Program: English (MA)
Degree: Master's
Date: Sat Oct 10, 2020 - 8:20:56 am
1) Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs)
1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the theories and methods of two concentrations (Composition and Rhetoric, Creative Writing, Cultural Studies Asia/Pacific, Literary Studies in English) in the field of English, along with an enhanced understanding of English as a discipline of study.
(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest.)
2. Demonstrate understanding of advanced research methods and/or creative techniques in at least two concentrations in the MA: Composition and Rhetoric, Creative Writing, Cultural Studies Asia/Pacific, Literary Studies in English. Demonstrate ability to account for continuing relevance of earlier cultural formations and literary and rhetorical practices.
(2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study.)
3. Utilize one or more theoretical models deployed in the study or production of literature, culture, or rhetoric/composition.
(3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study.)
4. Employ close reading skills to analyze a range of texts, engaging with ethical, cultural, esthetic, and political issues salient to the archive they construct. Map, historicize, and contextualize MA projects/theses within their chosen concentration.
(4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study.)
5. Develop college-level teaching skills. Present research findings to varied audiences, including specialists and non-specialists alike, in oral and written formats.
(5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience.)
6. Engage in responsible and ethically conducted research through the 625 foundations courses and, if conducting research with interviews, through IRB training. Adopt and develop responsible frameworks and practices for work in English studies from our cultural location in Hawaii and the Pacific.
(6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives.)
7. Demonstrate written and oral ability to place creative and/or scholarly work within broader artistic and/or critical conversations.
(7. Interact professionally with others.)
2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.
Department Website URL: http://english.hawaii.edu/graduate-program/the-ma-program/
Student Handbook. URL, if available online: Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online: UHM Catalog. Page Number: Course Syllabi. URL, if available online: Other: 3) Please review, add, replace, or delete the existing curriculum map.
- File (10/10/2020)
4) For your program, the percentage of courses that have course SLOs explicitly stated on the syllabus, a website, or other publicly available document is as follows. Please update as needed.
0% 1-50% 51-80% 81-99%
100%5) Does the program have learning achievement results for its program SLOs? (Example of achievement results: "80% of students met expectations on SLO 1.")(check one):
No Yes, on some(1-50%) of the program SLOs Yes, on most(51-99%) of the program SLOs Yes, on all(100%) of the program SLOs6) Did your program engage in any program learning assessment activities between November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020?
Yes No (skip to question 17)7) What best describes the program-level learning assessment activities that took place for the period November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020? (Check all that apply.)
Create/modify/discuss program learning assessment procedures (e.g., SLOs, curriculum map, mechanism to collect student work, rubric, survey) Collect/evaluate student work/performance to determine SLO achievement Collect/analyze student self-reports of SLO achievement via surveys, interviews, or focus groups Use assessment results to make programmatic decisions (e.g., change course content or pedagogy, design new course, hiring) Investigate other pressing issue related to student learning achievement for the program (explain in question 8) Other: 8) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place since November 2018.
Assessment Activity 1: MA Student Exit Survey (Students graduating from Fall 2017 to Summer 2020)
At the end of every Fall and Spring semester, students petitioned to graduate are sent an exit survey which asks for for feedback on various aspects of the program as well as how confident they felt in their achievement of each of the SLOs. The results are collated after each academic year.
Assessment Activity 2: Curriculum Map Revision
The Graduate Program Committee (GPC) revised the MA Curriculum Map to plot expected student progress against the recently updated program SLOs.
Assessment Activity 3: Tracking written and oral student achievements (Fall 2017 - Spring 2020)
Students were asked to report their achievements in the following categories: publications, conference papers and colloquia, readings and events.
9) What types of evidence did the program use as part of the assessment activities checked in question 7? (Check all that apply.)
Artistic exhibition/performance Assignment/exam/paper completed as part of regular coursework and used for program-level assessment Capstone work product (e.g., written project or non-thesis paper) Exam created by an external organization (e.g., professional association for licensure) Exit exam created by the program IRB approval of research Oral performance (oral defense, oral presentation, conference presentation) Portfolio of student work Publication or grant proposal Qualifying exam or comprehensive exam for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation (graduate level only) Supervisor or employer evaluation of student performance outside the classroom (internship, clinical, practicum) Thesis or dissertation used for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation Alumni survey that contains self-reports of SLO achievement Employer meetings/discussions/survey/interview of student SLO achievement Interviews or focus groups that contain self-reports of SLO achievement Student reflective writing assignment (essay, journal entry, self-assessment) on their SLO achievement. Student surveys that contain self-reports of SLO achievement Assessment-related such as assessment plan, SLOs, curriculum map, etc. Program or course materials (syllabi, assignments, requirements, etc.) Other 1: Other 2: 10) State the number of students (or persons) who submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.
Assessment Activity 1: MA Student Exit Survey (Students graduating from Fall 2017 to Summer 2020)
29 graduating MA students responded to the exit survey.
Assessment Activity 2: Curriculum Map Revision
The Graduate Program Committee and Assistant Director of the Graduate Program contributed to the revision (5 faculty, 1 PhD student, and 1 staff)
Assessment Activity 3: Tracking written and oral student achievements (Fall 2017 - Spring 2020)
## MA students reported their achievements
11) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected? (Check all that apply.)
Course instructor(s) Faculty committee Ad hoc faculty group Department chairperson Persons or organization outside the university Faculty advisor Advisors (in student support services) Students (graduate or undergraduate) Dean/Director Other: Associate Dean of LLL, English Graduate Program Director, English Graduate Program Assistant Director12) How did they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? (Check all that apply.)
Used a rubric or scoring guide Scored exams/tests/quizzes Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used) Compiled survey results Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, open-ended response data External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., external organization administered and scored the nursing licensing exam) Other: 13) Summarize the results from the evaluation, analysis, interpretation of evidence (checked in question 12). For example, report the percentage of students who achieved each SLO.
Assessment Activity 1: MA Student Exit Survey (Students graduating from Fall 2017 to Summer 2020)
The majority of the 29 students indicated they felt "Very Well" prepared on each of the SLOs, with the exception of SLO #2, on which an equal number of students ranked themselves as 4 and 5. Note that these are superceded SLOs.
“To what extent do you feel prepared for the following?”
| 1 Not at All | 2 | 3 Adequately | 4 | 5 Very Well | |
| 1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the theories and methods of two concentrations within English | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 15 |
| 2. Demonstrate ability to account for continuing relevance of earlier cultural formations and literary and rhetorical practices | 0 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 11 |
| 3. Demonstrate awareness of the contributions of Oceanic and/or Asian cultures to the formation of the field of English Studies in the 21st Century | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 |
| 4. Understanding advanced research methods and/or creative techniques | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 16 |
| 5. Demonstrate written and oral ability to place one’s own creative and/or scholarly work within broader artistic and/or critical conversations | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 18 |
| 6. Conduct independent research (using primary and secondary sources) and/or creative skills | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 17 |
Assessment Activity 2: Curriculum Map Revision
The curriculum map was revised to reflect the recently revised PSLOs. Both documents are posted on our website: http://english.hawaii.edu/graduate-program/the-ma-program/
Assessment Activity 3: Tracking written and oral student achievements (Fall 2017 - Spring 2020)
17 MA students reported on their publications, conference papers and colloquia, and readings and events.
14) What best describes how the program used the results? (Check all that apply.)
Assessment procedure changes (SLOs, curriculum map, rubrics, evidence collected, sampling, communications with faculty, etc.) Course changes (course content, pedagogy, courses offered, new course, pre-requisites, requirements) Personnel or resource allocation changes Program policy changes (e.g., admissions requirements, student probation policies, common course evaluation form) Students' out-of-course experience changes (advising, co-curricular experiences, program website, program handbook, brown-bag lunches, workshops) Celebration of student success! Results indicated no action needed because students met expectations Use is pending (typical reasons: insufficient number of students in population, evidence not evaluated or interpreted yet, faculty discussions continue) Other: 15) Please briefly describe how the program used its findings/results.
Assessment Activity 1: MA Student Exit Survey (Students graduating from Fall 2017 to Summer 2020)
The surveys were reviewed and discussed by the Graduate Program Committee.
Assessment Activity 2: Curriculum Map Revision
The new curriculum map is posted on our website. Each semester, faculty teaching graduate classes are referred to the curriculum map and PSLOs when creating their course descriptions and specific SLOs (which are published with the course descriptions on our website).
Assessment Activity 3: Tracking written and oral student achievements (Fall 2017 - Spring 2020)
Achievements are posted on the department's website to celebrate students' success.
16) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries? This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, and great achievements regarding program assessment in this reporting period.
We hold an annual workshop with successful graduates to show what alumni are doing with their degrees and also what their perceptions of the strengths of the program are.