Information Literacy
Courses Selected: MKTG 201, PHIL 102, CHEM 204, ENGL 102,ENGL 102H, ENGL 104, ENGL 106, HUMS 120, NURS 144, BIOL 102,
EDUC 110, PLGL102, PSYC 101
Methods: Information Literacy was defined as, “Demonstrating the ability to find, evaluate, organize, and use information effectively and ethically”. This broad definition was operationalized through four competencies and was assessed by evaluating submitted student artifacts from the selected courses. The 13 selected courses comprised 249 individual classes. Two students were randomly selected from each class, resulting in approximately 500 students selected for assessment. Instructors were contacted and asked to submit pieces of student work that demonstrated the Information Literacy competency. All submitted papers were anonymized and uploaded into the Tk20 assessment program. The sample was split into two groups based upon students’ accumulated credits. One group included students with zero to 30 credits, and the other included students with more than 30 accumulated credits. Five volunteer assessors from the College-Wide Assessment Committee each read a random sample of artifacts and assessed them using a common rubric. Each student paper was assessed by two assessors. The rubric rated students on the four components on a scale of 1, “no/limited proficiency”, to 4, “advanced proficiency”.
Results: Artifacts were submitted for 217 students. The mean score for Student is Able to Find the Type of Information Needed was 2.52 out of 4. The mean for Student Evaluates Information was 2.25. The mean for Student Organizes Information Effectively to Accomplish the Assigned Goal was 2.67 and the mean for Student Uses Information Ethically and Legally was 2.24. For students who had earned over 30 credits as of the semester of assessment, 58 artifacts were submitted, and 159 artifacts were submitted for students who had earned 30 or fewer credits. Significant differences were found between groups for the competencies Find Information (t(250.9)=3.70, p<.001), Evaluate Information (t(238.8)=3.45, p<.005), and Organizes Information (t(401)=2.69,p<.01). In each of these competencies the over 30 credit group had lower mean scores than the 0 to 30 credit group. [Information Literacy results table] pdf
Quantitative Literacy
Courses Selected: CHEM 101, PHSC 113, ASTR 103, BIOL 122, METR 101, MATH 121, MATH 103, MATH 111, MATH 111H, MATH 202,
NUTR 104, CPS 121, PHYS 202
Methods: Quantitative Literacy was defined as, “Selecting and applying mathematical tools to draw conclusions from quantitative data”. This definition was operationalized through five competencies and was assessed by evaluating submitted student artifacts from the selected courses. The 13 selected courses comprised 196 individual classes. Two students were randomly selected from each class, resulting in a sample of approximately 400 students. Instructors were contacted and asked to submit pieces of student work that demonstrated the Quantitative Literacy competency. All submitted papers were anonymized and uploaded into the Tk20 assessment program. The sample was split into two groups based upon students’ accumulated credits. One group included students with zero to 30 credits, and the other included students with more than 30 accumulated credits. Six volunteer assessors from the College-Wide Assessment Committee each read a random sample of artifacts and assessed them using a common rubric. Each student paper was assessed by two assessors. The rubric rated students on the four components on a scale of 1,“no/limited proficiency”, to 4, “advanced proficiency”.
Results: Artifacts were submitted for 136 students. The mean score for Provides Reasoning for Numerical Conclusions was 2.74. The mean for Ability to Identify and Explain Quantitative Information Present was 2.73. The mean for Performs Computations with Appropriate Precision was 2.70. The mean for Ability to convert relevant Information into Various Forms was 2.74, and the mean for Demonstrates an Ability to Check the Conclusions for Reasonableness was 2.41. Sixty artifacts were submitted for students with 0 to 30 credits earned as of the semester of assessment, and 76 artifacts were submitted for students with over 30 credits earned. Based upon independent samples t-tests, there were no significant differences found in mean scores for the five competencies between the two credit groups. [Quantitative Literacy results table] pdf