The Foreign Languages Department will establish a departmental administrative organization to ensure effective and efficient operation of the programs and quality service.
Objective
Establish Structure & Function
Being a recently created department, the Department of Foreign Languages will create a structure for efficient business functions by including all faculty in responsibilities for governance.
Indicator
Create Directorships & Charges
The chair will determine administrative needs, assign responsibilities for directors and establish charges for directors and committees. The directors will be based on strengths identified by the faculty. The administrative needs and responsibilities were identified by the faculty.
Criterion
Administrative Organization Developed.
The Department of Foreign Languages will successfully develop committees, assign directors, and provide charges for the committees in order to provide efficient and effective administration of the department and its programs. The faculty and the chair will meet and discuss the effectiveness of the committee structures.
Finding
Administrative Organization
Faculty identified key areas of responsibility in the department, including graduate program, international outreach, scholarships, teaching practices, undergraduate program, events, library, curriculum, grants, technology, etc. Faculty self-identified skills and areas of interest. The chair assigned directors, formed committees, and provided charges to the committees based on the faculty input. Faculty met to discuss the effectiveness of the committee structure. In general, the committee structure is working effectively. Several faculty expressed the belief that key tasks for the department had not all been assigned to a specific committee, including assessment tasks and program reviews.
Action
Administration Organization
Chair will compare department tasks to directorships more specifically to add to charges for delegation purposes. Department will review committee tasks to evaluate whether the committee structure is working effectively again in the spring. Assessment and program review will be spread among the graduate, undergraduate, curriculum, and teaching committees.
Goal
Attract And Retain Quality Students
The Department of Foreign Languages will attract and retain quality students and increase enrollments.
Objective
Recruit And Retain Quality Students
The Department of Foreign Languages will recruit and retain quality students in Spanish and other languages.
Indicator
Enrollment
Enrollment in Foreign Language classes will be examined through student credit hours that document student enrollment in classes. This data is provided through the 12th class day reports.
Criterion
Increase enrollment by 5%
The Department of Foreign Languages will increase the enrollment in Foreign Language classes by 5%.
Finding
Enrollment
In 07-08 the Department of Foreign Languages produced 8,866 student credit hours while in 08-09 the Department produced 10,007 student credit hours for an increase of 1,141 hours or approximately 13% growth. The largest increase was in American Sign Language which increased from 144 student credit hours to 642 hours, or an increase of 498 credit hours or 346%. Arabic increased from 138 student credit hours to 195, and Spanish increased from 7033 to 7504, or an increase of 7%. Only German showed declines, decreasing from 770 to 692 or about 10%. These figures are located on the university Intranet in the Semester Attendance Reports at http://www.shsu.edu/administrative/reg/regreports.html
Indicator
Website
The Department of Foreign Languages will update its website to include a department event calendar, a frequently asked questions section, and a newsletter. Since students are more likely to access online sources when trying to explore universities, degrees, etc., an updated, exciting website will provide information to help recruit students and to help current students get their questions answered.
Criterion
Website improved and updated
The Department of Foreign Languages will improve and update their website to include an event calendar, frequently asked questions section, and newsletters.
Finding
Website
The Department website was revised and updated to include an events calendar and newsletters. A frequently asked questions site is still being created.
Action
website
FAQ will be added to the website. Students will be surveyed to see if they find the new sections on the website useful.
Action
Enrollments
Since our enrollments were very good, we have requested new faculty members for American Sign Language and Spanish. In addition, the faculty will increase the visibility of the German program by visiting speakers, cultural activities and new, interesting classes to try to reverse the trend of enrollments in German.
Goal
Creating And Maintaining Quality Programs
The Department of Foreign Languages will provide quality programs, ensure the continuing quality of the programs, and create new programs that meet the needs of the state and nation.
Objective
Establish Teaching Evaluation Measures In Addition To IDEA Scores
The Department of Foreign Languages will design and test peer evaluation methods for faculty evaluation. Currently, faculty are evaluated by the IDEA student evaluation system. The Department will add a peer-review process of teaching evaluation.
Indicator
Peer-Review Of Teaching Process And Guidelines
Currently, teaching is evaluated by using the IDEA student evaluation forms. The chair will review peer-teaching evaluation information and processes and present that to the department faculty. The department will then develop a process to be followed and guidelines for the peer-review of teaching.
Criterion
Peer-Review Process And Guidelines Developed
The Department of Foreign Languages will successfully establish a peer-review process and guidelines for teaching evaluation.
Finding
Teaching Evaluation--Peer Review
The chair provided the faculty with information concerning peer evaluation of teaching. Then the Department had an expert from the College of Education come speak about teaching portfolios to the FL faculty. The faculty overwhelming liked the idea of evaluating teaching by observing teaching. Thus, the department came up with two methods of evaluating teaching: one was to videotape a class and provide a self-assessment, the other was to have a peer visit one class period and write an evaluation. All faculty were to choose one of these evaluation methods. This was decided by a faculty vote. Three faculty members chose the peer review only option for evaluation while 10 chose the video/self-reflection option. The chair then met with each faculty member during the Faculty Evaluation System Review and provided feedback on the teaching video/self-reflection or peer review and suggestions for improvement. Additionally, the chair peer-reviewed all faculty members by visiting their classes.
Action
Peer-Review teaching evaluation
Review of procedures and forms will be completed Spring 2010. Adjustments to procedures and forms will be made for Fall 2010. Faculty will be polled to see if the peer evaluation was an effective way to evaluate and improve teaching. Difference in scores from last year before the first round of peer review evaluation and 2009-10 of faculty evaluated using both systems will be compared.
Objective
Create New Master's Degree Program In Spanish
The Department will create a preliminary proposal for an MA degree in Spanish.
Indicator
Preliminary Approval
In order to begin a new degree program, departments must first receive preliminary approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Department of Foreign Languages will complete a preliminary approval application for a MA in Spanish. This form includes information on the job opportunities available for graduates in the field, the student demand for the program, and the program description. Thus, the graduate faculty will need to develop a degree plan for the MA in Spanish, develop appropriate curriculum by comparing the curriculum of various programs in the state and nation, and determine the student demand for the program.
Preliminary authority allows the department to request an MA degree in Spanish. This review process ensures that jobs will be available for graduates, that the curriculum will be appropriate, and that the faculty will be qualified.
Criterion
Preliminary approval for a MA in Spanish will be obtained
The Department of Foreign Languages will obtain preliminary approval for an MA in Spanish from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Finding
Preliminary Approval
Department received preliminary approval for a new MA degree in Spanish from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board with no suggestions for revision. Job data illustrated a strong need for graduates. Quality of the program and proposal was ensured by the review process.
Action
MA In Spanish
The Department will develop a proposal for a new master's degree in Spanish. This proposal will begin at the department curriculum committee in Spring 09,move to the college level Summer 09, reach the University Curriculum Committee Fall 09, and be presented to the Board in May 2010. If approved, the graduate program in Spanish will begin Fall 2011.
Objective
Maintain Quality Curriculum And Instruction
The Department of Foreign Languages will maintain a quality curriculum that is reviewed periodically and ensure quality instruction in the courses that it offers.
Indicator
IDEA Scores
All faculty have students evaluate each of their classes during the Fall and Spring semesters using the IDEA teaching evaluations. The IDEA system focuses on student learning of 12 specific objectives, and the system solicits students' feedback on their own learning progress, effort, and motivation, as well as their perceptions of the instructor's use of 20 instructional strategies and teaching methods. In addition, the system surveys instructors regarding their overall goals and highlights for them in the analysis and report. The system adjusts evaluation scores for five areas beyond the instructor's control, such as class size; student motivation, effort and work habits; and disciplinary difficulty. The scores are then compared to national norms. Teaching effectiveness is assessed in two ways: A. Progress on Relevant Objectives, a weighted average of student ratings of the progress they reported on objectives selected as "Important" or "Essential" (double weighted) and B. Overall Ratings, the average student agreement with statements that the teacher and the course were excellent. The SUMMARY EVALUATION is the average of these two measures.
Criterion
70% of courses will score above the national average on the IDEA system
70% of courses will score above the national average on the IDEA system in the Foreign Languages Department.
Finding
IDEA Scores
67% of the courses in the Foreign Language Department scored above the national average on the IDEA student evaluations. 69% of the courses were rated above the national average for Excellent teacher and 64% above the national average for Excellent Course. 60% were rated above the national average for progress on relevant objectives. Students rated themselves as making the most progress on "learning to apply course material, gaining a broader understanding and appreciation of intellectual/cultural activity (music, literature), and developing skill in expressing myself orally or in writing."
Indicator
NCATE/ACTFL Proposal
Both NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education)is the professional accrediting organization for schools, colleges, and departments of education in the United States. ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) is the organization that sets the standards for Foreign Language education. The Department of Foreign Languages will write a proposal to obtain NCATE accreditation.
Criterion
NCATE/ACTFL proposal completed
The Department of Foreign Languages will complete and submit a NCATE/ACTFL proposal for accreditation.
Finding
NCATE/ACTFL
NCATE/ACTFL report was written and submitted. Suggestions for improvement were given. Both the report and the response have been submitted.
Action
Teaching Effectiveness
Since the department just missed its goal of 70% of the classes above the national average, the chair met with each of the faculty who scored below the national average in any class and developed an individualized plan to improve teaching. Some suggested strategies included working with PACE (Professional Academic Center for Excellence), attending the teaching conference, receiving peer feedback, and participation in teaching colloquium.
Action
NCATE/ACTFL accreditation
We must wait to see if we receive accreditation. Since we found the review process started in order to write the report useful for the department, we are instituting a formal review of our program every 5 years. This review will include curriculum, enrollments, and student learning outcomes.