ASSESSMENT PLAN
revised 1994-95
All 400 level PHIL courses are capstone courses for our minors. Their writings will build
on all their earlier course work. We will encourage our minors to submit papers for
presentation at conferences. added
1998-99
Additionally, the awarding of the O.K. Bouwsma scholarships (awarded by the philosophy
faculty based on superior papers) to some of our minors will be an indication of the
quality of student writing.
A senior seminar reexamining readings assigned earlier in the course of study. Papers from
the earlier class would be compared with papers at the senior level.
|
2000-2001 ASSESSMENT
The quality of writing from our minors in these and other upper division courses continues
to set a high standard. Papers from some of our students were, again, exceptional.Two of our minors were awarded full scholarships
from the O.K. Bouwsma Philosophy scholarship fund, and six others were awarded partial
scholarships. Seven others were awarded one-course scholarships to take an upper division
course in philosophy. Many of them have indicated that they wish to minor (or, if it were
possible, to major) in philosophy.
Student papers were accepted at the
Conference on Language and Literature, the National Association of Scholars’
Interdisciplinary Conference on Higher Education, the National Conference of Undergraduate
Research, and for publication in the UNK undergraduate research journal.
One of our students was accepted (on the
basis of written papers) to the PEW Summer Seminars at the University of Notre Dame, and
was selected as an Honors Scholar by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute for a week long
seminar at Oxford University. |
1999-2000 ASSESSMENT
This year we again offered three 400 level courses. The quality of writing from our minors
remained very high, some of the papers being exceptional, better than any we have seen in
years. Two of our minors were awarded full scholarships from the O.K. Bouwsma Philosophy
scholarship fund, and four others were awarded partial scholarships. Student papers were
accepted at the Conference on Language and Literature, and for publication in the UNK
undergraduate journal.The desire
for a major is growing among our minors, as well as frustration at not having the proposal
approved. |
1998-99 ASSESSMENT
Students minoring in Philosophy demonstrated a high quality of writing in all of our 400
level courses. Three 400 level courses were offered this year. Three of our minors were
awarded full scholarships on the basis of their writing, and two others received partial
scholarships. Students had papers accepted at the Conference on Language and Literature in
Omaha and the Meeting of the Society of Christian Philosophers in St. Louis, MO.There continues to be strong student demand for a
philosophy major. |
1997-98 ASSESSMENT
The minors did well in the capstone courses this year. They has papers accepted and
presented at UNK's Student Conference on Language and Literature, the National Conference
on Undergraduate Research in Salisbury, MD, and the Eastern division meeting of the
Society of Christian Philosophers in Newark, Delaware. Students continue to express appreciation for the quality of
education that they receive in the program and continue to lobby the legislature for a
major in Philosophy at UNK. |
1996-97 ASSESSMENT
Our minors demonstrated in the capstone courses a good understanding of philosophical
concepts and the ability to write about them.Student work was presented at the Student Conference on Language and
Literature at UNK as well as at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in
Austin, Texas. |
1995-96 ASSESSMENT
Student writing in the capstone courses show that the minors are well prepared for this
level of work.Student work was
accepted for presentation at the Missouri Shakespeare Conference. The program will
continue to encourage students to submit their work for evaluation and presentation at
conferences.
Students continue to support efforts to
create a philosophy major at the UNK. |
1994-95 ASSESSMENT
Student work continues to confirm that our students are showing definite improvement in
their ability to read and comprehend philosophical works and are growing in the ability to
critically examine ideas and present that work in written form.
Since students reported needing more courses with the Writing Intensive designation, all
the 400 level Philosophy courses will become WI. Students also report that they would like
a major in philosophy but as yet this has been impossible. The program will continue to
pursue this goal. |
1993-94 ASSESSMENT
The major has not been approved, so we have not created the senior capstone course at this
time. When the major is approved we will do so. We are currently assessing the students in our general studies courses
through a series of writing assignments and an examination sequence structured such that
the student has to move from explaining specific philosophical ideas to analyzing and
applying, (e.g., use Aristotle's doctrine of mean to describe the various character in
Hamlet). We find that our students profit from this writing intensive approach although
there is much student resistance in the initial stages.
The faculty meets regularly to discuss
and evaluate the students' progress. We will continue to use this writing intensive
approach, and as a faculty work toward improving assignments that will facilitate the
students' more complete assimilation of the material studied, in addition to mastering the
ability to grasp the logic of different philosophical positions. We will also continue to
be available to give individual help and encouragement to students as they work with
philosophical ideas and their writing.
In our introductory classes we are
encouraging students to keep their papers in a file which will be reviewed by the
professor who will evaluate their progress over the semester. |
