Download BBA Summary 09/10 - 11/12

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS
Outcomes Assessment Implementation Summary
School of Management
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
Business Administration (BA)
I. Assessment Information Collected
2009-2010
1. Communication
2010-2011
1. Communication
2011-2012
1. Communication
(1a) Communication Written:
Writing samples are collected from
BA 462 (Corporate Strategy) and all
“W” designated courses.
(1a) Communication Written:
Writing samples are collected from
all “W” designated courses in BBA.
(1a) Communication Written:
Writing samples are collected from all
“W” designated courses in BBA.
(1b) Communication Oral: Oral
presentations are recorded in BA 462
(Corporate Strategy) and all other “O”
designated courses.
(1b) Communication Oral: Oral
presentations are recorded in BA
462 (Corporate Strategy) and all
“O” designated courses.
(1b) Communication Oral: Oral
presentations are recorded in all “O”
designated courses in BBA.
2. Problem Solving: Case study given
in BA 307 (Human Resources
Management).
2. Problem Solving: Case study
given in BA 307 (Human Resources
Management).
2. Problem Solving
3. Ethical Knowledge: Case study
given in BA 307 (Human Resources
Management), BA 360 (Operations
Management) and BA 447
(Compensation Management).
3. Ethical Knowledge: Case study
given in BA 307 (Human Resources
Management), BA 360 (Operations
Management) and BA 447
(Compensation Management).
(2b) Problem Solving Econometrics:
Questions imbedded in Econ 227
(Intermediate Statistics for Economics
and Business) exams.
4. Technical Knowledge: ETS exam
is given in BA 462 (Corporate
Strategy) and embedded questions in
BA 343 (Principles of Marketing) and
BA 390 (Organizational Theory and
Behavior).
4. Technical Knowledge: ETS
exam is given in BA 462 (Corporate
Strategy) and embedded questions
in BA 343 (Principles of
Marketing), BA 390 (Organizational
Theory and Behavior) abd Econ 202
(Macroeconomics).
(2a) Problem Solving Watson Glaser:
exam given in BA 424 (Real Estate and
Alternative Investments).
(2c) Problem Solving Accounting:
Questions imbedded in Acct 262
(Accounting Concepts and Uses II)
exams.
3. Ethical Knowledge: Questions
imbedded in the final exam for BA 323
(Business Ethics).
2009-2010 cont.
2010-2011 cont.
2011-2012 cont.
4. Technical Knowledge
(4a) Technical Knowledge General
Business. The ETS exam given each
semester in BA 462 (Corporate
Strategy).
(4b) Technical Knowledge Specific
Skills: Embedded questions of various
types given in BA 325 (Financial
Management), BA 343 (Principles of
Marketing), BA 390 (Organizational
Theory and Behavior) and Econ 202
Macroeconomics.
Note: Data is collected every
semester, assessment every other
year by faculty. This year
Communication and Technical
Knowledge were assessed.
Note: Data is collected every semester,
assessment every other year by faculty
committee. This year Problem
Solving and Ethical Knowledge were
assessed.
II. Conclusions drawn from collected information, how are faculty collectively involved in
drawing conclusions 2009-2010
Faculty met in Spring 2010 for a daylong Assurance of Learning retreat
that focused on Assessment. It was
determined that students were not
communicating at minimal acceptable
levels (although better orally than
written), that critical and ethical
thinking also fell just short of
minimal standards, that technical
knowledge, on a whole, greatly
exceeded minimal standards but that
some specific marketing skills still
needed to be addressed.
2010-2011
All data collected. Only
Communication and Technical
Knowledge were assessed.
2011-2012
All data collected. Problem Solving
and Ethical Behavior assessed as well
as some Technical Knowledge data.
Faculty met in Spring 2011 for a
day-long Assurance of Learning
retreat that focused on Assessment.
2. Problem Solving
1. Communication
(1a) Communication Written: The
minimum standard was met by an
average of 70% of the students
(student averages shown below).
The weakest link rubric item
(although still in the acceptable
range) was “critical thinking”.
1= Inadequate, 2= Satisfactory,
3= Excellent
Categories
Appropriate Content
Critical Thinking Evident
Appropriate for Intended
Audience
Coherence
Clarity
Conciseness
Score
2.2
2.0
2.3
2.3
2.1
2.2
(1b) Communication Oral: 78% of
students met minimum standard.
The only rubric item where the
student average was less than
acceptable was “sense of audience”.
Rubric & Standard
1= Inadequate , 2= Needs Improvement,
3= Satisfactory, 4= Excellent
Sense of Audience
Organization and/or
Development
2.9
Detail to Support Ideas
3.4
Understanding of topic
Mannerism of
Presentation
Clarity of Speech
3.5
3.1
3.4
Enthusiasm for Topic
3.2
Dress for Presentation*
Creative Efforts/Use of
Technology*
2.6
3.5
3.1
(2a) Problem Solving Watson Glaser:
This was the first year using this exam
and we gave it as a trial. Our students
averaged
Categories
Recognized
Assumptions
Evaluate
Arguments
Draw
Conclusions
Total Raw
Score
Percentile*
6.5
7.6
12.2
26.2
18
* Peer group used was
Professional/Individual Contributor
(2b) Problem Solving Econometrics
(Synthesizing data, Estimating
equations): This is the first year that
we have used Econ 227 (Econometrics)
to assess problem solving. We are
assessing whether students can set up
hypothesis tests, synthesize data,
estimate equations and test for
significance. This year we tested just
synthesizing data, and estimating
equations and 87% of the students were
able to set up a hypothesis test and
synthesize data.
(2c) Problem Solving Accounting:
The average of the two questions was
70.7%. The first question focused on
relevant costs and 51.7% percent of the
students were able to satisfactorily
answer the question. The second
question was on making a decision to
drop a product line. 89.7% of the
students had a satisfactory answer to
this.
2009-2010 cont.
2010-2011 cont.
4. Technical Knowledge
2011-2012 cont.
(3) Ethical Knowledge:
(4a) Technical Knowledge ETS
exam: SOM students average
scores were at the 70th percentile
(in comparison to students over a
five year average) and SOM
average at the 90th percentile as a
school.
Functional area broken out at the
school level are below.
Question #
Accounting
Economics
Management
Quantitative
Finance
Marketing
Legal
Info
Systems
International
%
95
85
95
85
75
95
95
70
(4b) Technical Knowledge
Marketing: For the imbedded
questions in BA 343 (Principles of
Marketing) the students scored
88.6%.
(4b) Technical Knowledge U.S.
Economy: This was a trial run of
22 imbedded questions in Econ 202
(Principles of Macroeconomics) to
see if the use of Blackboard in a
distance delivered course would be
useful for assessment. The trial
went well. The scores for the four
categories were:
Intro Economics
Foundation Macro
LR Growth and SR
Fluctuations
Stabilization Policy
%
66.3%
77.9%
66.2%
78.5%
72.9%
72.6%
70.5%
93.9%
Legal/Illegal Q 4,6,8,9 Ave 78.9%
Ethical/Unethical Q1,2,3,5 Ave 70.8%
4. Technical Knowledge:
85
(4b) Technical Knowledge
Leadership: For the imbedded
questions in BA 390
(Organizational Theory and
Behavior) the students scored
81.8%.
Category
Question #
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
%
86
84
87
81
(4a) Technical Knowledge General
Business: Using the ETS scores, our
lowest scores on the 2010 exam were on
marketing and international issues. We
used these scores in deciding to add a
faculty member, Dr. Xiaoqi (Chelsea)
Han in marketing and searched for an
individual that could excel in
“international marketing”. Dr. Han has
a Ph.D. in marketing from the
University of Cincinnati, and had a
teaching history that included classes in
“International Marketing” and “World
Marketing”.
(4b) Technical Knowledge U.S.
Economy:
Category
Intro Economics
Foundation Macro
LR Growth and SR
Fluctuations
Stabilization Policy
%
87
85
86
86
Scores were similar to the year before.
When the individual questions were
analyzed there was a problem with (1)
students being able to use “ValueAdded” to calculate GDP which reflects
little time given to this topic and (2)
some concern (not too much) with
monetary policy – students had a better
grasp of fiscal policy.
III. Curricular changes resulting from conclusions drawn above 2009-2010
1. Communication
(1a) Communication Written: Using
the Fatal Error Policy in all writing
intensive courses. Each writing
intensive class will have a member of
the Writing Lab visit the class at the
beginning of each term. Students in
writing intensive courses will be
strongly urged to visit the UAF
Writing Center.
(1b) Communication oral: Added an
additional one-half Oral intensive
course requirement to the BBA degree.
Each oral intensive class will have a
representative of the Speaking Center
address the class at the beginning of
each term. Students in oral intensive
courses will be strongly urged to visit
the UAF Speaking Center.
2. Critical Thinking: Discussion on
professional development in regard to
teaching using the case study method.
3. Ethical Knowledge: Considering
professional development
opportunities for faculty teaching
ethics.
4. Technical Knowledge: Test the use
of embedding topic-related questions
into exams starting with organizational
behavior.
2010-2011
Closing the Loop was scheduled for
Communication and Technical
Knowledge although other
objectives may be discussed as
warranted.
1. Communication
1. Communication
(1a) Communication Written: As
the Fatal Error Policy and the
visitation by the Writing Lab are
still so new we will continue to
monitor these and assess faculty
adherence to these measures.
(1b) Communication Oral: We
will begin to track student’s use of
the Speaking Center. We will
research ways to increase the
student’s ability to “sense its
audience”.
2. Critical Thinking: Drs. Thomas
Zhou and Lily Dong attended the
Harvard Case Study seminar
“Participant-Centered Learning and
Case Method” On October 23,
2010, in Bellingham, Washington.
Particularly useful in this training
were techniques used to energize
and challenge the students in case
discussions.
These and other techniques from the
seminar have been incorporated into
BA681 (Fixed Income Securities)
using a case written by a Harvard
Professor.
2011-2012
Closing the Loop was scheduled for
Problem Solving and Ethical
Behavior although other objectives
may be discussed as warranted.
(1a) Communication Written:
Because of the hiring of AOL staff we
have tasked the staff to research
modules for critical thinking that can be
used in “W” classes. The results of this
research will be presented at the Fall
2012 retreat to be used in AY13 as a
trial.
(1b) Communication Oral: Because
of the hiring of AOL staff we have
tasked the staff to research modules for
sense of audience that can be used in
“W” classes. The result of this research
will be presented at the Fall 2012
retreat to be used in AY13 as a trial.
2. Problem Solving
(2a) Problem Solving Watson Glaser
(WG): This was the first year that the
Watson Glaser test was used. There is
a lot of information here and it is not
clear exactly the best way to use it. For
example, the peer group that the
students are compared to are working
professionals so it is expected that they
would score relatively low. Also, we
did not have percentiles by question
groups. We will continue to research
the use of the WG and have a refined
assessment system in place by the next
assessment. We will also discuss at the
Fall 2013 retreat whether all three of
the tested skills, “recognize
assumptions”, “evaluate arguments”
and “draw conclusions” can be covered
in more depth in BA 390
(Organizational Theory and Behavior).
2009-2010 cont.
2010-2011 cont.
3. Ethical Knowledge: Dr. Liz
Ross attended the AACSB seminar
“Teaching Business Ethics” in
Tampa, Florida, on March 7-8,
2011. The seminar was useful to the
design of BA 323 (Business Ethics)
by providing information on:
 Methodology of teaching the
various theories
 Incorporating Ethics and
Accountability
 Managing the corporate culture
and ethical leadership
 Ethical decision making from a
personal and professional
context
In this seminar, participants were
assigned to diverse groups and were
presented with ethical dilemmas.
This technique has been
incorporated into BA 323 (Business
Ethics).
4. Technical Knowledge: This was
the first year that technical
knowledge assessment was
expanded beyond ETS testing.
Imbedded questions were used in
the areas of leadership, marketing
and economics. This testing of
imbedded questions is considered a
success and the school will refine
and expand its usage.
2011-2012 cont.
(2b) Problem Solving Econometrics
(Synthesizing data, Estimating
equations): In the Econ 227
(Econometrics) course, the first run at
synthesizing data and estimating
equations went well. To complete this
portion of problem solving, hypothesis
testing and tests for significance will be
added to the assessment.
(2c) Problem Solving Accounting: On
the first question students had a
difficult time with determining the
relevant costs when making a decision
to accept a special order. The
accounting faculty met and decided in
the introductory accounting courses to
spend more time breaking down what
are relevant and irrelevant costs relative
to special orders by having students do
more problems, both in class and in
homework; and have increased
demonstrations in class. For example,
one faculty at the end of the course
tested a teaching method of having a
student volunteer make cookies (mix
flour, sugar and chocolate chips in a
bowl) in the classroom then make
cookies for a special order. The class
then goes through the exercise of
determining if it would be profitable to
accept the special order. This will not
be incorporated into the class during
the year.
3. Ethical Knowledge: The minimal
standards were met but just barely for
ethical/unethical behavior and not on
all questions. This is consistent with
past findings and SOM is putting
substantial resources into improving
performance on this objective. This
year we have visited character
development/leadership programs at
the Air Force Academy, the Military
Academy and Texas A&M and faculty
will spend the summer discussing how
these concepts can be brought into the
classroom and designing further
curriculum in this area for both the
School of Management and the Rural
Alaska Honors Institute Program (for
high school students).
2009-2010 cont.
2010-2011 cont.
2011-2012 cont.
4. Technical Knowledge
(4a) Technical Knowledge General
Business:
Using the ETS scores, our lowest
scores on the 2010 exam were on
marketing and international issues. We
used these scores in deciding to add a
faculty member, Dr. Xiaoqi (Chelsea)
Han in marketing and searched for an
individual that could excel in
“international marketing”. Dr. Han has
a Ph.D. in marketing from the
University of Cincinnati, and had a
teaching history that included classes in
“International Marketing” and “World
Marketing”.
(4b) Technical Knowledge U.S.
Economy:
There will be a new instructor(s)
teaching both an in-class and online
version of Econ 202
(Macroeconomics). Because of
assessment results, the current
instructor in the course will work with
the new instructor(s) to expand the
instruction on the three ways to
calculate GDP. While students did
well in calculating GDP by methods of
(i) value of production of final goods
and services, and (ii) aggregate
spending on goods and services, they
did poorly when it came to the third
method of summing up value added.
This is likely because it is the least
stressed concept but still very important
not only in this course but across the
BBA curricula. The newly designed
course will have a greater emphasis on
value added including lecture time and
homework. Also, students seem to
have an easier time grasping fiscal
policy than monetary policy and maybe
a reallocation of time on these two
subjects is warranted across curricula.