May 29, 1996
This report for the School of Human and Consumer Sciences will address the progress ofoutcome assessment for five areas which are Child and Family Studies, Nutrition (Dieteticsand Food Service Management), Interior Design, and Retail Merchandising. Child and FamilyStudies and Nutrition also have graduate programs. Common to all specialized areas is thepreparation of students to enter their chosen profession and a curriculum that emphasizesthe needs of individuals and families across the life span to their environment.
A brief overview of this year's activities: Part of this year's activities were focusedon examining existing methods used for assessment and if these were providing theinformation needed to determine if end of program objectives are being met. The School ofHuman and Consumer Sciences is accredited by various professional agencies which are theAmerican Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, The American Dietetic Associationand The Foundation for Interior Design Education Research. These agencies examine programoutcomes as part of the self-study accreditation requirements. We, as a School, conduct asurvey of alumni for each program area every 5 years and all programs require a fieldexperience or student teaching where a preceptor evaluates the student. The instrumentsused for these two activities were evaluated in December, 1995, during an assessmentoutcome work day (attachment A). During the December meeting the faculty also agreed toutilize a portfolio that each student develops as a means to track communication skills,professional development, and synthesis of the specialized knowledge base.
In April, 1996 all specialized program areas met with Advisory Board members toacquaint them with the assessment initiatives of the University and the School'send-of-program objectives (agenda, attachment B). We met as a single group in the morningand then met as specialized program areas in the afternoon. Advisory board members weremailed program and course descriptions and the School's end of program objectives prior toour meeting so these could be reviewed. When we met with the board members they werefamiliar with our plans and prepared to make recommendations to the faculty for additionalitems we might consider. Following the advisory board meeting recommendations made byadvisory board members were reviewed by the faculty who agreed that we include them in theend-of-program objectives. These recommendations appear in italics in attachment C.Included in the recommendations was the addition of a new category, Activities, placedbetween the categories Objective and Assessment.
The activities described above have helped us as a faculty to examine existingassessment methods; to identify the portfolio as a method for tracking the individualstudent's progress through his or her program; and to validate and improve ourend-of-program objectives through the input of our Advisory Board Members. We are pleasedwith the results of these activities and are ready to refine our assessment methods.
The revised end of program objectives are listed below:
End of program objectives for the School of Human and Consumer Sciences
1. Students will develop a knowledge base and the ability to acquire information inhuman and consumer sciences and in specialized program areas.
2. Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively using oral,written, graphic and other technological methods, including the internet.
3. Students will synthesize creative and conceptual solutions to problems utilizing theknowledge base acquired in human and consumer sciences and specific program areas.
4. Students will develop professional attitudes and behaviors including the attitude oflifelong learning and advocacy for both the profession and clients.
5. Students will develop an ability to evaluate programs and client progress and needsand demonstrate an evaluative attitude toward their experiences both classroom andexperimental.
6. In addition, graduate students will demonstrate advanced analytical skills andknowledge needed for diagnostic, administrative, or research endeavors.
In the following section, each end-of-program objective is discussed. The discussionincludes 1. the objective; 2. accomplishments; and 3.improvements/enhancements/developments implemented. The conclusion of the report addresses# 4. the School's future assessment plans.
Objective 1. Students will develop a knowledge base and the ability to acquireinformation in human and consumer sciences and in specialized program areas.
Accomplishment:
The American Dietetic Association(ADA) requires that alumni from OhioUniversity have aminimum pass rate of 70% for continuance of the program. This Exam is required forlicensing. For the past 4 exams the pass rate for OhioUniversity alumni has been 100%(this information is reported to the School by ADA).
In 1996, of 3,000 applicants in the United States for 1,500 internship sites, 73% ofthe graduates from Ohio University were awarded post baccalaureate internships. Some ofour graduates choose to not follow a clinical career path thus do not apply forinternships or reapply the following year.
There is a qualifying exam for interior design that must be taken for states thatrequire licensing. Individuals cannot sit for the exam until they have 2 years ofexperience. Ohio does not have a licensing law now, but 5 interior design alumni havechosen to take the exam and passed all parts of the exam. The information wasself-reported by individual alumni.
All Early Childhood and Early Childhood Education and Primary Education graduatessuccessfully completed the National Teachers Exam.
Presently, programs in the School are accredited by The American Dietetics Association,The Foundation for Interior Design Education Research, and The American Association ofFamily and Consumer Sciences.
Development:
At the mid-point of the 10 year accreditation period, the American DieteticsAssociation (accrediting agency) requires a survey be completed to determine ifknowledge-based outcomes identified by the profession are being met by graduates. We arenow in the data collecting phase of this survey. Three groups of respondents (thepost-graduate internship director, alumni in dietetics and employers of alumni) weresurveyed. Instrument being used for the three groups of respondents is in attachment D.During summer 1996 the data will be used to determine if changes are needed in programrequirements to strengthen any part of the knowledge base for the dietetic program.
Being at the mid-point of a 6 year accreditation, the interior design program report isrequired this Spring to inform the agency on how knowledge base requirements (identifiedas weak by the site team in Spring 1993) have been strengthened. This report includesslides of student work that will be reviewed by the team
ALUMNI QUESTIONNAIRES
As mentioned in the introduction, faculty evaluated alumni questionnaires to determineif these instruments are designed to collect data useful for program evaluation relativeto the knowledge base required for each specialized program. In all programs except one,respondents are requested to rate knowledge concepts as to the on the job need and then torate their level of educational preparedness for this knowledge on a scale of I (weak) to5 (strong); respondents also give an overall rating for their program.
Improvements:
1. The program area that did not include a ratings for knowledge concepts will redesignthe questionnaire so knowledge concepts are included; 2. the area of family and childstudies will have two instruments, one for family studies and one for child studies; and3. information about continuing education and membership in professional organizationswill be requested on all survey forms as this will provide specific information for eachspecialized program. (Sample of Alumni Questionnaire attachment E)
FIELD EXPERIENCE PRECEPTOR EVALUATION FORMS
Faculty also reviewed the field experience preceptor evaluation forms to determine ifthese are designed to collect data that will be useful when assessing the program's end ofprogram objectives. The preceptor evaluates professional behaviors, oral and writtencommunication skills and the knowledge of subject matter. (Attachment F sample evaluationforms)
Enhancement:
A formal review process of all field experience evaluation forms for the specializedprograms will be conducted each Fall to determine if there appears to be areas wherenumerous students fail to have strong ratings thus indicating areas for programimprovement.
PORTFOLIOS
During our December meeting on assessment faculty, investigated the use of a portfolioas a means of assessing student progress through their specialized program. This means ofassessment was selected by the faculty as a method of tracking student developmentthroughout his or her specialized program. A review of student portfolios can be used toassess program development to see if there are themes that are developing where programsneed to be strengthened. Even though portfolios will be used to examine knowledgeconcepts, we believe that the portfolio can best be used to assess end -of-programobjectives 2 through 4. Specialized programs are at different stages of portfoliodevelopment thus the following presents what has been done to date.
Implemented:
A three-phase student assessment process in Retail Merchandising, which is ProfessionalAwareness (HCRM 299), Professional Assessment (HCRM 399), and Strategic Retail Policy(HCRM 480, Capstone course). Individual student portfolios will be a requirement in thesecourses. See attachment G for a more detailed description.
Implemented: A professional portfolio is now a requirement for all Food ServiceManagement students to keep track of his/her own performance. Criteria is developed(attachment H).
Implemented:
Currently interior design students must pass Phase I portfolio review in order toprogress into advanced studio courses. Two additional portfolio reviews for interiordesign will be conducted at the end of both Phase II and Phase III as a tracking method.During Phase II portfolio, students will present work completed in HCID 350A, 280, and281. During Phase III, students will present the work completed in HCID 350A,280,281,483,484, 485, as well as any evidence of writing skills and professionaldevelopment that they may want to present for faculty to review. (evaluation forms,attachment I)
Objective 2: Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively usingoral,written,graphic and other technological methods, including the internet.
Accomplishments:
Field Placement evaluations provide input as to how well this objective is being met,along with activities that are part of required courses.
Development:
As a result of our alumni survey and input from preceptors the interior design programis increasing the use of computer executed drawings. Also a new software program, AutoCADis being installed summer of 1996, as this has been suggested by professionals in the workplace.
Implemented:
Child and Family Studies now require students to give oral presentations in HCCF 299,which are video taped at the end of the quarter and then the tape is evaluated using anestablished criteria (attachment J). The tape will be used over a series of coursepresentations to show progress and change. The final course for a presentation will beHCCF 400 where the student will make a 30 minute presentation. This will providecontinuance tracking for oral communication.
Implemented:
Dietetic students must take a counseling course HCFN 499A which requires four 60 minutesessions throughout a 10 week quarter. Students assess their clients needs and must orallycommunicate these to the client In addition, students in this course must present anutrition program to a large audience who are not students.
Implemented
Students in interior design must present projects orally to all faculty (and guestprofessionals in some cases) during project critiques. (Attachment K Evaluation Form usedto provide continuance tracking for oral communication.)
Objective 3: Students will synthesize creative and conceptual solutions to problemsutilizing the knowledge base acquired in human and consumer sciences and specific programareas.
Accomplishment:
All students are required to complete field experience or student teaching and thepreceptor evaluations are used to assess this objective along with information from alumnisurveys. Other examples include the student's working with clients in dietary counseling,retail merchandising, and interior design.
Implemented:
Retail Merchandising has developed a Capstone course, Strategic Retail Policy, whichhas been approved through the curriculum committees. This course will provide opportunityfor final professional portfolio development.
Objective 4: Students will develop professional attitudes and behaviors including theattitude of lifelong learning and advocacy for both the profession and clients.
Accomplishments:
Human and Consumer Science 299 courses, a requirement of all specialized programs,stresses professional development. Professional organizations and their contributions tothe advancement of the profession are included. Each specialized program has a studentorganization and membership is encouraged. One specialized program area requiresmembership in the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. The development ofprofessional behaviors continues in the 399 or 400 classes for specialized program areas.All students complete field experience or student teaching requirements. Professionalattitudes and behaviors are assessed by field experience preceptors, providing informationto faculty about how successful efforts have been to foster a professional attitude.
Implemented:
Alumni survey questionnaires will continue to request information regarding membershipand involvement in professional organizations, and participation in continuing educationactivities.
5. Students will develop an ability to evaluate programs and client progress and needsand demonstrate an evaluative attitude toward their experiences both classroom andexperimental.
Accomplishments:
The field experience and practicums provide opportunities for students to experienceworking with clients. Field experience evaluations provide evaluation of this experience,as well as student journals completed as a field experience requirement.
Dietetic students are required to take HCFN 499A , Nutrition Counseling Practium, whereeach student has a client. Students assess their client's needs, and maintain a casehistory that is then presented to the client's physician Case studies and clientparticipation are used in all areas to provide an opportunity for assessment and planning.
Students are asked to evaluate courses and faculty on a regular basis, major themes aresummarized by the Director and discussed with the faculty.
Alumni surveys request that respondents evaluate his or her specialized program.
Implemented: Students are being asked to complete an Evaluation of Skills, Knowledgeand Techniques at the end of HCCF 399. This information will be used by students indevelopment of portfolios and by faculty as courses are reviewed. (Attachment L)
4. Changes recommended for the future:
The faculty plan objectives for each academic year that are our plan of work toaccomplish as a School. The following are objectives that we identified relative toassessment for 1996-97.
All specialized programs will have a system for tracking the oral communication skillsof students, including evaluation instruments.
Key courses where written communication skills are to be emphasized will be identified,along with assignments and criteria for evaluation.
All specialized programs will begin the process of accessing technology forinformation.
All specialized programs will have a professional student portfolio process in place,including evaluation criteria and a system for tracking students.
How the portfolio will be utilized as part of the assessment process will be refined.All specialized programs will conduct a review of field experience evaluation formscompleted by the preceptor to determine if there appear to be areas students do not havestrong ratings, thus indicating a need for program improvement.
Graduate programs will be evaluated and measures to assess end-of-program outcomes willbe refined.
Continue to use Advisory Board members to review the School's assessment progress.
Source: Provost's Office
