Outcomes Assessment Plan and Report

Department of Health Science

New Mexico State University

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Undergraduate Program

 

Academic Year 2004-2005

(Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Summer 2005)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepared by:

 

Outcomes Assessment Committee

Satya Rao (Chair), Charles Kozel, and Sue Forster-Cox

Department of Health Science

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 2006
Introduction

 

The current outcomes assessment plan and report provides the following information:

 

1.      Outcomes Assessment Plan

2.      Methods of assessment used

3.      The performance measures or criteria used to determine student learning

4.      Results and anticipated use of the results of the outcome assessment activities

5.      Dissemination of results

 

The report will discuss the department's undergraduate program first and then the graduate program offered by the department and will cover the five points listed above.  The outcomes assessment plan, methods of assessment used, and the direct performance measures/criteria used to determine student learning (1, 2, 3) are compiled and presented together in a tabular form first for the undergraduate program and then for the graduate program.

 

 

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

1,2,3)   Stage 3:  Outcomes Assessment Plan.

Direct measures of Undergraduate Student's Learning

 

A.    Percentile scores on the English Writing Assessment test/exam offered in HLS 100.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B.     Field Experience Evaluations by Agency Preceptors.

 

Performance Measures:  Methods of Assessment and Activities

 

Students take the English writing test/exam in HLS 100 and are required to score 37 percentile or greater.

Performance Measures Used:

·         No. of students who were enrolled in HLS 100 (Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Summer 2005)

·         No. of students who took the test/exam

·         No. of students who scored a passing grade of 37 percentile or greater                                    

 

Each undergraduate student is enrolled in a 6-credit hour field experience course (320 clock-hours) to gain practical/hands-on experience in Community Health.  Students are required to receive adequate/positive evaluations from their field preceptors, receive a C" or higher overall grade for the course, make an oral presentation of their work at the end of the semester faculty/students meeting, and submit a portfolio of their work to be maintained in the Department library.

Performance Measures Used:

·         No. of students enrolled in Field Experience for (Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Summer 2005)

·         No. who received positive preceptor evaluations

·         No. who received a "C" or higher grade

·         No. who presented

·         No. who submitted their portfolio

C.     Student Grades and Evaluations from        Outside reviewers in the Capstone course HLS 499.

 

 

HLS 499 is the department’s undergraduate Capstone course that requires students to receive a “C” or better overall grade and ‘good – excellent’ evaluations on their projects from external reviewers.

 

 

 

Performance Measures Used:

·         No. of students enrolled in HLS 499 in the academic year 2004-2005

·         Grades received:

No. of A’s

No. of B’s

No. of C’s

  • External reviews:

  Excellent

         Very Good

         Good

         Fair

         Needs improvement

D.    Pass rate on the professional certification  Examination for "Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).”

 

Undergraduate students are encouraged to take the national professional certification examination (‘Certified Health Education Specialist’-CHES) either in the last two semesters before they graduate or immediately after graduation.  Summaries of examination results are sent directly to the department annually.

Performance Measures Used:

  • No. of students who took the CHES preparation course and those who appeared for the exam in the academic year 2004-2005)
  • No. of students who passed the exam
  • Pass rate

 

4a.  Results of Outcomes Assessment Activities

The following section describes the results related to the direct measures used to assess student learning outcomes in the undergraduate program:

 

A.     Percentile scores on the English writing assessment test/exam offered in HLS 100:

One of the important undergraduate students’ learning measures is the percentile scores in the department’s English writing test/exam.  Students are required to score 37 percentile or greater to be successful.  During the Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 semesters (course not offered in the summer), a total of 44 students took the writing test/exam with the following results.  

 

 

 

 

Number of students who were enrolled in HLS 100 during Fall 2004 and Spring 2005:                                                                                                                   49

 

Number of students who took the test/exam:                                                   44

(NOTE: Not all students enrolled are required to take the exam, only those pursuing a major in the Department of Health Science)

 

Number of students who scored a passing grade of 37 percentile

or greater:                                                                                                       32

 

PASS RATE:                                                                                                 73%                                                                            

Note:  Typically, each semester some students choose to take the alternate exam, primarily in those situations in which they are not successful in the ‘Conventions of Written English Exam.’  Additionally, some of the enrolled students are not potential health science majors and therefore do not take the exam or the alternate one because the other departments do not have the same requirements as the health science department. 

 

B.     Field experience evaluations by agency preceptors:

Each undergraduate student enrolls in a 6-credit hour field experience course and completes 320 clock hours of internship to gain practical/hands-on experience in the fields of public health and community health education.  The following results were recorded on the direct students’ learning measures.

 

Number of students enrolled in the field experience course during

Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Summer 2005:                                                          30

 

Number of students who received an adequate/positive evaluation

from their field experience preceptors:                                                            29*

 

Number who received an overall course grade of “C” or better:                  29

 

Number of students who presented their work as an oral presentation:         24**

 

Number of students who have submitted their portfolios:                               29

 

* One of the students received an “I” (Incomplete) grade.

** Presentations by the remaining students will be scheduled for the following semester (Spring 2006)   

 

Overall, all of the students with the exception of one student who enrolled in the field experience course received adequate/positive evaluations from their field experience preceptors.  All but five of the students (83%) presented their work in front of their peers, preceptors, and faculty and submitted their portfolios to the department.  All but one of the enrolled students received a grade of “C” or above.  The field experience course is an essential component of the undergraduate program and reflects students’ abilities to apply classroom knowledge and learning to practice settings and community based public health and health education projects and interventions.

 

C.Student’s overall course grades and evaluations from external reviewers in HLS 499:

HLS 499, the departmental undergraduate Capstone course requires students to receive an overall course grade of “C” or better and receive a “Good-Excellent” evaluation from external reviewers on their class assignments/projects.  This course is designed to be a comprehensive overview and integration of the content covered in the undergraduate program and its application to three community-wide public health and community health education projects. 

 

Number of students who enrolled in HLS 499 during Spring 2005:   20

 

Overall student grades:

Number of A’s:                                                                                    9 (45%)

Number of B’s:                                                                                    8 (40%)

Number of C’s:                                                                                   2 (10%)

 

One of the students received a “F” grade in the course

 

 

D.Pass rate on the professional certification examination for the “Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES):”

Undergraduate students in the department are encouraged to take the certification exam during the final two semesters of their study.  Practitioners in the community indicate the relevance and utility of this certification exam.  Potential employers indicated that the certification provides a standard to evaluate job applicants.  The undergraduate program curriculum integrates the content included in the CHES certification examination throughout the various courses.  The following results were obtained for this student-learning measure.

 

Number of students who took the certification exam:                                      11

            Number of students who passed the exam:                                                     10

            PASS RATE:                                                                                                 91%*                                                                          

Overall, approximately 10-20% of the eligible undergraduate students tend to take the certification exam before they graduate from the BCH program.  Busy schedules, work and school issues, and cost of the exam have served as barriers to students taking the exam in the final semester or two of their study.  However, students indicate their intention to take the exam after they graduate and/or become employed.

 

* These numbers represent ALL individuals who attempted the certification exam, including former students, alumni, undergraduates, graduates, and any other individual currently or previously affiliated with NMSU.

 

4b.  Anticipated Use of Results

The results from the outcomes assessments related to direct student learning measures will help guide the undergraduate program coordinator and other faculty in making decisions and changes in course content, course offerings and schedule, inclusion of field experience sites, and in offering special courses such as the CHES preparatory course.  One of the areas for improvement is to find ways to reduce the perceived barriers to help students successfully prepare and complete the CHES exam while enrolled in the program.  The outcome assessment results have and will also continue to influence the department's hiring of new tenure-track and/or full time faculty and/or adjunct faculty.  The results of past assessment's reports have been crucial in the successful re-accreditation of the Bachelor of Community Health program until 2005 and will be equally important in the future re-accreditation process for after 2005. 

 

The outcomes assessment data have lead to the following changes in the undergraduate program that have direct impact on undergraduate student learning:

 

·         Offering of an alternative English exam/assignment that students can take in their HLS 100 course

·         Incorporation of a tracking system that specifically and only includes departmental students who take the CHES exam

·          An ongoing systematic review of field experience sites, preceptors, requirements, and expectations

·         Integration of a new format for field experience presentations and more involvement of the external field experience preceptors      

·         Course offerings (in particular core courses) are scheduled on a regular cycle

·         HLS 485, the CHES preparatory course is now being offered

·         New tenure track faculty have been hired

·         A new full-time instructor for teaching general education courses has been hired

·         A recently revised field experience brochure detailing the key aspects for students and field experience preceptors is being used.  Additionally the number and types of sites have been expanded to include over 140 sites 

·           The BCH oversight committee with current student, alumni, and community representation has been instituted to serve in an advisory capacity to the undergraduate program coordinator

·         Availability of application forms, field experience and related forms on the departmental web-site

·         An ongoing assessment of course offerings and how to include courses in gerontology as well as web-CT courses to enhance the quality of the undergraduate degree program offered by the Health Science Department 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Dissemination of Results

The results of the assessment of direct student learning measures will be disseminated in the following ways:

 

1.      Distribution of the written report to all full time faculty.

2.      Sharing of a summary of the findings and results with all full time, part time, and adjunct faculty.

3.      Submission of the written report to the College Dean and University Provost.

4.      Make available the current and previous outcomes assessment reports to all department personnel by having copies available in the departmental library and on the departmental website at: http://www.nmsu.edu/~hlthdpt/faculty.html.

 

Outcomes Assessment Plan and Report

Department of Health Science

New Mexico State University

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graduate Program

 

Academic Year 2004-2005

(Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Summer 2005)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepared by:

 

Outcomes Assessment Committee

Satya Krishnan (Chair), Charles Kozel, and Sue Forster-Cox

Department of Health Science

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 2006

 

GRADUATE PROGRAM

(Master of Public Health in Community Health Education)

1,2,3)  Stage 3.  Outcomes Assessment Plan

Direct Measures of Graduate Student Learning

 

A.    A grade of "B" or better in MPH Core courses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B.     Field Experience evaluations by Agency Preceptors.

 

Performance Measures and Methods of Assessment and Activities

 

The MPH program has 10 core courses.  Students are required to score "B" or better grades in these courses.

Performance Measures Used:

The core courses offered in each academic year, number of students enrolled in each, and the number of students receiving a “B” or better grade are compiled.

 

Each graduate student is enrolled in a 3-credit hour field experience (160 clock hours) to gain practical/hands-on experience in public health and community health Education.  Students are required to receive adequate/positive evaluations from their field preceptors, receive an overall course grade of "B" or higher, make an oral presentation of their work at the end of the semester, and submit a portfolio of their work to be maintained in the department library.

Performance Measures Used:

·         No. of students enrolled in Field Experience for (Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Summer 2005)

·         No. who received positive preceptor evaluations

·         No. of received "B" of higher grade

·         No. who presented                   

·         No. of who submitted their portfolio

 

C.     Pass rate on the professional certification examination for "Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D.  Final thesis or non-thesis option

Graduate students are encouraged to take the certification (CHES) examination either in the last two semesters before they graduate or immediately after graduation.  Copies of the examination results are directly sent to the department annually.

 

 

Performance Measures Used:

·         No. of students who enrolled in the preparation courses and the number who took the CHES exam for the academic year 2004-2005

·         No. of students who passed the exam

·         Pass Rate

 

Departmental graduate students have the option of completing comprehensive exams (written and oral, non-thesis option) or a research-based thesis and its defense (thesis option).  Both culminating events are open to all students and faculty.  Each exam/student thesis committee is chaired by a departmental faculty (of students' choice), a departmental faculty member, and a dean's representative (from another department).

Performance Measures Used:

·         No. of students who graduated in the Academic Year 2004-2005

·         No. of students who selected the comprehensive exam option (non-thesis option)

·         No. of students who were successful in the comprehensive exam (non-thesis) option

·         No. of students who selected the thesis option

·         No. of students who successfully defended their thesis

 

4a.  Results of Outcomes Assessment Activities

The following section documents the results obtained from the direct measures used to assess graduate students’ learning in the MPH program.

 

A.     A grade of “B” or better in MPH core courses:

The graduate (MPH) students are required to take 10 courses that are considered core courses in the program.  Student learning was assessed by documenting the number of students who received a “B” or better in each of these courses.  The data compiled in the table next is based on the courses that were offered and the available data:

 

 

Course No.                  No. of students enrolled                     “B” or better grade

MPH 500 (Fall 2004)              10                                                        8 (80%)

MPH 510 (Fall 2004)              12                                                        12 (100%)

MPH 520 (Fall 2004)              20                                                        14 (70%)

MPH 530 (Sp.2005)                16                                                        14 (87.5%)

MPH 550 (Sp.2005)                10                                                        10 (100%)

MPH 570 (Sp.2005)                18                                                        16 (88.9%)

MPH 572 (Sp.2005)                17                                                        17 (100%)

MPH 573 (Fall 2004)              10                                                        9 (90%)

MPH 574 (Fall 2004)              16                                                        16 (100%)

MPH 579 (Sp.2005)                12                                                        12 (100%)

 

As the table above indicates, a majority of the students had received a “B” of better grade in the core courses.  A student may receive a “C” grade in a course but has to maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 in the program.  Thus far all MPH students have met this requirement.

 

B.     Field experience evaluations by agency preceptors:

An essential ingredient of student learning is their ability to apply and integrate classroom and theoretical knowledge to practice.  The field experience course provides this unique opportunity and is a required course in the MPH program.  The program has been flexible to allow for students to serve as interns in either local or state/national agencies that meet their interests and needs.

 

Each graduate student enrolls in a 3-credit hour field experience course and completes 160 clock hours of internship to gain practical/hands-on experience in the fields of public health and community health education.  The following results were recorded on the direct students’ learning measures.

 

Number of students enrolled in the field experience course during

Fall 2004, Spring 2005, and Summer 2005:                                                   16

 

Number of students who received an adequate/positive evaluation

from their field experience preceptors:                                                            15*

 

Number who received an overall course grade of “B” or better:                   15

 

Number of students who presented their work as an oral presentation:         13**

 

Number of students who submitted their portfolios:                                        13**

 

* One student received and “I” grade.

** Two students could not present their work due to schedule conflicts but submitted their completed portfolios. 

 

The field experience course is an essential component of the graduate program and as indicated previously reflects students’ abilities to apply classroom knowledge and learning to practice settings and community based public health and health education projects and interventions.

 

C.  Pass rate in professional certification examination “CHES:”

Like the undergraduate students, departmental graduate students are encouraged to take the certification exam during the final two semesters of their study.  Practitioners in the community indicate the relevance and utility of this certification exam.  Potential employers indicate that the certification provides a standard to evaluate job applicants.  The graduate program curriculum covers the content included in the CHES certification examination.  Additionally, the department offers a 1-credit CHES preparation course.        

 

Overall fewer graduate students have taken the CHES exam as compared to the number of undergraduate students. Additionally, fewer graduate students have expressed interest or intent to take the certification exam before they graduate from the MPH program as compared to the number of undergraduate students.  Busy schedules, work and school issues, and cost of the exam have served as barriers to students taking the exam in the final semester or two of their study.  In the future, the department will have to find better ways to highlight the relevance of the certification exam and its utility in public health and community health education practice.  Additionally, the department will need to find better ways of reducing barriers to taking the CHES exam and better integrating the CHES preparatory course into the MPH program. 

 

D.    Thesis or Non-thesis option:

MPH graduate students have the option of selecting one of two options available for their culminating event.  The events are open to all students and faculty and are designed to evaluate students’ overall knowledge, understanding, and skills in core public health and health education topic areas as well as their special area of interest.  The following results were compiled for the 2004-2005 academic year (Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Summer 2005). 

 

            No. of students who graduated in the academic year 2004-2005:                  15

           

            No. of students who selected the non-thesis option:                                5 (33.33%)              No. of students who were successful:                                                      5 (100%)

           

            No. of students who selected the thesis option:                                       10 (66.67%)

            No. of students who were successful:                                                    10(100%)

 

An increasing number of students selected the thesis option because of personal interest in pursuing graduate school, medical school, or a career in the public health sector.  The current full accreditation of the MPH program and the successful hiring of a biostatistician to teach statistical courses and consult on students’ theses appears to have played a role in the selection.

 

The outcomes assessment efforts have lead to the following changes in the graduate program that have direct impact on graduate student learning:

 

·         Course offerings (in particular core course) are scheduled on a regular cycle

·         New tenure track faculty have been hired including a fulltime senior level faculty to teach research and biostatistics courses

·         Streamlining of biostatistics requirements and prerequisites among new admits

·         The MPH oversight committee with current student, alumni, and community representation has been instituted to serve in an advisory capacity to the undergraduate program coordinator

·         Continuation of the graduate student organization (MPHSO)

·         Review of all MPH core courses and field experience sites and requirements on an ongoing basis

·         Completion of a review of admissions standards and requirements

·         Expansion of field experience sites to those located out-of-state including federal internships for a total of 140 sites

·         Offering of graduate and teaching assistantships to a larger cohort of graduate students

·         Development of a better tracking data system on current and prospective MPH students

·         Availability of all application forms on the department web-site

·         The project option has been phased out with students having a choice between thesis /non-thesis option

 

4b.  Anticipated Use of Results

The results from these outcomes assessment efforts will guide the graduate program coordinator and other departmental faculty in making useful and effective decisions and changes in:

 

a)        Course content

b)       Course offerings and schedule

c)        Field Experience sites

d)       Hiring of faculty (full time and adjunct)

e)        Better integration of CHES preparation into the MPH curriculum

f)        Greater support and promotion of the thesis option

g)       A more stringent admissions standards for incoming students

In fact, these activities helped the department make a successful and rational case for new faculty lines and/or fill existing vacant lines, and successfully apply and receive accreditation for its MPH program and a new minor in Border Health.  In addition, the results from the outcomes assessment were helpful in receiving full reaccredidation in 2003 followed by a successful re-accreditation. 

 

4c.  Dissemination of Results

The results of the outcomes assessment activities will be disseminated in the following ways:

 

1.      Distribution of the written report to all full time faculty through the Departmental web pages.

2.      Sharing of a summary of the findings and results with all full time, part time, and adjunct faculty.

3.      Submission of the written report to the College Dean and University Provost.

4.      Make available the current and previous outcomes assessment reports to all department personnel by having copies available in the departmental library and on the departmental website at: http://www.nmsu.edu/~hlthdpt/faculty.html.