OSU assessment shows improvements

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

OSU assessment shows improvements

A new assessment report shows that changes to the general education curriculum in 2005 have improved student writing at OSU, according to its Office of University Assessment and Testing.

     Prior to 2005, there was no difference in students’ writing scores between general education and non-general education courses at OSU. However, the report shows that, after 2005, students’ average writing scores in general education courses were higher than 64 percent of students’ scores in non-general education courses. 

     “The results suggest that the new writing requirements added to general education courses at OSU in 2005 are having a positive impact on student achievement,” said Jeremy Penn, director, University Assessment and Testing.

     The writing requirements increased the amount of writing included in courses with general education designations and were phased in over a 5-year period, starting in 2005. All OSU undergraduate students are required to complete at least 36 credit hours of courses with general education designations as part of the General Education Program (see http://osu.okstate.edu/acadaffr/aa/adv-AcaReg-CurDegReq.htm ).

     In addition, the report found significant differences in writing abilities between assessed seniors and freshmen with the average senior outscoring 64 percent of freshmen in the area of written communication.

     In the area of critical thinking, the study found that an average junior or senior at OSU scored higher than 72 percent of freshmen and sophomores. 

     It also indicated that the more credit hours a student earned at OSU, the more likely they were to have a higher diversity score. In other words, the finding suggests that attending OSU is improving students’ understanding of diversity, according to Penn.

     After more than 10 years assessing student learning as part of the general education program at OSU, more than 3,000 samples of student work have been scored by panels of faculty using faculty-developed assessment guidelines.

     “Thanks to the assessment process at OSU, we have a rich dataset that documents annual levels of student ability in these crucial skill areas and also provides a mechanism for making changes to the curriculum and evaluating the impacts,” said Jon Comer, chair of the OSU Committee for the Assessment of General Education and professor of geography.  “After several years of involvement with the process, it is gratifying to see evidence that recently-implemented strategies to improve student achievement are making a difference.”