Eastern Oregon University

General Education Assessment

2008 Pilot Project:

Critical Thinking Outcome

 

Conclusions & Recommendations

Conclusions

 

  1. Based on the evidence of these six courses (involving 252 students—about 20% of the on-campus FTE), we are teaching Critical Thinking very effectively in our General Education courses, across the curriculum.
  2. The results of the assessment do indicate that General Education faculty can improve their teaching of how to effectively evaluate sources.  Evaluating sources effectively seems to be the Critical Thinking skill students master least efficiently.
  3. Faculty from across the curriculum can readily agree on what constitutes Critical Thinking or, alternately, can effectively employ the outcome and rubric for Critical Thinking as developed by EPCC.
  4. For the most part, General Education faculty teach Critical Thinking explicitly in the context of their disciplines.
  5. Participating in General Education Assessment, through the use of outcomes and rubrics, creates valuable dialogue about teaching effectiveness across the curriculum.
  6. Participating in General Education Assessment itself enhances effective teaching—just doing the assessment aids in reflective practice for individual teachers.

 

Recommendations

  1. Student samples of work to be evaluated for General Education Assessment should be collected toward the end of the term, as teachers use student work throughout the term to help students develop their Critical Thinking.
  2. The Critical Thinking Outcome and Rubric for “acknowledging multiple perspectives” ought to be revised to “acknowledging multiple perspectives or approaches to problem solving” in order to make a better fit with the sciences.
  3. The Critical Thinking Rubric for “evaluating sources” should include “supports positions with evidence.”
  4. More General Education faculty should be involved in Assessment through six-person teams.  The 2008 Pilot Project benefitted by keeping the team relatively small and having a faculty member with experience in assessment act as a team coordinator.
  5. EPCC should establish a continuing cycle of General Education Assessment and report results effectively to the entire university community.
  6. Administrators should encourage faculty who participate in General Education Assessment to discuss and reflect on their experience in their Promotion and Tenure Portfolios. 
  7. General Education Assessment is a year-long activity.  In the first term of the assessment, the set of faculty doing an assessment should be given their charge; in the second term, the assessment should conducted; and in the third term, the faculty should meet to discuss the results, to review student samples carefully, to reflect on both the assessment process and on closing the loop (the effect of doing the assessment on their teaching), and to draw up a list of conclusions and recommendations.