Program assessment
The University Writing Committee (UWC) is committed to ensuring that the University Writing Programs (UWP) operate as effectively as possible. Toward that end, the UWC views program assessment as one of its chief responsibilities. Assessments are intended not only to understand the efficacy of current initiatives, but also to determine in what other ways the UWP might be able to foster a culture of writing at UNH.
Currently, the UWC and UWP are completing a comprehensive review of the University Writing Requirement (UWR). Ongoing projects include annual writing center assessments, faculty focus groups, interviews with student writers and continuations of the surveys mentioned below. In coming semesters, the UWC will be partnering with various stakeholders – deans, departments, faculty, administrators – to develop student writing and communication outcomes. This assessment plan meets a timely need for UNH and its writing programs; we hope to create opportunities to understand student writing, to support the integration of writing across the UNH curriculum, and to make recommendations regarding the current Writing Requirement.
Review of the University Writing Requirement
The first discrete stage of this review was the Chairs Survey [PDF], administered in the spring of 2005. The Chairs Survey sought to gauge department chairs' perceptions of the UWR, of Writing Intensive courses, and of writing in general at the department/program level. It also sought to define challenges unique to WI course instruction and to determine what departments and programs need in order to improve implementation of the UWR. Results of this survey have been presented at a variety of meetings, including the Chairs Annual Workshop in August of 2005.
Another obvious dimension of this assessment effort is the review of WI courses. Since implementation, there has been a routine review process in place for WI course approval. Existing evidence indicates that UNH offers an adequate distribution of WI courses for students to fulfill the Writing Requirement in all programs. In addition, ongoing assistance has been available for both faculty and students who voluntarily seek help, not only for work in WI courses, but also for any work with writing. However, we currently have only anecdotal information on what is happening in WI courses that have been implemented.
In 2003, a dedicated but limited student survey in a small number of WI courses had inconclusive results. Therefore, the Committee decided to survey both faculty and students in all WI courses during AY 2005-2006. The salient objective of the WI Course Survey [PDF] of faculty and students was to help determine the efficacy of the current Writing Requirement. This survey was administered to students in conjunction with the end-of-course TEV survey. Students answered seven objective questions. Institutional Research provided assistance with survey administration and results. A matched but more substantial survey of 10 questions was administered to faculty electronically via the Writing Program’s Blackboard site. Faculty received a message explaining the purpose, use, and context of the survey to include information on the student version of the survey. Deans and faculty were then offered a chance to see the results of the surveys and an opportunity to discuss those results during the spring of2006.
Another dimension of the review is Four Years of Writing, a longitudinal study of UNH student writers aimed at finding out how they develop as writers during the undergraduate experience. Pilot studies conducted during AY 2005-07 and a high school study in spring 2008 established an operational protocol and survey instruments for this effort. In the future, we hope to implement a longer-term study that follows students throughout their studies at UNH.
This assessment effort and the ongoing, routine work with writing at UNH show that the "culture of writing" at UNH will continue to thrive and evolve for the benefit of our students. We believe that the strength of writing instruction at UNH lies in the breadth, depth, and diversity of student and faculty involvement.