Quality Undergraduate Education

Geoffrey Habron

MSU Sociology Department Retreat May 10, 2006

Outline

• Office of Faculty and Organizational Development Resources

• What is quality education?

• A concrete assessment example

But first a concern…

“That's a fine idea in practice, but it will never work in theory.” – Harry Perlstadt

A Theoretical Framework for Change: Choices within Constraints

“The new institutionalism that is the focus of this essay is about the body. Its fundamental assertion is that actors pursue their interests by making choices within constraints. This assertion can be expanded to identify three characteristic elements of the theory. First, it holds that actors are boundedly rational in the sense that they pursue a broad set of self interests, but with limited knowledge and cognitive capacity. Second, institutions are defined as the rules, combined with their enforcement mechanisms, that constrain the choices of actors. These rules include the laws of states, the policies of organizations, and the norms of social groups. Third, institutions ideally constrain actors such that their best choices are consistent with the collective good, enabling, for example, mutually profitable exchange between actors.” (Ingram and Clay 2000:525-526)

Ingram, P. And K. Clay. 2000. The choice-within-constraints new institutionalism and implications for sociology. Annual Review Of Sociology 2000. 26:525–46

Office of Faculty and Organizational Development –

Choices…• Dr. Patty Payette• What is quality education? How do we know?

– Literature; research; SoTL

• Resources provided– Seminars/workshops– Fellowships– Assessments– Web links

• Suggestions for retreat follow-up

Quality Education: Levels of Analysis

• General Undergraduate Education

• Sociological Education (ASA)

• MSU Boldness by Design

• MSU Department of Sociology

• Course level (SOC 361)Second, institutions are defined as the rules, combined with their enforcement mechanisms, that constrain the choices of actors. These rules include the laws of states, the policies of organizations, and the norms of social groups. (Ingram and Clay 2000:525-526)

I. General

7 Principles of Undergraduate Education

• Encourage student-faculty contact;• Encourage cooperation among students;• Encourage active learning;• Give prompt feedback;• Emphasize time on task;• Communicate high expectations; and• Respect diverse talents and ways of

learning. Chickering, A. and Z. Gamson. Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education.' American Association for Higher Education, 1986.

http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/7princip.htm

http://www.byu.edu/fc/pages/tchlrnpages/7princip.html

Backward Design

• Stage 1: Identify desired outcomes and results.

• Stage 2: Determine what constitutes acceptable evidence of competency in the outcomes and results (assessment).

• Stage 3: Plan instructional strategies and learning experiences that bring students to these competency levels.

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J.(1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA:Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

http://pixel.fhda.edu/id/six_facets.html

http://www.ubdexchange.org/resources.html

II. Sociology

Meeting the Challenge of Teaching Sociology in the

Twenty-First Century

Report of the Task Force on the Undergraduate Major:

Liberal Learning and the Sociology Major .

American Sociological Association. January 2005.

<http://www.asanet.org/governance/LiberalLearningUpdate.pdf>

• There is a wealth of research, theory, and practical ideas on important approaches to teaching and learning in higher education should inform discussions about, and choices made for, the sociology major and curricular or pedagogical reforms. Three of these are briefly discussed here:– learning-centered instruction, – deep learning, and – best practices.

Pg. 44

Student-centered Learning (ASA)

• With such an approach, the impact on student learning is the key variable in all course, department, and institutional decisions. From this perspective, we must consider, for example, student variables and diversity, the impact of the environment on learning, learning styles, and the scaffolding for learning. Covering the content is not the important objective in this paradigm; rather, it is nurturing student learning.

Pg. 44

Deep Learning (ASA)• Relates previous knowledge to new knowledge;• Relates knowledge from different courses;• Relates theoretical ideas to everyday experience;• Relates and distinguishes evidence and

argument;• Organizes and structures content into a coherent

whole; and• Emphasis is internal, from within the student• Deep learning clearly implies increasing

integration among topics, courses, and out-of-class experiences.

Pg. 44

Pop Culture View of Student College Experience Closer to Fine – Indigo Girls

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountainsI looked to the children, I drank from the fountainThere's more than one answer to these questionspointing me in crooked lineThe less I seek my source for some definitiveThe closer I am to fine. I went to see the doctor of philosophyWith a poster of Rasputin and a beard down to his kneeHe never did marry or see a B-grade movieHe graded my performance, he said he could see through meI spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my paperAnd I was free.

http://www.indigogirls.com/lyrics/byalbum/indigo.html

 

Best Practices

• Encourage student-faculty contact;• Encourage cooperation among students;• Encourage active learning;• Give prompt feedback;• Emphasize time on task;• Communicate high expectations; and• Respect diverse talents and ways of learning.

Pg. 45

Refers to 7 principles of undergraduate learning

ASA Senior Survey Findings

• Some ideas for potential outcomes and assessment indicators

Overall Satisfaction with Outcomes of Sociology Programs% Very satisfied

• Note link to best practices

Michigan State

(n=14)

Doctoral Programs(n= 860)

Overall satisfaction with experiences

57.1 69.0

Access to necessary technology

85.7 68.5

Ease in seeing faculty outside class*

50.0 63.4

Quality of teaching* 42.9 60.9

Getting courses needed to graduate

50.0 60.0

Interaction with fellow majors*

28.6 52.8

Undergraduate advising 28.6 46.9

Career advising 28.6 13.4

Graduate school advising 7.1 8.7

Ten learning activities participated in by Graduating Sociology Majors

% Participating as part of Sociology Major

Michigan State

(n=14)

Doctoral Programs(n= 860)

How to work in a group 21.4 32.0

Internship 21.4 29.0

Community Political Volunteer

21.4 26.4

Service Learning 14.3 24.5

Sociology club [AK∆] 21.4 17.2

Career related mentor networking

14.3 16.7

Faculty mentoring 7.1 16.2

Faculty research program 7.1 13.8

Dept honors program 7.1 11.3

Prof sociology meetings 7.1 7.4

Top Eight Skills Gained by Graduating Sociology Majors% Strongly Agreeing

Michigan State

(n=14)

Doctoral Programs(n= 860)

Identify ethical issues in research

64.3 67.5

Develop evidence based arguments

78.6 65.3

Evaluate different research methods

71.4 63.9

Write report for non sociologists

50.0 63.6

Form causal hypotheses 71.4 59.6

Use computer for bib references

50.0 57.9

Interpret results of data gathering

42.9 55.6

Use statistical software SPSS SAS etc

42.9 35.9

Six Conceptual Abilities of Graduating Sociology Majors% Strongly Agreeing

Michigan State

(n=14)

Doctoral Programs(n= 860)

Basic sociological concepts

85.7 86.6

People’s experiences vary 92.9 85.2

Current sociological explanations

85.7 85.5

Society from alternative critical

100.0

80.8

Basic sociological theories/paradigms

85.7 76.2

Social Inst & impact on individuals

71.4 75.4

MSU Boldness by Design

• http://strategicpositioning.msu.edu/default.asp

Boldness Principles

• http://strategicpositioning.msu.edu/Design_Glance.asp

Enhancing the Undergraduate Experience: Task Force Recommendations

1. Enhance the first year experience; assist students in making a strong academic and social transition, and in creating appropriate expectations about their undergraduate education

2. Promote the improvement of and rewards for successful college teaching

3. Articulate, target and expand opportunities for undergraduate students to develop cultural competencies.

4. Promote and integrate more active and applied learning in undergraduate education

5. Modify the undergraduate curriculum and related policies so that our goals for undergraduate liberal learning are met

6. Enhance the physical environment in ways that support learning for the students, faculty and staff at MSU

7. Continue the review of graduate programs and graduate teaching

and the mentoring of graduate students.

G: addresses mostly choices, but few constraints

http://strategicpositioning.msu.edu/documents/BbDImperative1_002.pdf

Report of the Working Group on Improving Undergraduate Education:

Goals for Liberal Learning 1. Integrated Judgment

2. Advanced Communication Skills (both writing and speaking)

3. Cultural Competence (addressed in recommendation 2)

4. Analytical Thinking

5. Literacy in Science and Mathematics

6. Effective Citizenship

III. MSU Sociology

MSU SOC Undergraduate Mission

• Illustrate sociological perspectives

• Help students develop skills in critical thinking

• Introduce and explain strategies and methods for conducting sociological research

GH: Need to reframe in terms of outcomes and add explanation for terms e.g. critical thinking

Gold and Pyle. 2005. MSU Sociology Department assessment plan. January

MSU SOC Undergraduate Principles

• Student responsibility for learning• Active learning and research skills• Doing sociology• Team learning• Computers• Job skills• Life skills• World as a classroom• Integrate graduate and undergraduate education

Gold and Pyle. 2005. MSU Sociology Department assessment plan. January

GH: some of these seem like outcomes e.g. research skills, computers.

Next Steps

• Individual course adjustments– e.g. 7 principles, backward design

• Departmental curriculum adjustments– backward design

SOC 361 example

• Contemporary Communities

• Fall 2005

• Geoffrey Habron

• 68 studentsThird, institutions ideally constrain actors such that their best choices are consistent with the collective good, enabling, for example, mutually profitable exchange between actors.” (Ingram and Clay 2000:525-526)

SOC 361 OutcomesSOC 361 Outcomes

• Approaches to study community

• Levels of complexity

• Community Change

• Community Development

• Links to external institutions and factors

Outcome Proficiency

• Knowledge

• Comprehension

• Application

• Analysis

• Synthesis

• Evaluation

– Define, name, list– describe, explain, arrange– illustrate, demonstrate – diagram, compare, criticize– organize, propose, manage– argue, assess, defend

Portfolio15%

Field Project15%

Lecture

Weekly Assignments

15%

Exams30%

Participation15%

SOC 361 Structure

Group Project10%

Flexible 5%

Outcomes

Approaches

Complexity

Change

Development

External

Doing sociology, research skills, world as classroom

Best Practices

• Encourage student-faculty contact;• Encourage cooperation among students;• Encourage active learning;• Give prompt feedback;• Emphasize time on task;• Communicate high expectations; and• Respect diverse talents and ways of learning.

Pg. 45

(SIRS)(presentations)

(field project, presentations)

(flexible 5%, presentations)

*

*

(final feedback)

* Missing in SOC 361

Deep Learning (ASA)• Relates previous knowledge to new knowledge;• Relates knowledge from different courses;• Relates theoretical ideas to everyday experience;• Relates and distinguishes evidence and

argument;• Organizes and structures content into a coherent

whole; and• Emphasis is internal, from within the student• Deep learning clearly implies increasing

integration among topics, courses, and out-of-class experiences.

Pg. 44

Final Field Project Creativity

• Humorous look at bowling leagues

• Historical and census analysis of hometown

• Fairy tale depicting deeply personal critique of hometown

• “Bridging the gap: the connections between the restaurant community and the field of social work”

Relates previous knowledge to new knowledge

Relates and distinguishes evidence and argument

integration among topics, courses, and out-of-class experiences

Organizes and structures content into a coherent whole

Relates theoretical ideas to everyday experience

Field Project Reflections

• “It was not until I began collecting research for this field project on my own community that I truly understood how to take charge of my education outside of a classroom setting. By making use of the tools that we are all equipped with, I was able to turn my everyday observations into an educational experience” (student a)

Relates theoretical ideas to everyday experience

Field Project Reflections

• “People do not usually process or analyze the information that they gather from their observations and it is simply lost. A major concept behind learning is to be an active learner. Active learning means taking any situation and turning it into a valuable and educational experience on your own terms.” (student a)

Emphasis is internal, from within the student

Needs

• Capacity– Structural– Cultural– Capital:

• Human• Social• Financial• …

Enhancing the Undergraduate Experience: Task Force Recommendations

1. Enhance the first year experience; assist students in making a strong academic and social transition, and in creating appropriate expectations about their undergraduate education

2. Promote the improvement of and rewards for successful college teaching

3. Articulate, target and expand opportunities for undergraduate students to develop cultural competencies.

4. Promote and integrate more active and applied learning in undergraduate education

5. Modify the undergraduate curriculum and related policies so that our goals for undergraduate liberal learning are met

6. Enhance the physical environment in ways that support learning for the students, faculty and staff at MSU

7. Continue the review of graduate programs and graduate

teaching and the mentoring of graduate students.

G: addresses mostly choices, but few constraints

http://strategicpositioning.msu.edu/documents/BbDImperative1_002.pdf

Faculty Startup Costs

• Faculty– Letting go– Diligent monitoring of tension– Organization, instructions– Structure: assignment status; load; teaching style– Culture: routine, expectations, habitus– Agency: choice, decisions, motivation