Program Outcomes and Assessment BS Child Development Program Outcomes October 2013 Creative and Critical Thinkers Program Outcomes Courses Courses Standard 1. Understanding and Applying Developmental Knowledge Knowledge: Identify and describe the characteristics, needs, and influences associated with typical development, and recognize patterns of atypical development; demonstrate an introductory understanding of the major developmental theories and accepted methods of scientific inquiry in the biological, cognitive and behavioral sciences. Skills: Use developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging environments for children. Disposition: Reflect on and appropriately adjust our own practices to promote positive outcomes for each child Child 210 Child 300 Child 310 Child 320 SPED 310 Child 498R Practicum (Statements are objectives from individual course outlines) Child 210: Child Development Identify and understand typical physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and spiritual development, and recognize types and patterns of atypical development, from prenatal through adolescence; Demonstrate an introductory understanding of the major developmental theories and accepted methods of scientific inquiry in the biological, cognitive and behavioral sciences Child 300: Infant/Toddler Development Explain how genetic factors affect the embryo and fetus during the different periods of prenatal development; Discuss how knowledge of infant s physical, perceptual, and cognitive development can be used to encourage appropriate holistic development; Describe the biological and environmental influences on the process of social and emotional development of the infant; Develop proficiency and experience at implementing the Denver II and Home assessments with infants and toddlers Child 310: Early/Middle Development Understand and apply core developmental principles, frameworks and theories to positively influence the development of children in a wide range of roles and contexts. Develop and improve interpersonal and team interaction skills. Increase motivation for life long learning. Child 320: Adolescent Development Understand the interaction that exists between adolescents individual development and their changing context, as well as the theories that link these different processes together SPED 310: Exceptional Students Understand atypical development and legal issues when working with children. Demonstrate the ability to plan for and implement learning activities and materials appropriate to the development, interests, culture and needs of children Child 310: Early/Middle Development Reflect on, make explicit, and evaluate your own childhood experiences in each of the domains, based upon developmental theories and milestones, to gain greater objectivity and professionalism Demonstrate the ability to modify and adapt the curriculum, environment and materials to remediate or enrich learning of young children Child 495R: Internship Standard 2. Building Family and Community Child 330 earners
Effective Communicators Skilled Professionals Relationships Knowledge: Recognize and understand the family and community characteristics and ecological influences necessary for supporting and empowering families and communities in diverse cultural contexts. Skills: Use respectful and reciprocal relationships and orchestrated activities to engage families and communities in the development and learning of children. Disposition: Reflect on/make explicit own values and biases related to differences in family and community culture, structure, etc. Identify and acknowledge shared, unifying values. Standard 3. Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Children and Families Knowledge: Understand the characteristics, benefits, and tools of responsible assessment. Skills: Practice responsible assessment using appropriate observation, documentation, and assessment tools or instruments, while effectively partnering with families and professional colleagues. Disposition: Be observant, curious and committed to documentation; be willing to make appropriate referrals in order to increase the likelihood of early and accurate diagnosis of atypical development. Standard 4. Planning and Delivering Intentional Programming for Children Faml 160 Faml 220 Faml 430 Practicum Child 350 Child 400 Child 150 Child 350 Child 400 Child 440 Faml 430 Practicum Faml 160: Family Relations Describe what is meant by a family system and understand both ecological and systems theories and their application; Recognize the impact of social class, race, gender, cultural background, and family structure on family systems Faml 430: Family and Community Relationships Develop a beginning understanding of the diversity and concerns of families; Understand the dynamics of community collaborations and partnerships and the methods for advocating, mobilizing, and sustaining community intervention efforts Child 330: Parent Education and Child Guidance Participate, observe, and evaluate the effectiveness of a parent education program in action; Research, prepare, and then actually teach a parent education program Demonstrate the ability to develop trusting, respectful relationships with children, families, and other service providers; Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with parents, professionals, peers and staff to meet children s needs Faml 430: Family and Community Relationships Investigate the community resources available to families with young children Faml 160: Family Relations Appraise the relative health of families and family members; Assume responsibility for obtaining information pertinent to specific personal or professional situations; Evaluate existing personal knowledge about families Faml 220: Parenting Develop insight into one s upbringing, including ways in which the practices of one s parents may influence one s own parenting practices Faml 430: Family and Community Relationships Recognize the characteristics and advantages of strength- based and family- focused approaches to prevention and intervention services; Investigate the community resources available to families with young children Child 350: Observation and Assessment Explain the goals, uses, and benefits of assessment in early childhood and youth programs, including the characteristics, advantages, limitations, and various strategies of formal and informal assessment Child 400: Research and Evaluation Understand how the research process is used in a scientific environment and in solving problems that arise in our daily lives Child 350: Observation and Assessment Practice responsible assessment to promote positive outcomes for children; explain and comply with the legal and ethical guidelines of assessment based on laws and relevant standards in early childhood education and youth programs; Select and use observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment strategies and instruments appropriate to a variety of situations Child 400: Research and Evaluation Understand how to take a basic question about human behavior, and using one of several different research methodologies available, be able to carry out a study that will provide insight about their question of interest Child 350: Observation and Assessment Accurately interpret the results of early childhood and youth assessments based on sound understanding of child development and developmentally appropriate practices
Disciple Leaders//Engaged Citizens Knowledge: Understand the central concepts for successful program planning (Purpose, Content, Target Audience, Space, Materials) and delivery (Methods, Admin Principles and Evaluation) Skills: Use knowledge, appropriate standards and effective administrative principles to design, implement and evaluate meaningful programming for each child. Disposition: Be a critical thinker/informed consumer. Be committed to use knowledge, appropriate learning standards, and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging programming for each child. Standard 5. Becoming a Professional Knowledge: Know the professional associations, practices, and ethical standards and guidelines necessary for full participation. Child 150 Child 325 Faml 460 Child 498 Internship Child 150: Foundations of Early Childhood Identify key components of Developmentally Appropriate Practices; Understand the value of play and how play assists children s development; Identify characteristics of a classroom environment that help facilitate growth in children s learning and behavior Child 330: Parent Education and Child Guidance Learn several reputable parent education programs and demonstrate an ability to analyze underlying research, theory, assumptions, and gospel principles in each program; participate, observe, and evaluate the effectiveness of a parent education program in action Demonstrate the ability to plan for and implement learning activities and materials appropriate to the development, interests, culture and needs of children. Child 440: Administrative Issues Identify and explain developmental, leadership, and management principles and skills in the context of service delivery programs for children, youth, and families Faml 430: Family and Community Relationships Explore the theories and best practices related to parent involvement and child- centered intervention Child 150: Foundations of Early Childhood Realize the need to use multiple tools and strategies to assess individual interests, needs, and progress in early childhood environments, then use observation and assessment at a beginning professional level to identify a learning activity for a specific group of young children; Use knowledge to create, then implement an activity plan for a group of young children Demonstrate the ability to plan for and implement learning activities and materials appropriate to the development, interests, culture and needs of children. Child 330: Parent Education and Child Guidance Develop effective teaching and evaluation skills while showing an ability improvement in each area through personal, peer, and teacher evaluations Child 400: Research and Evaluation Critique research for its ability to appropriately carry out the basic steps of the research process Child 440: Administrative Issues Apply developmental, leadership, and management principles and skills to establish and/or direct a service delivery program for children, youth and families as create a handbook for implementing a program for children. Demonstrate the ability to plan for and implement learning activities and materials appropriate to the development, interests, culture and needs of children. Child 330: Parent Education and Child Guidance Articulate sound, research- based parenting principles in a persuasively written article Child 350: Observation and Assessment Join in assessment partnerships with families and other professional colleagues and effectively communicate the results of assessment to parents, colleagues, and other professionals Child 150: Foundations of Early Childhood Demonstrate knowledge of professional and ethical behavior as a beginning early childhood educator Child 325: Professional Development Demonstrate knowledge of a variety of career options in child development, including job qualifications, salaries, common job satisfactions and frustrations; Outline costs/benefits of affiliation with professional associations related to specific areas of interest Faml 460: Child and Family Advocacy Interpret the role of science and values in advocating on behalf of
children and families at the various ecological levels Society Group Meetings Skills: Uphold ethical standards and participate in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice; Convey effectively through oral and written communication basic developmental concepts, concerns, processes and recommendations. Disposition: Identify and involve oneself as a childhood professional who confidently defends, advocates for and promote measures to strengthen children and families in professional, family, church and community settings as a conscientious and engaged citizen. Child 325: Professional Development Prepare a professional resume and become familiar with job seeking skills and strategies Faml 460: Child and Family Advocacy Develop family advocacy views employing research and gospel doctrines and principles Society Group Meetings Child 325: Professional Development Develop a greater appreciation of personal responsibilities as students who will soon graduate from a child and family program Faml 460: Child and Family Advocacy Defend family advocacy views through speaking, writing, and social media. Child 498: Internship Society Group Meetings Assessment Plan Not all proposed assessment tools are currently being collected; however, there is a plan in place (primarily through the new Child Development Senior Seminar class Child 495) to collect data. The purpose of this course is to help senior students, who are majoring in Child Development, to identify what they have learned, and to reflect on their growth and development in knowledge, skills, and dispositions. During the course students will submit two different artifacts for each standard area, demonstrating their understanding of the particular standard. Students will also take an exam and participate in an exit interview. The chart below indicates the particular assessment tools used in this report to identify the level of proficiency reported in the Assessment Data section below. See attached document for additional information on assessment plans. Standard Direct Assessment Indirect Assessment Child 310: Early/Middle Development - Final Comprehensive Exam Senior Survey (conducted Spring 2013) Standard 1. Understanding and Applying Developmental Knowledge Standard 2. Building Family and Community Relationships Standard 3. Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Children and Families Standard 4. Planning and Delivering Intentional Programming for Children Standard 5. Becoming a Professional Child 330: Parent Ed and Child Guidance - Family Share Article Online Parent Ed article Students have an opportunity to revise and resubmit the paper Child 350: Observation and Assessment - Final Exam Child 440: Administrative Issues Program Policy Handbook Child 325: Professional Development Final Course Grade Family 460: Child and Family Advocacy - Advocacy Project Senior Survey Senior Survey Senior Survey Senior Survey
Assessment Data Standard 1. Understanding and Applying Developmental Knowledge Standard 2. Building Family and Community Relationships Standard 3. Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Children and Families Standard 4. Planning and Delivering Intentional Programming for Children Distinguished Proficient Developing Unsatisfactory Sum 25% 55% 15% 5% 100% 91% 9% 0% 0% 100% 35% 30% 20% 15% 100% 32% 50% 15% 3% 100% Standard 5. Becoming a Professional 81% 75% 16% 16% 3% 9% 0% 0% 100% Analysis and Improvement Plan Standard 1. Understanding and Applying Developmental Knowledge Improvement Efforts As of Winter Semester 2014, all of the development courses (Child 210, 300, 310, and 320) will be available online, making them more assessable to students. Course leads have been established, a full time faculty member to lead courses with multiple sections, helping to establish better consistency and identifying needed improvements. Strengths Weaknesses Recommendations Improvement Plan We have a challenge Increase the number of keeping the online and sections (or students) face to face sections of taught by full time courses equivalent, and faculty. full time faculty seem disconnected to what is Create a comprehensive happening in the final exam for all courses taught by sections of 210, 300, online and adjunct 310, and 320. faculty. Faculty who are teaching the face to face sections of the development courses are each experts in the particular age of development taught: Infant/Toddler, Early/Middle Development, or Adolescent Development Currently, of the 22 sections of courses in the development series, only 23% (5 of 22 sections) are taught by full time faculty. The remainder are taught by online or adjunct faculty. Establish better communication with online and adjunct faculty through faculty who are the course leads. Standard 2. No improvement The courses fulfilling this Faculty who are Try to keep the existing
Building Family and Community Relationships Standard 3. Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Children and Families Standard 4. Planning and Delivering Intentional Programming for Children efforts at this time, because none seem to be needed One of the primary courses that fulfills this standard, Child 350: Observation and Assessment is undergoing revision. We have sought feedback from students and have had many discussions among faculty about needed improvements; including, balancing standardized and authentic assessment opportunities, and teaching age appropriate observation and assessment tools that students can implement in their varied age practicums. standard are some of the most popular in the department. Student feedback is very positive about the instructors and they are enthusiastic about what they are learning. Students also participate in beneficial experiential learning activities: teaching parent education courses (Child 330), and attending a field trip where they visit community family and child service programs (Faml 430). Students are provided with a variety of observation and assessment opportunities throughout their program curriculum. * Multiple opportunities to do focused observations of Child Labs (Child 150, Child 210, ECD 350, ECD 360) * Standardized assessment Denver II (Child 300) * Additional standardized assessments HOME, ECERS, ect. (Child 350) * Child portfolio consisting of a variety of authentic and standardized assessments (Child 350) Students have a variety of opportunities to plan and implement curriculum that is sequenced over semesters, scaffolding their development of knowledge and skills. All students are required currently teaching these courses are sometimes pulled from these particular courses to fulfill other assignments, resulting in the courses being taught by less experienced and less qualified faculty, adjunct faculty, or only online. Currently we do not have a full time faculty member to teach Child 350. We will be acquiring a temporary faculty position in Fall 2014, in the interim this course is being taught by an adjunct faculty member. There has been extensive faculty turn over in the two on site practicums (Toddler and Preschool Practicums). The inconsistency in lab staff (12 different full and part time faculty in the last three years) has resulted in inconsistent practices, and many curriculum changes. full time faculty teaching these courses, but also recognize that an alternative instructor may be needed occasionally. Prepare a second faculty member to function as back up, if needed. The adjunct faculty member currently teaching Child 350 is highly qualified, motivated, enthusiastic, and creative. She is working closely with full time faculty to discuss vision and direction for the class, as well as class assignments. Continue to monitor this course and seek feedback to make improvements. The three practicum options vary greatly, in amount of time with children, student work load, faculty load given for supervision, students skills taught and assessed, etc.
Standard 5. Becoming a Professional Changed Faml 460: Child and Family Advocacy from 2 credits to 3 credits Created Senior Seminar Course: Child 495, which was taught for the first time Fall Semester 2013 to enroll in a course where they have an experience working with children, but can select the age group; toddlers, preschool- aged children, or students can participate in an after- school program. Students have many valuable and varied experiences in the courses targeting this standard. They study professional organizations, career opportunities, graduate school options, and prepare a resume in Child 325: Professional Issues. Differences in educational philosophy and application of developmentally appropriate practices has sometimes strained relationships with school district personnel in the After School program. We are challenged to balance student s experience in real world settings with what we would like them to learn about best practices. Analyze the practicums to determine if more consistency can be achieved and if improvements can be made to better meet program outcomes and the needs of all students with diverse experience and career objectives. Need to collect data, analyze it, then create an improvement plan based upon the data. Establish a better measure for professional writing In Faml 460: Child and Family Advocacy, which students generally take their final semester, they participate in a culminating field trip where they visit with state legislators, policy makers, and other professional and ecclesiastical advocates for children and families. Additional Strengths: Collegiality of faculty within the Department of Home and Family Overall positive experience of graduating students. In senior survey, 80% of graduates indicated that they felt all of the courses that they took were valuable and would not recommend eliminating any of them. (Several students indicated that they felt that that Child 400: Research and Evaluation course and the special education course should be optional.)
Other Improvement Plans Although much progress has been made in establishing course and program outcomes and assessments, we need to continue to better match course outcomes and assessments with program outcomes and assessments, then analyze to determine that each standard has multiple, sequenced assessment opportunities Recently we established that Child Development could be a concentration area. We now need to establish career options for the Child Development Concentration, identifying clusters and/or a minor that could be attached to this concentration to create valuable career and personal opportunities. Acquire data to analyze in determining needed program changes. Faculty in the department demonstrate a consistent positive regard for student feedback, we listen to them and strive to make improvements, but we need to better use quantifiable data to facilitate change, rather than anecdotal evidence. Although we have made improvements in collecting and using data from students to determine if we are meeting our program outcomes, we need to also collect data that indicates individual student improvement over time.