Dear Colleagues,

The university is currently engaged in developing the self-study report for the Middle States Commission’s upcoming reaccreditations visit in 2008. An important component of this process is our analysis of student learning and the manner in which we assess student outcomes at the course, program, and institutional level. The goal is to evaluate our programs rather than individual students or teachers. Learning outcomes, as defined by Middle States, refers to measurable knowledge, skills, and behaviors that students should be able to demonstrate as a result of completing the program.

I am a member of a faculty working group that is charged to review the measurement of student learning at the university, and we are surveying all academic departments and professional schools for information about assessment practices.

I need your help to gather data about current practices by library faculty who teach. All librarians who teach are requested to complete the brief survey. I need your responses as soon as possible.

Thank you,
Jeanne Boyle <jeboyle@rci.rutgers.edu>

1. Name

2. Email

3. Telephone

4. Library # Response 1 Alex 4 Alexander 1 alexander/NBL 1 Art Library 1 chang 2 Dana 1 Dana Library 1 Douglass 1 Kilmer 2 Kilmer Library 2 Lib. Sci. Med. 1 Library of Science and Medicine 3 LSM 1 LSM and Math 1 New Brunswick 1 Paul Robeson 1 Special Collections & University Archives 1 Special Collections and University Archives 1 TAS

5. Campus # Response 6 Busch 2 Busch. 3 CAC 1 Camden 1 College Ave. 2 College Avenue 1 College Avenue Campus 1 cook 1 Douglass 1 Livingston 1 Livingston/NB/Piscataway 1 NB/P 1 New Brunswick 1 New Brunswick/Piscataway 3 Newark

Questions 6, 7, 8. A successful student in a class that you have taught will be able to:      Please use the next three answer boxes to list three top learning outcomes.        Examples: Find scholarly journal articles in their discipline; Evaluate information resources

6. First learning outcome:

7. Second learning outcome:

8. Third learning outcome:

9. When planning to teach, how do you develop class content? Please check the appropriate box. 1=Never, 2=Sometimes, 3=Seldom, 4=Often Average rank 1 2 3 4 Collaboratively with the teaching faculty member whose class you will teach  (3.2) On your own  (3.1) Use materials developed by others in the library  (2.3)

10. When planning to teach, how do you develop learning goals? Please check the appropriate box. 1=Never, 2=Sometimes, 3=Seldom, 4=Often Average rank 1 2 3 4 Collaboratively with the teaching faculty member whose class you will teach  (3.2) On your own  (2.8) Use departmental or program learning goals  (2.1) Use ACRL information literacy competency standards  (2.3) Use other standard learning goals  (1.9)

11. Have you contributed toward development or grading/review of any of the following measures for courses for which you teach? Please check all that apply. Tests   22.2% (6) Capstone experiences (seminar, thesis, field project)   33.3% (9) Student papers (thesis, essay)   63.0% (17) Oral defense of projects   11.1% (3) Oral presentations   29.6% (8) Evaluations of internship performance   33.3% (9) Portfolios   11.1% (3) Exit interviews of graduates   3.7% (1) Surveys of alumni   3.7% (1) Performance of majors on standardized exams   3.7% (1) Records of students who go to graduate school   7.4% (2) Job placement records   3.7% (1) Public demonstrations of student research (poster sessions, student research symposia, etc.)   22.2% (6) Program review by an outside group, such as a professional organization   22.2% (6) Other: analysis of student research paper citations   3.7% (1)

12. How important are each of the following to you in making changes in your class content? Please check the appropriate box. Recommendations of a teaching faculty member   85.2% (23) Recommendations of a curriculum committee   18.5% (5) Course evaluations   37.0% (10) Student complaints   51.9% (14) Recommendations from national organizations in the discipline   40.7% (11) Analysis of the quality of students’ work   48.1% (13) Alumni feedback (0) Employer feedback   7.4% (2) Changes in the discipline   51.9% (14) Department self-study/External review   7.4% (2) Periodic curricular reviews at department meetings   11.1% (3) Curricular changes at the college level   40.7% (11) Accreditation standards   33.3% (9) Student interests   81.5% (22) Other: Changing technology, practices, etc.   3.7% (1) Other: My evolving research   3.7% (1) Other: new tech. development   3.7% (1)

Research Opportunities for Undergraduates

13. Have you participated in any of the following research opportunities for undergraduates? Please check all that apply. Paid/unpaid work on grant related activities   25.9% (7) Independent research studies   66.7% (18) NSF funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) (0) Departmental Honors Thesis   40.7% (11) College Honors Thesis   48.1% (13) Research assistantships   29.6% (8) Participation in collaborative research program   18.5% (5) Research experiences supervised by graduate students or post doctoral students   18.5% (5) Laboratory work   7.4% (2) Other: Aresty Program for Undergraduates   3.7% (1) Other: Taught Aresty Scholars   3.7% (1) Other: unpaid and paid field experience   3.7% (1)