Two important surveys launch Mon., Feb. 27. The first is the Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement. This survey, a companion to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, is administered through the University of Texas at Austin and allows for comparison between students’ and faculty members’ perspectives on the Shoreline learning experience. Faculty should be receiving an email from the University of Texas at Austin – please keep an eye out for that survey.

The second survey is brief and is part of an important learning outcomes assessment project. Below is an invitation from the faculty and staff involved:

Dear Colleagues,

How does a Shoreline education improve a student’s ability to write effectively?

Here is one of our general education outcomes for students:

Formulate and express information, ideas, and opinions in mechanically sound written forms that have a clear purpose, focus, thesis, and organization; that are appropriate for their audience in content and style; and that support, clarify, and expand complex ideas with relevant details, examples, and arguments. [Communication sub-outcome 4]

Over the past 18 months, a small group of faculty has partnered with researchers from Shoreline’s Office of Institutional Assessment and Data Management to tackle the challenge of finding out whether our students meet our general education outcomes.

After a promising pilot study assessing our Global Awareness outcome, a working group is launching a full study of the impact of Shoreline education on students’ ability to communicate in written form, as described above.

Are writing skills gained cumulatively?

An analysis of our MCO system revealed that 84% of all Shoreline courses listed at least one assessment of the ability to write effectively, as described in our general education outcome.  To assess this outcome adequately, we need to have a robust, cross-campus assessment effort.

Please contribute three minutes to this important study.

The first phase of our study will be to understand more about where and how Shoreline students have the opportunity to gain written communication skills. The survey, which you can access here, will ask you about three courses you have taught recently. It is a brief, confidential survey, and will only take about three minutes to complete.

Thank you for your time!

General Education Outcomes Assessment Working Group:
Pam Dusenberry
Dutch Henry
Kathie Hunt
Jeff Iannone
Lisa Malik
Bayta Maring