Texas A&M International University

ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

Bachelor of Arts with a major in Communication
Degree Program

Fall 2003
Assessment Period Covered

February 13, 2004 (amended on June 7, 2004)
Date Submitted

Expanded Statement of Institutional Purpose Linkage:
Institutional Mission Reference:
Texas A&M International University, a Member of The Texas A&M University System, is committed to the preparation of students for leadership roles in their chosen profession and in increasingly complex, culturally diverse state, national, and global society … Through instruction, faculty and student research, and public service, Texas A&M International University is a strategic point of delivery for well-defined programs and services that improve the quality of life for citizens of the border region, the State of Texas, and national and international communities.

College/University Goal(s) Supported:
To increase (1) students’ ability to communicate through the use of the written and spoken word; (2) their knowledge and appreciation of culture, fine arts, social integration; and (3) self realization. The College of Arts and Sciences also prepares students for a variety of professions and roles by providing a broad-based liberal arts education.

Intended Educational (Student) Outcomes:
1. Students completing the baccalaureate program in Communication will communicate competently in public and social contexts.

2. Students completing the degree program will be able to explain main theoretical assumptions they make about the nature of communication while analyzing a practical or professional problem.

3. Students will be able to approach practical communication problems in professionally valuable ways.

ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

Bachelor of Arts with a major in Communication
Degree Program

Fall 2003
Assessment Period Covered

February 13, 2004 (amended on June 14, 2004)
Date Submitted

Intended Educational (Student) Outcome:

1. Students completing the baccalaureate program in Communication will communicate competently in public and social contexts.

First Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
1a. Means of Program Assessment & Criteria for Success:
In a self-report version of the widely used and empirically validated Communicative Competence Survey, 85% of the students will score at or above 144 (out of a possible 180). The mean score should be at or above 155.

1a. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
Fall 2003 (Comm 4350)

86% at or above 144; Mean = 152.7; Median = 152; n = 7

Textual summary:

Of the seven students surveyed in the Internship course, six (or 86%) scored at or above the desired benchmark. The mean score for the set of survey was 152.7, lower than the desired 155.

1a. Use of Results to Improve Instructional Program:
No new action was taken because the results generally satisfied expectations. Since the goal of a mean score above 155 was a new assessment benchmark (added in July 2003), we decided to wait for more semesters of data before responding to the shortfall registered this semester.

Second Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
1b. Means of Program Assessment & Criteria for Success:
In a third-person version of the Communicative Competence Survey, administered either by an internship supervisor or a partner in an in-class project, 85% of the students will score at or above 144. The mean score should be at or above 146.

1b. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
Fall 2003 (Comm 4350), surveys collected by February 13, 2004:

33% at or above 144; Mean = 144; Median = 140; n = 3

Fall 2003 (COMM 4350), surveys collected by May 26, 2004:
60% at or above 144; Mean = 155; Median = 153; n = 5

Textual summary:

Of the five surveys completed by internship supervisors, three (60%) rated the students at or above the desired benchmark of 144. The mean score was 155, well above the targeted level.

1b. Use of Results to Improve Instructional Program:
February 13: We requested anew that internship supervisors complete and return the surveys sent to them. We hesitate to make changes to the instructional program yet, based only on results from a small sample and a single semester.

June 14:

This was the first semester results came in below expectations. The sample size is quite small, even though it is larger than last year, and the two surveys that came in low did not miss by much (139 and 140 out of 180, with 144 being our targeted threshold). We decided to continue monitoring results on this measure.

Third Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
1c. Means of Program Assessment & Criteria for Success:
On the Survey of Communication Interns, distributed in the Internship class (COMM 4350), 85% of students will “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement, “Given my experiences this last year communicating in public and social settings, I feel able to communicate effectively and appropriately.” The mean score should be at or above 4.5. Scale: 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=no opinion, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree.

1c. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
Fall 2003 (Comm 4350)100%; Mean = 4.7 (on scale of 1-5); Median = 5; n = 7

Textual Summary:

All seven of the students completing the survey “agreed” or “strongly agreed” with the statement, as we had hoped. The mean score, too, at 4.7, was above the targeted benchmark of 4.5.

1c. Use of Results to Improve Instructional Program:
No new action was taken because the results clearly satisfied expectations.

ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

Bachelor of Arts with a major in Communication
Degree Program

Fall 2003
Assessment Period Covered

February 13, 2004 (amended June 7. 2004)
Date Submitted

Intended Educational (Student) Outcome:

Students completing the degree program will be able to explain main theoretical assumptions they make about the nature of communication while analyzing a practical or professional problem.

First Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
2a. Means of Program Assessment & Criteria for Success:
Students will submit an essay that focuses on the above objective as part of their work in the capstone course, COMM 4360 Communication Theory and Practice. Once a year, a committee consisting of at least two communication professors will evaluate the degree to which the essays written by seniors accomplish the identified analytical objective. An essay will count as demonstrating the desired outcome if the average score on each of the following criteria is 2 or higher (1=not satisfactory, 2=satisfactory, 3=good): (1) the essay describes a particular problem, (2) analyzes how communication practice constitutes a part of the problem, (3) and clearly elaborates the main concepts used in the analysis. The program will consider the outcome successfully achieved if 85% of the students in each year’s class submit an essay deemed satisfactory.

2a. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
To be assessed in the Spring semester. COMM 4360 is taught once a year, in the spring.

2a. Use of Results to Improve Instructional Program:
No new action was taken because this assessment is conducted only in the Spring, in conjunction with COMM 4360.

ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

Bachelor of Arts with a major in Communication
Degree Program

Fall 2003
Assessment Period Covered

February 13, 2004 (amended on June 7, 2004)
Date Submitted

Intended Educational (Student) Outcome:

3. Students will be able to approach practical communication problems in professionally valuable ways.

First Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
3a. Means of Program Assessment & Criteria for Success:
85% of supervisors completing the Survey of Internship Supervisors will agree or strongly agree with the statement, “The understandings of communication shown and applied by the intern were professionally valuable.”

3a. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
100% success, Mean = 4.2 (on scale from 1-5); Median = 4; n = 5

3a. Use of Results to Improve Instructional Program:
No new action was taken because the results clearly satisfied expectations.

Second Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
3b. Means of Program Assessment & Criteria for Success:
85% of students completing the Survey of Communication Interns will agree or strongly agree with the statement, “My academic study of communication proved to be professionally valuable during my internship.”

3b. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
100% success; Mean = 4.3 (on scale from 1-5); Median = 4; n = 7

3b. Use of Results to Improve Instructional Program:
No new action was taken because the results clearly satisfied expectations.

Third Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
3c. Means of Program Assessment & Criteria for Success:
As part of their work in the Internship class students will prepare and submit professional resumes that then will be kept in departmental portfolios. Once a year at least two communication professors will evaluate the resumes on the extent to which they (1) target an entry-level professional position in the communication field, (2) clarify relevant practical skills, and (3) conform to common conventions for resumes in the field. The results will be considered successful if for 85% of the resumes the average score on each criterion is 2 or higher (1-not satisfactory, 2=satisfactory, 3=good).

3c. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
We fell short of the benchmark. A majority of the evaluators found that only 83% of the submitted resumes were satisfactory or higher on all three criteria. (Our goal was 85%). Broken down by criterion, the mean scores were as follows (scale was 1-3, with 2 = “satisfactory”): M = 2.3 for #1, M = 2.4 for #2, and M = 2.1 for #3.

3c. Use of Results to Improve Instructional Program:
No new action recommended. While we failed to reach our intended benchmark, we did come close to meeting it. If we fall short next year as well, then we will consider instructional changes, particularly ones that could target the third evaluative criterion, so that student resumes might more consistently meet expectations of form.