Report
Back to sections

Section IV: Programs
SACS Comprehensive Standard for Undergraduate Programs

IV-15. The institution identifies competencies within the general education core and provides evidence that graduates have attained those college-level competencies.

JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Yes, East Tennessee State University is able to provide a portfolio of evidence supporting compliance.

STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

East Tennessee State University's faculty and staff believe every student should experience the benefits of a general undergraduate education, regardless of his or her chosen field of study (ETSU General Education Program, Purpose and Design; ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, General Education Requirements). The ETSU general education curriculum is composed of two suites of requirements---a core curriculum, which is discipline-oriented, and a series of requirements to reinforce academic proficiencies, which are skill-oriented. The core curriculum is designed to acquaint students with ideas, information, and modes of inquiry they can draw upon in every area of their lives; to perceive relationships between different fields of study; and to enhance abilities in reading, writing, mathematics, and information technology. The core curriculum includes courses in writing, mathematics, information technology, and six disciplinary themes that are referenced collectively as "areas of familiarity" (Science; Heritage; Arts & the Artistic Vision; Identity, Ethics & Social Responsibility; Institutions & Society; and Humanities). Requirements to reinforce academic proficiencies consist of courses from every degree program ("across the curriculum") that are specifically designed to emphasize writing, oral communication, and uses of information technologies. Students also are required to enroll in two courses in physical education/exercise activities in the specific areas of fitness activity and lifetime activities.

In spring 2000, the ETSU General Education Advisory Council (GEAC) used the findings of a previous review of the general education curriculum (published as a series entitled, The Heart of the Matter) to clarify learning goals and their relationships to program requirements. The General Education at ETSU: Purpose and Design report clearly specifies the competencies we wish students to achieve, including the abilities to:

• apply the standards of reasoned argument to what they read and hear, write and say;

• engage in lifelong learning and personal growth;

• gain greater insight into their lives and the world in which they live;

• resolve conflicts nonviolently and solve problems creatively, often in collaboration with others;

• appreciate cultural diversity and respect people with viewpoints different from their own;

• be responsible, enlightened, active citizens in their communities and the world beyond their communities;

• find joy, meaning and fulfillment in their lives and help others do the same.

The report also has served as the basis for a number of publications written to communicate the goals of general education to current and prospective students, as well as other audiences (e.g., General Education at ETSU, Information for Students and Parents; ETSU's Across-the-Curriculum Programs in Oral Communication, Writing, and Using Information Technology; ETSU's Across-the-Curriculum Programs: Frequently Asked Questions).

Indicators of Goal Attainment

Some goals of general education are amenable to direct measurement, whereas others are not so easily measured, especially within the tenure of an individual student's career at ETSU. Therefore, ETSU uses two strategies to measure progress toward our goals of general education:

periodic curriculum review to ensure that students have the opportunities to achieve the goals of general education; and

outcome assessments of student attainment of competencies we believe essential to achieving the comprehensive goals of general education.

Curriculum Review

A major revision of the general education program at ETSU was implemented in fall 1995, and ETSU has since conducted five reviews of the program. Some of these reviews are cyclic and ongoing, whereas others have been directed toward specific goals:

External and peer review. During 1996-1997, ETSU conducted a state-mandated review of its general education program; results are described in SACS Standard IV-14.

Conferences on disciplinary themes. During 1998-2000, ETSU conducted a major review of its general education curriculum designed to identify the benefits of general education courses for students, effective teaching practices, and needs for program improvement. Over 100 full- and part-time faculty participated in conferences related to the six disciplinary themes ("areas of familiarity") in the general education core. The office of academic affairs published conference findings in a series of reports, entitled The Heart of the Matter, which were distributed widely on campus.

Cyclic review of proficiency-intensive course syllabi. Since 1998, ETSU has conducted ongoing cyclic reviews of the syllabi for courses designated as meeting oral communication, using information technology, and writing proficiencies. This cycle of systematic review was initiated on the basis of a suggestion resulting from the 1996-1997 state-mandated review of our general education curriculum. All proficiency courses are reviewed every three years after initial approval. Directors of the three ETSU proficiency programs conduct the periodic reviews, and then work with instructors to ensure that proficiency-intensive courses continue to meet program learning goals. Directors report the findings of their reviews annually to the GEAC.

Curriculum mapping of diversity issues. During 2000-2001, GEAC examined the syllabi of all courses in the general education core to determine how these courses address diversity issues. The review was initiated in response to a concern stated in the ETSU Task Force on Cultural Diversity report. The concern was the possibility that students might be able to complete the general education core without experiencing courses that emphasize diversity issues. However, the GEAC review of the representation of diversity issues in our general education courses found that this situation was not likely to be realized---most students are likely to enroll in several of the 32% of core curriculum courses that provide significant opportunities to explore diversity issues (GEAC Subcommittee on Diversity in the Core Draft Report).

Reaffirmation of accreditation and peer reviews of units.In addition to curriculum reviews undertaken by the GEAC, the university's general education program is examined during the course of re-accreditation and peer reviews of ETSU degree programs (SACS Standard IV-14 and IV-19).

Outcomes Assessment

At East Tennessee State University, we believe particular competencies are essential to the realization of the broad benefits of general education (General Education at ETSU, Evidence of Student Success). The institution assesses student achievement in eight competencies:

1.     reading and reasoning skills in the humanities,

2.     reading and reasoning skills in the natural sciences,

3.     reading and reasoning skills in the social sciences,

4.     overall reading and reasoning skills,

5.     mathematics,

6.     writing,

7.     oral communication, and

8.     using information technology.

As part of the Performance Funding Program of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), ETSU assesses the general knowledge and skills of all senior students. From 1992-2000, ETSU used senior students' performance on the College BASE Exam (CBASE) as the primary measure of the first six competencies listed above. Beginning in summer 2000, the university began using the Academic Profile Exam to assess these items. Results of these assessments are provided in a table below. Other standardized tests, as well as locally developed measures, also are employed to assess general education competencies of students at ETSU, and include the following:

• Off-campus assessment of oral communication skills. Since fall 1998, the ETSU Oral Communication Proficiency Program has assessed communication skills of students completing student teaching, nursing practicums, cooperative education, and similar community-based professional education experiences. Using a form supplied by ETSU, working professionals rate the oral communication skills of each student they supervise. The director of the oral communication proficiency program analyzes the data and reports the findings to participating academic units for use in program improvement. To date, the colleges of business, education, and nursing, and the ETSU Office of Cooperative Education have participated in this project.

• Faculty survey on oral communication skills. In spring 2001, the oral communication proficiency program initiated an on-campus assessment project, in which faculty teaching limited-enrollment, upper-division courses rate the communication skills students display in the classroom. This project will allow the university to collect data on the skills of groups of students not represented in the off-campus, professional assessment described above.

• California Critical Thinking Skills Test. In 2000-2001, ETSU administered the California Critical Thinking Skills Test to a sample of senior students as an additional measure of reading and reasoning skills.

• Academic Profile Essay Test. In 2001-2002, the ETSU Writing Proficiency Program will administer the Academic Profile Essay Test to a sample of seniors to supplement other measures of student writing.

• Criterion grading of information technology skills.Since fall 1995, ETSU has used a criterion-based grading system in the core computer course (CSCI 1100, Using Information Technology). This system is designed to measure student attainment of technology skills during the freshman year.

• Faculty survey on information technology skills. In 2001-2002, ETSU's Using Information Technology Proficiency Program will survey faculty to assess the information technology skills of students approaching graduation.

A comparison of ETSU students' performances on the CBASE Exam with national reference group scores reveals two facts. It should be noted that comparisons of CBASE data follow the vendor's report that differences less than 17 points are not statistically significant. Therefore, ETSU students performed at the mean levels of its national reference group on all discipline subtests. However, because the average entering ACT score of ETSU freshmen falls near the lower third of the CBASE national reference group, it appears that our students make especially significant gains in general knowledge and skills while at ETSU. Although this analysis is very positive, ETSU continues to seek improvements in seniors' performances on measures of general education.

Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes in General Education

East Tennessee State University, 1992-2000

Program Improvements

East Tennessee State University uses the results of curriculum reviews and assessments of student learning to improve its general education program.

For example, ETSU has systematically addressed the suggestions that resulted from the state-mandated review of the general education program (Action on Recommendations of the 1996-1997 Self-Study of General Education). Other examples of additional improvements have resulted from a faculty-initiated review of the "areas of familiarity" and from the review of syllabi from courses designed to meet requirements to reinforce academic proficiencies.

A review of the "areas of familiarity" originated as a prominent suggestion from the faculty who teach general education courses and was conducted in 1998-2000. Based on the findings of this faculty-initiated review, the GEAC recommended that ETSU clarify the goals of the general education program specifically to enhance communication with students, faculty, and other parties. This clarification, completed in spring 2000 (General Education at ETSU: Purpose and Design), improved our statements of goals in general education. These revised goals have now been widely disseminated by the ETSU Office of Academic Affairs in various publications designed for current and prospective students and other audiences.

A 1998-1999 review of syllabi for courses in ETSU's "across-the-curriculum" programs in writing, oral communication, and information technology showed that 15 to 20% of the courses did not meet all the specified criteria. The most common reason for noncompliance was that instructors had not been fully informed that courses assigned to them were proficiency-intensive. To correct this problem, the ETSU Office of Academic Affairs began an early notification process for instructors of proficiency-intensive courses. Prior to each semester, faculty assigned to teach proficiency-intensive courses receive personalized materials reminding them of the proficiency nature of their courses and providing guidelines for teaching such courses. Based on results of the last syllabus review (fall 2000), this process is increasing faculty awareness and improving compliance with specified criteria for course content.

Improvements in the general education program at ETSU also are based on the findings of student learning assessments. For example, a 1999-2000 review of CBASE assessment data concurred with the findings of the "areas of familiarity" review (above) in concluding that ETSU needs to increase its efforts to improve students' higher order reading and reasoning skills. Recommendations to achieve this goal were developed in spring 2000 by the GEAC and are in process. The ETSU Associate Vice President of Special Programs currently is working with various departments and the ETSU Teaching and Learning Center to develop specific objectives designed to increase students' reading and reasoning abilities. In addition, efforts are underway to increase awareness of the implications of general education assessment. For example, a specialized conference on assessment for the GEAC was held in fall 2000, and the division of academic affairs provided customized, undergraduate assessment reports, which served as the basis for discussions with the deans, chairs, and staff of each college.

DOCUMENTATION

	Report
Back to sections
Top of Page

reference room | pilot project | compliance audit | enhancement plan
search | contact | home

East Tennessee State University
alphabetical site index

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O
P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

© 2001 East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN 37614