PROGRAM PLANNING REPORT 2012 POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Transcription

1 I. BACKGROUND, EVALUATION & ANALYSIS PROGRAM PLANNING REPORT 2012 POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT Prgram Descriptin The Plitical Science Department ffers a number f intrductry curses in American plitics, internatinal relatins, plitical thery and cmparative plitics that satisfy the requirements fr bth Cabrill s A.A. and A.S. degrees. Our curses meet requirements fr UC and CSU transfer in the majr with upper divisin standing and satisfy IGETC requirements. Additinally, fr the CSU, bth Plitical Science 1 & 5 serve as requirements fr graduatin. As nne f ur fferings have prerequisites, all f them are pen t the full range f Cabrill students. In rder t reach as many students as pssible, we have prvided instructin at bth the Apts campus, Watsnville Center, and in distance educatin frmats fr many years. During this planning cycle, the department cnsisted f tw full time instructrs, Rry O Brien and Bill Hill, until the fall f 2010, when Prfessr Hill retired. We als have fur wnderful adjunct clleagues wh have taught with us regularly fr many years. At this pint, f the furteen sectins that are rutinely ffered each semester, eleven are taught by adjunct faculty. And all f the curses we ffer in the areas f Cmparative Plitics and Internatinal Relatins -- representing fully half f ur cre -- are currently being taught by adjunct faculty. The department is desperately dependent n the gd wrk dne by ur part-time clleagues. The Plitical Science Department has been steadfast in maintaining its strngest attributes: ur faculty, ur use f innvative teaching techniques and ur dedicatin t campus-wide service. During the last five years we have wrked t cntribute t the cllege by putting n prgrams such as the Mdel United Natins, creating a hybrid versin f PS 1 and develping PS 1 Hnrs. The department s current single full-time faculty member has taken n varius campus-wide respnsibilities ver the years. At present, Rry O Brien is acting as prgram chair fr the Glbal Studies cluster in HASS while serving as faculty lead n the 2013 Accreditatin Self-Evaluatin Prject. During the perid cvered by this reprt, Dr. O Brien finished the last part f his secnd term as Faculty Senate president and then served fr a year as the senate vice-president. Fr much f the perid during this last planning cycle, plitical science has been in a crisis mde. With cutbacks in teaching units, alng with Dr. Bill Hill s reductin in teaching lad fllwed by his eventual Department Offerings Plitical Science 1 (Intrductin t Gvernment) an intrductry curse fcused n the histrical rigins and develpment f the U.S. gvernment. Plitical Science 2 (Intrductin t Cmparative Gvernment) an intrductry curse t the cmparative study f plitical systems. Plitical Science 3 (Internatinal Relatins) an intrductry curse t the study f the internatinal plitical and ecnmic system. Plitical Science 5 (American Plitical Thught) an verview f the plitical theries at the basis f ur plitical system in the U.S. Plitical Science 39A-Z (Studies in Plitical Science), an intensive analysis f particular plitical issue, mvement, r cncepts. retirement, a numerical analysis f ur current state des nt lk particularly psitive. The department lks frward t a full-time hire allwing ur cntract faculty t cver the full range f curses we ffer in ur prgram. With the differences in the sub-fields in ur discipline, anther full-time member faculty member will permit the department, nce again, t make the strngest pssible presentatin f the entire scpe f ur transfer based curse fferings. Alng with prpsals t imprve student learning, develp mre innvative ways f delivering curse cntent and t create new pprtunities fr ur students t cmpete in the jb market, the Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 1

2 thrust f this reprt will revlve arund the department s plans fr re-structuring after we have added anther full-time faculty member. Relatinships Plitical Science has lng enjyed gd relatins with ther departments and prgrams acrss the campus. The fact that ur faculty have regularly taken part in many f the shared gvernance functins f ur institutin has helped us t make imprtant cnnectins with ther prgrams. Fr many years Dr. Rry O Brien has served in a leadership rle in the Faculty Senate, while als helping ut n the Assessment Review Cmmittee, the Distance Educatin cmmittee and the Staff Develpment cmmittee. Overall, plitical science has develped gd relatinships with ther departments and prgrams at the cllege. The fact that we play an imprtant rle in general educatin, fulfilling the American institutins requirement fr the A.A. and the scial and behaviral sciences requirement fr the A.S. degrees has als helped us t frge imprtant cnnectins with ther departments. Furthermre, prgrams as diverse as Educatin and Fire Technlgy list plitical science curses in their Suggested Mdel Prgrams as either required r elective curses. Histry and Liberal Arts & Sciences als include ur curses in their prgrams. The plitical science department has always been prepared t deliver curses t ur students in many different venues. Despite ur staffing prblems, the department has maintained a presence at the Watsnville Center, with at least ne sectin f PS1 being ffered each semester. During much f the last planning cycle, we als presented classes at ur Sctts Valley lcatin. Since mst fur-year institutins ffer at least the B.A. in Plitical Science, students majring in plitical science at Cabrill have a wide variety f chice as t where t cntinue their educatin in the field. Lcal CSU and UC campuses graduate many plitical science majrs each year -- UC Berkeley alne accunted fr 475 Bachelr s degrees in the discipline. The department is always interested in establishing mre frmal cntacts with reginal UC and CSU plitical science departments in rder t enhance the in-state transfer pprtunities fr Cabrill students. Recently, the department has made utreach effrts t ther campus prgrams by initiating discussins cncerning tw imprtant prjects. One initiative wuld allw fr the creatin f a Pli-Tech emphasis in the majr that culd eventually be develped int a certificate prgram aimed at preparing students fr jbs in lcal and state gvernment. When public funding ges up again, lcal and state gvernment agencies will need qualified applicants t fill new jbs. Lking at a 3-5 year timeframe, the Pli-Tech prgram culd be well psitined t grant certificates t graduates wh wuld be ready t wrk in lcal, cunty and state gvernment. Secndly, in respnse t the needs f ur distance educatin students, the department plans t create faculty-prduced, shrt vide segments specifically fr nline curses. Dr. O Brien has taught PS1 as a distance educatin curse fr mre than eight years. With the additin f a new faculty member wh will prbably want t develp ne r mre nline curses, the department can make greater use f this mde f delivery in the future. See ur discussin n SLO fr mre details. Csts and Revenues Prgram planning data frm the Cabrill Fact Bk (2010) will be used belw t illustrate the department s level f prductivity. Prductivity is measured by the department s weekly student cntact hurs per full-time equivalent faculty (WSCH/FTEF). Over the last ten semesters, plitical science s WSCH/FTEF has been mre ften than nt slightly lwer than that f the cllege in general. This is indicative f a prgram that has maintained a heavy faculty lad. Fr a number f years we have been presenting new curses and at the same time, we have been ffering curses in different frmats. As nted belw, many f thse experiments resulted in lwer enrllments (PS1 Hnrs is a gd example). Hwever, as demnstrated in the fllwing table, Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 2

3 ur numbers have trended upward since ur last prgram plan in The department's average lad fr the ten semesters listed abve is , which cmpares fairly well with the Cllege's average f Hwever, the department has had t face a cmbinatin f, (1) fewer teaching units being allcated t the prgram, (2) having full-time faculty serve the cllege in ways that reduced his teaching lad, and (3) teaching classes with initially lwer caps (PS1 Hnrs, PS1 Hybrid). S the numerical trends ver the last phase f the planning cycle d nt give a gd representatin f ur prgram s cntributin t the cllege. Infrmatin frm the Fact Bk als shws hw the plitical science department cmpares with the rest f the cllege in terms f WSCH and FTEF. Table 1 WSCH/FTEF Ttal Cllege Plitical Science Department Academic Year Fall Spring Fall Spring 2005/ / / / / Table 2 Plitical Science Department s Percent f the Cllege s WSCH/FTEF WSCH FTEF Academic Year Fall Spring Fall Spring 2005/ % 1.15% 1.14% 1.21% 2006/ % 1.16% 1.18% 1.18% 2007/ % 1.22% 1.11% 1.20% 2008/ % 1.22% 1.26% 1.22% 2009/ % 1.20% 1.15% 1.16% Table 3 FTES Ttal Cllege Plitical Science Department Academic Year Fall Spring Fall Spring 2005/06 5, , /07 5, , /08 5, , /09 6, , /10 5, , Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 3

4 Table 4 Percent FTES Plitical Science t Ttal Cllege Academic Year Percent f FTES 2005/ % 2006/ % 2007/ % 2008/ % 2009/ % Table 5 Plitical Science Expenditures as a Percentage f Cllege Ttals Academic Year Prgram Base Expenditures Cllege Base Expenditures Percent Plitical Science 2005/06 $254,086 $25,688, % 2006/07 $268,321 $26,934, % 2007/08 $300,335 $29,023, % 2008/09 $312,352 $28,658, % 2009/10 $273,207 $27,072, % While Plitical Science brings in an average f 1.19% f the cllege s WSCH, the department cmprises, at the mst, an average f 1.13% f the cllege s FTEF. The department cnsistently generates mre revenue in terms f FTES (full time equivalent students) when cmpared t the cllege ttals, while csts remain lw, indicating that plitical science is an efficient prgram. Table 4 abve demnstrates that we cnsistently represent abve 1% f the FTES, while csting little mre than that number (see Table 5). Assessment f Student Learning Outcmes The full-time faculty members in the department have lng been assciated with helping t develp and implement prcesses t assess student learning utcmes bth in ur department and thrughut the cllege. SLO assessment has given us an pprtunity t apply new cncepts t ur evaluatin f ur students wrk. This prcess has helped us gain insights as t hw we can help mre f ur students successfully cmplete ur curses (see SLO appendix). As part f ur last prgram planning prcess, we wrked t re-write all curse curricula t include SLO. Since the middle f the last planning cycle, the department has assessed learning utcmes n the Cllege s Cre Fur. Thrughut the current planning cycle we have assessed curse level SLO in each f ur classes as well as the Cre Fur. In Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 we assessed curse SLO fr PS1. While in Fall 2008 we assessed ur ther curses: PS2, PS3 and PS5. (Please see the attached SLO frms fr particulars n ur methds and discussin.) The plitical science faculty has wrked t integrate ur assessment f SLO int virtually all aspects f what we d as a department. Our FLEX week meetings are generally cnsumed with cnversatins abut the utcmes we measured in the preceding semester and with ur discussins f what we will be assessing in the cming term. These department-wide cnversatins include bth parttime and cntract faculty. During this cycle, we discvered that it was mre difficult t clearly assess curse SLO than the cre cmpetencies smething we were nt anticipating. We have been used t assessing the Cre Fur fr quite a while nw, but when it came t analyzing what we were ding in terms f individual curse cntent, ur findings seemed t be murkier. Faculty have discussed different strategies fr assessment f curse SLO that we expect t emply during the next planning cycle. Fr example, when Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 4

5 assessing curse level SLO there is n clear cnsensus as t whether we shuld use ne frm f testing ver anther. Nr have we been able t agree n a single paper tpic r exercise that might help us t generalize ur findings. Next time arund, in advance f assessing curse SLO, we plan t discuss frms f testing and different ways t better think abut the prcess. Investigatin f ur SLO reprts allws the reader t see the varius areas in which we plan t make changes in rder t increase student learning. Overall, the need t prvide ur students with mre writing assignments t help them develp the skills they need became bvius. Adding SLO t ur prgram planning ver time has significantly impacted the planning prcess itself. The additinal tasks f assessing utcmes based n the cllege Cre Cmpetencies and curse SLO has added new layers t ur research. The time invlved in cnceptualizing hw t apply this new paradigm, taking part in the necessary training and actually implementing the assessment has been significant. Althugh part time faculty members have been willing t participate, SLO assessment puts an undue burden n them. Overall, members f the department think that studying SLO has prvided us with a basis fr an nging discussin n we can wrk t increase student success. But the extra time cmmitment invlved shuld nt be verlked. Measures f Student Success Infrmatin taken frm the Cabrill Fact Bk fr 2010 indicates the fllwing with regard t levels f student retentin and success in the Plitical Science Department. Percent retentin measures the number f students still enrlled at the end f the semester, as a percent f the ttal enrllment. Percent success measures the number f grades equivalent t a C r better, as a percent f the ttal grades given. Table 6 Student Retentin Ttal Cllege Plitical Science Department Academic Year Fall Spring Fall Spring 2005/ % 80.9% 79.0% 81.7% 2006/ % 80.3 % 80.1 % 84.5 % 2007/ % 82.0 % 79.7 % 80.1 % 2008/ % 84.6 % 86.3 % 86.6 % 2009/ % 84.7 % 85.6 % 84.5 % Table 7 Student Success Ttal Cllege Plitical Science Department Academic Year Fall Spring Fall Spring 2005/ % 67.8% 66.5% 66.3% 2006/ % 66.6 % 67.9 % 70.3 % 2007/ % 67.8 % 68.7 % 68.6 % 2008/ % 68.9 % 65.0 % 71.1 % 2009/ % 70.6 % 66.9 % 71.0 % The data indicate the department s retentin and success rates are generally cnsistent with the cllege ttals. While we have been in the current planning cycle, the department has aspired t keep ur numbers fr bth student success and retentin as high as pssible. Results f the Student Survey The student survey cnducted by the cllege in 2010 shws that ur students enjy taking the classes we present. Althugh mst f the students surveyed were nt plitical science majrs, many f them respnded that they wuld be interested in taking mre classes in the prgram. Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 5

6 Althugh nly 21% f students had career plans in the area f plitical science, ver 90% f student respndents said that they wuld recmmend Plitical Science curses t thers. Additinally, 39% f thse students reprt that they plan t take mre plitical science classes. Our students are largely under 21 years f age, male and taking ur curses because they are required. Despite the fact that we nly graduate three t six majrs per year, the curses presented by the plitical science department cntinue t be bth rbust and ppular. Of the students surveyed, fully 96% f them described the verall wrklad assigned in ur classes as Apprpriate. And 73% f the students in ur classes felt that their perfrmance was assessed Sufficiently (Student Survey Fall 2010, PRO). The written cmments n the Plitical Science student surveys fr Fall 2010 cnsistently reflect student perceptins that a high quality f instructin is the majr strength f the prgram. The pen-ended respnses frm students als indicate that they enjy ur plitical science curses. We received the fllwing answers in respnse t the questin: What d yu cnsider the majr strengths f this prgram? Great faculty. Teachers are willing t meet with their students fr extra help. The teacher is very gd, talks abut current events, and intentinally talks abut issues frm multiple perspectives. The quality f teaching has been cnsistent and excellent. Curriculum Review Fr the purpses f this review, the department faculty has taken a careful lk at all f ur curse curricula. Befre his retirement, Dr. Bill Hill was willing t review and revise the utlines fr ur cmparative plitics and internatinal relatins curses. In the meantime, Dr. O Brien reviewed and recnsidered the ther cre curses in ur prgram: PS1 Intrductin t Gvernment, and PS5 American Plitical Thught. All f ur curses have nw been updated in CurricuNet. As a cnsequence f ur planning prcesses, the faculty decided t remve PS4 Paths t Freedm frm ur curriculum. As we had nt been in a psitin t put n PS4 fr a number f years it was apprpriate t take this curse ut f ur list f fferings. The department cnsiders the future develpment f a traditinal curse in plitical thery as a fitting replacement fr PS4. Fr ur department, cnsideratin f curriculum has t d with mre than just revisins t ur curse utlines. Internal research and discussin has helped us t discver what wrks best in terms f helping students. As a result, thrughut mst f the last tw planning cycles we have been able t imprve curse cntent delivery by presenting many f ur classes in a multimedia frmat, integrating classrm lecture, discussin, vides, slide presentatins, and internet-based readings int ur teaching. We are als interested in remaining a vital part f newer cllege initiatives. In this vein, when the cllege launched the Hnrs Prgram, Dr. Hill develped the PS1 Hnrs curse which was first successfully ffered in fall f His preparatin fr instructin f this curse included cmpiling primary surce materials fr an "issue-based" reader as a requirement fr the curse. Rry tk ver the PS1 Hnrs curse in the spring f The department will be ffering PS1 Hnrs curse every ther semester. As an example f ur desire t remain an imprtant part f the Distance Educatin Prgram, the department has cntinued t present at least ne sectin f PS1 Online each semester. T keep up with student demand and t experiment with new ideas abut classrm use, we als develped a hybrid versin f PS1 that Dr. O Brien began teaching in the spring f Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 6

7 II. NEW DIRECTIONS Prgram Directins Based n SLO As mentined abve, each semester during FLEX week, the cntract and adjunct plitical science faculty meet as a grup t discuss SLO. Our brad ranging discussins have helped us clarify ur fcus n student learning and have allwed us t talk abut teaching. Many different ideas have cme up at these meetings, sme f which need financial supprt, while thers require n additinal funding. On the basis f ur discussins, we have cncluded that ur best curse f actin is t develp strategies that we can implement in the classrm withut requiring additinal cllege resurces. Mst f ur cncerns have t d with hw well we present and then assess material in ur classes. At ne time r anther during the last five years, each f us has realized that a different apprach r mre careful preparatin might lead t mre psitive results in terms f SLO. In the lng-range, there is n better way fr ur department t increase student learning than t add anther full-time faculty member. In a small department like urs, it is ften quite difficult fr adjunct faculty t fully participate in SLO assessment. Differing campus philsphies regarding SLO, lng distances and cnflicting schedules have, in many instances hampered the ability f ur adjunct clleagues t engage in this imprtant wrk. Many f ur students will benefit frm the expertise and service that an expert n cmparative plitics and internatinal relatins will prvide. The department desperately needs t have anther full-time faculty member with the time and energy t engage in the assessment prcess. Therefre, a tremendus amunt f pressure has been put n the single cntract faculty member f the department t rganize and recrd discussins n SLO and prepare necessary frms and dcuments. Finally, the department believes that ne f the best ways t increase student learning is t bring all f the plitical science curricula up t the writing factr level. We have cnsistently nted in ur SLO discussins that imprvements in student writing wuld lead t imprvements in their success in ur classes. Ultimately, we believe that bringing students up t a 4000 wrd minimum in their plitical science curses wuld help them be mre successful in ur curses and ther curses at the cllege level. The faculty will establish avenues f cmmunicatin with ther departments including English and Histry, t establish a dialg abut imprving student writing. Our gal here is simply t help ur students imprve their written expressin s they will be better able t d the wrk demanded f them in ur classes. New Ideas in Pedaggy and Appraches As mentined abve, the department is cmmitted t expanding and develping ur use f alternative frmats t the traditinal classrm. Rry O Brien cntinues t teach PS1 Online each semester. A lgical next step in further develping the nline curse wuld be t add a vide cmpnent. That way, students wuld enjy a mre direct cnnectin with their instructrs and culd gain sme f the benefits f in-persn instructin even at a distance. There s a lt f wrk invlved in creating even shrt segments f high- quality vide. But with the additin f extra camera equipment and editing sftware, Cabrill culd have a functining vide studi/classrm up and running fr a relatively lw cst. The pssibility f having digital media students wrk with faculty t sht and edit vide segments was suggested by the Prgram Chair f Digital Media. The ability fr ur faculty t present a regular class lecture that then culd be edited dwn t create a segment applicable t nline curses wuld be invaluable. Or, if faculty wanted t sht a tw-minute reminder t students t prepare fr a particular assignment, the facilities wuld be available. The department has lng cnsidered building a certificate prgram in Pli-Tech, allwing students t cmpete in the market fr lcal, state and federal gvernment jbs. This prject culd easily begin with the creatin f a public administratin emphasis in ur majr and culd include Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 7

8 existent curses frm different disciplines including public safety, business, ecnmics and scilgy. We have initiated cnversatins abut the creatin f this prgram with bth Dean Rck Pftenhauer f Career Educatin and Ecnmic Develpment, and Harry Bidleman f the Criminal Justice department. The prgram wuld require little r n extra faculty r teaching units mst f the curses wuld already exist. Pli-Tech wuld prvide students with a cre grup f curses designed t prepare them fr careers in the public sectr. Cnnectins with the Master Plan Overall, the plitical science prgram reflects many aspects f the cllege Master Plan, as we are cmmitted t helping all students achieve their academic, career, and persnal develpment gals. Furthermre, ur department is passinate abut develping critical thinking, hning ral and written cmmunicatin and enhancing glbal awareness, while cultivating persnal and prfessinal respnsibility in ur students. All f ur fferings are designed t help get mre students int ur transfer prgrams, which is rted in Objective A4 under Gal A. Additinally, ur curses help t increase student knwledge f tpics like glbal sustainability, scial justice and cmmunity service, as mentined in Objective B4. The very reasn that we exist as a prgram at the cllege is t fster better citizenship. Our curses prvide students with the requisite skills and knwledge t be participate in ur demcratic institutins by teaching them abut the essential features f ur gvernment and gvernments arund the wrld. We als help t prvide students with the literacy, numeracy, cmmunicatin skills necessary fr success in basic skills, CTE and transfer (Objective C2). As a writing-factr curse, PS1 is designed arund helping students hne their skills in written cmmunicatin. And finally, all f the curses presented by the department include SLO assessment n a regular basis (see SLO appendix and ther sectins f this reprt). In additin t ur primary gal f hiring ne full-time faculty member, the tw prpsals we ll put frward in this reprt are, (1) t buy the equipment necessary fr faculty t create vide prducts that can be used as part f ur nline curses, and, (2) develping a Pli-Tech prgram. Bth f these ideas als tie directly t the Master Plan. Faculty frm many different disciplines have expressed an interest in ur having the capability fr creating and editing vide segments that can be used in nline curses. The best pssible versin f this plan includes having a dedicated classrm equipped with the prper vide camera(s) and recrder that any faculty member frm any discipline culd use t create shrt vide prductins. This prject, which ties directly t Objective B3 as a way t increase use f current and emerging technlgies fr student supprt and fr teaching.. via distance learning, is endrsed by the Jurnalism, Gegraphy, Histry and English Departments and wuld benefit students in classes acrss many mre disciplines. After Dr. O Brien cmpletes his current service in ther areas, the department will research the pssibility f develping a Pli-Tech prgram. This transfer level curriculum wuld prepare students t successfully cmpete fr jbs at the levels f lcal, state r federal gvernment, s it ties-in directly with bth Objectives C1 and C3 f the Master Plan. The curses included in this certificate prgram wuld be made up f classes that students wuld take as lwer divisin public administratin majrs. When apprpriate, we will reach ut t the Scilgy, English, Histry and Psychlgy departments, alng with the Business Department t see which curses might wrk best int the mix that wuld allw ur students the greatest pprtunities in terms f the current jb market. The department has been in cnversatin with Dean Pftenhauer abut this idea fr a prgram. The respnse has been psitive, and when time permits, Dr. O Brien will pursue it further. Summary The department ffers the lwer divisin curses that students need either t transfer t a fur year institutin as a plitical science majr r t meet the needs f ther prgrams at Cabrill. The Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 8

9 curses are designed t give the student a thrugh grunding in plitical science and t challenge them t questin and think critically abut the subject matter under study. The department als encurages the student t express and defend varying pints f view, prmtes an appreciatin f the need t rely n empirical evidence and sund lgic when appraching questins abut the plitical wrld, and helps students t develp a tlerance and appreciatin fr differing pints f view. We cnsistently supply the cre curriculum necessary fr students t successfully transfer t fur-year universities. Over the years ur faculty has wrked t help imprve ur students ability t transfer successfully. Nw that we regularly ffer PS1 Hnrs, we are able t assist even mre students in their effrts t transfer t fur-year institutins. Plitical science cntinues t ffer curses that help students explre their interests in the varius sub-fields f ur discipline and allws fr the discussin f a variety f tpics currently f cncern t ur students ranging frm the wrld s ecnmy and trade t the envirnment. With the additin f anther full-time faculty member dedicated t the teaching f PS2 and PS3, ur department has the pprtunity t nce again grw. In the future, the cllege can lk t the plitical science department t cntinue t take leadership rles in terms f bth campus gvernance and innvative teaching. By placing an emphasis n new classrm technlgies and alternatives t traditinal instructinal methds, we believe the department has clearly psitined itself t better prepare ur students fr bth the wrkplace and fr life. In keeping with the latest Gverning Bard Gals fr , we believe that the cllege ught t use its resurces t creatively address student needs and increase achievement f student gals. The plitical science department is cmmitted t addressing thse needs and ding ur best t help ur students succeed in achieving their gals. III. GOALS and RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Our mst imprtant gal is t hire anther full-time faculty member. The department has suffered frm a lack f a full-time instructr whse expertise cvers the areas f internatinal relatins and cmparative plitics. The absence f a qualified member f ur faculty in these imprtant sub-disciplines has limited ur prgram in terms f service t ur students. Successfully bringing n bard a new faculty member will help t enliven the department -- which is certainly in line with creating student success thrugh a fcus n learning utcmes, as well as being cnsistent with the cllege master plan. 2. The department will cntinue t explre pssibilities fr imprving student writing with faculty frm ther disciplines. Thrugh ur SLO research we have learned that bringing students up t a 4000 wrd minimum in their plitical science curses wuld help them be mre successful in all f their curses at the cllege level. 3. We wuld like t have the resurces available t create vides fr use in distance educatin curses. This prject ties directly t Objective B3 in ur Master Plan as a way t increase use f current and emerging technlgies fr student supprt and fr teaching.. via distance learning. The technlgy we asking fr culd be used in classes frm many disciplines. 4. Finally, the department is interested in explring the pssibility f eventually creating a Pli- Tech prgram that wuld prepare students fr careers in lcal and state gvernment. Again, this cncept is cnsistent with the Master Plan, in that it is based n the use f emerging technlgies t help ur students get mre ut f their cllege experience. Please see the attached Gals and Recmmendatins frm. Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 9

10 IV. REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS Transfer and Basic Skills Departmental Assessment Analysis Frm I Department Plitical Science Meeting Date Fall FLEX 2007 Number f Faculty/Staff participating in dialgue Number f Faculty/Staff sharing Ttal number f faculty/staff in department Cre Cmpetency r Curse SLOs measured Assessment Tls (Give examples f majr assignments yur faculty/staff used t measure the cmpetency r curse SLOs) (Summarize the verall results f yur department What student needs and issues were revealed? Were there any areas where student perfrmance was utstanding? Any areas where it can be imprved? FULLTIME 2 3 ADJUNCT PS1 Curse SLO 1 & 2: 1) Demnstrate understanding f the structures, interactins and functining f the varius levels f gvernment in the United States. 2) Analyze the dynamics f making public plicy in the United States 2-5 page papers n varius tpics in American Plitics Essay Exams Quizzes 1) Overall, students demnstrated a gd understanding f the structures and the functining f the federal gvernment. In the area f interactins, hwever, sme students appeared t have prblems with integrating cncepts dealing with checks and balances and the pwers f the different branches f the gvernment. Student need was mst bvius in terms f prblems with clearly cmmunicating cmplex ideas. 2) Students seem t d better with assignments and exams that fcus n the mre straightfrward aspects f gvernment. Analysis tended t be smewhat superficial and was nt always clearly articulated. Next Step in the Classrm t Imprve Student Learning State gals r bjectives f assignment/activity mre explicitly Revise cntent f assignment/activities Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 10

11 Hw might student perfrmance be imprved? Check all the items faculty/staff felt wuld help them address the needs and issues that were revealed by the assessment. Revise the amunt f writing/ral/visual/clinical r similar wrk Revise activities leading up t and/r supprting assignment/activities Increase in-class discussins and activities State criteria fr grading mre explicitly Cntinue t cllect mre data Next Step in the Department t Imprve Student Learning Check all that the department felt wuld help them imprve student learning. Pririties t Imprve Student Learning (List the tp 3-6 things faculty/staff felt wuld mst imprve student learning) Implementatin (List the departmental plans t implement these pririties) Encurage faculty t share activities that fster cmpetency Analyze curse curriculum, s that the department can build a prgressin f skills as students advance thrugh curses Faculty will wrk t devise strategies that help students get mre experience with the srt f analytical thinking ur curse SLO require Mre classrm time spent n mdeling critical thinking Mre in-class writing exercises Use f mre visual aids Tutring fr all students Orientatin curse fr all in-cming students Require successful cmpletin f English 1A as a prerequisite fr PS1 These are all nging cncerns. Faculty plan n wrking in their wn classes t help students gain a greater understanding f the imprtance f the interactins between branches f gvernment and the different levels f gvernment. Bth f these SLO tie-in directly with Cmmunicatin and Critical Thinking cre cmpetencies. As this was ur first pprtunity t assess ur curse-level SLO, we feel that as the prject cntinues we will be able t get a better understanding f what we re really lking fr here, as well as what wrks and what desn t in terms f assessment, analysis and implementatin. Timeline fr Implementatin (Make a timeline fr implementatin f yur tp pririties) Faculty plan n wrking t imprve classrm instructin and assessment skills in an nging fashin. The cncerns raised in this review will be discussed at ur FLEX week meeting in the spring. Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 11

12 Transfer and Basic Skills Departmental Assessment Analysis Frm II Department Plitical Science Meeting Date Spring FLEX Week 2008 Number f Faculty/Staff participating in dialgue Number f Faculty/Staff sharing Ttal number f faculty/staff in department Cre Cmpetency r Curse SLOs measured Assessment Tls (Give examples f majr assignments yur faculty/staff used t measure the cmpetency r curse SLOs) (Summarize the verall results f yur department What student needs and issues were revealed? Were there any areas where student perfrmance was utstanding? Any areas where it can be imprved? FULLTIME ADJUNCT PS1 Curse SLO 3&4: 3) Synthesize knwledge and analysis f plitical events and cncepts t cnstruct a persnal plitical viewpint. 4) Write critical, analytical essays that link theretical arguments, empirical evidence and plitical events. 2-5 page papers n varius tpics in American Plitics Essay Exams Regular, in-class quizzes A variety f respnses were prvided by the faculty in attendance. Sme thught that their students did quite well n the assignments that they had been given, while thers were cncerned abut pr levels f achievement in terms f written wrk. The grup appeared t find cnsensus arund the idea that althugh sme students struggled t prduce high quality essays and papers, there was a general sense that the cncepts invlved were being absrbed well in ur classes. Mst faculty fund that it was mre difficult than we had expected t assess different levels f student learning when it came t the srts f synthesis and analysis that we are trying t measure. Next Step in the Classrm t Imprve Student Learning Hw might student perfrmance be imprved? Check all the items faculty/staff felt wuld help them address the needs and issues that were State gals r bjectives f assignment/activity mre explicitly Revise cntent f assignment/activities Revise the amunt f writing/ral/visual/clinical r similar wrk Revise activities leading up t and/r supprting assignment/activities Increase in-class discussins and activities Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 12

13 revealed by the assessment. Prvide mre frequent r mre cmprehensive feedback n student prgress State criteria fr grading mre explicitly As an instructr, increase yur interactin with students utside f class Next Step in the Department t Imprve Student Learning Check all that the department felt wuld help them imprve student learning. Encurage faculty t share activities that fster cmpetency Cllect and share rubrics fr assessment/grading Revise ur syllabi t better help ur students understand the wrk we expect them t cmplete Pririties t Imprve Student Learning (List the tp 3-6 things faculty/staff felt wuld mst imprve student learning) Implementatin (List the departmental plans t implement these pririties) Timeline fr Implementatin (Make a timeline fr implementatin f yur tp pririties) Give students mre pprtunities t wrk n their analytical skills Spend mre class-time n clearly explaining key cncepts Prvide tutring fr all students Develp mandatry rientatin/intrductin fr all students Faculty agree that mst f ur cncerns can be dealt with n an individual basis. Tutring and rientatin curses can be added t ur next prgram plan. Faculty agree that we will review prgress n the areas we discussed at ur next FLEX week department meeting. Faculty will keep at least sme recrds n curse SLO when we mve n t assessing cre cmpetencies next semester. Transfer and Basic Skills Departmental Assessment Analysis Frm III Department Plitical Science Meeting Date Fall FLEX Week 2008 Number f Faculty/Staff participating in dialgue Number f Faculty/Staff sharing Ttal number f faculty/staff in department FULLTIME ADJUNCT Cre Cmpetency r Curse SLOs measured Curse SLO fr PS2, PS3 and PS5 Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 13

14 Assessment Tls (Give examples f majr assignments yur faculty/staff used t measure the cmpetency r curse SLOs) (Summarize the verall results f yur department What student needs and issues were revealed? Were there any areas where student perfrmance was utstanding? Any areas where it can be imprved? 2-5 page papers used in all three curses Fr PS3 students were required t address 3 questins specifically tied t curse reading materials n the Internatinal Criminal Curt Fr PS2 students were asked t apply cncepts t the analysis and cmparisn f plitical ideas and institutins acrss selected cunty case studies Fr PS5 students must address 5 questins fcusing n the majr reasns fr the writing f the secnd cnstitutin. Tpics include differences between the viewpints f the federalists and anti-federalists, Madisn s cnceptin f factins and the ntin f civic humanism. Fr all three curses, instructrs fund that ur students perfrmed as well n this assignment as n ther assignments thrughut the semester. In the main, 25-30% struggled t succeed n the assignment results analyzed here. The greatest prblems were in the areas f explanatin, cmparisn and depth f analysis. In their papers ur students were generally successful in being able t present clear and detailed descriptins. Hwever, prbing mre deeply int student results in ur classes have lead faculty t cnsider ging ver the assignments we re giving mre carefully in class and emphasizing the imprtance f prviding a critical analysis. Next Step in the Classrm t Imprve Student Learning Hw might student perfrmance be imprved? Check all the items faculty/staff felt wuld help them address the needs and issues that were revealed by the assessment. State gals r bjectives f assignment/activity mre explicitly Revise cntent f assignment/activities Revise the amunt f writing/ral/visual/clinical r similar wrk Revise activities leading up t and/r supprting assignment/activities Increase in-class discussins and activities State criteria fr grading mre explicitly Next Step in the Department t Imprve Student Learning Check all that the department felt wuld help them imprve student learning. State gals r bjectives f assignments mre explicitly Revise activities leading up t and supprting assignment State criteria fr grading mre explicitly revise rubric Increase guidance fr students as they wrk n assignments Encurage faculty t share activities that fster cmpetency Faculty will wrk t explain, emphasize and prvide greater examples f the srt f analytical writing that is expected f students Faculty will share results and successes at department meetings Use f mre technlgy in the classrm Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 14

15 Pririties t Imprve Student Learning (List the tp 3-6 things faculty/staff felt wuld mst imprve student learning) Individual faculty members will: Wrk t revise their instructins t students, Be mre clear in hw they explain their assignments Spend mre time wrking t greater guidance t ur students as they d their wrk. Implementatin (List the departmental plans t implement these pririties) Timeline fr Implementatin (Make a timeline fr implementatin f yur tp pririties. These are strategies designed fr faculty t carry ut n their wn. Each f the pririties are things that we can d in ur classrms. We plan n sharing abut ur successes and challenges at ur next department meeting This is an nging prcess and we cntinue t assess SLO each semester. Transfer and Basic Skills Departmental Assessment Analysis Frm IV Department Plitical Science Meeting Date Spring 2009 Number f Faculty/Staff participating in dialgue Number f Faculty/Staff sharing Ttal number f faculty/staff in department Cre Cmpetency r Curse SLOs measured FULLTIME ADJUNCT Cmmunicatin Assessment Tls (Give examples f majr assignments yur faculty/staff used t measure the cmpetency r curse SLOs) 3-5 page papers 1. Cmparing readings n tpic in internatinal relatins 2. Answering questins regarding scial cntract thery Essay exams In-class writing assignment (1 page) Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 15

16 (Summarize the verall results f yur department What student needs and issues were revealed? Were there any areas where student perfrmance was utstanding? Any areas where it can be imprved? Next Step in the Classrm t Imprve Student Learning Hw might student perfrmance be imprved? Check all the items faculty/staff felt wuld help them address the needs and issues that were revealed by the assessment. Next Step in the Department t Imprve Student Learning Check all that the department felt wuld help them imprve student learning. Pririties t Imprve Student Learning (List the tp 3-6 things faculty/staff felt wuld mst imprve student learning) Implementatin (List the departmental plans t implement these pririties) Timeline fr Implementatin (Make a timeline fr implementatin f yur tp pririties) Many students unable t write critical essays. Their reading and writing skills are really nt at cllege level. Our students can describe but they cannt analyze. There is an extreme variatin in the students in ur classes. There are significant language barriers fr sme. Participatin in class is ften driven by hw plitically aware students already happen t be. Thse wh seem t knw mre abut the current plitical scene tend t be much mre respnsive. Faculty realize that we have t d a better jb f training ur students t cmmunicate their ideas mre clearly. And many students wuld benefit frm attending study skills classes. State gals r bjectives f assignment/activity mre explicitly Revise activities leading up t and/r supprting assignment/activities Increase in-class discussins and activities Increase guidance fr students as they wrk n assignments State criteria fr grading mre explicitly Increase instructr interactin with students utside f class Recmmended preparatin fr PS1 shuld be English 1A Offer/encurage attendance at seminars, wrkshps r discussin grups abut teaching methds Encurage faculty t share activities that fster cmpetency Have binder available fr rubrics and results Analyze curse cntent and syllabus Encurage all plitical science students t attend study skills classes Wrk t give ur students a mre rigrus training in critical thinking skills Devise ways t re-think curse cntent t better reflect what we ve discvered thrugh assessing SLO Have a representative frm the study skills center visit classes t intrduce students t available assistance These ideas will be implemented by faculty in their individual classes Faculty have already had study skills representative visit sme classes Faculty will discuss the results f their endeavrs at ur next departmental meeting. Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 16

17 Transfer and Basic Skills Departmental Assessment Analysis Frm V Department Plitical Science Meeting Date Fall 2009 Number f Faculty/Staff participating in dialgue Number f Faculty/Staff sharing Ttal number f faculty/staff in department Cre Cmpetency r Curse SLOs measured Assessment Tls (Give examples f majr assignments yur faculty/staff used t measure the cmpetency r curse SLOs) (Summarize the verall results f yur department What student needs and issues were revealed? Were there any areas where student perfrmance was utstanding? Any areas where it can be imprved? FULLTIME ADJUNCT Critical Thinking 3-5 page papers: Tpics included: Plitical Scializatin, the U.S. Cnstitutin, cmparisn f articles fcusing n Internatinal Relatins Essay exams Quizzes Take-hme essay exam Students in three sectins f PS1 achieved average scres in the C+ range. Differences between sectins were quite small. Few students earned A s, accunted fr by the fact that this was the first assigned written wrk. Students did generally well, verall. Students require better preparatin fr cllege writing; mre practice with basic analytical skills such as cmparisn and evaluatin. Mre in-class discussin n the paper tpics in advance f the assignment. Hwever, spending mre time training students in these areas will reduce the time instructrs have t cver imprtant curse cntent. Next Step in the Classrm t Imprve Student Learning Hw might student perfrmance be imprved? Check all the items faculty/staff felt wuld help them address the needs and issues that were revealed by the assessment. State gals r bjectives f assignment/activity mre explicitly Revise cntent f assignment/activities Increase the amunt f writing wrk Revise activities leading up t and/r supprting assignment/activities Increase in-class discussins and activities Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 17

18 Next Step in the Department t Imprve Student Learning Check all that the department felt wuld help them imprve student learning. Offer/encurage attendance at seminars, wrkshps r discussin grups abut teaching methds Encurage faculty t share activities that fster cmpetency Analyze curse curriculum Pririties t Imprve Student Learning (List the tp 3-6 things faculty/staff felt wuld mst imprve student learning) Implementatin (List the departmental plans t implement these pririties) Timeline fr Implementatin Faculty will cncentrate n develping strategies designed t help ur students gain a greater understanding f the specifics f the wrk we are asking them t d. Examples: Spend mre time in class emphasizing what it means t assess and analyze a cncept r event Recmmend t students that they enrll in English 1A t imprve their written cmmunicatin skills Redesign in-class and hmewrk assignments t help students imprve their written cmmunicatin skills Faculty discussed the pssibility f intrducing these ideas and strategies in the upcming semester (Spring 2010) Faculty agreed t further discuss these and ther strategies t cntinue t imprve ur ability t aid ur students in becming better prepared t cmmunicate clearly at ur next department meeting Please see abve fr implementatin plan (Make a timeline fr implementatin f yur tp pririties) Transfer and Basic Skills Departmental Assessment Analysis Frm VI Department Plitical Science Meeting Date Spring 2010 Number f Faculty/Staff participating in dialgue Number f Faculty/Staff sharing Ttal number f faculty/staff in department Cre Cmpetency r Curse SLOs measured FULLTIME ADJUNCT Glbal Awareness Assessment Tls 3-5 page papers Examples f tpics: Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 18

19 (Give examples f majr assignments yur faculty/staff used t measure the cmpetency r curse SLOs) (Summarize the verall results f yur department What student needs and issues were revealed? Were there any areas where student perfrmance was utstanding? Any areas where it can be imprved? Next Step in the Classrm t Imprve Student Learning Hw might student perfrmance be imprved? Check all the items faculty/staff felt wuld help them address the needs and issues that were revealed by the assessment. Next Step in the Department t Imprve Student Learning Check all that the department felt wuld help them imprve student learning. 1. Students were assigned tw nline readings that assessed free and fair trade as alternative appraches t reducing pverty. Students were required t discern between the philsphies and gals f these appraches, discuss the imprtant impacts as well as assess the strengths and weaknesses f free and fair trade 2. Using assigned readings, students develp their papers cntrasting the ideas f slavery and liberty with reference t the U.S. prir t the Civil War In class essay exam Take-hme essay exam Overall student perfrmance n the assignments was cnsistent with their wrk n ther critical writing assignments. In general, the students with the lwer assessments n these assignments had mre difficulty with the parts f the assignment that required them t explain philsphies r key cncepts in their papers. Mst students were able t successfully summarize and cmpare key cncepts. These assignments prduced very prductive classrm discussins with students expressing greater understanding f the tpics invlved. Mre pprtunities fr students t cmplete exercises that allw them t explain and justify their judgments wuld ptentially imprve student success. State gals r bjectives f assignment/activity mre explicitly Revise cntent f assignment/activities Revise the number f writing assignments that students need t cmplete in the curse Revise activities leading up t and/r supprting assignment Increase in-class discussins and activities Increase student cllabratin and/r peer review Increase guidance fr students as they wrk n assignments Offer/encurage attendance at seminars, wrkshps r discussin grups abut teaching methds Encurage faculty t share activities that fster cmpetency Cntinue ur nging prject t analyze curse curriculum, syllabi and materials t better imprve student success n writing assignments Prgram Planning Reprt 2012: Plitical Science Dept. 19