ERIC Number: EJ1112694
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2375-804X
EISSN: N/A
Pulling It Together: Using Integrative Assignments as Empirical Direct Measures of Student Learning for Learning Community Program Assessment
Huerta, Juan Carlos; Sperry, Rita
Learning Communities: Research & Practice, v1 n1 Article 16 2013
This article outlines a systematic and manageable method for learning community program assessment based on collecting empirical direct measures of student learning. Developed at Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi where all full-time, first-year students are in learning communities, the approach ties integrative assignment design to a rubric for grading the assignment developed by teams at a planning retreat each semester. The rubric specifies competencies from each class included in the assignment as well as a criterion for success of earning an overall grade of B or better (80 points or higher). The authors describe an advocacy letter assignment designed for a political science course in state and local government, a first-year composition course, and a first-year seminar. An appendix includes the assignment along with the grading rubric as well as the method used by administrators to aggregate data across all learning communities. [This article was originally published in: "Journal of Learning Communities Research," 5(1) (April 2010).]
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Community Programs, College Students, Communities of Practice, Program Evaluation, Assignments, Teaching Methods, Integrated Activities, Learning Activities
Evergreen State College's Washington Center, the National Resource for Learning Communities. 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW, SEM II E2115, Olympia, WA 98505. Tel: 360-864-6606; Fax: 360-867-6662; e-mail: washcenter@evergreen.edu; Web site: http://washingtoncenter.evergreen.edu/lcrpjournal/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Tests/Questionnaires; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A