Departments & Offices » Office of Institutional Analysis and Effectiveness » Process of Institutional Effectiveness » Academic Pies: Description/Example

Process of Institutional Effectiveness for Academic Departments and Programs

In order to meet the SACS standards of institutional effectiveness, academic departments and programs at W&M are focusing on the following elements:

A clearly stated PURPOSE that links each department, program, or office to the institutional mission or general operations of the College
Clearly stated FACULTY EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT LEARNING
Clear statements about LEARNING EXPERIENCES
STUDENT WORK used to evaluate learning
DECISIONS oriented to improving student learning

Example of (P)rocess of (I)nstitutional (E)ffectiveness (PIE) for an academic department (Physics):

Physics Department (Draft) PIE

Physics PIE for B.S. degree

Purpose: The mission of the Physics Department is the creation and dissemination of knowledge of the physical world through teaching, research, and public service. The department is committed to excellence in its teaching and offers a broad spectrum of courses. At the undergraduate level, these range from courses for non-scientists to courses, seminars, directed readings, and directed research offered in a comprehensive program for physics and other science concentrators. At the graduate level, the Department offers a full complement of courses, seminars, directed readings, and directed research consistent with the requirements of a doctoral program. The department recognizes that faculty research activity is an essential ingredient in sustaining excellence in teaching. The Department offers a Bachelor of Science degree major and minor, a Master of Sciences degree, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Faculty Expectation for Student Learning #1 : Students will understand the origin and the mathematical characterization of physical phenomena. Students will experience the interplay of theory and experiment.

Learning Experiences #1 : In the required courses Physics 101/102 (Introductory Physics), 201 (Modern Physics), 208 (Classical Mechanics), 313 (Statistical Mechanics), and 401 (Electricity and Magnetism), students complete homework assignments and tests in which they derive physical principles mathematically from a small number of laws, and they apply those principles to new situations by solving problems.

Learning Experiences #2 : In the required laboratory courses Physics 251 (Experimental Atomic Physics), and 252 (Electronics), students learn plan and carry out experiments to verify the physical principles and to test the limits of their verifiability. Students takeexams and write laboratory reports that require the use qualitative data analysis.

Learning Experiences #3 : In the required senior research project (451/452) or Honors Project (495/496), students perform original research under the mentorship of an individual faculty member. In experimental projects, students compare their results to predictions of corresponding theories. Students present their results at the end of each semester in written papers and public oral presentations.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #1: Faculty members who teach the required lecture courses use exams, homework, projects, and papers to evaluate how well learning expectations are being met.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #2 : Faculty members who teach the required laboratory courses use combinations of laboratory reports, in-class evaluations of laboratory skills, and exams to evaluate how well learning expectations are being met.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #3 : Beginning in 2005 and for every year following that resources are available, the two members of the Undergraduate Studies Committee will spend two weeks interviewing the faculty who teach the core courses, and collecting samples of student work from these courses. They will review the collected work to ensure (1) that the student work reflects the experiences deemed necessary for learning the expected skills and knowledge, and (2) to help to establish standards for successful completion. They will pay particular attention to the degree to which early core courses provide the necessary prerequisite skills and knowledge for the later advanced core courses.

Decisions Oriented to Improving Learning:The Undergraduate Studies Committee will report the results of the review, and will propose changes to the curriculum at the first fall physics faculty meeting, immediately after the Qualifying examination results are discussed.

Faculty Expectation for Student Learning #2 : Students will develop critical thinking, problem solving and computational skills relevant to the physical sciences.

Learning Experiences #1 : In the required courses Physics 101/102 (Introductory Physics), 201 (Modern Physics), 208 (Classical Mechanics), 313 (Statistical Mechanics), and 401 (Electricity and Magnetism), students complete homework assignments and tests in which they apply physical principles to new situations by solving problems.

Learning Experiences #2 : In the required senior research project (451/452) or Honors Project (495/496), students perform original research under the mentorship of an individual faculty member. For each project, students show their critical thinking by writing two papers describing the goals, methods and justification for their projects

Learning Experiences #3 : As part of the required senior research project (451/452) or Honors Project (495/496), students must either demonstrate significant use of computational skills within the senior project, an associate project, or in a past Computer Science course.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #1 : Faculty members who teach the required lecture courses use exams, homework, projects, and papers to evaluate how well learning expectations are being met.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #2 : Faculty members who mentor the required senior project or Honors Project evaluate the research performance, the written papers, and the oral presentations to determine how well the learning expectations are being met. For the final written and oral presentation, at least one other faculty member also participates in the evaluation.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #3 : Beginning in 2005 and for every year following that resources are available, the two members of the Undergraduate Studies Committee will spend two weeks interviewing the faculty who teach the research projects, and collect samples of student work from these projects. They will review the collected work to ensure (1) that the student work reflects the experiences deemed necessary for learning the expected skills and knowledge, and (2) to help to establish standards for successful completion.

Decisions Oriented to Improving Learning : The Undergraduate Studies Committee will report the results of the review, and will propose changes to the curriculum at the first fall physics faculty meeting, immediately after the Qualifying examination results are discussed.

Faculty Expectation for Student Learning #3 : Students will begin to conduct original scientific research, to collaborate with others, and to evaluate scientific literature.

Learning Experiences #1 : In the option Junior Seminar course (309), students review current research topics and present their analysis of the merit and feasibility of a potential senior research project.

Learning Experiences #2 : In optional independent research, students perform original research under the mentorship of faculty members.

Learning Experiences #3 : In the required senior research project (451/452) or Honors Project (495/496), students perform original research under the mentorship of an individual faculty member. For each project, students review the relevant scientific literature and collaborate with a minimum of one other researcher.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #1 : Faculty members who teach the Junior Seminar use projects and papers to evaluate how well learning expectations are being met.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #3 : Beginning in 2005 and for every year following that resources are available, the two members of the Undergraduate Studies Committee will spend two weeks interviewing the faculty who teach the research projects, and collect samples of student work from these projects. They will review the collected work to ensure (1) that the student work reflects the experiences deemed necessary for learning the expected skills and knowledge, and (2) to help to establish standards for successful completion.

Decisions Oriented to Improving Learning : The Undergraduate Studies Committee will report the results of the review, and will propose changes to the curriculum at the first fall physics faculty meeting, immediately after the Qualifying examination results are discussed.

Faculty Expectation for Student Learning #4 : Students will learn to communicate scientific and technical information effectively.

Learning Experiences #2 : In the required senior research project (451/452) or Honors Project (495/496), students perform original research under the mentorship of an individual faculty member. For each project, students demonstrate their communication skills by writing two papers and making two public oral presentations.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #1 : Faculty members who teach the Junior Seminar use presentations to evaluate how well learning expectations are being met.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #2 : Faculty members who mentor the required senior project or Honors Project evaluate the written papers and the oral presentations to determine how well the learning expectations are being met. For the final written and oral presentation, at least one other faculty member also participates in the evaluation.

Student Work Used to Evaluate Learning #3 : Beginning in 2005 and for every year following that resources are available, the two members of the Undergraduate Studies Committee will spend two weeks interviewing the faculty who teach the research projects, and collect samples of student work from these projects. They will review the collected work to ensure (1) that the student work reflects the experiences deemed necessary for learning the expected skills and knowledge, and (2) to help to establish standards for successful completion.

Decisions Oriented to Improving Learning : The Undergraduate Studies Committee will report the results of the review, and will propose changes to the curriculum at the first fall physics faculty meeting, immediately after the Qualifying examination results are discussed.