Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to use information, ideas and arguments from relevant perspectives to make sense of complex issues and solve problems. Degree graduates will locate, evaluate, interpret, and combine information to reach well-reasoned conclusions or solutions.

Identify the problem or complex issue and its various components.

Who are we assessing?

Students enrolled in ART 101 & 102, BUS 205, CST 100, ETR 113, HIM 111, MUS 121 & SOC 268

How is performance rated?

A rubric, based on the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Critical Thinking VALUE Rubric, was used to evaluate work products of students in the selected courses.

View Rubric

What score do we expect?

75% of students will receive a score of 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher on identifying the problem or complex issue and its various components.

What did we find?

The target score was met with 81.8% of students scoring a 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher.

Where do we go from here?

At the beginning of each academic year, the General Education Committee reviews assessment findings to evaluate student achievement of General Education outcomes. The committee uses these results to identify trends, determine improvement priorities, and implement actions designed to strengthen student learning and program effectiveness.

Identify central issues and assumptions of a problem or issue.

Who are we assessing?

Students enrolled in ART 101 & 102, BUS 205, CST 100, ETR 113, HIM 111, MUS 121 & SOC 268

How is performance rated?

A rubric, based on the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Critical Thinking VALUE Rubric, was used to evaluate work products of students in the selected courses.

View Rubric

What score do we expect?

75% of students will receive a score of 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher on identifying central issues and assumptions of a problem or issue.

What did we find?

The target score was met with 81.8% of students scoring a 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher.

Where do we go from here?

Seek and evaluate the information needed to fully understand the problem or complex issue.

Who are we assessing?

Students enrolled in ART 101 & 102, BUS 205, CST 100, ETR 113, HIM 111, MUS 121 & SOC 268

How is performance rated?

A rubric, based on the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Critical Thinking VALUE Rubric, was used to evaluate work products of students in the selected courses.

View Rubric

What score do we expect?

75% of students will receive a score of 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher on seeking and evaluating the information needed to fully understand the problem or complex issue.

What did we find?

The target score was met with 81.7% of students scoring a 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher.

Where do we go from here?

Identify complexities of an issue, relevant perspectives and/or important relationships when taking a position on a complex issue or problem.

Who are we assessing?

Students enrolled in ART 101 & 102, BUS 205, CST 100, ETR 113, HIM 111, MUS 121 & SOC 268

How is performance rated?

A rubric, based on the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Critical Thinking VALUE Rubric, was used to evaluate work products of students in the selected courses.

View Rubric

What score do we expect?

75% of students will receive a score of 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher on identifying complexities of an issue, relevant perspectives and/or important relationships when taking a position on a complex issue or problem.

What did we find?

The target score was met with 81.8% of students scoring a 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher.

Where do we go from here?

Analyze various perspectives of a problem or complex issue in order to reach a well-reasoned conclusion or solution.

Who are we assessing?

Students enrolled in ART 101 & 102, BUS 205, CST 100, ETR 113, HIM 111, MUS 121 & SOC 268

How is performance rated?

A rubric, based on the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Critical Thinking VALUE Rubric, was used to evaluate work products of students in the selected courses.

View Rubric

What score do we expect?

75% of students will receive a score of 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher on analyzing various perspectives of a problem or complex issue in order to reach a well-reasoned conclusion or solution.

What did we find?

The target score was met with 82.1% of students scored a 2 (minimally meets expectations) or higher.

Critical Thinking Rubric	Capstone (Exceeds Expectations) 4	Milestone (Meets Expectations) 3	Milestone (Minimally Meets Expectations) 2	Benchmark (Does Not Meet Expectations) 1
Identify the issue/problem	Issue/problem is clearly understood and explained in detail.	Issue/problem is identified without serious omissions.	Issue/problem is stated with some omissions.	Issue/problem is not understood.
Recognize assumptions	Thoroughly analyzes personal and others’ assumptions	Identifies own and others’ assumptions when presenting a position/scenario	Explores and questions some assumptions beyond own assumptions	Aware of own assumptions
Seek and evaluate evidence	Seeks, evaluates and interprets information/theory to develop a comprehensive (integrated ideas across viewpoints) analysis of the issue/problem. Viewpoints of experts or alternative methods or approaches are examined thoroughly.	Seeks, evaluates and interprets information/theory to come up with a coherent (lists ideas in a meaningful sequence but not integrated) analysis of the issue/problem. Viewpoints of experts or alternative methods or approaches are subject to questioning.	Seeks, evaluates and interprets information/theory but not enough to understand fully or solve the issue/problem. Viewpoints of experts taken mostly as fact.	Information gathered is not understood or questioned.
Student’s position/scenario (perspective, thesis/hypothesis)	Specific position/scenario is imaginative, taking into account the complexities of an issue or problem. Limits of position/scenario are acknowledged. Others’ points of view are synthesized/incorporated within position/scenario.	Specific position/scenario takes into account the complexities of an issue. Others’ points of view or alternative methods or approaches are acknowledged within position/scenario.	Specific position/scenario acknowledges different sides of an issue or alternative methods or approaches for solving a problem.	Specific position/scenario is stated, but is simplistic and obvious.
Reach a solution or conclusion to the issue/problem	Conclusions and related outcomes (consequences and implications) are logical and reflect student’s informed evaluation and ability to place evidence and perspectives discussed in priority order.	Conclusion is logically tied to a range of information, including opposing viewpoints or alternative methods or approaches; related outcomes (consequences and implications) are identified clearly.	Conclusion is logically tied to information (because information is chosen to fit the desired conclusion); some related outcomes (consequences and implications) are identified clearly.	Conclusion is inconsistent with the information gathered. Outcomes are oversimplified.

Educational Assessment

Student Learning Outcomes

Who are we assessing?

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Where do we go from here?

Who are we assessing?

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What did we find?

Where do we go from here?

Who are we assessing?

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What did we find?

Where do we go from here?

Who are we assessing?

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What score do we expect?

What did we find?

Where do we go from here?

Who are we assessing?

How is performance rated?

What score do we expect?

What did we find?

Where do we go from here?

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