Outcomes Data
USU Political Science Department 2008-2009
As part of our focus on assessment for our 2007-2008 accreditation visit, the faculty revisited our assessment techniques and discovered them insufficient to provide the information on the major and our students we needed going forward. As such, we reworked our instruments and assessment methods to obtain better data on the program as a whole. We have adopted a two prong strategy -- 1) exit surveys to measure student perceptions of the department's performance in meeting our learning objectives and 2) the development of learning objective rubrics to measure the level at which work from Senior research seminars and our required research methods course meet established learning criteria.
Below are the results from our first round of new exit surveys.
The overall teaching in the Political Science Department was
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Excellent
|
33
|
44
|
|
Very Good
|
33
|
44
|
|
Good
|
7
|
9
|
|
Fair
|
2
|
3
|
|
Poor
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
0
|
0
|
The overall advising in the Political Science Department was
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Excellent
|
15
|
20
|
|
Very Good
|
24
|
32
|
|
Good
|
18
|
24
|
|
Fair
|
5
|
7
|
|
Poor
|
1
|
1
|
|
No Opinion |
12 |
16 |
Overall, Political Science Department courses were challenging
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
19
|
25
|
|
Agree
|
56
|
75
|
|
Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
0
|
0
|
The Political Science Department exposed me to
diverse perspectives, approaches and methods
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
30
|
40
|
|
Agree
|
45
|
60
|
|
Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
0
|
0
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
Factual political knowledge
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
37
|
50
|
|
Agree
|
38
|
50
|
|
Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
0
|
0
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
Theoretical Perspectives on Politics
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
34
|
45
|
|
Agree
|
40
|
54
|
|
Disagree
|
1
|
1
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
0
|
0
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
Analytical Skills
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
35
|
46
|
|
Agree
|
37
|
50
|
|
Disagree
|
2
|
3
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
1
|
1
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
Writing Skills
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
36
|
48
|
|
Agree
|
35
|
46
|
|
Disagree
|
2
|
3
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
1
|
1
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
Oral Presentation Skills
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
9
|
12
|
|
Agree
|
36
|
48
|
|
Disagree
|
21
|
28
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
1
|
1
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
Familiarity with political science research source materials
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
18
|
24
|
|
Agree
|
48
|
64
|
|
Disagree
|
6
|
8
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
1
|
1
|
|
No Opinion
|
2
|
3
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
Critical reading skills
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
41
|
56
|
|
Agree
|
31
|
41
|
|
Disagree
|
2
|
3
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
0
|
0
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
Facility with quantitative political data
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
12
|
12
|
|
Agree
|
45
|
60
|
|
Disagree
|
12
|
16
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
1
|
1
|
|
No Opinion
|
5
|
7
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
An understanding of political science research design
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
11
|
15
|
|
Agree
|
56
|
75
|
|
Disagree
|
3
|
5
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
4
|
6
|
Political Science Department Courses helped me to acquire
Experience conducting independent research
|
|
N
|
%
|
|
Strongly Agree
|
14
|
19
|
|
Agree
|
48
|
64
|
|
Disagree
|
7
|
9
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
|
No Opinion
|
6
|
8
|
In general terms, students perceive the training in political science positively. However, reactions are somewhat less satisfied as we narrow in on specific research and communication skills and advising especially in the more complex International Studies major. The advising, research methods, oral presentation, and quantitative skills prompts each elicit a larger group expressing doubts about training in the major.
A Summary of Faculty Evaluations of Learning Outcomes in Capstone Courses
In general, the faculty evaluations of learning outcomes in capstone courses are somewhat less positive than the student observations about learning outcomes captured in the exit surveys.
The most common faculty observations are:
1. Most of our students are fairly well versed factually
2. Most of our students can make effective oral presentations.
3. The analytical, research and writing skills of the students entering P.S. 4990 range from poor to excellent. A wide majority of the students appear to be adequate or better in these areas, but several of the faculty expressed disappointment over the deficiencies of the weaker students, especially their lack of writing skill.
4. Some of our students have very little comprehension of the basics of research design when they enter P.S. 4990, failing, for example, to understand what a “hypothesis” or a “variable” is.
5. Most of the students who enter P.S. 4990 with insufficient research , analytical, and writing skills, or without any understanding of research design, do improve greatly when they take P.S. 4990.
6. Imparting research skills and assessing learning outcomes in P.S. 4990 is sometimes difficult because the research methods employed by the faculty teaching P.S. 4990 are often not in congruence with the research interests and research methods that students have acquired in other, previous courses.
On-the-Job Performance in the U.S.U. Government Internship Program
Praise for the on-the-job performance of U.S.U. government interns is almost universal, and U.S.U. government interns have an excellent rate of placement in permanent positions. In a recent comparison of all Utah government internship programs, the U.S.U. internship program ranked number one in translation to permanent job opportunities related to the internship. The success of Political Science students is primarily a result of the skills of our students, but also reflects on their preparation and advising by the Department led by Intern Director Cindy Nielsen.
University Assessment of Political Science 2002 U.S.U. Departmental Teaching Award
In 2002, a university committee selected the Political Science Department as one of two winners of the first U.S.U. Departmental Teaching Award. The committee selected the Political Science Department on the basis of its “commitment to sustained excellence in teaching and learning, an ongoing assessment and improvement of teaching and learning quality, faculty development for teaching, provision of resources for students and lastly, linking discovery, creative activity and engagement with teaching and learning for the benefit of students.” Members of the selection committee made visits to the departments and observed teaching techniques and classroom activity. Among the many attributes that reflect commitment to teaching excellence, the classroom evaluations focused on management of class time, engagement of students, respect for students and preparation for class. Teaching enthusiasm, rigor and knowledge of subject were measured, as were communication, effective use of teaching aids and student attendance.