Degree candidates demonstrate professional competence in research.
Objective
Demonstrate Professional Competence In Research
Students will demonstrate professional competence in original research in the area of literacy.
Indicator
Dissertation Proposal Defense
All students currently enrolled in the proposal class, RDG 832, will successfully defend proposals for dissertation before their committee of four faculty members.
Criterion
Proposal Defense
100% of the students enrolled in the proposal class will successfully defend their proposals before the committee members.
Finding
Dissertation Proposal Defense
Five out of seven students successfully defended their dissertation proposals. Two of the five have since successfully defended their dissertations and one has graduated. The two who have not yet defended, have scheduled those defenses. Weaknesses that emerged on the dissertation proposals as evaluated by the committee indicate that students need to spend more time examining how results of studies are tied back to the literature review. We can address this in earlier course work.
Action
Professional Competence In Literacy Field
While we did a better job with helping students construct a timeline and sticking to it, there were still two students who lagged significantly behind th others. The Reading Faculty are meeting to discuss other options for helping students meet their completion goals. Additionally, we are looking at courses where literature reviews are examined that will help students recognize the relationship between a study's results and the literature review.
Goal
Professional Competence In Literacy
Degree candidates are professionally competent in the area of literacy.
Objective
Demonstrate Professional Competence In Literacy
Students will demonstrate professional competence in knowledge related to the literacy research.
Indicator
Comprehensive Examinations
Students will successfully complete comprehensive exams at the end of the coursework. Comprehensive exams are administered in two parts: Part A is a take home exam completed over a one week time period and focuses on knowledge of research. Part B is an oral comprehensive exams completed on campus with faculty members present. Written exams are scored holistically as pass or fail and are scored by five faculty members who base their holistic score on their knowledge of and research in the field of literacy. The oral exam is scored by participating faculty using a common rubric which evaluates knowledge of the material, supporting research, and clarity of response.
Criterion
Comprehensive Exams Results
Students ready for the comprehensive exam will successfully demonstrate mastery in the field of literacy, participate in reassessment if necessary, or exit from the program.
Finding
Comprehensive Exams
The next group will take exams in August and September. We had the following break down – four high passes, four passes and one who had to provide us with answers to follow up questions.
Action
Actions Pending
Although "pass" meets the criterion, we hope to increase the number of "high passes."