hart research assotescia aac&u members on trends in learning outcomes, general education, and...

HARTRESEARCHA S S O T E SC I A

AAC&U Members On Trends In Learning Outcomes, General Education, and Assessment

Key findings from online survey among 433 Chief Academic Officersand other academic leaders at AAC&U member institutions

Conducted November 19, 2008 – February 16, 2009

for

Margin of sampling error ±4.7 percentage points

Membership Survey: Trends In General Education Nov 2008–Feb 2009 Hart Research for2

Profile Of The Sample

Carnegie Classification: Associate’s degree Bachelor’s degree Master’s degree Doctoral degree Other

Affiliation: Public Private

8%32%39%19%

2%

44%56%

Characterization of Majors: Majority major in professional/career fields Majority major in A&S fields Equally split

24%

31%

45%


Institutions’ Focus On Learning Outcomes


22% 78%

Nearly four in five institutions have a set of common learning outcomes for all undergraduates.

Have common learning outcomes

that apply to all undergraduates

Does your institution have a common set of intended learning goals or outcomes that apply to ALL undergrad-uate students?

NO common learning goals/outcomes for

undergraduates

Apply to ENTIRE undergraduate experience, including majors

Some apply to entire undergraduate experience, others apply mainly to general education requirements

Apply only to general education requirements

26%

34%

18%

Membership Survey: Trends In General Education Nov 2008–Feb 2009 Hart Research for

Nearly four in five institutions have a set of common learning outcomes for all undergraduates.

Have learning outcomes forall students

Which of the following statements best describes your institution’s learning outcomes for undergraduate learning?

All Members

Carnegie Classification: Bachelor’s degree Master’s degree Doctoral degree/res

Affiliation: Public Private

78%

79%80%70%

80%76%

26%

30%25%21%

20%32%

Apply to entire

undergrad experience

Some apply to enitre

experience; others mainly

to gen end

Only apply to generaleducation

requirements

34%

37%33%31%

39%30%

18%

12%22%18%

21%14%


33%

2%

65%

Nearly all institutions have specified learning outcomes within at least some departments.

ALL have learning outcomes

Have specific departments, schools, or majors at your in-stitution spelled out intended learning goals or outcomes applicable to their students?

NONE has

Carnegie Classification: Bachelor’s degree Master’s degree Doctoral degree/res

Affiliation: Public Independent/religious

ALLhave

66%66%55%

66%64%

SOMEhave

30%33%41%

33%33%

SOME have learning outcomes


Goals/Outcomes for All Students’ College Learning

18%

33%

39%

48%

57%

68%

68%

70%

71%

72%

Among all academic officers (with and without campus-wide goals), percent saying their institution has a learning goal or outcome addressing each area of knowledge/intellectual skills & ability

Humanities

Science

Social sciences

Global/world cultures

Mathematics

Diversity in U.S.

Technology

U.S. history

Languages

Sustain-ability

49%

51%

52%

53%

59%

59%

62%

69%

71%

74%

77%Writing skills

Critical thinking

Quantitative reasoning

Oral communication

Intercultural skills

Information literacy

Ethical reasoning

Civic engagement

Application of learning

Research skills

Integration of learning

Areas of Knowledge Intellectual Skills/Ability


Goals/Outcomes for All Students’ College Learning

24%

42%

49%

61%

73%

87%

87%

90%

91%

92%Humanities

Science

Social sciences

Global/world cultures

Mathematics

Diversity in U.S.

Technology

U.S. history

Languages

Sustain-ability 63%

65%

66%

68%

75%

76%

79%

88%

91%

95%

99%Writing skills

Critical thinking

Quantitative reasoning

Oral communication

Intercultural skills

Information literacy

Ethical reasoning

Civic engagement

Application of learning

Research skills

Integration of learning

Among respondents from campuses WITH campus-wide goals, percent saying their institution’s common set of learning goals/outcomes addresses each area of knowledge/intellectual skills & ability

Areas of Knowledge Intellectual Skills/Ability


Institutions explain common learning outcomes to students in a variety of ways.

* Among members at institutions with learning outcomes for all undergraduates

In which of these ways does your institution explain intended learning goals or outcomes to students?*

Institutional catalogCourse syllabiWeb siteFaculty advisorsOrientation programStudent advising systemInstitution’s view bookFirst-year seminar/course

86%74%68%64%63%62%22%3%


9%

37%

49%

5%

10

Many institutions recognize room to expand students’ understanding of common learning outcomes.

How many of your students understand your institution’s intended goals or outcomes for undergraduate learning?*

* Among members at institutions with learning outcomes for all undergraduates

Majority

Some

Almost allNot many


Institutions’ Assessment Of Learning Outcomes


4%

24%72%

More than seven in ten institutions assess student learning across the curriculum – most others are planning for assessments.

Does your institution assess learning goals or outcomes across the curriculum, beyond the use of grading in individual courses?

Yes, we assess learning outcomes

across the curriculum

No, but we are planning for assessment of learning outcomes


No, we do not assess learning outcomes



More institutions assess at the department level than in general education.

68%

52%

Members at institutions that assess learning outcomes across the curriculum

Institution assesses in departments

Institution assesses in

general education

across multiple courses


4%

24%

4%

29%12%

27%

Use Of Assessments In Departments

Does your institution assess learning goals or outcomes across the curriculum . . . [and] does your institution assess students’ cumulative learning goals/outcomes in departments?

Assess in all departments

Planning to assess learning goals

Do not assess learning goals

Assess in most departments

Assess in a few departments

Do not assess in departments

72% assess across

the curriculum

68% assess within departments


4%

24%

4%

40%6%

22%

Assessment Of Field-Specific And General Outcomes Within Departments

When your departments assess cumulative learning outcomes, do they include general outcomes such as writing or critical thinking?

ALL departments assess general and

field-specific outcomes

Planning to assess learning goals

Do not assess learning goals

Do not assess in departments

68% assess within departments

SOME departments assess general and

field-specific outcomes

Departments only assess field-specific outcomes


How Assessments Conducted(multiple response accepted)

Sample of students

All students

Through departments

36%

17%

24%6%

42% 52%

Assessment In General Education.

Does your institution assess cumulative learning outcomes in general education across multiple courses?

Yes, we assess learning outcomes in

general education

No, but we are planning for assessment of

learning outcomes in general education

No, we do not assess learning outcomes in

general education


Types Of Assessments Used In General Education

Which of the following do you use to assess student learning outcomes in general education?

Rubrics applied to examples of student work

Culminating or capstone projects

Surveys and self-reports

Locally developed common assignments in some courses

Standardized national tests of general skills, such as critical thinking

Locally developed examinations

Standardized national tests of general knowledge, such as science or humanities

Student essays/writing portfolios

My institution doesn’t assess outcomes in general education

40%

37%

35%

27%

26%

23%

16%

1%

48%


Capstone projects are utilized much more within departments than in general education.

5%

23%

33%

39%

71%

10%

19%

Characterization of Capstone or Culminating Projects/Experiences at Members’ Institutions

In General Education:

Required of all students

Offered, not required

Don’t use capstones

In Departments:Required of all/most students

Many departments require

Some departments require

Not required/don’t use capstones


A majority of institutions use electronic portfolios to some degree.

29%

14%

Institution’s Use of Electronic Portfolios

Almost all 5%

Used for some

students/ programs

54%

Required of all/most

57%

3%

Exploring feasibility of using

Don’t use, no plans

to develop

Use electronicportfolios

Used for assessments?

Most used for this

Some used for this

Exploring option

Not used for this/ don’t plan to do so

10%

32%

11%

4%


Institutions can do more to track disparities in student achievement.

% saying each statement applies to their institution

My institution tracks student achievement to determine any differences across racial and ethnic groups

My institution tracks student achievement to determine any differences by gender

My institution tracks student achievement to determine any differences among students from different socio-economic groups

My institution tracks student achievement to determine any differences between first-generation college students and students with college-educated parents

55%

49%

36%

32%


Profile Of General Education


General Education Requirements

General education credits needed for bachelor’s degree

More than 60 credits

51 to 60 credits

46 to 50 credits

41 to 45 credits

36 to 40 credits

31 to 35 credits

1 to 30 credits

Don’t know

Mean

6%

18%

10%

19%

14%

4%

9%

20%

46.6

General education credits needed for associate’s degree*

More than 50 credits

31 to 50 credits

1 to 30 credits

Don’t know

Mean

5%

18%

32%

45%

33.5

14% say their institution’s general education credit requirements have increased since 2000,14% say they have decreased,72% say they have stayed the same.

*Asked of 38 respondents


41%

3%

56%

Majority of institutions say general education is more of a priority.

How has general education changed as a priority for your institution in the past five years?

General education has become more

of a priority

Priority of general education hasn’t

changed

General education has become less

of a priority


19%

11%

18%22%

30%

A majority of institutions are in the process of assessing or modifying their general education program.

Status of Institutions’ General Education Program

Implementing changes adoptedin past five years

Conducting assessments of

learning outcomes

Discussing proposals for change

Formally reviewing program

Not making revisions


Institutions use a variety of models for their general education programs.

Distribution model

Common intellectual experience

Thematic required courses

Upper-level requirements

Core curriculum

Learning communities

No general education requirements; offer open curriculum

Freshmen part of learning communities; transfer students are not

Which of these features are part of your institution’s general education program?

80%

41%

36%

33%

30%

24%

1%

2%


The majority of institutions uses a distribution model with additional integrative features.

Distribution model with other features

Distribution model only

One or more other features

only

Which of these features are part of your institution’s general education program?

15%

64%

18%

Other features:

Common intellectual experience



Core curriculum


26


Areas Of Emphasis In Undergraduate Curriculum

38%

47%

52%

54%

54%

62%

68%

71%

73%

78%

% saying their institution is placing more emphasis on each

Undergraduate research

1st year experiences support-ing transition to college

Study abroad

Service learning in courses

Internships

1st year academic seminars

Diversity studies/experiencesLearning communities (courses linked by theme)

Practicums/supervised fieldwork

Orientations to liberal education


Areas Of Emphasis In Undergraduate Curriculum, By General Education Priority

% saying their institution is placing more emphasis on each

Undergraduate research

1st year experiences supporting transition to college

Study abroad

Service learning in courses

Internships

1st year academic seminars

Diversity studies/experiences

Learning communities (courses linked by theme)

Practicums/supervised fieldwork

Orientations to liberal education

More of a priority

80%

77%

71%

74%

65%

62%

56%

58%

50%

45%

Not more of a priority

77%

68%

71%

60%

59%

45%

51%

43%

44%

28%

At my institution, general education is:


Curricular Patterns Of General Education Programs

36%

38%

38%

51%

56%

58%

60%

% rating each as describing their general education program well*

Includes global courses

Includes first-year seminars

Includes diversity courses

Includes interdisciplinary courses

Includes civic learning or engaged activities

Includes service learning opportunities

Includes experiential learning opportunities

* ratings of 4 and 5 on a five-point scale


Characteristics Of General Education Programs

35%

49%

62%

63%

% rating each as describing their general education program well*

Has clear learning goals

Has requirements linked to goals

Assesses student achievement of

learning goals

Has a coherent sequence of courses

* ratings of 4 and 5 on a five-point scale


Integration Of General Education And Major Requirements.

How well integrated is your general education program with students’ major requirements?

Very/fairlywell integrated

Very well11%

Somewhat/notwell integrated

48%52%

Not well15%

% very/fairly well integrated, by general ed program features

Distribution model

Common intellectual model



Core curriculum


45%

53%

54%

55%

60%

55%

hart research assotescia aac&u members on trends in learning outcomes, general education, and...

Documents

undergraduate learning

common learning goalsoutcomes

general education requirements

membership survey

outcomes applicable

system institutions

online survey

aacu member institutions