Exemplary Practices
Assessment plan and procedures
IEP: Intensive English Language Institute, Utah State University
Goal of Assessment
The goal of assessment in IELI is to determine if students have improved
their English for Academic (EAP) skills while in the IELI program and if
they have met the exit goals of the program upon completion of level 4.
Results of assessment are used to guide programmatic decisions over time.
Results are not used to make short-term or immediate decisions regarding the
academic readiness of any particular student, the effectiveness of any
particular teacher, or the effectiveness of any particular course.
Short-term or immediate decisions regarding student achievement are made
through placement and advancement procedures described under IELI Placement
and Advancement Procedures. Evaluation of faculty is conducted in
accordance with procedures outlined in the USU Personnel Policies and
Procedures and includes student evaluation of faculty and IELI Director
performance evaluations of faculty.
Program Level Assessment
Program level assessment is carried out primarily by IELI administration.
Information about Students
| 1 |
Activity |
Survey of entering students |
| |
Method |
Questionnaire |
| |
Participants |
New students |
| |
Information Collected |
How new students learned about USU |
| |
Frequency |
Second day of each semester |
| |
Use of Information |
Assess effectiveness of program promotion |
| 2 |
Activity |
End-of-term survey |
| | Method
Questionnaire |
| |
Participants |
All
students |
| |
Information Collected |
Student views on curriculum, preparedness for non-IELI classes and cultural
adjustment |
| |
Frequency |
End of each semester |
| |
Use of Information |
Curricular and programmatic adjustments |
| 3 |
Activity |
In-program progress of students |
| |
Method |
Transcript analysis |
| |
Participants |
All students from the beginning of their study in IELI though
the 3rd semester in non-IELI classes (for
those continuing into a university degree program) |
| |
Information Collected |
Comparison of GPA over time / Pattern of student movement through the program |
| |
Frequency |
Once a year |
| |
Use of Information |
Curricular and programmatic adjustments |
| 4 |
Activity |
Survey of students leaving the program |
| |
Method |
Interview |
| |
Participants |
Students leaving the program and who are not continuing into a university
degree program |
| |
Information Collected |
Reason(s) why they are leaving the program |
| |
Frequency |
Whenever a student leaves |
| |
Use
of Information |
To learn
why students leave the program |
| 5 |
Activity |
Post-IELI views |
| |
Method |
Interview |
| |
Participants |
Randomly selected students who have been out of the program and in a university
degree program for more than one year |
| |
Information Collected |
Student perception of the value of the IELI program to study in their
degree program |
| |
Frequency |
Once
a year |
| |
Use
of Information |
Curricular and programmatic adjustments |
Information about Placement and Advancement
| 1 |
Activity |
Placement |
| |
Method |
Placement test |
| |
Participants |
In-coming students |
| |
Information Collected |
Initial level of placement within the program |
| |
Frequency |
Beginning of first term in IELI |
| |
Use
of Information |
Determine initial placement of students |
| 2 |
Activity |
Re-evaluation of placement |
| |
Method |
Observation of students by teachers; in-class evaluation |
| |
Participants |
All
students |
| |
Information Collected |
Appropriateness of class level |
| |
Frequency |
First
two weeks of term |
| |
Use
of Information |
To
adjust placement of students who may have been misplaced |
| 3 |
Activity |
Mid-term evaluation of student progress |
| |
Method |
Faculty reports |
| |
Participants |
All
students |
| |
Information Collected |
How
students are doing at midterm |
| |
Frequency |
Middle of every term |
| |
Use
of Information |
To
inform students of their progress at midterm; to provide
formative feedback to students; short-term curricular
adjustments |
| 4 |
Activity |
In-class assessment |
| |
Method |
Testing, class participation, etc. |
| |
Participants |
All
students |
| |
Information Collected |
Whether or not students advance in each class |
| |
Frequency |
Throughout the term; decisions made at the end of the term |
| |
Use
of Information |
To
determine if students meet exit criteria of each class.
At level 4 to determine if students meet program exit
criteria |
Information about Curriculum and Teaching
| 1 |
Activity |
In-house review |
| |
Method |
Faculty discussion and review |
| |
Participants |
Faculty |
| |
Information Collected |
Faculty views on strengths and weaknesses of curriculum; appropriateness
of materials |
| |
Frequency |
On-going |
| |
Use
of Information |
To
assess effectiveness and coherence of curriculum |
| 2 |
Activity |
Outside evaluation |
| |
Method |
CEA
accreditation review; accreditation updates |
| |
Participants |
Faculty and students |
| |
Information Collected |
Strengths and weaknesses of curriculum |
| |
Frequency |
Accreditation reviews once every 5 years |
| |
Use
of Information |
To
make necessary curricular changes |
| 3 |
Activity |
Self-evaluation of teaching |
| |
Method |
Teaching portfolios; videos; self-assessment; peer review of teaching |
| |
Participants |
Faculty |
| |
Information Collected |
Peer
and self-assessment of teaching |
| |
Frequency |
At
each faculty members discretion |
| |
Use
of Information |
Improvement of teaching |
| 4 |
Activity |
Student evaluation of teaching |
| |
Method |
USU
teaching evaluation form |
| |
Participants |
Students |
| |
Information Collected |
Student perception of quality of classes and instruction |
| |
Frequency |
Every
class at the end of each term |
| |
Use
of Information |
Teaching improvement; curricular change |
| 5 |
Activity |
Comparison of class learning goals with University Studies competencies |
| |
Method |
Mapping |
| |
Participants |
|
| |
Information Collected |
Shows
how IELI class goals support university studies |
| |
Frequency |
When
there are major curricular changes in either IELI or
in University Studies |
| |
Use
of Information |
To
assess relevance of IELI curriculum to University Studies |
Information from Constituencies
| 1 |
Activity |
Discuss needs related to attending USU, IELI, curriculum, student activities,
and so on |
| |
Method |
Discussion / Interview |
| |
Participants |
Interested students |
| |
Information Collected |
Student needs |
| |
Frequency |
Annually |
| |
Use
of Information |
Determine actions required to meet student needs |
| 2 |
Activity |
Meet
with IELI administrators and interested faculty to discuss
the relationships between IELI and the rest of the university
as well as the broader community |
| |
Method |
Discussion / Interview |
| |
Participants |
IELI
faculty, administrators, IELI Advisory Board, interested
community members |
| |
Information Collected |
Perspectives on IELI role and relationships in the university and the
community |
| |
Frequency |
Annually |
| |
Use
of Information |
Determine actions required to improve relationships, develop new relationships |
Curricular Assessment
Curricular assessment is intended to determine if students are meeting the exit goals of the curriculum.
Academic Writing
Learning Objectives / Exit Goals
Produce documented writings that are well-organized,
comprehensible and incorporate paraphrased and summarized
information from several information sources, including books, magazines / journals, and the Internet.
Exit Criteria
Students will work to achieving the following exit criteria by engaging in
tasks such as those listed beneath each criterion.
Criterion: Write and organize several types of academic articles
Examples:
- Summarize printed articles
- Write extended definitions
- Present detailed explanation
- Present data and draw conclusions
- Present an issue and take a stand
- Evaluate and present results of the evaluation
- Synthesize (observations, listenings, and readings) and present the synthesis in writing
Criterion: Display academic writing skills
- Gather information and develop ideas for writing
- Construct fully developed, documented academic paragraphs
- Paraphrase and summarize the ideas of others
- Show the credibility of sources
- Acknowledge ideas of other writers through in-text citations and reference lists
- Understand the principle and avoidance of plagerism
Criterion: Display computer skills essential to participating in a writing class
- Type and format writings in Microsoft Word
- Send and receive emails with attachments
Criterion: Display library and Internet search skills
- Use on-line resources to find journal and magazine articles
- Use the Internet to find information
- Evaluate sources of information for relevance and quality
Assessment (Are students meeting curricular goals re. writing?)
A faculty committee meets annually to assess whether exiting students
- have enhanced their academic writing and research skills while in the program,
- have met the academic writing exit criteria, and
- perform satisfactorily in university writing classes.
Procedure
Meeting Exit Goals
First and second drafts of academic writings of randomly selected papers are reviewed to determine the extent the writings show students are meeting exit goals. Student names and teacher / identification are removed prior to the selection of papers. Faculty reviewers have a list of exit criteria and check off those criteria that are evident in student papers.
Improvement Over Time
Faculty randomly select portfoliios of student writings to judge whether or not students have enhanced their academic writing skills while in the program.
Performance in University Writing Classes
IELI administration will track grades students who have exited IELI earn in undergraduate writing classes. In addition, IELI will collect anecdotal information regarding student writing in undergraduate and graduate classes and investigate any complaints regarding student writing.
Use of Information
Information gained from assessment would be used to determine (1) effectiveness of writing curriculum, and (2) necessary curricular changes.
Exit criteria and assessment procedures have also been developed for reading, listening, speaking, and culture skills. These are available on the program's website.
