Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Assessment is a crucial part to improve teaching quality. A recent survey shows that 50% of the U.S. Political Science departments are conducting some type of assessment program. Although clear and profound assessment requires time and resources, most departments in their survey have opted for easy assessment plans that require less time and resources. Moreover, while most programs noted an assessment of knowledge and theories in the discipline, few assessed the concepts of citizenship and ethics, values, or attitudes. Sponsored by the Center for Effective Teaching and Learning at Coastal Carolina University, we propose to assess two introductory courses (Introduction to World Politics and American National Government) in a comprehensive and consistent manner. This project will span four semesters and cover totally 4000 students. In this study, we not only study student learning outcomes but also their civic engagement and attitude as a consequence of these classes. This paper presents the findings of the first stage of this project. Our study provides insights into not only whether the students are learning the proposed student learning outcomes but also the impact on their political attitude.