RS 150: World Religions and RS 100: Introduction to Religious Studies) that addresses multiple religious traditions and some upper level courses (such as RS 345: Christianity, RS 365: Islam, RS 380: Asian Religions, RS 385: Hinduism, RS 390: Buddhism, etc.) that focus on individual religious traditions.
Had we chosen any of those courses that focus on individual religious traditions instead of RS 307 and RS 361, we would still have imperfect results because of the fact that the ten questions relate to five different religious traditions (for example, students taking RS 365: Islam would not necessarily be able to answer questions about Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism). Perhaps, rather than asking these 10 questions, we should have considered another assessment method that would be more appropriate for the content of SLO#3.
3. Results for Individual Questions
a) Questions #1, 2, 5, 6 (%65, %61, %66, %63, respectively) were marginally below the %70 benchmark.
b) Questions #7 (%58) fell considerably below the %70 benchmark.
c) Questions #3, 4, 8, 9, 10 (%81, %74, %79, %80, and %71, respectively) exceeded the %70 benchmark.
4. Analysis of Results for Individual Questions
The results demonstrate that in overall courses, we surpass our expected level of achievement in implementing SLO3. Despite that fact that the two upper level courses’ inappropriateness for the method of this assessment (please refer to “Overall Analysis” above), students were able to exceeded the %70 benchmark in questions #3, 4, 8, 9, 10.
3f. Use of Assessment Results of this SLO: Describe how assessment results were used to improve student learning. Were assessment results from previous years or from this year used to make program changes in this reporting year? (Possible changes include: changes to course content/topics covered, changes to course sequence, additions/deletions of courses in program, changes in pedagogy, changes to student advisement, changes to student support services, revisions to program SLOs, new or revised assessment instruments, other academic programmatic changes, and changes to the assessment plan.)
The assessment results will be shared with faculty and be discussed in our next department meeting and the necessary measures will be implemented in improving student learning regarding SLO3. It is the chair’s, assessment liaison’s, and assessment committee’s initial opinion that the results of this year’s assessment demonstrate an overall success in implementing SLO3. For this reason, this year’s assessment results do not necessitate any drastic changes with regards to courses, SLO’s, and the program.
It is also agreed by the same parties (the chair, assessment committee, assessment liaison) that the two upper level courses (RS 307: Religion in America and RS 361: Contemporary Ethical Issues) were not appropriate for the assessment method of SLO#3. For this reason, when SLO#3 is reassessed in the next cycle, due diligence will be given to use a more appropriate assessment instrument.
4. Assessment of Previous Changes: Present documentation that demonstrates how the previous changes in the program resulted in improved student learning.
On the basis last year’s (2012-2013) assessment results, our department has undertaken the following steps:
- Last year’s assessment results demonstrated an overall success in implementing SLO#2 (%74 in all sixteen courses, %78 upper division courses, and %74 lower division general education courses). For this reason, no major changes have been undertaken with regards to SLO#2.
- Last year’s assessment results (questions #7 & 9, success percentages being %61 & %59 respectively) also indicated the minor need in improving students’ comprehension of key concepts of world religions (orthodox, reform, conservative, and covenant). To this end, the results of last year’s assessment were shared with faculty. The chair corresponded with relevant faculty on how to improve students’ learning of key concepts of world religions by underlining the need to address such concepts in classroom setting.
- The content of this year’s (2013-2014) assessment question #8 is similar to last year’s questions #7 & 9. The fact that this year’s students’ success level (%79) in question #8 considerably exceeded last year’s students’ success levels in questions #7 & 9 (%61 & %59) indicates the effectiveness of the measures undertaken.
5. Changes to SLOs? Please attach an updated course alignment matrix if any changes were made. (Refer to the Curriculum Alignment Matrix Template, http://www.csun.edu/assessment/forms_guides.html.)
No.
6. Assessment Plan: Evaluate the effectiveness of your 5 year assessment plan. How well did it inform and guide your assessment work this academic year? What process is used to develop/update the 5 year assessment plan? Please attach an updated 5 year assessment plan for 2013-2018. (Refer to Five Year Planning Template, plan B or C, http://www.csun.edu/assessment/forms_guides.html.)
With slight changes, our 5-Year Assessment Plan (2011-2016) was followed. Determining which SLO (SLO#3) and which lower division courses (RS 150) to assess and which direct measure to use (test) was informed by our plan. However, the following changes were also made: