Media Studies Program/CEL Assessment

Bill Sonnega			Kirsten Cahoon
Director, Media Studies		Senior Associate Director, Career Connections

In this study, Media Studies and the Center for Experiential Learning (CEL) employ a collaborative approach to assessing specific Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO) in both programs.  The impetus for this collaboration is the responsibility Media Studies and the CEL have historically shared for administering the credit-bearing internships and Digital Portfolios required of Media Studies concentrators.  At the outset of this collaboration, two ILOs were selected, one from Media Studies and one from the CEL, that represent the shared enterprise and complementary goals of the two programs:

Media Studies Intended Learning Outcome #2: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the interconnectedness of the study of the mass media and other disciplines.

CEL Intended Learning Outcome #4:  Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate vocational direction with their academic and experiential learning.

The following assessment plan was developed with the understanding that the “other disciplines” referred to in Media Studies ILO #2 meaningfully include “vocational direction” and “experiential learning” referred to in CEL ILO #4.  The study assesses the extent to which senior Media Studies concentrators fulfill the ILOs of “interconnectedness” and “integration” by developing
 
• A resume appropriate to their future goals (assessment strategy #1)
• “Artifacts” and a Digital Portfolio appropriate to their future goals (assessment strategy #2)
• A reflective essay that articulates the relationships between their coursework and academic internship (and/or other experiential involvements) and integrates personal insight on their vocational direction (assessment strategy #3)

Student Intervention:  Media Studies Digital Portfolio

Overall Assessment Strategy:  Holistic assessment of portfolio and individual “artifacts” within portfolio

Formative Assessment:  
Measurement Strategies and Rubrics

Assessment Strategy #1:
Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate vocational direction with their academic and experiential learning by developing a resume appropriate to their future goals.

4) Advanced  	3) Competent  	2) Basic 	1) Poor	
Resume/CV selectively represents transferable skills, experience and knowledge and is organized in categories tailored to a stated vocational direction.	Resume/CV selectively represents transferable skills, experience and knowledge tailored to a stated vocational direction in standard categories.	Resume/CV highlights basic transferable skills and knowledge from academic and experiential engagements in standard categories.	Resume/CV is a simple listing of background in standard categories.	

Assessment Strategy #2:
Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate vocational direction with their academic and experiential learning by selecting “artifacts” and designing a portfolio appropriate to their future goals.

Criteria A: Artifacts Selection and Organization
4) Advanced 	3) Competent 	2) Basic	1) Poor	
Artifacts selected are relevant to future goals and are organized/grouped thematically in a vocational direction.	Artifacts selected are relevant to future goals.	Some, but not all, artifacts are relevant to future goals. 	Artifacts selected are not specifically relevant to future goals.	

Criteria B:  Portfolio Design
4) Advanced 	3) Competent	2) Basic	1) Poor	
Portfolio exhibits a personalized and creative theme appropriate to future goals.	Portfolio presents artifacts with an identifiable theme.	Artifacts are simply presented through the table of contents with no apparent theme.	It is difficult to navigate the portfolio due to lack of organization.	

Assessment Strategy #3:
Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate vocational direction with their academic and experiential learning by formulating a reflective essay that articulates the relationships between their coursework and academic internship (and/or other experiential involvements) and integrates personal insight on their vocational direction.

Articulated relationship between coursework, experiential learning and vocational direction
4) Advanced	3) Competent	2) Basic	1) Poor	
Essay provides a holistic, integrated understanding of the inter-relationship of academic and experiential learning and vocational direction.	Essay describes vocational direction as impacted by both academic and experiential learning but does not fully explain the relationship between all three.	Essay illustrates a rudimentary understanding of vocational direction and lists connections with academic and/or experiential learning.	Essay does not state a vocational direction.