Degree Title: AA. Political Science Program Assessment Plan AY2012 AY2014

Transcription

1 Degree Title: AA. Political Science Program Assessment Plan AY2012 AY2014 Person completing Assessment Plan: William Eric Davis (Political Science Lead Faculty) Department of Social Sciences Assessment Action Plan AY 1: List years I. PROGRAM ASSESSMENT (2012: YEAR ONE) PROGRAM OUTCOMES: The CSN political science program plans to amend its current three learning outcomes to the following: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the Nevada Constitution, the role of the various branches of government, America s diverse political values and beliefs, political parties, interest groups, the electoral process, and the development of our civil liberties and rights. The course to be used to assess this objective will be Political Science 101 (Introduction to American Politics). Analyze and compare domestic politics within each of several diverse countries, including analysis of various types of political systems and institutions, political actors, political culture, the impact of ethnic and religious diversity within countries, and competing political and economic ideologies. The course to be used for assessing this objective will be Political Science 211 (Introduction to Comparative Politics). Explore and evaluate competing theoretical approaches to international relations, including an analysis of arguable causes and consequences of war, real-world political relations between nations, relations between regions of the world, the role of diverse international actors, and the role of the United States in world politics. The course to be used for assessing this objective will be Political Science 231 (Introduction to International Relations). Examine major political theories and philosophies and explain how they informed the American Founder s ideas and reforms that have transpired over time. The course to be used to assess this objective will be Political Science 200 (Introduction to Political Theory). ASSESSMENT METHOD: Essay exams, research papers and other written assignments produced by PSCdeclared majors will be copied by instructors and collected. They will then be reviewed by a committee made up of PSC full-time faculty who are appointed in consultation between the lead faculty and the department chair. The committee members will independently determine whether the materials as a whole indicate that each of the respective learning outcomes have been met according to the following ratings: meets standards, exceeds standards or does not meet standards. The lead faculty will then Revised September 11, 2012 Page 1

2 prepare a summary report to be shared with the department chair and full-time political science faculty and reported to the college assessment office. ASSESSMENT REPORT: The Year One (program) assessment report will be provided to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment by December 1, AY 2: List years II. COURSE ASSESSMENT (2013: YEAR TWO) PROGRAM OUTCOMES: Each political science course will have course objectives. Those objectives will align with political science program objectives. ASSESSMENT METHOD: At the start of each semester, an instructor for each course being taught will be chosen by the lead faculty and instructed to randomly choose three students from each of their sections of the course. The written assignments from those students will be copied by the instructors and collected. They will then be reviewed by the same committee performing the program assessment. The committee members will independently determine whether the materials for each course as a whole indicate whether each of the respective learning outcomes for the course has been met according to the following ratings: meets standards, exceeds standards or does not meet standards. The lead faculty will then prepare a summary report to be shared with the department chair and full-time political science faculty and reported to the college assessment office. ASSESSMENT REPORT: The Year Two (course) assessment report will be provided to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment by December 1, AY 3: List years III. GENERAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT (2014: YEAR THREE) The General Education core curriculum political science courses that will be used to assess affiliated outcomes are: Political Science 101: Constitutions Outcome: Examine and Interpret the United States and Nevada Constitutions. Political Science 211 and 231: Social Science Outcome: Students will acquire appreciated or introductory knowledge about social sciences and their insights about individual or group behaviors. Political Science 200: Values and Diversity Outcomes: a) Identify and analyze value judgments and the implications of value judgments for others. b) Examine and apply ethical reasons and actions in defined situations. c) Experience or interpret the concept of social justice. d) Identify the impact of history, philosophy, arts or geography of world cultures. e) Experience or interpret diverse perspectives linked to identity including race, gender, and ethnicity in American or international relations. Revised September 11, 2012 Page 2

3 ASSESSMENT METHOD: At the start of each semester, each instructor that is teaching one of the aforementioned political science courses will randomly choose 3 students (who are NOT political science majors) from each of their sections of the relevant course being taught that term. Essay exams and term paper assignments from the selected students will be copied by the instructors and collected. They will then be reviewed annually by the same committee performing the program and course assessment. The committee s members will independently determine whether the materials collected, as a whole, indicate whether the General Education learning outcomes, as they relate to the specific course, are being met according to the following ratings: Meets Standards, Exceeds Standards, or Does Not Meet Standards. The lead faculty will then prepare a summary report to be shared with the department chair, the full-time political science faculty, and the college assessment office. ASSESSMENT REPORT: The Year Three (general education) assessment report will be provided to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment by December 1, ASSESSMENT EVALUATION AND REFORM: In year three (2014) we will review the plan using the data from our annual reports and submitted a new three-year assessment plan. Revised September 11, 2012 Page 3

4 Page 1 Degree Title: AA-Political Science YEAR TWO - AY2013COURSE ASSESSMENT Person completing Assessment Plan: Dr. William Eric Davis Political Science Lead Faculty College of Southern Nevada PROGRAM ASSESSMENT REPORT The Year Two (course) assessment report will be provided to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment by December 1, It will also be shared with the Chair of the Social Sciences department and full-time political science faculty. PROGRAM OUTCOMES: Each political science course will have course objectives which are provided in the accompanying report in the appropriate sections. Course objectives will align with political science program objectives. ASSESSMENT METHOD: At the start of each semester, an instructor for each course being taught will be chosen by the lead faculty and instructed to randomly choose three students from each of their sections of the course. The written assignments from those students will be copied by the instructors and collected. They will then be reviewed annually by the same committee performing the program assessment. The committee members will independently determine whether the materials for each course as a whole indicate whether each of the respective learning outcomes for the course has been met according to the following ratings: meets standards, exceeds standards or does not meet standards. The lead faculty will then prepare a summary report to be shared with the department chair and fulltime political science faculty and reported to the college assessment office. ASSESSMENT SUMMARY: It was the conclusion of the assessment committee that each course objective for each individual course taught over the academic year was met at the level of exceeds standards. Details for each course are provided below. One area for improvement that the political science discipline will be working on over the next course assessment cycle is to develop activities and assignments designed to allow for improved assessment of the measurable outcomes. The course objectives will also be reviewed to ensure that they remain appropriate for the respective courses and that they align with program objectives. Page 2 Revised September 11, 2012 Page 4

5 COURSE ASSESSMENT REPORT POLITICAL SCIENCE 101 (Introduction to American Government): PSC 101 OBJECTIVES: Objective One: Demonstrate a basic understanding of the fundamental principles upon which both the federal and state governments are based. Objective Two: Demonstrate an understanding of the organizational structure and responsibilities of each branch of government at the federal and state level. Objective Three: Demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of the civil rights and civil liberties guaranteed by the U.S. and Nevada constitutions. Objective Four: Demonstrate an understanding of how the formal and informal institutions of American government interact to formulate public policy. Political Science 200: Introduction to Political Theory PSC 200 OBJECTIVES: Objective One: Analyze and compare major political theories and philosophies. Objective Two: Explain how major political theories and philosophies informed the American founders ideas and reforms that have transpired over time. Page 3 Revised September 11, 2012 Page 5

6 Objective Three: Evaluate major political theories and philosophies in terms of how well they assisted nation s ability to thrive and prosper. Political Science 208: Introduction to State and Local Politics PSC 208 OBJECTIVES: Objective One: Explain the basic principles, powers, processes, and structures of state and local government in the United States. Objective Two: Analyze the impact of Supreme Court decisions in regulating the national-statelocal relationship. Objective Three: Distinguish between the strong-mayor, weak-mayor, council-manager, and commission forms of local government. Objective Four: Identify and describe the different types of local governments in Nevada (Municipalities, townships, special districts and counties) and their respective structures, powers, responsibilities, and operation. Objective Five: Compare and contrast selected state constitutions (drafted in various eras of American history, as the state entered the union) in terms of length and content. Objective Six: Evaluate various types of judicial section (election, merit or Missouri Plan, etc.). Page 4 Revised September 11, 2012 Page 6

7 Objective Seven: Compare states in terms of various types of direct democracy (initiative, recall, referendum) and analyze the effect of them on the law, with special attention given to Nevada. Political Science 211: Introduction to Comparative Politics PSC 211 OBJECTIVES: Objective One: Analyze and compare domestic politics within each of several diverse countries. Objective Two: Analyze and compare various types of political systems, actors, and cultures. Objective Three: Describe and analyze the impact of ethnic and religious diversity on selected nations institutions of government and politics. Objective Four: Describe and analyze the impact of competing ideologies on nations institutions of government and politics. Political Science 208: Introduction to State and Local Politics PSC 208 OBJECTIVES: Objective One: Explain the basic principles, powers, processes, and structures of state and local government in the United States. Page 5 Revised September 11, 2012 Page 7

8 Objective Two: Analyze the impact of Supreme Court decisions in regulating the national-statelocal relationship. Objective Three: Distinguish between the strong-mayor, weak-mayor, council-manager, and commission forms of local government. Objective Four: Identify and describe the different types of local governments in Nevada (Municipalities, townships, special districts and counties) and their respective structures, powers, responsibilities, and operation. Objective Five: Compare and contrast selected state constitutions (drafted in various eras of American history, as the state entered the union) in terms of length and content. Objective Six: Evaluate various types of judicial section (election, merit or Missouri Plan, etc.). Objective Seven: Compare states in terms of various types of direct democracy (initiative, recall, referendum) and analyze the effect of them on the law, with special attention given to Nevada. Political Science 222: Terrorism and Political Violence PSC 222 OBJECTIVES: Objective One: Describe and distinguish between the various types of political violence (civil war, revolution, terrorism, military coups, genocide, guerilla insurgency, etc.). Page 6 Revised September 11, 2012 Page 8

9 Objective Two: Describe the general evolution of terrorism from the first century A.D. to the present. Objective Three: Analyze the historical, psychological, sociological, economic, and political engines that motivate terrorism. Objective Four: Analyze the political economic, psychological, and sociological approaches and strategies for combatting terrorism. Political Science 231: Introduction to International Relations PSC 231 OBJECTIVES: Objective One: Identify and evaluate the competing theories for explaining international interactions. Objective Two: Explain how foreign policy is formulated. Objective Three: Assess the causes and consequences of violence between and within states, including conventional, assymetrical, and strategic conflict. Objective Four: Identify and evaluate competing theories of global trade and development. Page 7 Revised September 11, 2012 Page 9

10 Objective Five: Identify and demonstrate an understanding of the major actors in international relations, including states, intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Revised September 11, 2012 Page 10