Unit: Social Work, Myron B. Thompson School of
Program: Graduate Academic Advising (MSW)
Date: Mon Nov 16, 2015 - 6:08:55 pm

1) Below are your program's student outcomes (SOs). Please add or update as needed.

Outcome 1: Students will be able to design and achieve a reasonable and timely academic plan that leads to a Master of Social Work degree.

Outcome 2: Students will be able to identify academic and professional goals that incorporate her/his personal values, interests, aptitudes and skills.

Outcome 3: Students will be able to identify and utilize resources to support them in achieving their academic and professional goals.

 

2) Your program's SOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.

Program's Website. URL: http://www.hawaii.edu/sswork/Students/MSW_Handbook.pdf
Student Handbook. URL, if available online: All new students receive a hard-copy version of Handbook
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure. URL, if available online:
UHM Catalog. Page Number:
Other: MSW New Student Orientation
Other: Faculty & Students Mandatory Advising Memos

3) Provide the program's activity map or other graphic that illustrates how program activities/services align with program student outcomes. Please upload it as a PDF.

Activity Map File(s) from 2015:

4) Did your program engage in any program assessment activities between June 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015? (e.g., establishing/revising outcomes, aligning activities to outcomes, collecting evidence, interpreting evidence, using results, revising the assessment plan, creating surveys, etc.)

Yes
No (skip to question 14)

5) For the period between June 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015: State the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goals. Include the student outcomes that were targeted, if applicable.

  1. 100% of new students will attend a mandatory orientation session where they will receive training on how to use STAR, the UHM catalog, Credit Check form, and the Student Handbook to identify and understand program requirements.
  2. 100% of student files will have an Academic Plan form that is updated every semester by the student and a faculty advisor.
  3. In the MSW Self Assessment Surveys, 90% of respondents will indicate that they received assistance, if requested, in examining academic and professional goals for themselves. 
  4. In the MSW Self Assessment Surveys, 90% of respondents will indicate that they received assistance in identifying and utilizing appropriate resources to support them in achieving their academic and professional goals when they requested such assistance.

6) State the type(s) of evidence gathered to answer the assessment question and/or meet the assessment goals that were given in Question #5.

Evidence for Measure A (New Student Orientation)

      Orientation sign-in sheets

 

Evidence for Measure B (Academic Plan Form)

      Review of student files for presence of current Academic Plan form

 

Evidence for Measures C & D

Review of Mid-Program & Exit Surveys for Foundation year & Concentration year students

 

7) State how many persons submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.

      For Measure A

        All new students = 83

      For Measure B 

All student files were reviewed for academic forms completed w/ both student & academic advisor = 224 students, 14 faculty advisors

 

For Measures C & D

120 respondents (both foundation- and concentration-year students)

8) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected? Check all that apply.

Program faculty/staff member(s)
Faculty/staff committee
Ad hoc faculty/staff group
Director or department chairperson
Persons or organization outside the university
Students (graduate or undergraduate)
Dean or Associate Dean
Advisory Board
Other:

9) How did he/she/they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? Check all that apply.

Compiled survey results
Used quantitative methods on student data (e.g., grades, participation rates) or other numeric data
Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, or other open-ended response data
Scored exams/tests/quizzes
Used a rubric or scoring guide
Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used)
External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., Social Science Research Institute)
Other:

10) For the assessment questions/goals stated in Question #5, summarize the actual results.

      For Measure A

      100% (83/83) of new students entering the MSW program in 2015 attended orientation.

      For Measure B 

      56% (126/224) of MSW student files have an Academic Plan form that appears to be updated.

 

Assigned Academic Advisor

For Measure C

Among 120 respondents (both foundation- and concentration-year students), 63 students reported that they requested assistance in examining academic goals, and 95.2% (60 students) reported that they received assistance; 38 students reported that they requested assistance in examining professional goals, and 100% reported that they received assistance. 

 

For Measure D

25 students reported that they requested assistance in identifying and utilizing appropriate resources, and 92% (23 students) reported that they received assistance. 

 

Other Advisor

For Measure C

Among 120 respondents, 30 students reported that they requested assistance in examining academic goals, and 100% reported that they received assistance; and 29 students reported that they requested assistance in examining professional goals, and 96.6% (28 students) reported that they received assistance. 

 

For Measure D

27 students reported that they requested assistance in identifying and utilizing appropriate resources, and 92.6% (25 students) reported that they received assistance.  

 

11) What was learned from the results?

Measure B:  Further advisor training is needed to ensure that all students have an academic plan in place.  Perhaps also more student training.  The stated objective is an academic plan updated by both the student and the advisor; the responsibility lies with the student as well.

There is a significant decrease from 75% completed last year. One difference is in losing a senior faculty advisor for orientation advising.  None of the FT new students have academic plan forms this year, such that only 41% of new MSW student files have an Academic Plan form (vs. 59% last year).  This percentage will increase once they start meeting with their regular advisors.  Orientation advising is limited in how much they can do with a large group of students during a short period of time.  More thorough advising continues later on.  But, we did still have a weaker start this year than last year.

12) State how the program used the results or plans to use the results. Please be specific.

Further targeted advisor and student training during Orientation is needed to ensure that all students have an Academic Plan in place.  Since the stated objective is an Academic Plan updated by both the student and the advisor; the responsibility lies with the student as well.

Faculty training and monitoring continues to be challenging issues. This coming year, it may be helpful to do a survey of faculty advisors and see what ideas they may have to help improve their overall completion of academic plans, and credit check forms. The annual review of MSW academic advising has been streamlined to an online powerpoint presentation & follow-up quiz that all advisors must complete. The paradigm of advising as "teaching" is one that could be more fully embraced by faculty advisors -- and worth including in the training materials.

13) Reflect on the assessment process. Is there anything related to assessment procedures your program would do differently next time? What went well?

It appears that we do a good job in having students participate in our new student orientations, both within the mandatory sessions and in individual "make-up" sessions. The feedback from students re: these orientations is generally favorable (see summarized comments on Q14).  It also appears that for those students seeking additional support from advisors or related others, they generally receive assistance.

As mentioned in Q 12, for this coming year, it may be helpful to do a survey of faculty advisors and see what ideas they may have to help improve their overall completion of academic plans, and credit check forms.

 

14) If the program did not engage in assessment activities, please explain.
Or, if the program did engage in assessment activities, please add any other important information here.

We received 59 student evaluations re: the MSW New Student Orientations.

55 or 93% of all respondents rated all statements as "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" in the following areas:

  • Orientation provided important & timely info. & materials
  • Info. was presented in a clear & understandable manner
  • Info. helped student feel better prepared to begin program
  • The duration was appropriate
  • The faculty & staff were friendly & helpful
  • Qs were answered.

These respondents also rated "Excellent" or "Good" to all components of the Orientations:

  • Intro & Welcoming Remarks
  • Overview of the MSW Program & Curriculum
  • Overview of the Practicum Program
  • Academic Advising

4 or 7% of respondents rated all statements as "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" in all except the following statements:

  • One rated "Neither Agree or Disagree" to helping them feel more prepared
  • One rated "Neither Agree or Disagree" to duration being appropriate.
  • Two rated "Neither Agree or Disagree" to Qs were answered


3 of these same respondents rated the following area as "Fair":

  • Overview of Practicum


Constructive feedback seemed mostly to focus on a few students wanting to have separate presentation times for full-time, part-time, and Advanced Standing students because they did not want to sit through the entire presentation. One student said it was too long, one student commented that it was not leisurely enough. One student commented that when the Orientation notice is sent out, they should also be notified about other "extra time" activities, e.g. FIS seminars, Practicum meetings.