Example Practices in Sampling Strategies from Certified ACE Courses

ACE Outcome 6: Fundamentals of Child Development for Education (EDPS 250)

Sampling strategy: Typical sampling / random sampling.
Explanation: This proposal clearly describes the student products that will be collected and archived and the process for reflecting upon and using those products to improve the course. This proposal includes the use of multiple–choice tests in addition to final exam essays.
Complete text: We will maintain records of scores from multiple-choice pre– and post–tests that students complete that document student knowledge of concepts, research findings and theory necessary to interpret behaviors and performance in educational settings. From each of the sections taught during an academic year instructors will also be asked to submit five final exam essay sections and five written reflection assignments completed by students that have been selected at random. These exams will be collected and reviewed by the faculty supervisor for the course. The faculty supervisor will provide reflections on the student achievement toward meeting the ACE outcome and present a report to the Cognition, Learning and Development Program Faculty on student success achieving the ACE outcome. The student exams and homework assignments will be archived by the program area for colleagues interested in reviewing outcome achievement.

ACE Outcome 7: Introduction to Art History and Criticism (AHIS 101)

Sampling strategy: Maximal variation sampling.
Explanation: This proposal describes a process to sort and aggregate assessment results based on important student characteristics. It will be important for the unit to select the exam items most relevant to the ACE outcome for inclusion in ACE assessment. Since the assessment method relies upon multiple–choice tests the course instructor should submit the subset of test questions relevant to ACE Outcome 7 and a description of student performance on those items disaggregated by class level (or other relevant demographic characteristic). The course instructor should also submit a representative sample of student work (at least three samples).
Complete text: The significant number of students taking AHIS 101 (roughly 400 students per semester) provides a considerable database for the assessment of both student achievement and the course's effectiveness in satisfying ACE Outcome 7. Exam scores can be compared over time, or broken down by section, class, or major to evaluate the efficacy of course delivery and the ability of students to absorb the course material. With regard to ACE course assessment, the department will be developing procedures both for the collection of assessment material and for the internal review of or reflection upon that material.

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ACE Outcome 9: Multicultural Education (TEAC 330)

Sampling strategy: Extreme case sampling and typical sampling.
Explanation: This proposal uses a combination of typical sampling (random selection of traditional exams) and extreme case sampling (selection of high, medium, and low achievement). This proposal includes a process for sharing results and an archive of classroom activities with instructors.
Complete text: Every semester there are an average of seven sections of Teac 330. The Coordinator of Multicultural Education (currently Professor Ricardo Garcia) will collect a random sample of traditional exams from each section. Also collected will be representative examples of reaction papers, video–taped classroom presentations (with permission from the students), and research projects. Position papers and reflective essays will be collected from a distribution of learners (high, mid–, and low–achievers) from all sections of Teac 330 to review the quality of writing and content of student work and to make adjustments to teaching/instruction as indicated by the results from this review. The Coordinator will meet at the end of each semester with the Multicultural Education faculty to assess the collected materials and make instructional decisions. Also, an archive of hands–on simulations or classroom activities will be kept for instructor's use.

ACE Outcome 10: Advertising and Public Relations Campaigns (ADVT 489)

Sampling strategy: Typical sampling.
Explanation: This proposal describes an assessment process that utilizes feedback from media professionals and a client from the community. The unit has a clear plan for using the student products to make decisions about improving the course. A typical sample of the group products can be submitted for the purposes of ACE and archived over time to gauge changes in student achievement.
Complete text: Each team produces a 40–page book, which is kept by the department. Each team presents its work twice during the semester to a panel of faculty, media professionals and the client. The first panel examines and gives feedback to the students regarding their research and strategy about the midpoint of the semester. At the end of the semester faculty, professionals and the client watch each team's 30–minute presentation and give a feedback, a direct assessment of their work. The audience attending the presentation completes a one–page assessment of the campaign presentation. The Advertising faculty analyze these survey findings, looking for ways to improve the course over time. The advertising faculty discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each group and make adjustments in the curriculum as they see fit. For example, at one point they realized students needed a stronger research background, which resulted in teaching and reinforcing research skills better throughout the curriculum. In particular, a lower level course (ADVT 432 Strategic Communications Research) was created to address the need for research skills that could drive the campaign strategy.