The Public Affairs Assessment Workshop, or PAAW, is an incredibly useful tool for MSU to assess how our assignments align with our Public Affairs mission. PAAW was developed for our HLC Quality Initiative Project (QIP). HLC reviewers commended the QIP and recommended expanding it to directly assess student learning in general education across the university. From May 23–25, 2017, PAAW will be held in room 400 of Plaster Student Union—the Union Club—from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Faculty who teach in the Public Affairs section of General Education submitted samples of student work from assignments aligned with the following General Education Goals:
General Goal (12)–Community Engagement: Students will be able to recognize the importance of contributing their knowledge and experiences to their own communities and the broader society.
General Goal (13)–Cultural Competence: Students will be able to recognize and consider multiple perspectives and cultures.
General Goal (14)–Ethical Leadership: Students will be able to articulate their value systems, understand the ethical implications of their actions based on those values, and develop skills consistent with having a positive impact on individuals, groups, or communities.
Assignments range from blog posts, essays, reports, short answer questions, and more. If you miss this year’s submission rounds, we’ll be looking for similar samples next year related to the general education section titled “Human Culture.”
Faculty who teach in general education were invited to attend the workshop. Around 25 faculty, staff, and students will review and receive a $400 stipend for their participation. On top of the stipend, faculty will receive a letter describing their important role in university citizenship.
Faculty, staff, and students at Missouri State have a long-term and ongoing commitment to continuous improvement. The workshop provides an interdisciplinary space to assess student learning broadly and to learn more about assessment for improvement. The final produce will be an assessment report modeled on CGEIP’s Annual Report that will be shared with CGEIP.