Communication

• Certificate (Not Applicable)

   

• Associate Degrees

  Students completing the Associate of Science in Communication shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 9. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.  
  • 10. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

  Students completing the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Applied Science in Digital Media Production shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Theory: Explain how various communication theories have been developed, apply those theories, and evaluate them.
  • 9. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 10. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.  
  • 11. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

  Students completing the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science in Workplace Communication shall demonstrate the following communication outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 6. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.

• Bachelor Degrees

  Students completing the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Civic Advocacy shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Theory: Explain how various communication theories have been developed, apply those theories, and evaluate them.
  • 9. Law/Ethics: Demonstrate knowledge of communication law and ethics to enable legal and ethical communication.
  • 10. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 11. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.  
  • 12. Diversity: Communicate competently across difference, identify, explain perceptual bias and discrimination, and know the value of diversity.   
  • 13. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

  Students completing the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Digital Media shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Theory: Explain how various communication theories have been developed, apply those theories, and evaluate them.
  • 9. Law/Ethics: Demonstrate knowledge of communication law and ethics to enable legal and ethical communication.
  • 10. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 11. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.  
  • 12. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

  Students completing the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Interpersonal and Family Communication shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Theory: Explain how various communication theories have been developed, apply those theories, and evaluate them.
  • 9. Law/Ethics: Demonstrate knowledge of communication law and ethics to enable legal and ethical communication.
  • 10. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 11. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.  
  • 12. Diversity: Communicate competently across difference, identify, explain perceptual bias and discrimination, and know the value of diversity.   
  • 13. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

  Students completing the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Multimedia Journalism shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Theory: Explain how various communication theories have been developed, apply those theories, and evaluate them.
  • 9. Law/Ethics: Demonstrate knowledge of communication law and ethics to enable legal and ethical communication.
  • 10. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 11. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.  
  • 12. Diversity: Communicate competently across difference, identify, explain perceptual bias and discrimination, and know the value of diversity.   
  • 13. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

  Students completing the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Theory: Explain how various communication theories have been developed, apply those theories, and evaluate them.
  • 9. Law/Ethics: Demonstrate knowledge of communication law and ethics to enable legal and ethical communication.
  • 10. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 11. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.  
  • 12. Diversity: Communicate competently across difference, identify, explain perceptual bias and discrimination, and know the value of diversity.   
  • 13. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

  Students completing the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and Advertising shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Theory: Explain how various communication theories have been developed, apply those theories, and evaluate them.
  • 9. Law/Ethics: Demonstrate knowledge of communication law and ethics to enable legal and ethical communication.
  • 10. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 11. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.  
  • 12. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

  Students completing the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Social Media and Data Analytics shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1.Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area.
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Theory: Explain how various communication theories have been developed, apply those theories, and evaluate them.
  • 9. Law/Ethics: Demonstrate knowledge of communication law and ethics to enable legal and ethical communication.
  • 10. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 11. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.
  • 12. Diversity: Communicate competently across difference, identify, explain perceptual bias and discrimination, and know the value of diversity.
  • 13. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

  Students completing the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Communication Teaching shall demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • 1. Writing: Write at a level expected of a professional communicator in a selected emphasis area. 
  • 2. Speaking: Speak appropriately, effectively, and ethically in a one-on-one interpersonal interaction, and in front of small and large groups in a variety of contexts.  
  • 3. Listening: Listen actively to acquire and analyze information.
  • 4. Interpersonal/Small Group Communication: Facilitate successful communication in interpersonal situations, small group settings, and within organizations.
  • 5. Media: Use and produce media to appropriately and effectively to communicate messages and critically evaluate media messages.
  • 6. History: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the communication discipline and its societal and professional implications.
  • 7. Research: Find and evaluate peer-reviewed or professional research studies, describe and utilize a variety of research methods, and interpret and analyze research data.
  • 8. Theory: Explain how various communication theories have been developed, apply those theories, and evaluate them.
  • 9. Law/Ethics: Demonstrate knowledge of communication law and ethics to enable legal and ethical communication.
  • 10. Critical Thinking: Analyze information from a variety of perspectives for understanding, persuasive argument or problem solving.
  • 11. Career Readiness: Demonstrate the skills required to enter a professional career or graduate school.  
  • 12. Diversity: Communicate competently across difference, identify, explain perceptual bias and discrimination, and know the value of diversity.   
  • 13. Creativity and Innovation: Devise new approaches to familiar problems or situations, resulting in original work.

   

Assessment Plan for Department of Communication:

• The Student Learning Outcomes for Communication will be linked to a final assignment in Canvas, using a 5-point scale where instructors will evaluate each student’s performance for a course on the relevant programmatic SLOs as noted in the curriculum grid. The 5-point scale will be as follows:
• 5=Exceeds Expectations
• 4=Meets Expectations
• 3= Approaching Expectations
• 2=Developing Expectations
• 1=Does Not Meet Expectations
• 0=Not Observed

Instructors have agreed-upon definitions for each level of performance on each SLO based on extensive conversation with instructors of this course and testing to establish inter-coder reliability of 70% or higher. Furthermore, the expectations as outlined in the curriculum grid will be defined as follows:

• Introduced:  At least 80% of students will receive a rating of 2(Developing Expectations), 3 (Approaching Expectations), 4 (Meets Expectations) or 5 (Exceeds Expectations)
• Emphasized: At least 80% of students will receive a rating of 3 (Approaching Expectations), 4 (Meets Expectations) or 5 (Exceeds Expectations)
• Mastered: At least 80% of students will receive a rating of 4 (Meets Expectations) or 5 (Exceeds Expectations).

• 2021-2022

   

• 2019-2020

  1)    First year student success is critical to WSU’s retention and graduation efforts. We are interested in finding out how departments support their first-year students. Do you have mechanisms and processes in place to identify, meet with, and support first-year students? Please provide a brief narrative focusing on your program’s support of new students:

  
  a.    Any first-year students taking courses in your program(s): We have many first-year students in our three General Education classes: COMM 1020 HU Principles of Public Speaking, COMM 2010 HU Mass Media and Society, and COMM 2110 HU Interpersonal and Small Group Communication. Because of the nature of these classes, faculty members monitor participation and achievement on a weekly basis as students give speeches, respond to discussion questions about mass media issues, and participate in a small group service-learning project. Faculty also fill out Starfish reports, among other things.  

  b.    Students declared in your program(s), whether or not they are taking courses in your program(s)
  See above. In addition, declared majors and minors also receive a monthly email with deadlines and other important information. During the pandemic, additional communication was sent to students about how classes would be offered, registration deadlines, advising assistance, etc.     

  2)    A key component of sound assessment practice is the process of ‘closing the loop’ – that is, following up on changes implemented as a response to your assessment findings, to determine the impact of those changes/innovations. It is also an aspect of assessment on which we need to improve, as suggested in our NWCCU mid-cycle report. Please describe the processes your program has in place to ‘close the loop’.

  In COMM 1020 HU and COMM 2110 HU courses, the Department of Communication holds an annual retreat, at which assessment results are discussed among instructors of these two courses. For COMM 1020 HU, over the past two years, we have rewritten test questions as a means of improving assessment of our students, and have continued to utilize a common rubric to ensure students are graded on the same criteria across all sections of the courses. For COMM 2110 HU, we have standardized the signature assignment of the service project class presentation to ensure all students are assessed on the same assignment across all sections of the course. These actions have aided the Department of Communication in its venture to “close the loop” with our assessment findings. Furthermore, a faculty member has attended the training workshop and completed the coding for the signature assignment twice. This workshop, conducted by the Director of General Education, covers the General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs) and signature assignments. This training has aided in refining the assignment description for the signature assignment in COMM 2010 and improved assessment strategies as well. This additional training has helped to “close the loop.”

  The full report is available.
• 2017

  1) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?

  • We did so well with our General Education revitalization process that the chair of GEAIC asked us to pilot assessment for the new GELOs in COMM 1020 Principles of Public Speaking and COMM 2110 Interpersonal & Small Group Communication.
  • For COMM 2010 Mass Media & Society, we will strive to obtain data from more students/classes. 
  • We will make strides to gain assessment data from two more core classes in Communication not currently being assessed in this report: COMM 3000 Communication Theory and COMM 3150 Communication Research Methods.
  • We will continue working with our Advisory Board to try to get the members involved in the review of ePortfolios at the end of students’ senior year.
  • We will continue using the numerous measures described in the report above, which indicate we are doing a good job for the most part. 
  • We will discuss how to improve instruction on diversity and cultural sensitivity. We plan to help address that with the hiring of a tenure-track faculty member with expertise in global and intercultural communication.
  • We will continue trying to improve the instruction in all Communication classes to better meet our program objectives.  However, as evidenced by assessment data, we are quite successful according to teachers, employees and students.

   

  2) We are interested in better understanding how departments/programs assess their graduating seniors or graduate students. Please provide a short narrative describing the practices/curriculum in place for your department/program. Please include both direct and indirect measures employed. Finally, what were your findings from this past year’s graduates?

  • We do an excellent job compared to other departments in this regard.
  • We administer an internship survey to internship providers about our students after the completion of an internship required of all Communication majors (COMM 4890).
  • We also administer a survey to students on completion of their internship.
  • We require students to complete an exit survey in COMM 4890 Senior Seminar, a class required of all graduating seniors.
  • We will begin involving the members of our Advisory Board in the assessment of ePortfolios.

  • We are also working on a project to track down alumni from the last 25 years to determine how they are using the Communication degree in their professional lives. We are making excellent progress. Information can be found on the alumni link of the department website.

  The full report is available.

• 2016

  1) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?

  • We are adjusting our measures for Gen Ed assessment in COMM 1020 Principles of Public Speaking and COMM 2110 Interpersonal & Small Group Communication to make them more closely align with the college’s Student Learning Objectives and measure what we intend to measure. We will also do a better job of separating Fall and Spring results for comparison purposes.
  • For COMM 2010 Mass Media & Society, we will strive to obtain data from more students/classes. We will also do a better job of separating data for Fall and Spring semesters for comparison purposes.
  • We will make strides to gain assessment data from three core classes in Communication not currently being assessed in this report: COMM 3000 Communication Theory, COMM 3150 Communication Research Methods and COMM 3650 Communication Law. We will continue working with our Advisory Board to try to get the members involved in the review of ePortfolios at the end of students’ senior year.
  • We will continue using the numerous measures described in the report above, which indicate we are doing a good job for the most part.
  • We will discuss how to improve instruction on diversity and cultural sensitivity because that was the lowest rated item by students in the exit survey. They sense that this is critically important and in the current climate have uncertainty and a desire to learn more. 

  • We will continue trying to improve the instruction in all Communication classes to better meet our program objectives.  However, as evidenced by assessment data, we are successful for the most part.

  2) We are interested in better understanding how departments/programs assess their graduating seniors. Please provide a short narrative describing the practices/curriculum in place for your department/program. Please include both direct and indirect measures employed.

  • We don an excellent job compared to other departments in this regard.
  • We administer an internship survey to internship providers about our students after the completion of an internship required of all Communication majors (COMM 4890).
  • We also administer a survey to students on completion of their internship.
  • We require students to complete an exit survey in COMM 4890 Senior Seminar, a class required of all graduating seniors.
  • We will begin involving the members of our Advisory Board in the assessment of ePortfolios.
  • We are also working on a project to track down alumni from the last 25 years to determine how they are using the Communication degree in their professional lives. 

   

  The full report is available for viewing.
• 2015

  1) Reflecting on this year’s assessment(s), how does the evidence of student learning impact your faculty’s confidence in the program being reviewed; how does that analysis change when compared with previous assessment evidence?

  • We feel fairly confident in our assessment procedures because when we look at the multiple ways of assessing the same Student Learning Outcome, we are getting consistent results. We did see slight increases in student performance over last year. We have been willing to learn from what is working for us and what isn’t. We are in the process of making adjustments and additions to our assessment procedures.

   

  2) With whom did you share the results of the year’s assessment efforts?

  • This information will be shared with the full-time faculty in Communication, the dean, the Office of Institutional Research, and perhaps our Advisory Board for Communication (ABC).
     

  3) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?

  • We will implement assessment for all core classes in Communication.
  • We have tied the General Education Student Learning Outcomes to our three Gen Ed classes, and then made connections to the Communication Program’s SLOs. We will implement these assessment practices.
  • We will continue to administer valuable surveys such as the internship supervisor survey and the exit survey for graduating seniors.
  • We will discuss involving our advising board in assessment and may ask them to help assess student ePortfolios.   
  • We will also discuss tracking alumni to assess success of program.

   

  The full report is available for viewing

• 2014

  The Communication program conducted a five year program review with full self-study during the spring of 2015. Those results are presented in place of the Annual Assessment Report. Please reference those documents for information that includes data for the 2013/14 academic year.

• 2013

  1) Reflecting on this year’s assessment(s), how does the evidence of student learning impact your faculty’s confidence in the program being reviewed; how does that analysis change when compared with previous assessment evidence?

  • We revised our student learning outcomes to make them more concrete and measurable. We have Direct Measures and Indirect Measures on most of the 12 SLOs. This is a good start. However, this means that we do not a lot of data that is directly comparable data to last year.
  • In last year’s assessment report, the Department of Communication expressed a concern about our graduates’ writing ability, not unlike students graduating in other majors. Writing skills seem to be decreasing in the age of texting and social media. In our internship surveys from last year, writing was the lowest scored skill by internship advisers with our majors being rated an average of 4.08 on a 5-point scale. As a result, we instituted a grammar/punctuation test in COMM 1130 Media Writing, a class required of all Communication majors. We also continued to emphasize writing skills in all classes. This year, internship advisers ranked our students’ writing skills as 4.39 on the 5-point scale. Other skills rated by internship advisers rounded to 4.50 on a 5-point scale, indicating our students are meeting the needs of employers on skills such as speaking, research, interpersonal/small group, and cultural sensitivity.
  • For the first time in Spring 2013, we administered an exit survey to our Spring graduates. Communication graduates rate their level of knowledge and skills similarly to employers.  Some 96% believe they are ready or somewhat ready to enter the career field. In the first administration of an exit survey for students, a large percentage of students rank their skills as a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale. They show confidence in their capability in writing (88%, 4.36), speaking (96%, 4.48), interpersonal/small group (92%, 4.28), critical thinking (96%, 4.48), media (96%, 4.36), research (92%, 4.32) and diversity (72%, 4.08).  Writing apparently is an area we need to continue to emphasize. Interestingly, diversity was also ranked the lowest. Diversity may come out low because it is not emphasized in the final classes being completed by our majors. We will discuss this as a faculty.
  • We decided to revamp how we were assessing our general education classes because our former methods were proving to be time-intensive. We started with COMM 2110 Interpersonal & Small Group Communication. We are in the process of gathering data through embedded test questions and through a signature assignment used by all instructors in all sections of the course, including the concurrent enrollment classes. We will report our findings next year.
  • We also will assess all ePortfolios in COMM 4990 Senior Seminar. We will report results next year.

   

  2) With whom did you share the results of the year’s assessment efforts? 

  • The assessment results were shared with faculty in the Department of Communication, the dean of the College of Arts & Humanities, the provost, and the readers of this assessment report, which is posted on the Web at weber.edu/oie. The assessment results will also be shared with the advisory board of the Department of Communication, which will meet for the first time in January 2014. In addition, all student learning outcomes are posted on all class syllabi so that we can be accountable to our most important audience – students.

   

    3) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?  

  • For this assessment report, we modified our department student learning outcomes to make them more measurable, concrete and reflective of what students need to learn about communication.
  • We also substantially revised the assessment plan for our three general education classes. Our previous methods of assessment became outdated and required too much additional work in addition to teaching the classes. Beginning this year, we will use embedded test questions administered in Chi tester to gauge whether students are learning important concepts. We will also begin to use a signature assignment with a common rubric within Canvas so that assignments won’t have to be revisited for assessment purposes. We will begin gathering data with all sections of COMM 2110 Interpersonal & Small Group Communication in 2013-2014. These results will be reported in the next assessment report. In 2014-2015, we will begin to assess COMM 1020 Principles of Public Speaking, followed by COMM 2010 Mass Media & Society. For now, we will rotate the assessment of our general education classes on a three-year plan.
  • We will follow through by inviting an advisory board for the Department of Communication. It will meet for the first time in January 2014.
  • We will also begin to have the content experts for each of the seven emphasis areas assess a randomly selected number of ePortfolios compiled and collected in COMM 4990 Senior Seminar. In order to do this, each emphasis area will create a common rubric that follows from the overall department SLOs to assess but reflects the required skills and knowledge in the specific areas, including Civic Advocacy, Digital Media, Interpersonal & Small Group Communication, Multimedia Journalism, Organizational Communication, Public Relations & Advertising, and Communication Teaching.
  • We will discuss revising the internship survey to ask questions directed more to the student learning outcomes.
  • Finally, we will begin discussions about how/whether to assess other common courses required by all Communication majors on a rotating basis using embedded test questions and signature assignments. These courses include COMM 3000 Communication Theory, COMM 3150 Communication Research Methods, and COMM 3650 Communication Law. The other core Communication classes are assessed as part of general education assessment or through the grammar test in COMM 1130 Media Writing, the internship survey for COMM 4890 Internship, and the ePortfolio for COMM 4990 Senior Seminar.

   

  To access the full report select this link: Communication 2012/13 Annual Assessment report.

2019-2020

2014-15