SACSCOC Fifth Year Interim Report
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Assessment : 2012 - 2013 : Educational Programs :
Speech Communication MA
Speech Communication MA
2 Goals 2 Objectives 2 Indicators 2 Criteria 2 Findings 2 Actions
| GOAL: Research Literacy |
| Objective |
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| Graduate students will be able to understand, assess, and report the findings of communication research |
| Indicator |
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| We will measure this goal with an annual evaluation of a sample of graduate student papers assigned in each graduate course taught in the Spring semester. The components of this rubric include: Control of the Mechanics of Written Composition and Evidence of a Comprehensive Knowledge of a Confined Research Area. The Communication Studies faculty met as a committee of the whole to develop consensus on the rubric and its components and to develop a Likert-type rating scale to be used as a holistic measure. The resulting numeric scale is as follows: 1=fails to meet the goal, 2=minimally meets the goal, 3=satisfactorily meets the goal, 4=meets the goal in an exemplary fashion, 5=exceeds expectations in meeting the goal. 1 = serious deficiencies in both components. 2 = moderate deficiency in no more than one component. 3 = no deficiency in either component. 4 = superior handling of both components. 5 = near flawless handling of both components. |
| Criterion |
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| An average grade of 4 is the criterion for satisfying the target outcome. This average will be taken over all literature reviews and all reviewers (faculty committee). |
| Finding |
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| The average score for graduate student research literacy was 4.6. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action |
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| As a result of actions prompted by last year's evaluation, average student scores improved. Faculty members will explain the nature of research literacy in each of their classes and stress its fundamental importance. |
| GOAL: Understanding Of Theory |
| Objective |
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| Graduate students will be able to understand the applicable theories of communication and related fields. |
| Indicator |
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| We will measure this goal with an annual evaluation of a sample of graduate student papers assigned in each graduate course taught in the Spring semester. The components of this rubric are: Control of the Mechanics of Written Composition and Evidence of Understanding of the Applicable Theory or Theories. The Communication Studies faculty met as a committee of the whole to develop consensus on the rubric and its components and to construct a Likert-type rating scale to be used as a holistic measure. The resulting numeric scale is as follows: 1=fails to meet the goal; 2=minimally meets the goal; 3=satisfactorily meets the goal; 4=meets the goal in an exemplary fashion; 5=exceeds expectations in meeting the goal. 1 = serious deficiencies in both components. 2 = moderate deficiency in no more than one component. 3 = no deficiency in either component. 4 = superior handling of both components. 5 = near flawless handling of both components. |
| Criterion |
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| An average score of 4 is the criterion for satisfying the target outcome. This average will be taken over all literature reviews and all reviewers (faculty committee). |
| Finding |
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| The average score for understanding of theory was 4.75. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action |
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| As a result of actions prompted by last year's evaluation, average student scores improved substantially. Faculty members will explain the nature and importance of theory in each of their classes. |
| Previous Cycle's "Plan for Continuous Improvement" |
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The MA program in Communication Studies functions at a high level as indicated by scores on research literacy, although the lower score for understanding of theory is a matter that will need to be addressed in the coming year. Enrollment in the program is growing.
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| Update on Previous Cycle's "Plan for Continuous Improvement" |
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Faculty members made stronger efforts to explain both research literacy and theory in each of their classes, which resulted in substantial improvement in student average scores in both areas. During the year, it became apparent that enrollment was declining, therefore a decision was made to put the degree wholly online.
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| Plan for Continuous Improvement |
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A leveling and then decline in enrollment during the year resulted in plans to put the MA wholly online beginning in the Fall semester, 2013. The university's Office of Graduate Studies is creating a multimedia advertising program to make prospective students aware of this change. Faculty are converting their classes to online versions.
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