A. Departmental Major’s Assessment Plan.
1. Department Mission State for the Major's Assessment.
The
Department of Theology is the core academic foundation of St. Ambrose as a
Catholic institution of higher learning. It strives to provide for
its
majors an opportunity to
engage the rich theological tradition of the Judeo/Christian-Catholic
community, as well as the
contemporary
theological
developments
and currents as they continue to evolve from the renewal of the Church in the
Second Vatican Council.
The
department seeks to communicate to its majors the discipline of theology as an
interpretive and speculative science, in the words of St. Anselm, “ Faith
seeking Understanding.” It
strives to provide its majors the opportunity to develop their own critical
thinking skills and continued faith development by contact with the major
sources of theological thought. The department likewise guides majors in their
growing capacity to express and assess this material clearly and concisely
within verbal and oral forms.
The
department is committed to serving the formational needs of majors through
courses in moral theology, prayer and spirituality,
an active life of worship, attendance at public theological lectures,
involvement in social-justice issues, service-learning ministry and ecumenical
interaction.
2. Learning Objectives for Majors.
A.
Knowledge.
An awareness of and appreciation for the rich tradition of the Judeo-Christian
Catholic tradition from biblical/patristic sources to the present, emphasizing
the most recent theological/pastoral synthesis of Vatican Council II.
B.
Understanding.
A comprehension of, and ability to articulate in oral and written form the
discipline of theology(including Sacred Scripture) as an interpretive,
speculative, and practical science, and to critically reflect upon their own
faith journey.
C.
Witness/Mission.
To conform one’s personal life in support of the Christian/Catholic tradition
of witness through a life of prayer, worship, service to the poor, and
involvement in social/moral transformation.
3.
Methods for Assessment of Major’s Program.
A.
Monitoring
Class Syllabi. Each year the
department, through the Chair, will assess and make recommendations for the
continued improvement in reforming Syllabi, reinforcing the need to monitor
goals and objectives, offering appropriate and challenging written work, as well
as opportunities within some courses to express theology via oral communication
and public presentation.
B.
Senior
Seminar. The goal of this capstone
course is to offer theology majors the opportunity of synthesizing and
integrating theological method and reflection, utilizing the framework of
theological themes and major area of study. It challenges majors to do research
and writing on a chosen area and specified theme as a means of assessing their
theological competency and ability to effectively communicate theory and
practice in public forum.
C.
Entrance/
Exit Focus Group. When students
declare themselves as theology majors the department will conduct an initial
survey of student’s theological, faith, spiritual background, along with a
sample of written work to be placed in their file. This will be used in
evaluating both theological and faith-growth at the end of the major’s Senior
Seminar. In addition, the department will solicit assistance from another
department in an exit interview with senior majors,
reflecting upon the senior’s four year experience through a series of
questions examining four categories: [1] overall growth in theological
reflection and understanding; [2] ability to make practical applications in
one’s spiritual, moral, sacramental, educational, and career life; [3]
theological challenge to grow in a deeper faith-level and commitment; [4]
effective teaching and
instructor/learner interaction, so as to encourage major’s ownership of
theological program and learning. These surveys will be collected over a period
of between
two to three years. This tri-annual approach is necessary because of the
low numbers of graduating majors in theology. The faculty member outside our
department conducting the surveys will then write a short
assessment report and submit it to the
department for review.
D.
Documentation of Major’s Assessment.
Files
will be kept in the office of the Dept. Chair of all senior seminar papers and
presentations. Along with the short evaluation of Exit Focus Group Surveys, the
department will review these materials one year prior to each Five- Year Program
Review. They will then be used as a means of initiating changes and evaluation
of teaching and learning.
E.
Assessing the Departmental Major Assessment Plan
The
Department will evaluate the effectiveness of our assessment plan one year prior
to each Program Review. Because of the low numbers of majors we cannot establish
an effective means of assessment based on one or two representative major files.
Processing five to six majors the department will provide a more thorough
evaluation of assessment tools.
4.
Assessment of Teaching and Learning.
A. The
overall assessment of competent theological education and formation is evidenced
in both the growth of majors in our program: up from three in our 1998 Program
Review to thirteen in our present review. Majors
not only successfully complete the department’s requirements but opt for
taking more upper level courses and are consistently admitted to study certain
courses by cross-electing with graduate MPS students. Their theological
competency in written and oral skills are of equal ranking with beginning
graduate students. Class interaction in these graduate courses and group
projects affirm the growth in the quality of their theological education and
faith formation on an undergraduate level.
B. The
growth in numbers has prompted the department to sponsor a number of
interactions with the full faculty,
beginning with a welcoming
dinner in the Fall, a major’s meeting with the Chair prior to Fall and Spring
registration (used also as a forum for open discussion of the needs,
recommendations, vision of majors), and
finally, an end of the year social picnic as a means of thanking majors for
their contribution and effort.
C. In
evaluating the effectiveness of our previous portfolio system it was decided
that we replace this tool with a more focused and controlled means of assessing
teaching/learning through a new Senior Seminar. This will allow both professors
and students to interactively create a learning environment and collectively
synthesize areas of learning throughout the major’s experience.
D. While
the present requirements for majors in quite satisfactory, it is the unanimous
will of the department to create a more effective tool of assessment in the
Senior Seminar. In addition to this capstone course, the department desires to
reinforce the holistic approach of our mission statement to include a mandatory
service-learning component for all majors. This has already proven to be quite
effective since most majors voluntarily choose to do a service-learning project.
The department will work carefully with the Service-Learning Director in
crafting appropriate projects for majors.
5.
Assessment of Teaching: Goals for Theology Courses that meet the
Criteria for Gen. Ed. Requirements in the Humanities
{Cf. Appendix A and B pages 16-17, also Report of Director of Gen. Ed. Program}
Appendix A. How
the Department of Theology achieves Gen.
Ed. Goals in
the Liberal Arts and Humanities.
1.
Skills
a.
written communication
b.
oral
communication
c.
interpersonal/collaborative
skills
d.
critical
thinking skills
2.
Understanding/Content: Knowing in the Humanities.
e.
Recognize humanities as a way of knowing that critically and analytically
examine, interpret, and reflect on the human condition and experience.
f.
Understand the diverse methods of inquiry, including reason, scholarly use of
evidence, historical analysis, faith experience, and aesthetic
sense, that characterize the humanities.
g.
Understand and use materials of the humanities, and recognize how these
materials shape, and are shaped by their cultural contexts.
h.
Explore aesthetic experience, and issues of values and goodness
i.
Become a thoughtful and reflective participant in disciplinary conversations,
oral and written, while recognizing the implications of those
discussions for addressing personally significant problems of human choice and
determination.
3.
Attitudes/Values.
j.
respect for differences.
k.
freedom of inquiry
l.
justice
and equality
m.
self-responsibility
and autonomy
n.
caring, service, community responsibility
o. aesthetic sense.