The Bachelor of Science program in Psychology will provide students with the ability to understand and interpret scientific knowledge.
Objective
Students Generate Scientific Knowledge
Students who complete the Bachelor of Science Program in Psychology will demonstrate knowledge of the scientific tools necessary for conducting and interpreting research.
Indicator
Ability To Generate Scientific Knowledge Assessed
The ability of students to conduct and understand research is assessed by means of the research rubric developed in the Department which serves as a final lab exam for Psychology 317 (Statistics Lab). This instruments assesses student abillity to choose research designs, compute statistics both by hand and using computer based statistical packages, and interpret outcomes. In addition, students are required to become competent using Microsoft XL, making charts, tables, etc. The are also required to bring materials for Microsoft XL into Microsoft word documents. They also are required to become competent in Microsoft Powerpoint, setting up charts, tables, etc. to present at scholarly meetings. Finally, students are required to access government data bases off the internet. Objectives 1 and 2 are the relevant items for this assessment.
Criterion
Acceptable level of ability to generate scientific knowledge
80% of psychology majors will receive a score that is deemed "acceptable" (25 or higher) according to departmental rubric, which was developed by a faculty committee.
Finding
Ability to Generate Scientific Knowledge
Fall 2008, 95% of the participants were able to successfully choose research designs, compute statistics, and interpret outcomes. Spring 2009, 100% of the participants were able to do the aforementioned tasks. Criterion was set at 80%.
Criterion
Student Perception
On the IDEA student evaluation form, at least 75% of students having taken Elementary Statistics will report that they made large or outstanding gains in applying the scientific methods to thinking, problems solving, and decision making, indicating a 4 or 5 on a 5-point Likert scale, (A) to apply course material to improve thinking and problem solving and (B) to apply course material to critically evaluate ideas and arguments.
Finding
Student Perception
Of the students having taken Elementary Statistics, 49% indicated a 4 or 5 on the category, "Apply course material to improve thinking and problem solving." 24% indicated 4 or 5 on to the category, "Apply course material to critically evaluate ideas and arguments."
Action
Student Perception
With respect to applying course mterial to improve thinking and problem solving and to critically evaluate ideas and arguments, the criteria were not met. Primary action will be to make the material more germane to the students' lives and to stress, using specific everyday examples, how statistical procedures can be used to make more educated decisions.
Action
Generate Scientific Knowledge
Criteria were exceeded. Although no further action is needed at this time, members of the Department wish to ensure that viewing psychology as a science is something that will remain with the students after they matriculate from our program, whether they are majors or not. Although the major criterion for this objective is assessed in the Elementary Statistics class, we view being educated in our program as a cumulative experience and that as the student enters the Statistics class (and the Research Methods class), we should ensure that they have particular sets of knowledge and a scientific view of the nature of psychology. To reinforce this goal, we will institute the policy that all Psychology 131 sections will have a common, comprehensive final exam. In addition, members of the faculty will continute to ensure that specific chapters are covered in each section of Introductory Psychology at the University. We will use the same criteria that were used before but we expect that the level of performance will increase.
Goal
Apply And Communicate Scientific Findings
The Bachelor of Science program in Psychology will provide students with the ability to apply and communicate the scientific findings of their discipline.
Objective
Students Apply And Communicate Scientific Knowledge
Students who complete the Bachelor of Science Program in Psychology will be able to apply the results of scientific investigations and communicate their implications.
Indicator
Assessment Of Ability To Apply And Communicate Scientific Knowledge
The ability of students to apply and communicate research is assessed by means of an instrument which is a portion of the final exam for Psychology 317 (Statistics Lab). Objectives 3 and 4 are the relevant items for this assessment. The instrument requires the students to engage in interpreting results of scientific data, making decisions of thos results based upon statistical probablities, and making recommendations for follow-up work, either in the scientific or social environment. We're basically asking, what do these data mean and why are they important?
Criterion
Acceptable level of ability to communicate scientific knowledge
80% of psychology majors will receive a score that is at least acceptable (25 or above), according to departmental rubric.
Finding
Apply And Communicate Scientific Knowledge
Fall 2008, 91% of the participants demonstrated the ability to apply and communicate scientific knowledge as assessed by a portion of the final examination for Psyhcology 317 (Statistics Laboratory). Spring 2009, 84% demonstrated these abilities. Criterion was 80%. Thus, the criterion was exceeded in both semesters.
Action
Apply and Communicate Scientific Knowledge
As in the previous section, although no further action is needed at this time, members of the Department wish to ensure that viewing psychology as a science and being able to communicate and apply the principles of scientific knowledge are attributes that will remain with the students after they matriculate through our program, whether they are majors or not. As mentioned before, to reinforce this goal, we will institute the policy that all Psychology 131 sections will have a common, comprehensive final exam. In addition, members of the faculty will continute to ensure that specific chapters are covered in each section of Introductory Psychology at the University. We will use the same criteria that were used before but we expect that the level of performance will increase.
Goal
Provide A High Quality, Challenging Academic Experience
Faculty will provide a high quality, challenging academic experience in the Bachelor of Science program in Psychology.
Objective
Provide High Quality, Challenging Academic Experience
Students who complete the Bachelor of Science Program in Psychology will have an academic experience that is challenging and of high quality.
Indicator
Academic Challenge And Experience Assessed
Department administers an exit survey to graduating seniors that employs a 1-5 scale for assessing student perception related to their academic experience and a 1-4 scale to assess their involvement in the academic experience.
Criterion
Acceptable level of academic experience
75% of graduating seniors will rate their psychology classes at 4 or higher in academic challenge. 75% will rate the quality of their experiences as a psychology major at a 4 or higher.
Finding
Provide High Quality, Challenging Academic Experience
Fall 2008, according to the senior survey, 61% of respondents rated their psychology program at SHSU as "challenging." Spring 2009, 72% rated the program as "challenging." Criterion was set at 75%. Thus, the Department failed to meet the stated expectation.
Finding
Provide High Quality, Challenging Academic Experience
Fall 2008, 74% of the students rated their experience in the Psychology Program at SHSU as one of high quality. Spring 2009, 77% rated the program as being of high quality. Overall, for the academic year, the criterion was met but questions as to how to improve the quality of the program will continue to be addressed.
Action
Provide High Quality, Challenging Academic Experience
The assessment demonstrated that almost a quarter fo the students did not view the psychology program as challenging. Thus, the department will explore instituting a capstone course or comprehensive final exams. In addition, faculty will develop more research-based assignments to challenge the students in upper-level courses. These changes will also affect the issue of quality of the program, which was rated as a 4 or better on a 5-point scale by approximately three quarters of the students. In addition, beginning in Fall 2009, grades below C in Psychology courses will not be counted toward the major or minor in Psychology.