SACS Reaffirmation
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Assessment : 2006 - 2007 : Educational Programs :
History BA
3 Goals 3 Objectives 6 Indicators 7 Criteria 7 Findings 7 Actions
GOAL: Communication Skills
| Objective | Strong Teaching Faculty | |
| History undergraduate instructors will be rated above the national average on the Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA) instrument. Associated Goals: Communication Skills, Content Knowledge, Productive Careers And Citizenship |
| Indicator | IDEA Student Ratings History undergraduate students will use the IDEA student evaluations |
| Criteria | IDEA Ratings  The average adjusted student evaluation of all SHSU History teachers as measured by the IDEA Center will place the History faculty in the top one-third among History teachers in the nation. |
| Finding | IDEA Student Ratings: Average In Spring 2007, the IDEA Center Report indicated that the adjusted average of History faculty was 55 (mean=50; SD=10), which placed the department in the 69th percentile among schools in the nation. In Fall 2006, the IDEA Center Report indicated that the adjusted average of History faculty was 56 (mean=50; SD=10), which placed the department in the 72th percentile among schools in the nation. Both semesters exceeded the results of Fall 2005 when the History Department ranked in the 62th percentile of History Departments in the nation. |
| Indicator | Students Taught By PhD Faculty Undergraduate students will be taught by faculty holding the PhD. |
| Criteria | Students Taught by PhD Faculty The number and the percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD will exceed the number and percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD during the previous year. |
| Finding | PhD Faculty During 2006-07, 5539 of 7033 students (78.8%) took classes from History faculty with the PhD degree, whereas in 2005-06, 5026 of 6791 (74.0%)history students took classes from faculty holding the PhD. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Evaluation of 2006-2007 IDEA Ratings In 2006-07, the department exceeded its target related to student evaluations of instruction. As a result, in 2007-08 the department will raise its targeted benchmark for teaching excellence from an overall departmental ranking in the 67th percentile nationally to the 70th percentile nationally. |
| Action | PhD Faculty We are on target increasing the number and percentages of students taught by PhD scholars. In 2006-07, however, 1494 undergraduate students were taught by instructors without the terminal degree. Efforts need to be continued at increasing the ratio of PhD to non-PhD teaching faculty. |
GOAL: Communication Skills
| Objective | Student Skills | |
| History majors will improve their research, writing and critical thinking skills. Associated Goals: Communication Skills, Content Knowledge, Productive Careers And Citizenship |
| Indicator | Student Primary Research  The Department of History will require a student research paper based on primary sources as a component in all 400 level classes. |
| Criteria | Student Research Skills 75% of history majors will achieve Good or Better Ratings by a panel of history faculty on research papers drawn from primary historical sources |
| Finding | Student Research Skills A panel of five History faculty reported that 94 of 129 (72.9%) history students who completed 400 level classes achieved Good or Better ratings on research papers drawn from primary source materials. |
| Indicator | Student Scholarship Students through Phi Alpha Theta and other venues will present research findings in non-classroom settings. |
| Criteria | Student Scholarship At least once every two years, an undergraduate student will make a scholarly presentation in a non-classroom venue. |
| Finding | Student Presentations During 2006-07, no undergraduate student presented research findings in a non-classroom professional venue. The previous year (2005-06), however, 6 undergraduate students presented papers at professional meetings. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Student Presentations The department sent undergraduates to present scholarly papers in 2005-06, but not in 2006-07. Although the "once in two year goal" was met, the department acknowledges that it needs to give greater attention to the development of undergraduate scholarship. To increase the likelihood of student presentations in 2007-08, the faculty advisors to the WEB Society and the Phi Alpha Theta Society will increase their efforts at encouraging upper division students to respond to call for papers to professional conferences for history majors. |
| Action | Student Research Skills The departmental findings were slightly under the targeted goal (73% vs 75%). In response to this data, the department met as a whole to discuss ways to improve student performance on 400 level research papers. It was agreed to take greater care in limiting the size of 400 level classes in order to ensure a better faculty-student ratio in upper level researched focused classes. |
GOAL: Content Knowledge
| Objective | Strong Teaching Faculty | |
| History undergraduate instructors will be rated above the national average on the Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA) instrument. Associated Goals: Communication Skills, Content Knowledge, Productive Careers And Citizenship |
| Indicator | IDEA Student Ratings History undergraduate students will use the IDEA student evaluations |
| Criteria | IDEA Ratings The average adjusted student evaluation of all SHSU History teachers as measured by the IDEA Center will place the History faculty in the top one-third among History teachers in the nation. |
| Finding | IDEA Student Ratings: Average In Spring 2007, the IDEA Center Report indicated that the adjusted average of History faculty was 55 (mean=50; SD=10), which placed the department in the 69th percentile among schools in the nation. In Fall 2006, the IDEA Center Report indicated that the adjusted average of History faculty was 56 (mean=50; SD=10), which placed the department in the 72th percentile among schools in the nation. Both semesters exceeded the results of Fall 2005 when the History Department ranked in the 62th percentile of History Departments in the nation. |
| Indicator | Students Taught By PhD Faculty Undergraduate students will be taught by faculty holding the PhD. |
| Criteria | Students Taught by PhD Faculty The number and the percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD will exceed the number and percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD during the previous year. |
| Finding | PhD Faculty During 2006-07, 5539 of 7033 students (78.8%) took classes from History faculty with the PhD degree, whereas in 2005-06, 5026 of 6791 (74.0%)history students took classes from faculty holding the PhD. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Evaluation of 2006-2007 IDEA Ratings In 2006-07, the department exceeded its target related to student evaluations of instruction. As a result, in 2007-08 the department will raise its targeted benchmark for teaching excellence from an overall departmental ranking in the 67th percentile nationally to the 70th percentile nationally. |
| Action | PhD Faculty We are on target increasing the number and percentages of students taught by PhD scholars. In 2006-07, however, 1494 undergraduate students were taught by instructors without the terminal degree. Efforts need to be continued at increasing the ratio of PhD to non-PhD teaching faculty. |
GOAL: Content Knowledge
| Objective | Student Skills | |
| History majors will improve their research, writing and critical thinking skills. Associated Goals: Communication Skills, Content Knowledge, Productive Careers And Citizenship |
| Indicator | Student Primary Research The Department of History will require a student research paper based on primary sources as a component in all 400 level classes. |
| Criteria | Student Research Skills 75% of history majors will achieve Good or Better Ratings by a panel of history faculty on research papers drawn from primary historical sources |
| Finding | Student Research Skills A panel of five History faculty reported that 94 of 129 (72.9%) history students who completed 400 level classes achieved Good or Better ratings on research papers drawn from primary source materials. |
| Indicator | Student Scholarship Students through Phi Alpha Theta and other venues will present research findings in non-classroom settings. |
| Criteria | Student Scholarship At least once every two years, an undergraduate student will make a scholarly presentation in a non-classroom venue. |
| Finding | Student Presentations During 2006-07, no undergraduate student presented research findings in a non-classroom professional venue. The previous year (2005-06), however, 6 undergraduate students presented papers at professional meetings. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Student Presentations The department sent undergraduates to present scholarly papers in 2005-06, but not in 2006-07. Although the "once in two year goal" was met, the department acknowledges that it needs to give greater attention to the development of undergraduate scholarship. To increase the likelihood of student presentations in 2007-08, the faculty advisors to the WEB Society and the Phi Alpha Theta Society will increase their efforts at encouraging upper division students to respond to call for papers to professional conferences for history majors. |
| Action | Student Research Skills The departmental findings were slightly under the targeted goal (73% vs 75%). In response to this data, the department met as a whole to discuss ways to improve student performance on 400 level research papers. It was agreed to take greater care in limiting the size of 400 level classes in order to ensure a better faculty-student ratio in upper level researched focused classes. |
GOAL: Productive Careers And Citizenship
| Objective | Careers In History | |
| Graduates with undergraduate degrees in History will reach their career objectives. Associated Goals: Productive Careers And Citizenship |
| Indicator | Future Teachers Teacher education students who major or minor in History will pass the TEXES examination. |
| Criteria | Future Teachers 80% of all teacher education students who major or minor in History will pass the TEXES examination. |
| Finding | Future Teachers During 2006-07, 15 of 17 of teacher education students registered as SHSU students passed the Social Studies Composite TeXes Examination, and 12 of 17 of teacher education students registered as SHSU students passed the History TeXes Examination. Thus, overall 79.4% received passing scores. |
| Indicator | Student Professional Growth The History Department will create and launch a systematic plan that is designed to monitor the professional and career advancement of former history graduates. |
| Criteria | Admission into graduate school At least one history undergraduate student will be admitted into a graduate or professional school each year |
| Finding | Admission to Graduate School In 2006-07, at least 11 former history students matriculated into a graduate program, 8 of which entered an MA program and 3 of which entered a PhD program. |
| Criteria | Student Professional Growth At least 80% of history students five years after graduation will report on the survey instrument that the degree skills they acquired as a student has enabled them to met their career goals. |
| Finding | Survey of Graduates During 2007, the History Department created a survey instrument designed to monitor the professional progress of former history graduates, and compiled a list of names and addresses of students who graduated in 2003. The survey will be sent to these students in March 2008. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Admission to graduate school The department publicized its success in sending 11 students into graduate programs in its student recruitment campaign. |
| Action | Survey of graduates The creation of the survey encouraged a discussion of the long-term expected outcomes of the history curriculum. Additional discussion will take place after the survey instruments are returned and analyzed. |
| Action | TeXes Scores With a 79.4% passing rate on the TeXes exams, we narrowly missed our targeted goal of 80% passing. However, on one of the two TeXes exams, only 71% of our students received passing scores. This was the only benchmark the department failed to reach during 2006/07. Increasing the TeXes passing rates of history education students has been a concern of the department for several years. To address this concern, several years ago the department proposed a new course, Conceptualizing History Education, specifically designed for our history education students. The course was approved by the Texas Coordinating Board and offered for the first time in Spring 2007. Data indicates that the passing rate on the TeXes exam is directly related to the number of history education students taking HIS 390: Conceptualizing History Education. Specifically, whereas only 25% of the history education students who took the practice TeXes during the semester passed the practice test,12 of 15 students (80%)enrolled in HIS 390 passed the practice TeXes exam at the end of the Spring 2007 semester. These figures document the need to continue the department''''s policy of encouraging education majors with a history emphasis to enroll in HIS 390 before attempting the TeXes Social Studies or History examinations. Currently only one full time instructor in the department has the skills to offer HIS 390. Recruiting or developing another faculty member as an instructor for this course must to raised to a high departmental priority. |
GOAL: Productive Careers And Citizenship
| Objective | Strong Teaching Faculty | |
| History undergraduate instructors will be rated above the national average on the Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA) instrument. Associated Goals: Communication Skills, Content Knowledge, Productive Careers And Citizenship |
| Indicator | IDEA Student Ratings History undergraduate students will use the IDEA student evaluations |
| Criteria | IDEA Ratings The average adjusted student evaluation of all SHSU History teachers as measured by the IDEA Center will place the History faculty in the top one-third among History teachers in the nation. |
| Finding | IDEA Student Ratings: Average In Spring 2007, the IDEA Center Report indicated that the adjusted average of History faculty was 55 (mean=50; SD=10), which placed the department in the 69th percentile among schools in the nation. In Fall 2006, the IDEA Center Report indicated that the adjusted average of History faculty was 56 (mean=50; SD=10), which placed the department in the 72th percentile among schools in the nation. Both semesters exceeded the results of Fall 2005 when the History Department ranked in the 62th percentile of History Departments in the nation. |
| Indicator | Students Taught By PhD Faculty Undergraduate students will be taught by faculty holding the PhD. |
| Criteria | Students Taught by PhD Faculty The number and the percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD will exceed the number and percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD during the previous year. |
| Finding | PhD Faculty During 2006-07, 5539 of 7033 students (78.8%) took classes from History faculty with the PhD degree, whereas in 2005-06, 5026 of 6791 (74.0%)history students took classes from faculty holding the PhD. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Evaluation of 2006-2007 IDEA Ratings In 2006-07, the department exceeded its target related to student evaluations of instruction. As a result, in 2007-08 the department will raise its targeted benchmark for teaching excellence from an overall departmental ranking in the 67th percentile nationally to the 70th percentile nationally. |
| Action | PhD Faculty We are on target increasing the number and percentages of students taught by PhD scholars. In 2006-07, however, 1494 undergraduate students were taught by instructors without the terminal degree. Efforts need to be continued at increasing the ratio of PhD to non-PhD teaching faculty. |
GOAL: Productive Careers And Citizenship
| Objective | Student Skills | |
| History majors will improve their research, writing and critical thinking skills. Associated Goals: Communication Skills, Content Knowledge, Productive Careers And Citizenship |
| Indicator | Student Primary Research The Department of History will require a student research paper based on primary sources as a component in all 400 level classes. |
| Criteria | Student Research Skills 75% of history majors will achieve Good or Better Ratings by a panel of history faculty on research papers drawn from primary historical sources |
| Finding | Student Research Skills A panel of five History faculty reported that 94 of 129 (72.9%) history students who completed 400 level classes achieved Good or Better ratings on research papers drawn from primary source materials. |
| Indicator | Student Scholarship Students through Phi Alpha Theta and other venues will present research findings in non-classroom settings. |
| Criteria | Student Scholarship At least once every two years, an undergraduate student will make a scholarly presentation in a non-classroom venue. |
| Finding | Student Presentations During 2006-07, no undergraduate student presented research findings in a non-classroom professional venue. The previous year (2005-06), however, 6 undergraduate students presented papers at professional meetings. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Student Presentations The department sent undergraduates to present scholarly papers in 2005-06, but not in 2006-07. Although the "once in two year goal" was met, the department acknowledges that it needs to give greater attention to the development of undergraduate scholarship. To increase the likelihood of student presentations in 2007-08, the faculty advisors to the WEB Society and the Phi Alpha Theta Society will increase their efforts at encouraging upper division students to respond to call for papers to professional conferences for history majors. |
| Action | Student Research Skills The departmental findings were slightly under the targeted goal (73% vs 75%). In response to this data, the department met as a whole to discuss ways to improve student performance on 400 level research papers. It was agreed to take greater care in limiting the size of 400 level classes in order to ensure a better faculty-student ratio in upper level researched focused classes. |