DEPARTMENT OF MODERN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
ASSESSMENT PLAN
The Department of Modern and Classical Languages is
committed to the advancement of knowledge about contemporary and ancient
languages and, in particular, about the ways in which they impact civilization
by molding numerous cultures and shaping their literatures. The Department’s excellence in research,
teaching and service benefits students and colleagues by broadening their
understanding of the world community and strengthening their ability to
function in a cross-cultural and multicultural environment, and as a result,
contributes to the general betterment of society.
Scope
of Assessment Plan
This Assessment Plan will cover learning outcomes and
achievements for undergraduate majors
and graduate students pursuing an M.A.
in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, as well as for
undergraduate students enrolled in language courses included in the General Education Core Curriculum.
I.
Outcomes
and Methods
a.
Undergraduate majors in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages
The Department of Modern and Classical Languages
requires that student majoring in its 3 concentrations (Literature, Teacher
Education and Language and
International Business) master 4 sets of skills. They include the communicative skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in
a second language, acquisition of
knowledge about the way this language functions as well as about the
literature, culture, industry and commerce of the various countries where it is
spoken and analytical and critical
thinking as required to understand their cultures and literatures, the analysis of contemporary international and
multicultural issues that arise in the study of literature, culture and
business, and the professional skills required
to teach these languages and cultures.
The Department has defined the desired learning outcomes for each
specific skill, as follows:
|
SKILLS |
LEARNING OUTCOME |
|
|
COMMUNICATIVE |
LISTENING |
The student shall demonstrate the ability to
understand the target language as spoken by a proficient speaker at normal
conversational tempo on general and non-technical topics. |
|
SPEAKING |
The student shall demonstrate the ability to speak
the target language with a varied vocabulary, good pronunciation and
grammatical accuracy. |
|
|
READING |
The student shall demonstrate the ability to read
and comprehend general non-technical materials in the target language. |
|
|
WRITING |
The student shall demonstrate the ability to write
in the target language with clarity and grammatical accuracy. |
|
|
KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION, ANALYTICAL, CRITICAL,
INTERNATIONAL, MULTICULTURAL AND PROFESSIONAL |
CULTURE |
The student shall demonstrate a general acquaintance
with target language cultures. |
|
LITERATURE |
The student shall demonstrate a general acquaintance
with target language literatures and the ability to critically analyze and
interpret literary texts, including their cultural contents. |
|
|
BUSINESS |
The student shall demonstrate a working knowledge of
the language and concepts of business and an understanding of appropriate
cross-cultural behaviors in a business context. |
|
|
|
TEACHER EDUCATION |
The student shall demonstrate proficiency in the
target language and the ability to teach the target language and cultures. |
The Department of Modern and Classical Languages shall
use course-embedded assessments to evaluate the learning outcomes of these
skills. Although each of the 3
concentrations within the 3 language majors (French, German and Spanish)
necessitates different requirements, all majors and concentrations must include
variously entitled courses in 5 separate but interdependent subjects of study: Advanced Composition, Conversation and
Grammar (French 3013 and 3023; German 2204, 3301, 3302 and 4402; Spanish
3303 and 3501), a general Introduction
to Literature (French 3033, German 3311, 3312, 4411, and 4412; Spanish
3307) and an overview of historical and contemporary Culture (French 4103 or 4123, German 4421 and 4422, Spanish 3309 or
3311). Instructors of theses courses
will evaluate performance in various parts of the final exams to assess student
mastery of the several skills listed above.
The required level to be attained by majors is listed below for each of
these skills.
|
SKILL |
LEARNING OUTCOME |
KEY ASSIGNEMENT DESCRIPTION |
MINIMUM LEVEL EXPECTED |
|
LISTENING |
The student shall demonstrate the ability to
understand the target language as spoken by a proficient speaker at normal
conversational tempo on general and non-technical topics. |
Standardized listening comprehension test administered
in the language laboratory. |
4 (in the Department of
Modern and Classical Languages Assessment Rubric, see below). |
|
SPEAKING |
The student shall demonstrate the ability to speak
the target language with a varied vocabulary, good pronunciation and
grammatical accuracy. |
Final interview or oral assessment in the
Advanced Composition and Conversation course or last structured discussion in
an Introduction to Literature course. |
4 |
|
READING |
The student shall demonstrate the ability to read
and comprehend general non-technical materials in the target language. |
Comprehension of a text that has not been previously
discussed in an Advanced Composition and Conversation course. |
4 |
|
WRITING |
The student shall demonstrate the ability to write
in the target language with clarity and grammatical accuracy. |
Written assignment in an Introduction to Literature
course. |
4 |
|
CULTURE |
The student shall demonstrate a general acquaintance
with target language cultures. |
Written part of the final exam in a Culture course. |
4 |
|
LITERATURE |
The student shall demonstrate a general acquaintance
with target language literatures and the ability to analyze literary texts,
including their cultural contents. |
Analysis of a literary text in an Introduction to
Literature course. |
4 |
Additionally, students opting for a Concentration in Business are also
required to take Language for International
Business courses (French 4033 and 4043; German 4431 and 4432; Spanish
4405 and 4407); those choosing a Concentration
in Literature must select several more Advanced Literature courses; those
with a Concentration in Teacher
Education must, before they apply for student teaching, corroborate their
higher competency in Language and Contemporary Culture by passing a qualifying
written exam in the target language and by achieving a passing grade in an oral
interview with a panel of professors.
Students in each of these concentrations will need to demonstrate higher
expertise in their individual disciplines.
The required minimum level to be attained by majors is listed below for
each of these skills.
1. Additional Learning Outcomes for student
s whose major concentration
is in Literature:
|
SKILL |
STANDARD |
EVIDENCE PROVIDED |
MINIMUM LEVEL EXPECTED |
|
LITERATURE IN THE LITERATURE CONCENTRATION |
The student shall demonstrate the ability to
critically analyze and interpret literary texts in the target language. |
Final paper in an Advanced Literature course. |
4 |
2. Additional Learning Outcomes for students for
students whose major concentration is in Language
and Business:
|
SKILL |
STANDARD |
EVIDENCE PROVIDED |
MINIMUM LEVEL EXPECTED |
|
BUSINESS AND CULTURE IN THE BUSINESS CONCENTRATION |
The student shall demonstrate a working knowledge of
the language and concepts of business and an understanding of appropriate
cross-cultural behaviors in a business context. |
Written part of the final exam in a Language for
International Business course. |
4 |
3. Additional Learning Outcomes for students
whose major concentration is in Teacher
Education:
|
SKILL |
STANDARD |
EVIDENCE PROVIDED |
MINIMUM LEVEL EXPECTED |
|
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IN THE TEACHER EDUCATION CONCENTRATION |
The student shall demonstrate proficiency in the
target language and the ability to teach the target language and culture |
The qualifying exam and oral interview for student
teaching. |
4 |
The Modern and Classical Languages Assessment Rubric:
|
Unacceptable Performance |
Weak Performance |
Fair Performance |
|
Excellent Performance |
Exceptional Performance |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Student did not complete the assignment, or the
quality of the assignment was so poor that sufficient knowledge and/or target
language proficiency was not demonstrated. |
Student work was not up to standards expected for
this assignment. The assignment was
incomplete or late and had many errors.
The student did not meet the content requirement for the assignment. |
Student work was acceptable for the assignment.
Student completed all or most aspects of the assignment but language had
errors and there may be omissions or misunderstanding of content. |
Student work was very good for the assignment. Student completed all aspects of the
assignment but may have had a few errors in language or gaps or
misunderstanding in content requirement. |
Student work was excellent for the assignment,
representing a grade of 90 to 97.
Student completed all aspects of the assignment using correct language
and content. |
Student work was at a truly exceptional level,
representing a grade of 98 or above.
Student expanded on the assignment given, or demonstrated exceptional
creativity or content knowledge. |
b. Graduate MA candidates in
French, German and Spanish
The Department of Modern and Classical Languages
expects student preparing for the MA Degree in French, German and Spanish to
master 5 sets of skills. They include effective writing communication and editing skills, research and data collecting and analytical skills as regards literature and linguistics, critical thinking skills in writing,
editing and research and acquisition of
knowledge about literary, linguistic, cultural and philosophical concepts
and theories. The Department will use
the thesis, pedagogical research project, and/or research paper to evaluate
mastery of these skills and learning outcomes.
The desired learning outcomes are defined as follows:
|
SKILL |
LEARNING OUTCOME |
|
WRITING AND COMMUNICATION |
1. Students develop effective written communication
and editing skills |
|
2. Students show appropriate writing conventions and
formats |
|
|
RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTING |
1. Students acquire skills to collect data. |
|
2. Students utilize key data sources that provide
literary and linguistic information and research findings. |
|
|
3. Students are able to explain how to read and
understand research |
|
|
CRITICAL THINKING |
1. Students will demonstrate mastery in the analysis
of literary texts and the evaluation of critical thinking in literature. |
|
ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE |
1. Students articulate key literary and
philosophical concepts and theories |
|
2. Students apply the most up-to-date facts and
information in resolving literary and linguistic issues. |
|
|
3. Students demonstrate appropriate literary,
linguistic, historical and cultural knowledge. |
Between 4 and 6 Department of Modern and Classical
Languages courses, depending on the language taught, are included in the Core
Curriculum. These courses are designed
to initiate the learning process towards the eventual goal of second language
fluency in reading, writing, speaking and understanding a second language, and
becoming acquainted with its culture and literature. Instructors will use course embedded
assessments to evaluate applicable learning outcomes. The desired learning outcomes are defined as
follows:
|
GOAL |
LEARNING OUTCOME |
MCL? |
EVIDENCE |
|
COMMUNICATION |
1. Students communicate effectively using
appropriate writing and/or oral conventions and formats. |
yes |
final exam and/or final interview |
|
COLLABORATION |
1. Students participate effectively in collaborative
activities. |
yes |
class participation |
|
CRITICAL THINKING |
1. Students formulate appropriate questions for
research. |
no |
|
|
2. Students effectively collect appropriate
evidence. |
no |
|
|
|
3. Students appropriately evaluate claims,
arguments, evidence and hypotheses. |
no |
|
|
|
4. Students use the results of analysis to
appropriately construct new arguments and formulate new questions. |
no |
|
|
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES |
1. Students effectively analyze contemporary issues
within the context of diverse disciplinary perspectives. |
no |
|
|
2. Students effectively analyze contemporary
multicultural, global, and international questions. |
yes |
class participation |
|
|
QUANTITATIVE SKILLS |
1. Students effectively perform arithmetic
operations, as well as reason and draw appropriate conclusions from numerical
information. |
no |
|
|
2. Students effectively translate problem
situations into symbolic representations and use those representations to
solve problems. |
no |
|
|
|
TECHNOLOGY |
1. Students effectively use computers and other
technology appropriate to the discipline. |
yes |
class preparation |
II.
Dissemination
and use of results for program improvement
The Department of Modern and Classical Languages Undergraduate Committee (appointed
annually and chaired by the Undergraduate Director) will be charged with the
evaluation of data provided by the course embedded assessments of the learning
outcomes of majors and the general education outcomes of students attending
language courses in the General Education Core Curriculum. The Department’s Graduate Committee (appointed annually and chaired by the Graduate
Director), similarly, will evaluate the data provided by the assessment of
research papers, pedagogical research project s and/or theses of MA
candidates. After reviewing the data,
the committees will determine to what degree each of the learning outcomes are
being effectively realized by general education students, undergraduate majors,
and graduate students and report their findings to the faculty. A very good to outstanding performance (see
the Department’s Assessment Rubric, above) will indicate that the outcomes are
being successfully achieved. However, if
the data do not indicate an acceptable level of learning outcome attainment,
the Undergraduate and/or Graduate Committee will develop a proposal to modify
departmental courses or programs, clarify outcome formulations and/or adapt
methods of assessment in order to improve the quality of student learning,
performance and evaluation. These
proposals will be presented to the faculty for discussion, alteration and
eventual approval and implementation.
III.
Implementation
timeline
The Assessment Plan described in this proposal will
begin in Fall 2004 with the assessment of learning outcomes for all majors
enrolled in the courses listed in the Learning Outcomes for Department of Modern and Classical
Languages majors, in the grid on page one.
The Undergraduate Committee will also select a sample of lower division
undergraduate classes for an evaluation of the appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes. The Graduate Committee will begin to collect
student learning outcome data as graduate
students complete theses, pedagogical research
projects and/or research papers throughout the 2004-2005 academic year. The Undergraduate and Graduate Committees
will make their reports to the faculty in Spring 2005
with recommendations for changes in the courses and programs, outcome
formulations and/or methods of assessment, as needed. All learning outcomes will be reviewed every
three years, with a yearly assessment report submitted to the Provost’s Office.