Student Learning Outcomes that are measurable or observable:

  • GM1 Identify at least two dimensions of identity and/or difference (e.g. gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, religion, etc.).
  • GM2 Identify dimensions of identity and/or difference in a global context or through a process that brings people outside of their domestic context (e.g. regional/social movement, immigration, colonialism, forced migration, linguistic diversity, etc.).
  • Direct evidence of student learning, though in addition indirect evidence may be used:
  • Selection of assignments that demonstrate knowledge of identity and difference.
  • Each instructor teaching a GM 1 or 2 course would provide the representative samples.
  • Student products or performances that give us this evidence:
  • Exams, papers, and other assignments that discuss identity and/or difference
  • Course questionnaires: entrance (to learn what students already know about identity and difference) and exit (to gather information about what they learned during the course about these issues)

Collection points for these products and performances:

  • Questionnaires could be collected in the first and last week of any semester the GM1/GM2 course is taught.  Yearly (a representative batch of assignments collected by GM faculty for any courses with the GM requirement)
  • Procedure for evaluating this evidence:  GM1/GM2 Assessment Committee, individual instructors, or department sub-committees could meet to assess course products.  Would likely require the development of an assessment rubric.

Procedure for using this evaluation to improve student learning:

The results of the assessment will be used both to inform needed adjustments or changes to the GM assessment plan or for making programmatic changes to the GM categories. Ultimately, faculty teaching GMs, the primary stakeholders in this process, should benefit from the information gathered in the assessment to make any changes, if desired, for aligning their courses to GM outcomes.

Is entire cycle as short as possible, but no more than three years long?

A two-year cycle for each designation. GM1 could be assessed in one year cycle, while GM2 is assessed the next year.

Other observations and suggestions:

Most advanced courses (typically at the 300 or 400 level) have a prerequisite that includes a letter designation (GM, H, Q, etc.) corresponding to a set of specific learning outcomes and general education requirements as described in the College’s Common Course of Study (CCS). To avoid the redundancy of ascribing the same general education codes to advanced courses, faculty members are reminded that they are required to assess their students for each and every learning outcome attributed to subjects listed in the College’s Course Catalog.  We would also urge other GM course instructors to weigh in on the types of measurable evidence of student learning, collection points, the evaluation procedures, etc., before proceeding with the assessment process.