SACSCOC Fifth Year Interim Report
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Assessment : 2013 - 2014 : Educational Programs :
Criminal Justice PhD
Criminal Justice PhD
2 Goals 2 Objectives 2 Indicators 2 Criteria 2 Findings 2 Actions
| GOAL: Conduct Scientific Research |
| Objective |
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Students completing the Ph.D. program will demonstrate the necessary tools and knowledge to produce an empirically-based research manuscript eligible for submission to a peer reviewed academic journal. |
| Indicator |
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Doctoral students are required to submit and defend a portfolio of selected written research products that were developed during their tenure in the doctoral program to a panel of faculty members. The portfolio committee chair will select one written component that best demonstrates the student’s ability to conduct scientific research. The portfolio chair will utilize the attached grading form, which lists the key aspects of a quality scientific manuscript, to assess the selected element. |
| Criterion |
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Students will receive a High Pass or Pass on the elements included in the grading form with items weighted equally. Within the selected element, students will have integrated the various disparate components of the literature on a specific CJ topic into a cogent review of literature, presented a well-defined research question, quantitative or qualitative analysis of data, a summary of results, and contextualized those results. A discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the research will be included. |
| Finding |
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| All students who defended their portfolio were admitted to candidacy and formally approved to work on his/her dissertation. 60% of the students received a Pass and 40% of the students received a High Pass vote by their committee. |
Actions for Objective:
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For the upcoming year, the department will re-examine the portfolio grading form used to assess student research competency by developing a rubric to better articulate and assess associated desired skills. Also, as additional PhD students progress through the program, an increased number of portfolios will be examined with an eye toward determining the feasibility of this process in measuring research competency and breadth of knowledge. |
| GOAL: Doctoral Teaching Fellows Provide Quality Classroom Teaching |
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Advanced doctoral students will develop and demonstrate their aptitude for providing high quality classroom instruction for undergraduate students. |
| Indicator |
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| Doctoral Teaching Fellows IDEA Evaluation Forms and Direct Observation by Faculty |
| Criterion |
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Doctoral Teaching Fellows will perform at or above the similar/middle 40% box on the IDEA evaluation form. Summary Evaluation will be 4.0 or above for teaching evaluations. The attached rubric will be used by faculty observers of a selected DTF led lecture. Students will obtain an average score of 80 or above on the overall rubric. |
| Finding |
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| 66% of Doctoral Teaching Fellows scored at 4.0 or above on teaching evaluations given in Fall 2013. 69% of Doctoral Teaching Fellows scored at 4.0 or above on teaching evaluations given in Spring 2014. In Spring 2014, 8/8 of the incoming doctoral teaching fellows provided a guest lecture in the undergraduate classroom and received feedback from a faculty observer. 100% of the students received a score of 80% or above on the attached rubric. |
Actions for Objective:
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For the upcoming year, DTFs will be observed by committee members of the newly developed Graduate Student Development and Assessment committee. Using the newly created rubric and feedback form (see attachment), faculty will provide detailed feedback to DTFs to help improve their effectiveness in the classroom. Refinements of the doctoral curriculum will also be made to provide students with additional opportunities to learn, develop, and reflect upon their teaching pedagogy both within the residential classroom and the online teaching environment. |
| Previous Cycle's "Plan for Continuous Improvement" |
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During the 2013-2014 AY, a committee of faculty will be developed to provide an increased level of assessment and feedback to doctoral students on their strengths and areas for improvement in teaching. Further, the utilization of the portfolio process as evidence of doctoral student writing ability and research competency will be examined to determine its feasibility in future assessment cycles. Faculty led development of a standard rubric will occur if deemed necessary by the Director of the Criminal Justice and Criminology graduate programs.
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| Update on Previous Cycle's "Plan for Continuous Improvement" |
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During the 2013-2014 academic year, the department outlined a new graduate committee, the Graduate Student Development and Assessment Committee. Goals were defined throughout the year and include: 1) increased feedback to doctoral teaching fellows through a revised rubric and feedback form (see attachment), 2) increased feedback to graduate students on their research practice presentations to attend University-sponsored events and/or national professional conferences, 3) provide observations and recommendations pertaining to the current portfolio process, and 4) conduct mock interviews with PhD students who on the job market to assist and enhance job placement.
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| Plan for Continuous Improvement |
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For the 2014-2015 academic year, an increased emphasis will be on strengthening our doctoral teaching fellows teaching skills by providing detailed feedback by faculty observers. Students will also be encouraged to present their original research at University-sponsored events and/or national professional conferences. The development of our PhD students statistical skills is contingent on access to the latest versions of various statistical software programs used in the social sciences (e.g., STATA, MPlus, HLM, etc.). Further, the utilization of the portfolio process as evidence of doctoral student writing ability and research competency will be examined to determine its feasibility in future assessment cycles. A review of the current curriculum is also needed to ensure that we remain current and competitive.
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