Assessment of Physics Course Outcomes, General Education Outcomes, and ABET Course Outcomes of Engineering Majors, Technology Majors, and Health Sciences Majors at a Community College

Internationalizing the community college curriculum offers an opportunity to reach a broad range of students completing their general education requirements. Implementing course internationalization on campus also maximizes the student body's participation in international education, particularly in community college contexts where study abroad is not a viable option for many students due to resource limitations. Efforts to internationalize the curriculum should target high-enrolled courses across campus that fit within existing programs of study. Faculty coordinating these courses are integral in extending the scope of the course objectives by integrating international perspectives. Faculty work is acknowledged through existing structures of professional development and annual review processes. An internationalized curriculum combined with study abroad and other cross-cultural experiential learning forms the framework for an academic enrichment program called Global Distinction.

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General education at Jefferson community college: Acountability and integrity

New Directions for Community Colleges ◽

10.1002/cc.36819959206 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 1995 (92) ◽

pp. 33-41 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Patrick Ecker ◽

Diane Calhoun-French

Keyword(s):

Community College ◽

General Education

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Assessing general education learning outcomes at Qatar University

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education ◽

10.1108/jarhe-03-2015-0016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 159-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shaikha Bint Jabor Al-Thani ◽

Ali Abdelmoneim ◽

Adel Cherif ◽

Dalal Moukarzel ◽

Khaled Daoud

Keyword(s):

Critical Thinking ◽

Pilot Study ◽

General Education ◽

Education Program ◽

Thinking Skills ◽

Critical Thinking Skills ◽

Content Type ◽

English Writing ◽

Internal Assessment ◽

Education Outcomes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of a new general education program at Qatar University (QU) in achieving English writing and critical thinking outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) test was used as direct assessment tool to identify the extent to which QU students are making progress with respect to general education outcomes, and how well QU students perform compared to US students on general education outcomes that are measured by the CAAP test. Findings – Findings show evidence that students make progress in English and critical thinking during their QU educational careers. However, QU students lag well behind their US counterparts in writing skills, but they performed relatively better in critical thinking and essay writing. Research limitations/implications – The sample of students tested was limited to students who met certain criteria. Therefore, the sample was neither representative nor random and does not reflect the performance of the entire student body. English is a second language for most QU students, and cultural differences as well as students’ high school preparation and quality of faculty at QU add to the complexity of the study. Practical implications – Research finding may have implication on the general education program curriculum plan, assessment process, assessment plan and tools. It may also trigger comprehensive review of courses addressing writing and critical thinking skills. Moreover, the findings will have impact on institutional total approach and support to retain and enhance some of the cornerstone skills that general education program promise to achieve. The pilot study, results and findings can have implications on similar GCC general educations programs that focus on English writing and critical thinking skills. Originality/value – This original pilot study indicates a need for improvement of internal assessment processes and reconsideration of general education program courses contributing to skills examined. It also provides evidence on students’ performance on two important generic skills, both are important for QU and its stakeholders. The study’s findings are of broad interest to assess the efficacy of internal assessment at international institutions using an internationally available standardized test.

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