2004-2005 Institutional Effectiveness Plan

Unit: Developmental Studies

Unit head: Marva Lucas

Reports to: Academic Affairs

Mission statement: The mission of the Developmental Studies Program as mandated by the Tennessee Board of Regents is to prepare students to compete successfully at the university at levels comparable to students not needing developmental studies.

The Developmental Studies Program at Middle Tennessee State University seeks to do the following:
* Prepare students to become independent learners
* Help students achieve a level of academic competence that will enable them to work successfully in their college level courses
* Promote students critical thinking skills
* Develop, written, verbal, interpersonal communication, and mathematics skills necessary for college level courses
* Develop students ability to evaluate judgments and underlying values and thereby enhance the quality of student decisions
* Help students develop self-knowledge and habits that will allow them to maintain physical and mental well being needed for success in college
* Provide outreach programs to community agencies, businesses, and institutions as requested

Learning Outcomes

1. The students will determine their learning profile preference including: Sensory Mode, Hemispheric Dominance, Social and Multiple Intelligence strength in order to develop strategies for learning how to learn, taking tests, writing useful goals, processing information from lectures and textbooks, and expressing sound opinions that are effective for each individual. (Learning Strategies)
Related MTSU Learning Outcomes: 1 3
Related Academic Affairs Learning Outcomes:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Students will develop a Learning Profile for Optimal Learning that includes a minimum of seven strategies that they find effective and/or time saving and score above 75% on the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) in 8 of the 10 categories.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: As a part of a take home final exam, students list and explain 7 specific strategies or study aids they discovered that will help them learn and study better. Some students did not include explanations pertaining to their learning profiles. A learning profile chart will be added to the take home portion of the final exam beginning summer 05.
  71 % of the students in the fall scored 75% or better in 8 of the 10 LASSI categories.
  68 % of students in the spring scored.
  
  

2. The students will develop specific learning strategies to incorporate their personal history, their present circumstances, and meaning into learning how to learn. (Learning Strategies)
Related MTSU Learning Outcomes: 1 2 3 5 6
Related Academic Affairs Learning Outcomes:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Students will develop specific goals for the semester, a time management plan, a stress management plan, and specific study strategies that promote concentration. Students will score above 75% on the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI).
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: Students presented and evaluated their stress management plan as part of Test V.
  Students presented and evaluated their time management plan as a part of the take home final.
  71 % of the students in the fall scored 75% or better in 8 of the 10 LASSI categories. 68 % of students in the spring scored 75% or better in 8 of the 10 LASSI categories.
  
  

3. The students will demonstrate knowledge of mathematics through algebra level II. (Mathematics)
Related MTSU Learning Outcomes: 1 7
Related Academic Affairs Learning Outcomes:

Measurable Objective(s):

• At least 60% of students will score 70% or better in course work for Intermediate Algebra.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: For Summer 2004, Intermediate Algebra had a pass rate of 59%. For Fall 2004, Intermediate Algebra had a pass rate of 65%. For Spring 2005, Intermediate Algebra had a pass rate of 61%.
  
  

4. The students will be prepared to pass the entry-level college mathematics course. (Mathematics)
Related MTSU Learning Outcomes: 7
Related Academic Affairs Learning Outcomes:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Former developmental mathematics students will maintain pass rates comparable to students not required to take developmental mathematics.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: For Spring 2004, pass rates in MATH 1710 for former DSP students were 75%, non-DSP 88%. For Summer 2004, pass rates in MATH 1710 for former DSP students were 84%, non-DSP 92%. For Fall 2004, pass rates in MATH 1710 for former DSP students were 68%, non-DSP 86%.
  
  

5. The students will develop their reading comprehension skills to a level that will allow them to be successful at the university. (Reading)
Related MTSU Learning Outcomes: 3
Related Academic Affairs Learning Outcomes:

Measurable Objective(s):

• At least 2/3 of the Developmental Reading students will pass the class, achieving a 12th grade level or better on a standardized reading test.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: In the fall 77% of the students who took reading passed the class.
  In spring 55% of the students who took reading passed the class.
  
  
• The average of student gain scores each semester on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test will be at least 2 grade levels.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: In the fall the average gain was 2.94
  In spring the average gain was 1.72
  
  

6. The students will develop independent reading and learning practices that will allow them to succeed at the university. (Reading)
Related MTSU Learning Outcomes: 1 3 5 6
Related Academic Affairs Learning Outcomes:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Students who have completed the reading program will pass a required course such as US History at similar rates to students who did not go through the program.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: In spring 2004 the pass rate for non-DSPR students was 89% and 93% for former DSPR students. In Fall 2004 the rate for non-DSPR students was 88% and 87% for former DSPR students.
  
  

7. Students will meet the basic writing competencies at the 4 level (or higher) as set forth in the NTE holistic grading system. (Writing)
Related MTSU Learning Outcomes: 3 4 5
Related Academic Affairs Learning Outcomes:

Measurable Objective(s):

• At least 70% of students will earn a C or better in DSPW 0800.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: During the 2004 calendar year, 75% of DSPW 0800 students earned a C or better for the course.
  
  
• At least 80% of students will earn a minimum holistic score of 4 on the departmental final essay.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: During the 2004 calendar year, 86% of students earned a minimum holistic score of 4 on the departmental final essay.
  
  

8. Students will achieve a level of competence as academic writers that will allow them to work successfully in college-level courses. (Writing)
Related MTSU Learning Outcomes: 3 4 5
Related Academic Affairs Learning Outcomes:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Former DSPW 0800 students will pass English 1010 (Expository Writing) at a rate comparable to students not required to enroll in DSPW 0800.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: During the 2004 calendar year, 79% of former DSPW 0800 students passed English 1010 with a C or higher while 85% of non-DSPW students passed with a C or higher.
  
  

9. Developmental Writing program will provide an opportunity for higher-level Developmental Writing students to enroll in a combined DSPW 0800/ENGL 1010 course, which will allow students to fulfill DSPW 0800 requirements and earn credit for ENGL 1010 in one semester. (Instruction )
Related MTSU Learning Outcomes: 3 4 5 7 3 4 5 7
Related Academic Affairs Learning Outcomes:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Implement combined DSPW 0800/ ENGL 1010 course during the fall semester of 2004 by pilot testing two sections. Evaluate the effectiveness of the course by examining data from student evaluations, student retention, and grade distribution, as well as faculty and GTA input.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2006
  
  Results: Data indicate that the pilot test was successful. Of the 38 students enrolled in the combined course, 29 students (76%) worked on the English 1010 syllabus. The retention rate and pass rate for those 29 students was 100%. Faculty and GTA input as well as student evaluations of both the course itself and the studio (small-group) component indicate that students had adequate resources to insure their success in the course.
  
  
• Former DSPW 0800/ENGL 1010 students will pass English 1020 at a rate comparable to other ENGL 1020 students.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2006
  
  Results: In the spring 2005 semester, 83.3% of former DSPW 0800/ENGL 1010 students passed English 1020 with a C or higher while 80.6% of all 1020 students passed with a C or higher.
  
  

General Goals

1. Maintain a mentoring program for graduate teaching assistants, junior faculty and adjuncts. (Instruction)
Related MTSU General Goals: 3 7
Related Academic Affairs General Goals:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Each area will develop a form that itemizes pertinent material that should be covered with graduate teaching assistants, junior faculty, and adjuncts teaching developmental studies courses. The coordinator of each area will assign each person a mentor chosen from senior faculty. Each mentor and mentee will fill out the form developed for their area indicating the material covered in the mentoring process.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: All GTAs, adjuncts, and junior faculty were paired with a senior faculty member and provided pertinent information in the forms of personal consultations, area documents, and/or handbooks.
  Reports from the Academic Support Center (ASC) indicated that 69% of all Fall 2004 DSP students had direct contact with an advisor. The ASC implemented a new rule that students with one DSP course remaining were not required to speak with an ASC advisor.
  The departmental average for each question on the Fall 2004 MTSU Student Evaluation of Faculty was above a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  
  

2. Maintain a relationship with advisors in the Academic Support Center to assure that students requiring developmental studies courses are advised on issues related to course requirements, registration, academic weaknesses, etc. (Instruction)
Related MTSU General Goals: 1
Related Academic Affairs General Goals:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Collect data to determine the number of developmental studies students receiving assistance through the advisors in Academic Support Services. It is expected that at least 80% of these students will receive some type of assistance through this office. Students’ surveys will also be examined to determine the quality of services received. It is expected that 70% of students served will rate the over all services received as “Good” or above.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: All GTAs, adjuncts, and junior faculty were paired with a senior faculty member and provided pertinent information in the forms of personal consultations, area documents, and/or handbooks.
  Reports from the Academic Support Center (ASC) indicated that 69% of all Fall 2004 DSP students had direct contact with an advisor. The ASC implemented a new rule that students with one DSP course remaining were not required to speak with an ASC advisor.
  The departmental average for each question on the Fall 2004 MTSU Student Evaluation of Faculty was above a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  
  

3. DSP faculty will demonstrate teaching effectiveness. (Instruction )
Related MTSU General Goals: 1 7
Related Academic Affairs General Goals:

Measurable Objective(s):

• The departmental average for each of the 11 questions on the MTSU Student Evaluation of Faculty should be above 3 (on a 4-point scale).
  
  
  
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: All GTAs, adjuncts, and junior faculty were paired with a senior faculty member and provided pertinent information in the forms of personal consultations, area documents, and/or handbooks.
  Reports from the Academic Support Center (ASC) indicated that 69% of all Fall 2004 DSP students had direct contact with an advisor. The ASC implemented a new rule that students with one DSP course remaining were not required to speak with an ASC advisor.
  The departmental average for each question on the Fall 2004 MTSU Student Evaluation of Faculty was above a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  
  
  

4. Monitor DSP student enrollment as it relates to total student population. (Research/Creative Activity)
Related MTSU General Goals: 1 3
Related Academic Affairs General Goals:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Using FOCUS programs, compare fall and spring
  semester enrollment data to previous semesters. Determine factors influencing
  changes in enrollment patterns.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: FOCUS program results indicate a 1% decline in DSP student enrollment in Fall 2004 compared to Fall 2003. On the other hand, Spring 2005 DSP enrollment indicated an increase of 6% over Spring 2004.
  Faculty members have allowed students to self-identify as a course repeater. On an individual basis, the instructors have developed strategies to work with students in this category.
  Each area has worked to modify the curricula to accommodate different learning styles and integrate more active learning instructional strategies.
  
  

5. Increase the success rates of students who are repeating courses. (Research/Creative Activity )
Related MTSU General Goals: 1 7
Related Academic Affairs General Goals:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Develop a FOCUS program to identify repeaters in a course section. Work with faculty to develop interventions to enhance chances of success.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: FOCUS program results indicate a 1% decline in DSP student enrollment in Fall 2004 compared to Fall 2003. On the other hand, Spring 2005 DSP enrollment indicated an increase of 6% over Spring 2004.
  Faculty members have allowed students to self-identify as a course repeater. On an individual basis, the instructors have developed strategies to work with students in this category.
  Each area has worked to modify the curricula to accommodate different learning styles and integrate more active learning instructional strategies.
  
  

6. Update curriculum to reflect new research on how students learn. (Research/Creative Activity)
Related MTSU General Goals: 4 7
Related Academic Affairs General Goals:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Modify existing curriculum to incorporate new research on active learning strategies and brain compatible learning.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: FOCUS program results indicate a 1% decline in DSP student enrollment in Fall 2004 compared to Fall 2003. On the other hand, Spring 2005 DSP enrollment indicated an increase of 6% over Spring 2004.
  Faculty members have allowed students to self-identify as a course repeater. On an individual basis, the instructors have developed strategies to work with students in this category.
  Each area has worked to modify the curricula to accommodate different learning styles and integrate more active learning instructional strategies.
  
  

7. The department will continue to develop relationships with area high schools to assist them in advising students about services provided through the Developmental Studies Department. Through this relationship, students will also be made aware of steps that can be taken to allow them to begin immediately in their college credit courses. This affiliation also provides a source of qualified adjuncts for the department. (Public/Professional/University Service)
Related MTSU General Goals: 3 5
Related Academic Affairs General Goals:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Review the number of contacts made, the purpose of those contacts, and with whom the contacts were made at the end of the year. Faculty members will supply this information as part of their yearly self-evaluation.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: As a part of their annual evaluations, individual faculty members identified contacts that they had with area high school representatives. In addition, the main office contacted representatives from all area high schools to inform them of ACT Prep classes offered by the department to all area ethnic minority junior and senior high school students.
  All tenure-track or tenured DSP faculty members were members of at least one departmental or university committee. Six faculty members held offices in professional organizations at the state level.
  
  

8. Encourage faculty to be involved in and take leadership roles in university committees and other professional organizations. (Public/Professional/University Service)
Related MTSU General Goals: 4
Related Academic Affairs General Goals:

Measurable Objective(s):

• Review faculty self-evaluations for involvement in university committees and other professional organizations.
  Responsible Person: Provost. Completion Date: 6/30/2005
  
  Results: As a part of their annual evaluations, individual faculty members identified contacts that they had with area high school representatives. In addition, the main office contacted representatives from all area high schools to inform them of ACT Prep classes offered by the department to all area ethnic minority junior and senior high school students.
  All tenure-track or tenured DSP faculty members were members of at least one departmental or university committee. Six faculty members held offices in professional organizations at the state level.
  
  

Impacts

Learning Strategies:
The results of data gathered from Unit Tests, Final Exams and LASSI posttests were examined and used to revise the syllabus for Fall 2005. Goals and objectives for the course were revised and clarified in the form of learning outcomes for each unit. We will continue to use a take home section of the final to include individual learning profiles for optimal learning, how goals for the semester were met, and an evaluation of the student’s master schedule. However, the take home portion of the final exam has been revised to reflect a clearer format for student learning profiles.

Math:
The first math objective was met with at least 60% of students passing (scoring 70% or better) Intermediate Algebra. The Math Coordinators will provide mathematics faculty members with individualized reports comparing the instructor’s pass rates to the departmental average for fall and spring semester data over a three-year period. This would allow mathematics faculty members to identify any patterns in pass rates and to devise strategies for improvement as the data may indicate. Former developmental mathematics students had MATH 1710 pass rates that were somewhat lower than the pass rates of non-DSP students for spring, summer, and fall 2004. To address lower pass rates of former DSP students in MATH 1710, DSP math faculty will be encouraged to implement an online lab component, MyMathLab, that is used in conjunction with many MATH 1710 classes.

Reading:
While gains and pass rates were good for fall, they were lower than target rates in the spring. Spring rates tend to be lower as a higher percentage on students in spring classes are repeating the class. The situation will continue to be monitored to see if it is a trend and if further action is warranted.

Writing:
Student success in DSPW 0800, based on departmental final essay pass rates, grade distribution, etc., continues to be high. In addition, student success in the pilot-tested combined DSPW 0800/ENGL 1010 course indicates that additional higher-level DSPW 0800 students could benefit from the combined course, which gives students an opportunity to fulfill Developmental Writing requirements and earn credit for ENGL 1010 (Expository Writing) in one semester. A goal for 2004-2005 is to train an additional instructor to teach the combined course and to revise the course curriculum, expand the number of sections offered, and collect additional data.


Instruction:
Pairing each GTA, adjunct, and junior faculty with a senior faculty member enhanced efforts to communicate and maintain consistent high standards of instruction. This also assisted instructors in gauging personal retention and grade distribution data.

The Academic Support Center underwent several personnel and procedural changes. After the Center is more settled, plans are to survey students at the end of the Fall 05 semester to determine their assessment of services received. Faculty will also have the opportunity to give an assessment of their interactions with Center advisors in responding to the needs of students.


Research:
The Department will continue to monitor enrollment patterns. Spring 2005 was the first increase in enrollment since Fall 2002. The University has increased admission standards at the same time that the TBR has adjusted COMPASS cutoff scores in reading and writing. The University is also putting procedures in place to manage growth. All of these factors can potentially impact DSP student enrollment.

In addition to individual strategies to assist repeaters, each area is being asked to identify interventions that can be employed to enhance chances of student success.

Public Service:
Subject area coordinators maintain relationships with area public schools that result in a pool of qualified adjuncts for DSP courses. This is a reciprocal relationship that has enabled representatives from the schools to call on members of the department to provide workshops for faculty, to be judges for academic contests, to be graduation speakers, to be university sponsors for events held on campus, etc. The department also maintains a list of area high schools contacts who identify and inform students who may benefit from the ACT Prep workshops that are conducted by members of the DSP faculty.

Faculty involvement is highly visible in a broad representation of university and departmental committees. Many hold leadership positions on these committees. The same level of involvement is noted in professional organizations.