Communication
Purpose
The Communication Department's General Education Program focuses on skill development vital to the success and lifelong learning of all Oregon Institute of Technology students, including written, oral, visual, interpersonal, intercultural, group, and team skills. Students learn to research and communicate technical concepts and information professionally and ethically. Through general education courses, students are also prepared to succeed in increasingly global and diverse settings and for their roles as citizens, professionals, and critical thinkers.
Educational Objectives
The program prepares students to:
Communicate effectively in oral, written, and visual forms in a variety of academic and professional settings.
Produce work professionally and ethically.
Think critically to solve problems.
Collaborate effectively in interpersonal, small group, and team contexts.
Continue lifelong and independent learning.
Interact effectively with diverse, global perspectives.
Expected Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, the student should be able to:
Present written work that is focused, organized, supported, and with effective style and conventions.
Present oral work that is focused, organized, supported, and with effective style and delivery.
Select sources for quality, integrate sources smoothly, and document sources correctly.
Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
Demonstrate knowledge that allows for productive intercultural exchanges.
Demonstrate knowledge and skills that allow for productive interpersonal, group, and team exchanges.
Integrate visuals into presentation to support text, increase interest, and aid understanding.
Adapt communication for varied audiences and purposes.
Demonstrate ability to engage and to develop as learners and thinkers.
Summary of Student Learning Outcomes
During the 2007-08 academic year, the Communication faculty formally assessed the student learning outcomes summarized below. Additional details can be found in the attached assessment report and in department assessment records.
Student Learning Outcome #1: Present written work that is focused, organized, supported, and with effective style and conventions.
Strengths: Communication general education students--except those entering WRI 122 English Composition--performed at or above expectations for all performance criteria. The lower scores of students at entry to WRI 122 are rectified by exit.
Areas needing improvement: None at this time.
Student Learning Outcome #4: Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
Strengths: Essays rated highest in identifying or explaining the problem, followed by recognizing stakeholders and contexts, examining perspectives, and summarizing implications. All of these criteria rated at roughly 50%. It should be noted that--unlike with student learning outcome #1--there was not a departmental goal of 80% set for critical thinking. This is because the majority of WRI 122 students, 77.9%, are freshman.
Areas needing improvement: Essays rated lowest in identify and evaluate underlying assumptions and evaluate associated evidence. Students rated their own essays consistently much higher than faculty did. However, the student similarly rated these two criteria the lowest.
Plans for improvement: The instructors of WRI 122 classes will place more specific emphasis on the performance criteria used for critical thinking, in particular those for identifying and evaluating assumptions, and identifying and evaluating evidence. If students rate essays in future assessments, they will rate those of other students rather than their own. Additionally, the OIT Assessment Commission has recommended that OIT reassess student performance in WRI 122 along with HUM 125.