East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
The ETBU QEP contains three student-learning outcomes (QEP 31):
•
Students will demonstrate growth in identity. This student-learning outcome
addresses attitudes and values.
•
Students will demonstrate comprehension of the principles of Christian servant
leadership. This student-learning outcome addresses knowledge.
•
Students will demonstrate an integration of a developed identity and the principles of
Christian servant leadership in a service-learning setting. This student-learning
outcome addresses skills and behaviors.
Student-Learning Outcome #1: Students will demonstrate growth in identity.
Six activities and two assessments are linked to the first student-learning outcome (QEP 8-11,
16, 27-28, 32-34, 37-39). The QEP states that the understanding of identity development can be
conceptualized as “the result of interplay between two dimensions: (1) exploration of identity
alternatives and (2) commitment to specific identity choices.” (QEP 8) The students’
demonstration of growth in identity formation is operationalized by simultaneously considering
the two conceptual dimensions of crisis and commitment.
Crisis involves self-reported exploration and active examination of identity issues in the areas of
vocation and ideology. Identity exploration involves problem-solving activities aimed at eliciting
information about oneself and the environment in order to make important life decisions. Such
activities are also important because they generate alternatives that call into question initial
preferences forcing individuals to critically appraise options and choose the one supported by
the best reasons. Commitment pertains to self-reported personal investment in the values,
beliefs, and goals that one professes.
All individuals are classified in one of four behavioral identity categories, listed from least
preferable to most preferable (QEP 8-9):
1. Diffused: individuals who are neither committed nor presently dealing with relevant
identity issues. These individuals have been associated with high risk for a number of
maladaptive outcomes, including academic problems, use and abuse of drugs, and poor
interpersonal skills.
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
2. Foreclosed: committed persons who have not had a personal crisis; these individuals
tend to adopt beliefs and values of significant others. They also display some degree of
closed-mindedness, smug self-satisfaction, rigidity, authoritarianism, and the tendency to
report relatively conflict-free, idealized relationships with parents.
3. Moratorium: uncommitted individuals currently engaged in a crisis or period of selfexamination.
4. Achieved: committed individuals who have experienced and personally resolved an
active crisis or period of self-examination. Achieved is the most mature status because
it is associated with balanced thinking, effective decision making, and deep interpersonal
relationships.
The goal of ETBU’s emphasis upon identity growth is to move students (generally categorized
as foreclosed) to the category of achieved. To assist in the progression to this category, best
practices suggest activities including personal reflection, active participation, group
discussions, interpersonal feedback, challenge of unexamined beliefs, and altruism. The
QEP activities for the first student-learning outcome are as follows:
1. The religion department honor code incorporates active participation, group
discussions, and challenge of unexamined beliefs. Encouraging student
participation in the development and use of an honor code will foster unity, integrity,
trust, responsibility, personal growth, and leadership among the student body. The key
to this activity is the transformation of the religion department into a participatory
democracy where students share decision-making rights. Group discussions will provide
opportunities for the crisis and commitment experiences that operationalize the concept
of identity formation.
2. The faculty mentoring incorporates personal reflection, active participation,
interpersonal feedback, and challenge of unexamined beliefs. The faculty mentor
will use reflective essays, results from required activities, and the Identity Style Inventory
(ISI) instrument to engage students in discussions related to crisis exploration and
commitment. The goal is to encourage students to adopt an informational identity
processing style (QEP 9). For a complete explanation of the ISI, see the discussion on
page 5 of this recommendation response.
3. The developmental activities embedded in selected courses incorporate personal
reflection, active participation, interpersonal feedback, and challenge of
unexamined beliefs. Activities contained in the selected general education and religion
courses are designed to challenge students’ unexamined beliefs by exposing students
to viewpoints, experiences, and alternatives that they have not previously encountered.
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
These activities are also designed to make students aware of the principles and
examples of Christian servant leadership, challenging them to adopt this leadership
model as preferable to other leadership models.
4. The community projects incorporate personal reflection, active participation, group
discussions, interpersonal feedback, challenge of unexamined beliefs, and
altruism. By contextualizing the students’ values within an environment that focuses
outside of themselves, it is hoped that the students will develop the proper capacities to
make sound moral and social judgments. It has been found that students who
participate in service-learning projects are more likely to “learn more efficiently, more
effectively, and remember what they have learned much longer than students who do
not.” (QEP 21) Along with participating in the project, students will be required to write
reflectively upon their experiences. It is this component of reflection and self-appraisal
that transforms service into service-learning and helps to grow and mature a student’s
identity. The literature states that service-learning fosters social awareness and
conscience in students, and it exposes them to community and social justice issues such
as equality, poverty, racism, mental health issues, and more.
5. The monthly seminars (referenced in the QEP as monthly meetings) incorporate
personal reflection, active participation, group discussions, interpersonal
feedback, and challenge of unexamined beliefs. The goal of these seminars is to
help students think and talk about themselves and how they have become what they
are, as well as how they want to develop in the future. The leaders of these meetings
will encourage questioning of choices made and an increased tolerance for ambiguity
and complexity. Group discussions within the seminars will provide opportunities for
crisis and commitment. Discussions will require problem-solving behavior that not only
seeks to make a decision about important life choices, but in the process also elicits
information about oneself, others, and the ideal of Christian servant leadership. As
students reflect on the feelings, ideas, and values generated in these group discussions,
they will have opportunity to question and redefine the values that give rise to their
feelings. Later, when the redefined values are tested through conduct, new feelings and
new reflections may emerge presenting the possibility for further redefinitions of
students’ thinking about themselves as servant leaders.
6. The planning and conducting of a spring chapel/assembly program incorporates
personal reflection, active participation, group discussions, interpersonal
feedback, and challenge of unexamined beliefs. The purpose of this activity is to
develop responsibility as a member within a community, such responsibility fosters both
identity development and servant leadership. This activity will also involve group
discussions pertaining to the content and presentation of the chapel/assembly program.
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
This provides opportunities for the crisis and commitment experiences that
operationalize the concept of identity formation.
These six activities will certainly impact student-learning by incorporating the best practices
identified in scholarly literature. In the light of extensive scholarship in recent research, the
transformative effects of identity development have been demonstrated, particularly the
significant relationship between identity development and enhanced academic achievement as
stated in the QEP document (QEP 27-28). The structuring of such educational programs and
intentional intervention in support of identity development is aptly and specifically defined in the
QEP and in the scholarly literature (QEP 16).
The degree to which the above activities are successful in aiding the students’ progress toward
the behavioral identity category of “achieved” will be measured by two assessment instruments:
1. The Identity Style Inventory (ISI). The ISI consists of thirty-two items utilizing a Likerttype scale (QEP 37). This instrument assesses the students’ identity processing style.
The three identity styles are (1) the diffuse-avoidant, (2) the normative, and (3) the
informational (QEP 9-10). The ISI will be given to all religion majors each fall semester.
Evidence for identity growth is seen by an increasing score in the informational identity
processing style which is preferred (QEP 9).
2. The Ego Identity Process Questionnaire (EIPQ). The EIPQ consists of thirty-two items
utilizing a six-point Likert-type scale. The EIPQ will be utilized to assess the dimensions
of identity status (i.e., diffused, foreclosed, moratorium, and achieved). This
questionnaire will be given to religion majors during the fall of their freshman year and
again during their senior year. This instrument provides separate scores for both crisis
exploration and commitment. The sign of growth would be an increasing score in both
areas of the measurement.
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
Figure 1: Alignment and Linkage of Student-Learning Outcome #1 with Activities and
Assessments
Student‐Learning Outcome
Students will demonstrate growth in identity
Activities
Religion Department Honor Code
Faculty Mentoring
Developmental Activities Embedded in Courses
Community Projects
Monthly Seminars
Assessments
Ego Identity Process Questionnaire (EIPQ)
Identity Style Inventory (ISI)
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Planning and Conducting Spring Chapel/Assembly Program
East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
Student-Learning Outcome #2: Students will demonstrate comprehension of the principles of
Christian servant leadership.
Three activities and four assessments are linked to the second student-learning outcome (QEP
16-18, 20-21, 28-29, 32-34, 37-38). Simultaneous with the development of identity is the
students’ cognitive understanding of the principles of Christian servant leadership. Foundational
to the ultimate goal of the integration of the two concepts is the accomplishment of this studentlearning outcome; understanding comes before behavior.
Rooted in Greenleaf’s ten qualitative characteristics of servant leadership, the QEP will
emphasize comprehension of the following: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion,
conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and community
building.
To assist the student to achieve the goal of demonstrating comprehension of the principles of
Christian servant leadership, best practices suggest that activities incorporate the following:
team building, group discussions, classroom instruction, and group projects that involve
altruism (QEP 21). Activities aimed at the accomplishment of the second student-learning
outcome are as follows:
1. The developmental activities embedded in selected courses incorporate group
discussions and classroom instruction. Activities contained in the selected courses
are designed primarily to educate students regarding the principles of Christian servant
leadership. RLGN 2340, Ministry Formations; RLGN 4303, Christian Servant
Leadership; RLGN 4260, Religion Capstone; and RLGN 4350, Internship in Religion all
have a quantitative element that will be assessed through examinations, essays, or
portfolios.
2. The community projects incorporate team building, group discussions, and altruism.
The goal of this activity is for the principles of Christian servant leadership to become
actualized in a service setting. These community projects are intentionally designed to
assist students in achieving each of the student-learning outcomes. For a complete
explanation of this activity, see page 4 of this recommendation response.
3. The monthly seminars incorporate personal reflection, active participation, group
discussions, interpersonal feedback, challenge to unexamined beliefs, and
altruism. The goal of these seminars is to help students think and talk about
themselves and how they have become what they are, as well as how they want to
develop in the future. These seminars are designed to assist students in achieving each
of the student-learning outcomes. For a complete explanation of this activity, see page 4
of this recommendation response.
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
These activities impact student-learning in support of the University’s Mission Statement that
emphasizes the development of Christian character as part of the University’s purpose: “[F]or
we believe that these endeavors prepare students to accept the obligations and opportunities to
serve humanity and the Kingdom of God” (2008-2009 Academic Catalog 9). Understanding and
practicing Christian servant leadership is foundational to Christian character as stated in the
QEP, “The intent of the QEP is to enhance student-learning through a strong faith-based
approach to the teaching of the philosophy and principles of Christian servant leadership” (QEP
29).
Student comprehension and acceptance of Christian servant leadership principles as
demonstrated in thoughts, behaviors, and world views will be measured in three specific
courses and by one assessment instrument:
1. Embedded assessments in RLGN 2340, Ministry Formations, will be test questions.
Student comprehension and acceptance of Christian servant leadership principles will be
demonstrated by an acceptable score on embedded assessments of at least 70 percent.
2. Embedded assessments in RLGN 4260, Religion Capstone, will be test questions on the
senior exit examination. Students will demonstrate an understanding of leadership
principles by scoring 70 percent or better on the embedded questions.
3. Embedded assessments in RLGN 4303, Christian Servant Leadership, will be test
questions. Students will demonstrate knowledge of Christian servant leadership
principles by scoring at least 70 percent on the embedded assessments.
4. The Servant Leadership Self Profile. This self-assessment instrument utilizes a sevenpoint Likert-type scale measuring the characteristics of servant leadership. The
instrument consists of sixty-two questions which are randomized. The questions are
interpreted using seven factors: developing and empowering others, power and pride
(vulnerability and humility), authentic leadership, open or participatory leadership,
inspiring leadership, visionary leadership, and courageous leadership. In this
instrument, servant leadership is defined by both the presence of certain positive
qualities (servanthood, leadership, visioning, developing others, empowering others,
team-building, shared decision-making, and integrity) and the absence of certain
negative qualities (abuse of power and control, and pride and narcissism). One way to
identify servant leadership is a high score on the factors that involve servanthood and
leadership, and a low score on abuse of power and pride. Scoring high on abuse of
power and pride automatically disqualifies one as a servant leader. An average score of
5.6 or above on the positive qualities indicates a strong servant leader. On the negative
qualities, the desirable average score is 2.0 or below. This assessment will be given to
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
all incoming religion majors; the students will then be retested in the last semester of
their senior year. Growth in servant leadership will be demonstrated by an increasing
score in the positive factors and a decreasing score in the negative factor.
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
Figure 2: Alignment and Linkage of Student-Learning Outcome #2 with Activities and
Assessments
Student‐Learning Outcome
Students will demonstrate comprehension of the principles of Christian servant leadership
Activities
Developmental Activities Embedded in Courses
Community Projects
Monthly Seminars
Assessments
Embedded Assessments in RLGN 2340
Embedded Assessments in RLGN 4260
Embedded Assessments in RLGN 4303
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The Servant Leadership Self Profile
East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
Student-Learning Outcome #3: Students will demonstrate an integration of a developed identity
and the principles of Christian servant leadership in a service-learning setting.
Five activities and four assessments are linked to the third student-learning outcome (QEP 2122, 25-26, 29-30, 37-38). The climax of the QEP involves the successful completion of the third
student-learning outcome. By demonstrating effective Christian character in a service-learning
setting (e.g., church, governmental social services, etc.), students must display an effectual
integration of a mature identity and the principles of Christian servant leadership.
According to best practices, three key components should be present for effective servicelearning experiences (QEP 30):
1. Experiential education that enhances both student-learning and teacher effectiveness
by complementing and expanding available pedagogical methods, when it is appropriate
to the course;
2. Community service linked to academic achievement and course objectives enriches
the community, the students, and the faculty, distinguishing service-learning from
volunteerism;
3. Ongoing and effective reflection, through which students understand the relevance
and educational value of the community service.
With these three elements in mind, five activities were formulated:
1. The completion of a growth portfolio. This exercise incorporates ongoing and effective
reflection. Students will complete a portfolio which will be evaluated by using a rubric.
The portfolio will include essay responses to specific questions related to identity growth
and the principles of Christian servant leadership. In addition, the portfolio will include
an essay pertaining to the student’s growth in academic, spiritual, intellectual,
behavioral, and/or emotional areas. The growth portfolio will be a requirement within
RLGN 4260, Religion Capstone.
2. The successful completion of RLGN 4350, Internship in Religion. The internship
incorporates experiential education, community service, and ongoing and effective
reflection. Students will complete an in-service education assignment consisting of at
least 150 direct-contact hours in a ministry/service setting. Their activities will be under
the guidance of a mentor at the service location/organization who will interact with the
student throughout the internship experience. Each week the student will submit a report
to the faculty member responsible for oversight of the internship experience, and in this
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
report the student will reflect on the progress of the internship. As the student engages in
service to others, the student’s preconceived expectations of ministry will be challenged.
3. Planning and conducting a spring chapel/assembly program. This activity addresses the
community service and the experiential education components. The planning and
conducting of a chapel program imparts a sense of responsibility within a Christian
community and demands the integration of identity development and servant leadership
to be effective.
4. The participation in monthly seminars. These seminars incorporate ongoing and
effective reflection. The goal of these seminars is to help students think and talk about
themselves and how they have become what they are, as well as how they want to
develop in the future. The goal of the last year of these seminars is for the seniors to
have the ability to think and talk about their identity and the principles of Christian
servant leadership in an integrative fashion. These seminars are designed to assist
students in achieving each of the student-learning outcomes. For a complete
explanation of this activity, see page 4 of this recommendation response.
5. The successful completion of community projects. This activity addresses both the
community service and the experiential education components. The goal of this
activity is to provide students the opportunity to express their integration of a mature
identity and learned principles of Christian servant leadership in a service setting. These
community projects are intentionally designed to assist students in achieving each of the
student-learning outcomes. For a complete explanation of this activity, see page 4 of
this recommendation response.
These five activities impact student learning for numerous reasons by presenting an
environment in which to demonstrate the integration of identity development and Christian
servant leadership principles. Research, as given in the QEP document, has found that
students participating in service-learning learn more efficiently, effectively, and remember much
longer what they have learned, longer than students not engaged in such experiences. Servicelearning, as a well-established, effective teaching strategy, engages students’ multiple senses in
more meaningful ways and involves them in multiple human interactions. Course-based
service-learning has produced higher levels of learning (enhanced GPAs, classroom
engagement, effective written communication and critical thinking skills), leadership, and identity
maturity (QEP 21-22, 29-30).
The four assessments related to the third student-learning outcome are as follows:
1. Embedded assessments in RLGN 4260, Religion Capstone, pertaining to identity
development, the demonstration of the knowledge of the principles of Christian servant
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
leadership, and the integration of both will include test questions on the senior exit
examination. Students will demonstrate their understanding of these three elements by
a score of 70 percent or better on the embedded questions.
2. The Servant Leadership Self Profile. During the graduating religion majors’ last
semester, students will be asked to again complete the Servant Leadership Self Profile.
The results of this retest will be compared to those obtained from the initial testing (given
to entering religion majors). Growth in servant leadership will be demonstrated by an
increasing score in the positive factors and a decreasing score in the negative factor.
For a complete explanation of this instrument, see pages 8-9 of this recommendation
response.
3. Embedded assessments in RLGN 4350, Internship in Religion. Each student enrolled in
the religion internship will be assigned a field supervisor. The supervisor’s evaluation
instrument specifically designed for this course consists of two parts. Part A requires a
supervisor to evaluate the student intern utilizing a Likert-type scale related to
observable personal characteristics and professional relationships pertaining to identity
development. Part B requires a field supervisor to assess the student intern utilizing an
instrument that revises Spears’ ten characteristics of servant leadership into seven
Christian ministry constructs (listening, empathy and building community, healing,
awareness and persuasion, conceptualization and foresight, stewardship, and
commitment to the growth of people). Each construct reflects application to vocational
Christian ministry. Student interns are assessed on each of the seven constructs
utilizing a five-point Likert-type scale. Field supervisors will present both parts of the
evaluation instrument to the intern and explain their assessments of the student. This
instrument will be used to assess the integration of identity development and the
principles of Christian servant leadership for each student. Successful integration is
demonstrated by a score of at least twenty-eight out of a possible thirty-five on Part B of
the evaluation instrument.
4. The Servant Leadership Profile 360. This assessment instrument is a replacement of
the Servant Leadership Assessment Instrument (SLAI) mentioned in the original QEP.
The decision to make the change was due to the fact that the 360 Profile was designed
to work in conjunction with the Servant Leadership Self Profile. As with the SLAI, the
360 Profile is a direct assessment by peers, colleagues, or supervisees of how a student
applies the principles of Christian servant leadership. The 360 Profile contains identical
questions and rating scale as used in the Self Profile. The same average scores that
are desirable on the Self Profile are also applicable to the 360 Profile: 5.6 or above on
the positive qualities and 2.0 or below on the negative qualities. The 360 Profile score
can be compared to the Self Profile score. If this comparison results in a significant
difference, it indicates that the student has a view of his/her leadership qualities that is
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
not shared by others. The successful integration of a developed identity and the
principles of Christian servant leadership will be demonstrated by having an average
score of 5.6 or above on the positive qualities on both the Self Profile and the 360 Profile
and an average of 2.0 or below on the negative qualities on both Profiles.
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East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
Figure 3: Alignment and Linkage of Student-Learning Outcome #3 with Activities and
Assessments
Student‐Learning Outcome
Students will demonstrate an integration of a developed identity and the principles of Christian servant leadership in a service‐learning setting
Activities
RLGN 4260: completion of a growth portfolio
RLGN 4350: completion of a service‐learning internship
Planning and Conducting a Spring Chapel/Assembly Program
Monthly Seminars
Assessments
Embedded Assessments in RLGN 4260
The Servant Leadership Self Profile
Embedded Assessments in RLGN 4350
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The Servant Leadership Profile 360
Community Projects
East Texas Baptist University
Implementation Plan
SACS On-Site Committee Suggestions
In developing the QEP, the University developed five institutional goals and objectives listed on
page 31 that are perceived to be programmatic goals. The University recognizes the
suggestions made by the On-Site Committee related to grades, retention, and job placement.
The QEP Implementation Committee will consider these suggestions as they implement the
plan.
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