Assessing Core Competencies - University of Nevada, Reno

ASSESSING CORE
COMPETENCIES
Bea Babbitt
Angelina Hill
UNLV
Northern Nevada
Assessment
Conference
2011

ASSESSING CORE COMPETENCIES
• Knowledge & skills typically associated with general
education
• Valued by many programs
• Critical Thinking
• Communication
• Global/multicultural

ASSESSING CORE COMPETENCIES
• Learning objectives in the major often include core
competencies
• Academic Assessment Advisory Committee reviewed learning
objectives of their majors
• Effective communication skills (All)
• Inquiry and critical thinking skills (All)
• Knowledge of the natural sciences, social sciences and fine arts (All)
• Skills and values related to citizenship and ethics (A few)
• Skills and values related to global/multicultural competencies (A few)

http://www.aacu.org/leap/vision.cfm

COMMON LEARNING OUTCOMES
Intellectual Skills/Ability
Writing skills 77%
Critical thinking 74%
• Common learning
outcomes by institution
Quantitative reasoning 71%
Oral communications 69%
Intercultural skills 62%
Information literacy 59%
Ethical reasoning 59%
Civic engagement 53%
• AAC&U report:
Trends and Emerging
Practices in General
Education by Hart Research
Associates (2009)
Application of learning 52%
Research skills 51%
Integration of learning 49%
https://www.aacu.org/membership/documents/2009MemberSurvey_Part2.pdf

http://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/

ASSESSING CRITICAL THINKING
• Critical Thinking Assessment Test (CAT)
• Designed to assess and promote critical thinking & realworld
problem solving skills.
• Skills were identified that were most valued by faculty and
employers.
• Short answer essay questions with faculty-led scoring
sessions

ASSESSING WRITING
• Cognitive Level and Quality Writing Assessment Instrument
(CLAQWA)
• Online system for assessing writing skills across an institution’s
curriculum consistently.
• Provides faculty with a flexible rubric that can be adapted to most
written work.
• Provides instructional feedback that can include comments.
• Supports peer review to enhance students’ writing & critical thinking

http://claqwaonline.com/

http://www.salgsite.org/

ASSESSING GLOBAL COMPETENCIES
• Global Perspective Inventory (GPI)
• Provides a self-report of a person’s perspectives in
three dimensions of global learning and
https://gpi.central.edu/
development
Cognitive
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal

ASSESSING GLOBAL COMPETENCIES
Cognitive Domain Scales
Knowing. Degree of complexity of one's view the importance of cultural context in
judging what is important to know and value.
Knowledge. Degree of understanding and awareness of various cultures and their
impact on our global society and level of proficiency in more than one language.
Intrapersonal Domain Scales
Identity. Level of awareness of unique identity and degree of acceptance of one’s
ethnic, racial, and gender dimensions of one’s identity.
Affect. Level of respect and acceptance of cultural perspectives different from
one’s own and degree of emotional confidence when living in complex situations.
Interpersonal Domain Scales
Social Interactions. Degree of engagement with others who are different from
oneself and degree of cultural sensitivity in living in pluralistic settings.
Social responsibility. Level of commitment to interdependent living and the
"common good."

ASSESSING CORE COMPETENCIES WITH
PROGRAM DEVELOPED TOOLS
Program Developed Tools
Frameworks vary
All show field-specific focus
Multiple tools used
Multiple levels of analysis
Goal: identify areas for improvement
Today’s examples:
Elementary Education: Multicultural, Communication, Critical Thinking
Nursing: Communication
Microbiology: Critical Thinking

ASSESSING CORE COMPETENCIES WITH
PROGRAM DEVELOPED TOOLS
Elementary Education Field Experiences
Standards-based
Field-specific focus: Diverse learners, communication, reflection
Tool: Field experience observation rubric
Observers: University supervisor and supervising teacher
Program-wide developmental analysis: Practicum 1, Practicum 2, Student Teaching
Nursing
Standards-based
Field-specific focus: Basic and therapeutic communication; nonverbal
Tools: Exit Survey, Clinical Evaluations
Observers: University supervisor and clinical supervisor
Expectation: % of students evaluated as “performance is safe and competent.”
Microbiology Lab
Faculty content expertise
Field-specific focus: Logical, flow chart representation
Tool: Term paper grading rubric
Graders: Faculty and graduate assistant

ASSESSING CORE COMPETENCIES
References
Halonen, J. S., Bosack. T., et al. (2003). A rubric for learning, teaching, and assessing scientific
inquiry in psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 30 (3), 196-208.
Martell, K., & Calderon, T. (Eds.) (2005). Assessment of student learning in business schools:
Best practices each step of the way. Assessment in the disciplines, Volume 1.
Tallahassee, FL: Association for Institutional Research and AACSB International.
Noblitt, J., Vance, D. E., & DePoy Smith, M. L. (2010). A comparison of case study and
traditional teaching methods for improvement of oral communication and critical
thinking skills. Journal of College Science Teaching, 39 (5), 26-32.
Internet Resources for Higher Education Outcomes Assessment
http://www2.acs.ncsu.edu/UPA/assmt/resource.htm