OATdb Archive

2012 - 2013

Foreign Languages, Department Of

Goal
Teaching Proficiency
FOL faculty will focus on teaching proficiency.

Objective
Teaching Proficiency
Foreign Languages faculty will improve teaching proficiency. 

KPI
IDEA Evaluations
All faculty will score in the mid-range, 45-44, or above, on all of the comparison categories, raw and adjusted percentages, of the Student Rating of Learning on Relevant (important and essential) Objectives section of the University-required IDEA Evaluations done by students in each class each semester.

Result
IDEA Evaluations
Seven faculty in eleven classes in the fall and twelve faculty members in 17 classes in the spring did not achieve 45 or higher in the summary of evaluation, either raw or adjusted or both.

KPI
Common Important And Essential IDEA Objectives And Related Required Student Achievement Tasks
A Department committee will design a list of common important and essential IDEA objectives and related student achievement tasks for multi-section courses based on level and content of course for the first four language classes. All faculty will utilize these common required student achievement tasks for multi-section courses based on level and content of course across all of the first four language classes in order to standarize teaching proficiency in order  to improve student learning and IDEA scores as a result.

Result
Common Important And Essential IDEA Objectives And Related Required Student Achievement Tasks
The Department committee designed a list of common important and essential IDEA objectives and related student achievement tasks for multi-section courses based on level and content of course for the first four language classes. These were included in all faculty's appropriate syllabi but this did not seem to raise spring IDEA scores for faculty who did not score in the mid-range in the fall.

Action
IDEA Scores And Common Important And Essential IDEA Objectives Plus Related Student Proficiency Tasks
All faculty not achieving 45 or higher in either the raw or adjusted summary evaluation on the IDEA for either fall 2012 or spring 2013 have been referred to the PACE for teaching consultation during fall 2013. 

Faculty teaching the first four language acquisition classes were provided a copy of the common important and essential IDEA objectives and related required student proficiency tasks by level and directed to include them in their classes. Inclusion of same in syllabi was independently verifid. However, since IDEA scores over-all did not improve from fall to spring, such common elements did not have the projected effect.

Goal
Student Skills Acquisition
Students will acquire improved language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) as a result of the classes they take from the Foreign Languages faculty.

Objective
Student Self-Assessment Of Skills
Foreign Languages will collect input about student skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) acquired via language classes via a questionnaire, one aspect of which requests self-assessment of skills, required of graduating majors every semester.   

KPI
Questionnaire Collection
All graduating majors will return a completed questionnaire every semester. Students will rate improvement of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture at a minimum score of 3 of 5 or higher.

Result
Questionnaire And Other Graduating Major Tasks
All graduating majors returned completed questionnaires every semester, fall 2012, spring 2013 and summer 2013.

Action
Graduating Major Questionnaires
Graduating major questionnaires have been combined and compiled.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement Most of the faculty who did not meet mid-range participate, at least once, in PACE intervention; most raised their "scores" with one notable (tenured) exception. One pool who did not improve decided to retire; another was not renewed. The way to deal with said tenured professor who did not improve is still under consideration.

We have added more info to our webpage, sent additional and on-going informative emails to our graduating majors and blocked, at least temporarily, the graduation of three who did finally meet the requirements.

Plan for continuous improvement The Foreign Languages faculty will meet monthly beginning in August to consider both additional ways to improve teaching proficiency and IDEA scores and to explore curricular reform in order to improve students' language experiences as they relate to teaching proficiency. 

Some of these meetings will be dedicated to Spanish faculty addressing the evaluation and application of the results from our graduating major tasks.

We have contracted with a Modern Languages Association, American Departments of Foreign Languages consultant to help guide our discussions and actions, beginning in September.