Faculty Work Team: Communication
Planning for Year 1 of the Assessment Cycle
May 2009

RIT's mission is to provide a broad range of career-oriented educational programs with the goal of producing innovative, creative graduates who are well-prepared for their chosen careers in a global society. General Education (GE) helps advance this mission by preparing students for lifelong learning and for success in their chosen fields.

The GE curriculum developed, owned, and reviewed by the RIT faculty is designed to provide a rigorous, engaging, and purposeful arts and sciences experience. The skills and knowledge derived from the general education curriculum and a student's program of study are integrated into an effective undergraduate education.

In spring 2009, the Academic Senate approved RIT's General Education Student Learning Outcomes and an initial three year assessment schedule. To ensure thoughtful planning and implementation of the General Education Assessment Plan, faculty work teams are being established. The first faculty team will focus on Communication and specifically the following two student learning outcomes:

• Express themselves effectively in common college-level written forms using standard English
• Revise and improve written and visual content

The purpose of the Communication team is to review the current assessment work and select the courses and assignments to measure the student learning outcomes. The team will: develop a data collection schedule, recommend faculty development and resources, and strategies for sharing and using results.

David Martens, Assistant Professor and Writing Director, English Department, College of Liberal Arts
Richard Santana, Professor and English Department Chair, College of Liberal Arts
Linda Rubel, Professor Liberal Studies, College of Liberal Arts
Lisa Hermsen, Associate Professor, English Department, College of Liberal Arts

• Review and make recommendations for data collection in Writing Seminar Course - utilize information relative to writing assessment during 2008.09
• Make recommendations for data collection at advanced course level (see Planning Matrix document) for two student learning outcomes for 2009.10 academic year
• Review and select assignments
• Review and select or develop rubrics for assignments
• Develop plan for 2009.10 assessment to include data collection schedule and faculty development
• Recommend strategies for sharing results and discussing needed improvements

• What did we learn from the writing assessment project?
• How do these results compare to results from 2008.09?
• What do we want to improve on?
• What do we already have in place that could serve the assessment of communication-related student learning outcomes?
• What might we need to add?
• How can we embed the data collection into courses or experiences?
• What types of technology will support data collection?
• Can we assess more than one outcome in an assignment?
• Is the evidence provided by the evaluation tools (writing rubrics) linked to the student learning outcomes?
• How can we support faculty? What resources enable faculty to strengthen assessment?
• How can we share the results?

• List of General Education Student Learning Outcomes
• Initial Three Year Assessment Schedule
• General Education Planning Matrix: Communication
• Assessment Writing Project Report (spring 2009)
• Assessment Writing Project Rubrics
• Writing Seminar Course Outline
• Report on the most common/enrolled COLA concentrations/minors
• Sample rubrics for writing
• Communication Assessment Form
• Computer

Faculty Work Team: Scientific, Mathematics, and Technological Literacy
Planning for Year 1 of the Assessment Cycle
May 2009

RIT's mission is to provide a broad range of career-oriented educational programs with the goal of producing innovative, creative graduates who are well-prepared for their chosen careers in a global society. General Education (GE) helps advance this mission by preparing students for lifelong learning and for success in their chosen fields.

The GE curriculum developed, owned, and reviewed by the RIT faculty, is designed to provide a rigorous, engaging, and purposeful arts and sciences experience. The skills and knowledge derived from the general education curriculum and a student's program of study are integrated into an effective undergraduate education.

In spring 2009, the ICC and Academic Senate approved RIT's General Education Student Learning Outcomes and initial three year assessment schedule. To ensure thoughtful planning and implementation of the General Education Assessment Plan, faculty work teams are being developed based on the General Education Student Learning Outcomes. The faculty team will focus on Scientific, Mathematical, and Technological Literacy and specifically the following two student learning outcomes:

• Explain basic principles and concepts of one of the natural sciences*
• Apply methods of scientific inquiry and problem solving to contemporary issues
• Comprehend and evaluate mathematical and statistical information*
• Perform college-level mathematical operations on quantitative data*
• Describe the potential and the limitations of technology
• Use appropriate technology to achieve desired outcomes
• *BS Students Only

The purpose of the team is to review the current assessment work and select the courses and assignments to measure the student learning outcomes. The team will: develop a data collection schedule, recommend faculty development and resources, and strategies for sharing and using results.

Ron Jodoin, Professor, Physics Department, College of Science
Elizabeth Hane, Professor, Biological Sciences Department, College of Science
Carl Lutzer, Associate Professor, Assistant Head, Mathematics Programs School of Mathematical Sciences, College of Science
Josh Faber, Assistant Professor, School of Mathematical Sciences, College of Science

• Review general education pilot information, planning matrix, and make recommendations for data collection
• Review and select assignments
• Review and select or develop rubrics for assignments
• Develop plan for 2009-10 assessment to include data collection schedule and faculty development
• Recommend strategies for sharing results and discussing needed improvements

• What did we learn from the general education assessment project?
• How do these results compare to results from 2008-09?
• What do we want to improve on?
• What do we already have in place that could serve the assessment of related Scientific, Mathematical, and Technological Literacy student learning outcomes?
• What might we need to add?
• How can we embed the data collection into courses or experiences?
• What types of technology will support data collection?
• Can we assess more than one outcome in an assignment?
• Is the evidence provided by the evaluation tools (writing rubrics) linked to the student learning outcomes?
• How can we support faculty? What resources enable faculty to strengthen assessment?
• How can we share the results?

• List of General Education Student Learning Outcomes
• Initial Three Year Assessment Schedule
• General Education Planning Matrix: Scientific, Mathematical, and Technological Literacy
• General Education Project Report (spring 2009)
• Sample rubrics
• Scientific, Mathematical, and Technological Literacy Assessment Form
• Computer

Faculty Work Team: Intellectual Inquiry
Planning for Year 1 of the Assessment Cycle
May 2009

The Rochester Institute of Technology General Education curriculum is the foundation for preparing students for lifelong learning and for success in their chosen fields. RIT's mission is to provide a broad range of career-oriented educational programs with the goal of producing innovative, creative graduates who are well-prepared for their chosen careers in a global society.

The general education curriculum is developed, owned, and reviewed by the RIT faculty. The curriculum is designed to provide a rigorous, engaging, and purposeful general education experience. The skills and knowledge derived from the general education curriculum and the program of study are integrated into an effective undergraduate education. The General Education curriculum enriches the lives of the students as they acquire the knowledge, skills, and competencies to be successful in their chosen fields and as lifelong learners.

In spring 2009, the ICC and Academic Senate approved RIT’s General Education Student Learning Outcomes and initial three year schedule. To ensure thoughtful planning and implementation of the General Education Assessment Plan, faculty work teams are being developed based on the General Education Student Learning Outcomes. This faculty team will focus on Intellectual Inquiry and specifically the following student learning outcomes:

• Review, assess, and draw conclusions about a hypotheses or theories
• Analyze arguments, in relation to their premises, assumptions, contexts, and conclusions
• Construct logical and reasonable arguments that include anticipation of counterarguments
• Use relevant evidence gathered through accepted scholarly methods and properly acknowledge sources of information

The purpose of the Intellectual Inquiry team is to review the current assessment work and select the courses and assignments to measure the student learning outcomes. The team will:

• Identify courses and assignments to develop a data collection schedule
• recommend faculty development and resources
• recommend strategies for sharing and using results

Joel Kastner, Associate Professor, Imaging Sciences, Carlson Center for Imaging Sciences
Suzanne Graney, Associate Professor, School of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
Lauren Hall, Assistant Professor, Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
Larry Torcello, Assistant Professor, Philosophy, College of Liberal Arts

• Review and make recommendations for data collection
• Make recommendations for data collection at advanced course level (see Planning Matrix document)
• Review and select assignments
• Review and select or develop rubrics for assignments
• Develop plan for 2010.11 assessment to include data collection schedule and faculty development
• Recommend strategies for sharing results and discussing needed improvements

• What do we already have in place that could serve the assessment of intellectual inquiry-related student learning outcomes?
• What might we need to add?
• How can we embed the data collection into courses or experiences?
• Can we assess more than one outcome in an assignment?
• Is the evidence provided by the evaluation tools (rubrics) linked to the student learning outcomes?
• How can we support faculty? What resources enable faculty to strengthen assessment?
• How can we share the results?

• List of General Education Student Learning Outcomes
• Initial Three Year Assessment Schedule
• General Education Planning Matrix: Intellectual Inquiry
• Sample rubrics
• Report on the most common/enrolled CLA concentrations/minors
• Intellectual Inquiry Assessment Form
• Computer

Faculty Work Team: Ethical, Social, and Global Awareness
Planning for Year 1 of the Assessment Cycle
May 2009

The Rochester Institute of Technology General Education curriculum is the foundation for preparing students for lifelong learning and for success in their chosen fields. RIT's mission is to provide a broad range of career-oriented educational programs with the goal of producing innovative, creative graduates who are well-prepared for their chosen careers in a global society.

The general education curriculum is developed, owned, and reviewed by the RIT faculty. The curriculum is designed to provide a rigorous, engaging, and purposeful general education experience. The skills and knowledge derived from the general education curriculum and the program of study are integrated into an effective undergraduate education. The General Education curriculum enriches the lives of the students as they acquire the knowledge, skills, and competencies to be successful in their chosen fields and as lifelong learners.

In spring 2009, the ICC and Academic Senate approved RIT’s General Education Student Learning Outcomes and initial three year assessment schedule. To ensure thoughtful planning and implementation of the General Education Assessment Plan, faculty work teams are being developed based on the General Education Student Learning Outcomes. This faculty team will focus on Ethical, Social, and Global Awareness and specifically the following student learning outcomes:

• Analyze similarities and differences in human experiences and consequent perspectives
• Examine connections among the world’s populations

The purpose of the Ethical, Social, and Global Awareness team is to review the current assessment work and select the courses and assignments to measure the student learning outcomes. The team will:

• Identify courses and assignments to develop a data collection schedule
• recommend faculty development and resources
• recommend strategies for sharing and using results

Sean Sutton, Associate Professor, Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
Chris O’Dea, Professor, Physics, College of Science
Bruce L. Oliver, Professor, Accounting, College of Business

• Review and make recommendations for data collection
• Make recommendations for data collection at advanced course level (see Planning Matrix document)
• Review and select assignments
• Review and select or develop rubrics for assignments
• Develop plan for 2010.11 assessment to include data collection schedule and faculty development
• Recommend strategies for sharing results and discussing needed improvements

• What do we already have in place that could serve the assessment of ethical, social, and global awareness-related student learning outcomes?
• What might we need to add?
• How can we embed the data collection into courses or experiences?
• Can we assess more than one outcome in an assignment?
• Is the evidence provided by the evaluation tools (rubrics) linked to the student learning outcomes?
• How can we support faculty? What resources enable faculty to strengthen assessment?
• How can we share the results?

• List of General Education Student Learning Outcomes
• Initial Three Year Assessment Schedule
• General Education Planning Matrix: Ethical, Social, and Global Awareness
• Sample rubrics
• Report on the most common/enrolled CLA concentrations/minors
• Ethical, Social, and Global Awareness Assessment Form
• Computer

Faculty Work Team: Creativity, Innovation, and Artistic Literacy
Team will be launched summer 2011