General Education Assessment in Introductory Psychology

Authors

  • William F. Price North Country Community College Author
  • Douglas R. Wilmes North Country Community College Author
  • Michael S. Turmel North Country Community College Author

Abstract

In 1990 a model of general education, specifying competencies that should be achieved in liberal arts courses, was developed at North Country Community College. Subsequently, the assessment of general education competencies was undertaken, using a course-embedded approach. Students enrolled in Introductory Psychology were pre- and post-tested on the competencies of knowledge (objective and subjective), critical thinking, and writing, all of which had been identified as appropriate for the course. The competencies were assessed with the combination of an objective test and an essay question. Significant gains in all four competencies were found. The methodology used can be applied in courses across the liberal arts curriculum to assess general education competencies.

Published

2024-03-22