29 GEM Assessment Methods, Results and Interpretation, and Improvements:

Describe how GEM student learning outcomes are assessed and reviewed by faculty.

GEM 6 course outcomes are linked to specific GEM 6 competencies. All GEM courses transfer between all Idaho public higher education institutions. Pursuit of GEM competences provide psychology students with a foundation in basic skills including critical thinking, problem solving and awareness of interaction of disparate groups, that will help them in their future academic and professional goals. The skills that help psychology students successfully achieve the GEM 6 outcomes situate them to succeed after they leave NIC, regardless if that means transferring to complete a four-year degree or go directly into the workforce. In addition, common course numbering/indexing for core GEM courses, in Idaho, should make transfer of courses between Idaho institutions easier.

Provide screenshots of your GEM data.

*right click images, click “open image in new tab” to see data enlarged

Based on the GEM assessment data, what learning improvements have you made.

Considering the data in question displayed as part of question #38, the students are meeting or exceeding GEM 6 outcomes across race/ethnicity, sex, and age group among others.  While teaching improvements can always be made, the fact that there is such a high rate of meeting or exceeding expectations speaks well for what faculty are accomplishing.  Individual faculty members continue to adapt their teaching based on relevant information they receive via webinars and other sources of information.

We also need to point out that student outcomes in the Research in the Behavioral Sciences provide feedback concerning whether our students demonstrate a base knowledge in our subject and have the ability to consume and produce research-based materials.  While 218 is not a GEM class, it is a gateway class for advanced studies in psychology and offers an excellent insight into the level of preparation of our psychology students. A grade analysis of the last three years in the research class shows that 81% of the students received A or A- grades, 9% received B or B- grades, 6% a C grade, and 4% a D grade.  The class is taught at an advanced and rigorous level and the grade distribution should not be interpreted as grade inflation.  Rather, the major component of the class involves a final research draft that students have been working on all semester and the grades given are usually very high.

Program-level assessment regarding graduation rates and transfer data serve to provide feedback on the quality of advising systems and student engagement/persistence. Challenges exist in interpreting this data when it comes to the student population we serve. Reasons for student attrition at NIC are many and varied and often do not relate to program quality or student interest. GEM assessment provides actionable feedback on student achievement when one or two scores fall below achievement levels on most competencies. When scores are low across the board, it can be difficult to determine if the results are a result of teaching or motivational issues on the part of the students assessed. Departments and individual faculty are able to evaluate their results and determine areas for improvement when it comes to instruction.