Assessment and Placement Process
Introduction
The Assessment and Placement Process at North Central State College (NCSC) consists of
four basic steps: 1) Admissions, 2) Assessment, 3) Advising and 4) Scheduling, Courses,
Orientation and Registration (SCOR). Additional steps are involved for those seeking financial
aid or other special services.
These steps typically require four visits. Admissions is covered in the first visit. The second
visit focuses on Assessment (COMPASS tests) and assessment debriefing. Student Success
Center staff encourages applicants to prepare for the COMPASS test and to be rested before
taking the test. Advising occurs during the third visit and the final visit is for SCOR.
.
Each of these steps is described below.
Admission
Individuals interested in being admitted to North Central State College (NCSC) can apply on-line
and then make an appointment with the admissions office for a personalized planning session
which provides guidance on enrollment steps. Alternatively, individuals can go directly to the
admissions office, fill out an admissions form and proceed with the personalized planning
session. The NCSC website provides an overview of the admissions and enrollment process.
During the planning session disability services are reviewed. The Office of Disability Services
coordinates support services that assist student with physical, sensory, attention deficit and
learning disabilities. These services provide an equal opportunity for students to achieve their
maximum educational potential.
The availability of financial aid, including types of aid available (grants, loans, work study and
scholarships), eligibility requirements and the application process are discussed during the
planning session. The Financial Aid Office is available to assist those individuals interested in
financial aid.
Students, new or returning to the college, are required to take either the ACT or the COMPASS
assessments by their 13th credit hour preferably, before registering for their first courses.
Advisors can then direct students to developmental classes or developmental education options
during their first quarter of school. Approximately 80% of applicants take the COMPASS tests.
Some students seeking admission have already taken ACT or COMPASS. Admissions reviews
their ACT or COMPASS scores to see if they placed into college level English and math. The
college’s cut scores are used to determine course placement (See Addendum A). Students are
encouraged to retest if they score below the college cut scores for either English or math.
Students considering retesting are strongly encouraged to prepare for retesting at the computer
lab, at the tutoring center or through the use of COMPASS preparation websites.
Students who already completed an associate's degree or bachelor's degree may not be
required to take the COMPASS test. The Admissions Office determines if previous credit can
be used to replace the COMPASS test. Applicants transferring from another institution of higher
education are immediately eligible to take college level reading/writing and math courses.
Assessment
The assessment process determines an applicant's course placement. The three academic
areas covered in the assessment are:
• Reading - May be waived with an ACT score of 18 and above or transfer credit for
ENG101
• Writing - May be waived with an ACT score of 22 and above or transfer credit for ENG101
• Mathematics - May be waived with an ACT score of 21 and above or transfer credit for
any of the following: MTH121, MTH122, MTH130, MTH130 or higher.
The COMPASS assessment must be completed before any of the following courses can be
taken: RDG116, WRT115, WRT116, ENG101, MTH100, MTH102, MTH103, MTH110, or
MTH121.
Students needing to take the COMPASS assessment schedule an appointment with the Student
Success Center. Appointments are made using AdvisorTrac (AdvisorTrack is the scheduling
and tracking system used by Success Center advisors), and reminder calls are made to the
student the day before the scheduled appointment. The Appointment Reminder sheet given to
students offers a website that students can use to “practice” for the assessment. The sheet also
offers suggestions for the test day, such as being rested. Appointments are available for 3
different time slots during the day and up to 10 people can be tested at each time slot.
All students, except those in Health Sciences and Engineering, take a computer literacy test
(CIS Assessment). Health Sciences and Engineering have courses that include development of
these skills. Students usually take the CIS assessment during their second quarter. Skills are
tested in two separate areas - keyboarding and four computer competency areas - Internet, Email (Outlook), Windows XP (and Word 2007. Successful completion of the CIS Assessment
allows the student to go directly into college level computer classes. If a student does not score
high enough on the keyboarding, s/he is directed to the Tutoring Center to use software to
increase typing speed to a minimum of 24 words per minute. If a student does not pass the
computer literacy assessment, s/he can take CIS 190 or receive tutoring in the Tutoring Center
before retesting.
The computer literacy test can be retaken, but there is a charge to the student to do so. There is
no charge for keyboarding retesting.
Advising
Advisors in the Student Success Center review COMPASS placement results with applicants
immediately upon completion of the assessment. Advisors review the recommended courses
that applicants should take during their first quarter at NCSC and the number of hours involved
with each class, as well as the “developmental courses” required (if any) in reading, writing and
math, as a result of the COMPASS placement test. Alternatives to the developmental classes
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are discussed (Solutions...a more personalized form of developmental education, boot camps,
etc), as well as retest options. The length of time to graduate with the additional developmental
classes is also discussed.
Applicants may retake COMPASS one time, free of charge. Options for increasing math skills
are offered and explained including the boot camp, web based skills development, and the
Tutoring Lab. The college has developed and now offers an English boot camp. In the future,
applicants may be asked to give proof that they have made an attempt to increase their skills.
Currently, they can retake the assessment at will, one time free of charge. They can take
COMPASS free of charge a third time, if they attend a Boot Camp or Solutions.
Applicants who do not place into developmental education, sign up for an appointment to meet
with an advisor to discuss programs requirements and schedule classes. After the initial
meeting and a SCOR session, these “college ready” students do not have to meet with an
advisor again. Students who test into developmental courses are required to meet with advisors
quarterly, until they have completed their developmental sequences and complete their gateway
course.
Scheduling, Courses, Orientation and Registration (SCOR)
All applicants attend a one hour SCOR session. Students are provided with a booklet covering
campus resources, next steps when to register for the next quarter, withdrawal procedures, and
information located on MyNC. Students are provided a username, email account and
Blackboard information, as well as a “to do list” to assure they are ready to begin class on the
first day of the new quarter. Students register for classes and receive a class schedule and bill.
Students evaluate the SCOR session to determine if the learning objectives of the session have
been met.
Directions Advising Program
Applicants who place into developmental education (DE) become part of Directions Advising
Program. The program requires DE students to continue to see an advisor until they:
successfully complete FYE 161; complete all DE courses; are not on probation and have
successfully completed a college level math and a college level English course. All DE students
receive a Welcome Call during the second week of the semester to answer any questions they
might have and welcome them to the college. Directions students will usually meet with an
advisor at least 1 more time during the first quarter, for a total of 3-4 contacts.
First Year Experience (FYE)
All students, except those in the nursing program, are required to take FYE. (It is highly
recommended that nursing students take FYE, and they do so if they test into developmental
courses). DE students take FYE 161, a 3- credit course. The other students take a 1 credit
FYE 101 course.
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FYE 101 - Orientation to College provides an introduction to the nature of higher education
and a general orientation to the function and resources of NCSC. It is designed to help first-year
degree seeking students adjust to NCSC, develop a better understanding of the learning
process, become familiar with NCSC's resources and services, and develop skills to meet their
educational objectives.
FYE 161 - College Survival Skills is designed to increase the student's success in college by
assisting the student in obtaining the knowledge and practical skills necessary to reach his/her
educational objectives. Topics in the course include the expectations of college, time utilization,
test-taking, communication skills, study techniques, listening skills, library use, use of College
resources, and personal issues that face many college students. This course is mandatory for
any student whose reading and writing scores warrant it and available to any student who can
benefit from it.
FYE 161 students also take the Noel-Levitz College Student Inventory during weeks 3, 4 and 5
of the quarter, and review the results in an in-depth advising session with Student Success
Center advisors. This also satisfies the requirement for students to see an advisor during their
first term to discuss registration for the next term. The inventory provides the student with self
assessment of academic motivation, general coping skills and receptivity to support services. It
also offers recommendations for improving personal success as a student.
Assessment and Placement Process - Strengths and Challenges
Strengths
•
All assessment is free, the cost being absorbed by the college, except for those students
taking COMPASS for enrollment at another college. In that case, the cost is $25, paid in
advance at the Cashier’s office.
•
COMPASS is untimed and the assessment in the Center is administered in a soundproof
room, which helps students avoid annoying sounds. The ASSET is also available, which is
the paper/pencil format for those students who are not comfortable assessing in
computerized format.
•
As a result of the assessment, nearly 85% of the students testing place into developmental
math and 65% place into remedial writing. The requirement of mandatory math placement
using COMPASS instead of letting student self place has increased the number of students
placing into developmental math. The LPN program requirement that all students must
complete or test (COMPASS) out of MTH 102 and 103 also increased the percent of
students placing into developmental math. Many college programs had no math
requirements previous prior to Summer 2008. (See Addendum B – Placement Chart, and
Addendum C – Number of Assessments).
•
Students usually take approximately 1 hour per each of the three sections of the
assessment, despite the fact that it is untimed. Many students are “mentally” drained after
completion. The average time students use to take all three sections in 2 ½ hours. For this
reason and others, the SSC established a process whereby students must make another
appointment to meet with an advisor to complete the next step in the enrollment process –
4
to discuss personal and academic challenges, academic goals, programs requirements, and
to select classes. In the past, this was done “in one day”, in a one-stop process after
assessment, which proved too long for students, and too much information for them to
absorb.
•
By requiring students to make an appointment for the next step, students have time to
“absorb” the implications of their placement, which may impact their decision to retest or
pursue one of the “brush up” options. Advisors would spend an entire hour in this next step
with students, only to have them not complete the enrollment process. By having the
additional appointment, some of those students who are not serious may “not” proceed to
the next step, thus saving time, money, and energy on behalf of the advisor and allowing
advisors more time with the truly serious students. This was especially evidenced in
Summer 2009 when hundreds of students flocked to the college in a “panic mode” after the
closing of GM and related industries, only to have the majority not attend at all after going
through the enrollment process.
•
In the next step (Advising Appointment), developmental students are told by advisors that
they must take FYE 161 their first quarter. The advisor then suggests remedial classes,
explaining that the student needs to complete these as quickly as possible, especially since
many of the college’s first quarter technical classes require ENG 101 as a prerequisite. Part
of the challenge is that the current MIS system cannot “force” the student to take the
suggested or remedial classes. If a student decides to drop some of the remedial classes
before the quarter, the system will allow it, and then the SSC advisor addresses this at the
next registration session with the student.
Challenges
•
Most students, according to advisors, may not take the first-time assessment seriously. This
is verified by those students who take the COMPASS during their Tech Prep experience in
high school. Few of these students use the practice websites.
•
Another challenge is that a student may have taken the ACT/COMPASS 10-15 years ago
and placed college level, yet their skill level proves insufficient once they begin the college
level classes.
•
Immediately after the student completes the testing, scores are reviewed by an advisor. The
advisor “debriefs” the student on the scores and the student’s English (reading and writing
results) and math placement. Implications for additional classes, number of quarters and
cost to complete the remediation are discussed. The advisor then reviews options for the
student in order to “retest,” such as using websites, the Tutoring Center or an ACT study
guide. Most students accept their math weaknesses, and only a few contest their English
placement. The experience of students who prepare and then retest, suggests that if more
students took advantage of preparation opportunities (websites, tutoring center, Solutions,
boot camps, etc.) and retested, many more would then qualify for college level courses, or
place in higher level developmental courses.
•
Some advisors do not review the math placement thoroughly with students, so some
students may take a remedial class, only to find that the class is too easy for them. This
5
could be addressed by each advisor reviewing the Final Math Review sheets with the
students, so students are aware of course content. Plans are also in place for the use of a
first-day math test, in the math classes, to confirm accurate placement.
•
Students are permitted to retest once. A third retest is permitted only if the student has taken
one of these options: Solutions/Able program, or Boot Camp. Students retest through those
programs. Tutoring assistance is also available to help prepare for COMPASS testing.
•
Some programs at the college prefer that the students take developmental classes,
especially reading and writing, before beginning their first technical class, because of the
importance of these skills in those fields. Programs like Business do list these prerequisites
for their first technical classes. However, if the program’s first-quarter technical courses do
not have a prerequisite of reading or writing (ex. DMT and Paralegal), there is nothing in
place to actually stop the remedial students from registering for those classes, despite their
advisement. This has caused frustration for some of the faculty who are trying to deal with
students of low reading and writing skills. In addition, if the students “do” take the remedial
classes first, they may add an additional year onto their program, even if they attend fulltime.
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Assessment and Placement Results
2009 COMPASS Results
The results cover all students tested during 2009, including retests. Some are recent
graduates, others graduated several years ago. The number of students tested for English,
Reading and Math will not be the same. Some students have college ready ACT scores in just
one or two areas and have to take the Compass test for the other area(s). Also, students may
retest for just one or two areas, but not all three.
Writing Placement - A total of 1980 applicants were tested:
•
•
•
33% (662) were college ready and placed into ENG 101
47% (924) placed into WRT 116, the highest level of developmental English
20% (394) placed into WRT 115, the lowest level of developmental English
WRT 115
20%
College
Ready
(33%)
ENG 101
33%
Developmental (67%)
WRT 116
47%
Reading Placement - A total of 1874 applicants were tested:
•
•
55% (1022) were college ready and place into ENG 101
45% ( 852) placed into RDG 116, a developmental reading course
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College
Ready
(55%)
RDG 116
45%
Developmental (45%)
ENG 101
55%
Math Placement - A total of 2363 applicants were tested:
•
•
•
•
15 % (350) were college ready and placed into MTH 119/130/141 (1% - 13) or placed into
MTH 110/121 (14% - 337)
19% (442) placed into MTH 103, the highest level of developmental math
32 % (769) placed into MTH 102, the intermediate level of developmental math
34% (802) placed into MTH 100, the lowest level of developmental math
College Ready (15%)
MTH
119/103/141
1%
MTH 110/121
14%
MTH 100
34%
MTH 103
19%
MTH 102
32%
Developmental (85%)
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Cumulative Placements - All Students Tested in 2009
21%
18%
17%
44%
(622) were fully college ready (no developmental placements)
(529) placed into 1 developmental class
(497) placed into 2 developmental classes
(1305) placed into 3 or more developmental classes
No DE
Classes
21%
3 or more DE
Classes
44%
1 DE Class
18%
2 DE Classes
17%
COMPASS Results - Recent High School Graduates
The data for 2009 Compass Testing includes some students who graduated more than two
years ago. The following data presents the Compass for just those students who graduated
from high school in 2008 or 2009.
Writing Placement - A total of 865 applicants were tested:
•
•
•
32% (278) were college ready and placed into ENG 101
50% (429) placed into WRT 116, the highest level of developmental English
18% (158) placed into WRT 115, the lowest level of developmental English
College
Ready
(32%)
ENG 101
32%
WRT 115
18%
Developmental (68%)
WRT 116
50%
9
Reading Placement - A total of 1874 applicants were tested:
•
•
40% (254) were college ready and place into ENG 101
60% ( 381) placed into RDG 116, a developmental reading course
College
Ready
(40%)
ENG 101
40%
Developmental (60%)
RDG 116
60%
Math Placement - A total of 847 applicants were tested:
•
•
•
•
17 % (142) were college ready and placed into MTH 119/130/141 (0% - 3) or placed into
MTH 110/121 (17% - 139)
13% (110) placed into MTH 103, the highest level of developmental math
42 % (357) placed into MTH 102, the intermediate level of developmental math
28% (238) placed into MTH 100, the lowest level of developmental math
College Ready (17%)
MTH
119/103/141
0%
MTH 110/121
17%
MTH 103
13%
MTH 100
28%
MTH 102
42%
Developmental (83%)
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Comparison of Results - 2009 all students tested vs. 2008 and 2009 HS Graduates
Developmental Education classes in each section (English, Reading and Math) are listed from
the lowest level to the highest level. College level classes are shown in bold italics.
Course
Percent Placed
All students tested in 2009
Percent Placed
2008 & 2009 HS Grads
20%
47%
33%
18%
50%
32%
45%
55%
60%
40%
34%
32%
19%
14%
1%
28%
42%
13%
17%
0
Writing
WRT 115
WRT 116
ENG 101
Reading
WDG 115
ENG 101
Math
MTH 100
MTH 102
MTH 103
MTH 110/121
MTH 119/130/141
The comparison shows that reading placement is much poorer for recent HS grads.
Recognizing that some variation is normal, the English results are about the same for both
groups of students as are the math results, although it could be argued that math results show
both increases and decreases in performance.
State and National Comparisons
Data on Developmental Education is available from a variety of sources including the US
Department of Education, Achieving the Dream (AtD), Florida and a variety of publications.
However, the data is not always reported in the same way. Some DE data is reported on the
basis of the percent of students who took a developmental course during a given one or two
year period of time. This percentage, of course, is not the same as the number of students who
were placed into DE as the results of assessment tests, because not every student placed into
DE immediately takes a DE course. This is especially true for older data as it was not as
frequently mandated that students immediately take DE classes.
Overall, NCSC DE placement rates are similar to other state and national rates:
•
NCSC was one of 35 community colleges from around the nation participating in AtD that
provide information on students for the 2002 cohort. More than 80% of the students in the
2002 cohort were placed in DE1. This rate is consistent with the placement rate for
NCSC presented above.
•
72% of the 2002 AtD cohort was placed into DE math2. The DE math placement rates for
NCSC presented above ranged from 83% to 85% based on just the Compass test results.
In actuality the placement percent would be somewhat smaller when the students that were
11
determined by ACT testing to be college ready in math are taken into consideration.
•
"Virtually all community colleges offer remedial or developmental education. Almost 60%
of community college students, compared to 25% of students in four year colleges or
universities, require at least one year of developmental course work."3
•
"42% of first-year community college students enroll in at least one developmental
course, with the highest percentage enrolling in mathematics, compared to 20% in four-year
institutions"4 This data focuses on enrollment and is a lesser percentage than placement in
DE because not all students placed into DE immediately take the DE class.
•
"In 2003-04, 78% of students enrolling in Florida's community colleges...required
remediation in mathematics, reading and/or writing." "Almost two-thirds (62%) of student
in need of remediation required preparation in multiple subject areas."5
•
In 2003-04 in Florida community colleges, 89% of students required remediation in math,
59% in reading and 46% in writing.6
Why College Readiness is Important
Students that are not college ready face multiple challenges. It is more expensive to earn
a certificate or degree as they must successfully complete DE courses for which they do not
earn college credit. It takes more time to earn a certificate or degree because they must
successfully complete the DE courses before taking credit bearing courses in the subjects
where they are not college ready. Finally, research shows that students that are not college
ready are less successful than those who are college ready. Consider the following:
•
The cost of taking DE classes at NCSC when both tuition and texts are included is:
o For Math - $480 per class
o For Writing - $310 to $440 per class
o For reading - $310 per class
•
For the 44% of students who place into 3 or more classes, the costs can range from
$1060 to $ 1440 and take as much as a year extra to complete a certificate, degree or be
prepared to transfer to a 4 year college.
•
"Developmental education students at two-year colleges are 39% less likely than their
prepared counterparts to persist and earn a degree or certificate."7
•
Students at community colleges who place into DE math or DE English are less likely to
complete a 2-year degree or transfer to a 4-year college than are those who are college
ready.8
•
AtD data shows that college ready students were more successful than those with high
developmental education needs (referred to developmental education in 3 subjects).9
College ready students were:
o "More likely to be successful - to persist, attain or transfer (43 percent compared
with 35 percent of those with high developmental needs);
12
o
o
More than twice as likely to complete credentials (10 % versus 4% of those with
high developmental needs); and
More likely to transfer to another institution to continue their studies (11% versus
3% of those with high developmental needs)
13
End Notes
1
AtD Data Notes (July/August 2006)
AtD Data Notes (November/December 2006)
3
Community College Bridges to Opportunity Initiative (June 2008). Developmental Education Toolkit.
University of Texas at Austin
4
Community College Bridges to Opportunity Initiative (June 2008). Developmental Education Toolkit.
University of Texas at Austin
5
Report No. 06-40 (April 2006). Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability...an
office of the Florida Legislature.
6
Report No. 06-40 (April 2006). Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability...an
office of the Florida Legislature.
7
Community College Bridges to Opportunity Initiative (June 2008). Developmental Education Toolkit.
University of Texas at Austin
8
Bridget Terry Long (2007). Remediation at Community Colleges: Student Participation and Outcomes.
Educational Testing Service
9
AtD Data Notes September/October 2006
2
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Computer Literacy
Project Status Report
Report Date:
April 28, 2010
Prepared by:
Carmen Morrison
Committee Members:
Cathy Craig, Barb Keener, Tom Prendergast, Bev Walker
Goal:
Identify and provide the computer skills necessary to be successful students
at North Central State College
SUMMARY
Focus:
Computer Literacy has been an important topic at NC State for years. It was identified as one of our core
competencies, and then recently, we conducted a faculty survey (as part of the DEI Grant) and discovered
that a LARGE percentage of our faculty require many computer skills for their students to be successful in
their courses. Computer Literacy is also important in the workforce, however, we are leaving it to the
individual programs to determine what computer skills their graduates need to possess, and then
incorporate that into their individual programs. Therefore, the focus of this project is to prepare incoming
students to have the computer skills required to be successful at our college – not to prepare graduating
students for the workforce (although it could be argued that this could also help our graduating students).
Process:
To accomplish the goal to identify and provide the computer skills necessary to be successful students at
NCSC, several items had to be addressed:
Survey faculty to determine what skills are required in our courses
Review our current assessment to determine if those skills are being assessed upon entrance of the
college
Determine if all students are being assessed before registering for courses at NCSC
Determine if our current remediation process is appropriate
Develop a new remediation plan
Determine if funding is needed to accomplish the above, and then request funding if necessary
Survey faculty to determine what skills are required in our courses
The faculty survey has been completed (attached), and the results show that a large majority of our
faculty require students to be competent in these areas: E-mail, Internet use, Operating System and
File Management, Word Processing, Presentation Software, and Course Management System. The
results of this survey were distributed to Deans, Chairs, and Full-time faculty so they could review
their programs and determine if courses needed to be added/moved to adequately prepare their
students.
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Review our current assessment to determine if those skills are being assessed upon entrance of the
college
We are currently reviewing our current assessment (attached) and matching it to the Faculty
Survey to determine what changes need to be made to the incoming assessment.
Determine if all students are being assessed before registering for courses at NCSC
Not all students are required to be assessed. Currently, only the students that are required to take
a Microsoft Office course are required to take the incoming assessment. This would leave out the
Engineering and many Health Science students. Engineering has its own course for computer skills
(ENR101, 4 hours).
Determine if our current remediation process is appropriate
Previously students were required to take a college course (CIS190) if they failed the incoming
assessment. This required tuition funds, textbook funds, and it caused a delay in scheduling (since
the pre-requisite was not met for courses that they want to register for). Also, the course did not
cover all of the needed areas. A proposal was approved at the Curriculum Committee (attached) to
remove the CIS190 pre-requisite from the Microsoft Office courses. (Unfortunately the Microsoft
Office courses are serving as the ‘gatekeeper’ for these skills, even though the college has clearly
identified that these skills are needed by all of our students.)
Develop a new remediation plan
We are in the process of developing a new remediation plan (see Remediation Resources below).
There are so many free, web-based resources available, that we have determined it is not
necessary to purchase a customized tutorial program. Once a plan is selected, we will need to
update web pages, brochures, signs, etc. to communicate to faculty and students of the skills
needed and resources available to obtain those skills.
Determine if funding is needed to accomplish the above, and then request funding if necessary
Funds may be needed to develop a new incoming assessment, create assessments for students to
re-take (after they complete the remediation), and for remediation resources (tutoring center
costs, workshop costs, etc.). It is our hope that the DEI grant can provide these funds.
Please note that the college currently pays for the first assessment ($15 per student), so this will
not change. And students that fail the test are required to pay for the re-test ($15), and this will not
change.
BENEFIT TO OUR STUDENTS
The most important part of this project is how it benefits our students:
• free incoming assessment to determine if they are prepared
• free remediation
• flexible remediation (not bound to a course/schedule)
• customized remediation (only remediate the skills that they are weak in)
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RISK
It would be irresponsible to not consider the risks of this new plan. Flexibility may not provide the
structure that some students need (these students fit well into the required college course model).
However, that same structure was creating a barrier to our students (costs, scheduling, and delay in
registering for courses because pre-requisites weren’t met). Hopefully the workshops will provide a
structure to those students that need it, while still removing the barriers of cost, scheduling, and
program delays).
Another risk is the added strain on our resources (tutoring center, workshop expenses, etc.)
Again, it is our hope that the DEI grant can assist with these costs.
STATUS REPORT
# Tasks
1
Status
Review Current Assessment and match it to the Faculty Computer Skills
Survey to determine if revisions need to be made to the assessment
In process
Cathy Craig
2 Identify and evaluate remediation resources (free)
In process
Barb Keener
3 Finalize Remediation plan (cannot be done until 1 & 2 are completed)
Not started
4 Develop and Schedule Workshops (cannot be done until 1-3 are completed)
Not started
5
Marketing (website updates, brochures, signs to communicate new assessment
Not started
and remediation details) (Cannot be done until 1-4 are completed)
6 Identify and request needed funding
In process
Committee & Peg
Moir
7 Prepare Tutoring Center for additional workload (in conjunction with 3 and 6)
In process
Barb Keener
POSSIBLE RESOURCES NEEDED
Item
Amount
Funds for New Assessment Design
TBD – Carmen Morrison &
Cathy Craig
Funds for New Re-Tests
TBD – Carmen Morrison &
Cathy Craig
Funds for Tutoring resources
TBD – Barb Keener
Funds for Workshop Instructors
TBD – Cathy Craig
Funds for IT Support (additional computers to support in tutoring center,
increased bandwidth usage for web-based tutoring resources, etc.)
Undetermined
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REMEDIATION RESOURCES (FREE)
Version
Free Online Courses,
Interactive Skills Training
for the Workplace
Venue
Description
Microsoft Digital Literacy (Full 5 Modules - English
Version)
http://alison.com/
The goal of the free online Digital Literacy Course is to
courses/MSDLteach and assess basic computer concepts and skills so
FULL
that people can use computer technology in everyday life
to develop new social and economic opportunities for
themselves, their families, and their communities.
http://www.micro
soft.com/About/C
orporateCitizenshi
p/us/CommunityI
nvestment/learnin
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mspx
Welcome to the Microsoft Digital Literacy Curriculum. The goal of
Digital Literacy is to teach and assess basic computer concepts and
skills so that people can use computer technology in everyday life
to develop new social and economic opportunities for themselves,
their families, and their communities.
Whether you are entirely new to computing or have some
experience, this curriculum will help you develop a fundamental
understanding of computers. From using the Internet, to sending email, to creating a résumé, the Digital Literacy Curriculum helps
you develop the essential skills you need to begin computing with
confidence.
Whatever your goal, LearningExpress Library's resources
will help you succeed. Each of our Learning Centers offers
the practice tests, exercises, skill-building courses, and
information you need to achieve the results you want—at
http://www.learna
school, at work, or in life.
test.com/LEL/inde
Computer Skills
x.cfm/
The interactive tutorial courses found here will take your
computer skills to the next level, while allowing you to learn
at your own pace.
4 of 13
North Central State College
Course Revision Proposal
1.
Describe the specific curriculum change that you are proposing. Attach
catalog descriptions for all proposed new courses. Attach the proposed
syllabus.
Remove AIT 100 & CIS 190 as the remedial courses for the
keyboarding test and the computer literacy test. Remedial work will
be done in the tutoring labs. The entrance requirements for the
office courses and multi-media courses will be successfully passing
the 2 tests. The student will be allowed to retake the test.
2.
Give the specific reason for the proposed change.
AIT 100 has been deactivated for over a year and it has not been
possible for students to take the course. The Mavis Beacon tutoring
software has been used for years to increase student typing speeds.
Currently, the computer literacy test covers 4 areas: Internet
browsing, email, Windows, and Word. Failing students (score <
85%) must take CIS 190, but CIS 190 only covers Windows, so it is
no longer an adequate remedial course for the computer literacy
test.
We feel the solution is to tutor the students in the areas they are
deficient in.
Then the students will only need to show proficiency in the area or
areas they failed.
3.
List any additional costs incurred by or revenue generated by the proposed
change. Include equipment or building renovation and any costs already
funded
The tutoring load will increase. Pass/fail statistics gathered on the
642 tested students between November, 2008 up to January of 2010:
Percent passing = 55% (354 students)
Scoring of 80% = 14% (92 students)
Scoring < 80% = 31% (196 students)
Since only CIS students may still be taking CIS 190, FTE previously
generated by CIS 190 may be reduced by 60%. (Last year 126
students took CIS 190, less than 40 were CIS students).
4.
Give class-size maximum and why. N/A
5.
List alterations in the class size maximum for any other course because of
this change. N/A
6.
State whether faculty are readily available to handle this revision and, if not,
how this problem will be addressed. Estimate the amount and cost of
training present faculty, if needed.
Barb Keener confirmed that the tutoring lab can adequately handle
the increase.
7.
List other departments affected by this proposal and how.
AIT – Remove AIT100 prerequisite from AIT 110
Pag e |5
North Central State College
Course Revision Proposal
CIS - Remove AIT100 prerequisites from CIS 104/107/109/261
CIS – Remove AIT 100 and CIS 190 prerequisites from
CIS 107/121/122/123/125 and replace with:
Students must pass both the computer literacy test and the keyboarding test
(administered at the Student Success Center) prior to entering this course.
DMT – Remove AIT 100 and CIS 190 prerequisites from
DMT 102/105/110/114 and replace with:
Students must pass both the computer literacy test and the keyboarding test
(administered at the Student Success Center) prior to entering this course.
8.
List changes to the transferability of NC State courses with respect to college
or high school articulation agreements and how. N/A
9.
List groups or individuals who have had input into this proposal. Indicate
their support and, if there is opposition, why.
Name
Carmen Morrison
Lynn Damberger
Barb Keener
Bev Walker
Cathy Craig
Program Chairs
Deans
Position at NCSC
Full-time faculty
Support or oppose
Proposer
Support
Support
Support
Support
Pag e |6
Current CIS Assessment Statistics for
Nov 1, 2008 – Jan 26, 2010 (15 months)
#
Failing
Scores
288
#
Passing
Scores
354
Total # Average
Students Overall
Tested
Score
642
82
#
Failing
Scores
288
Lowest
Failing
Score
8
Highest
Failing
Score
83
Average
Failing
Score
71
#
Passing
Scores
354
Lowest
Passing
Score
85
Highest
Passing
Score
100
Average
Passing
Score
91
# Scoring
between
80-83
92
Pag e |7
Current Computer Literacy Process
Computer Literacy (or CIS) Assessment
This assessment will take about 45 minutes to complete. To make an appointment, contact
the Student Success Center in Kee Hall, room 136 or call 419-755-4764.
Your skills will be tested in two separate areas - keyboarding and four computer competency
areas - Internet, E-mail, Windows XP, and Word 2007 (See below for a detailed list of
the tasks that students need to carry out in the assessment).
Successful completion of the CIS Assessment satisfies two required classes:
•
AIT100 – Keyboarding
Equivalent to CIS Assessment score of 24 net words per minute
•
CIS190 – Intro to Windows
Equivalent to Computer Literacy (or CIS) Assessment score of 34/40 or 85%
The Computer Literacy Assessment requires you to
understand and be able to perform tasks on the computer in
four competency areas as follows:
Internet Explorer 7
Email
Use hyperlink to go to another web page
Navigate using back/forward buttons
Display specific web site by web address
Copy Text
Go to a previously saved Favorites page
Display home page
View History
Refresh the web page
Change web page's font size
Add a web site as a Favorite
Attaching document files via email
Email address description
Create new email
Send email
Forward email
View Contacts list
Create new contact
Open email
Display sent email
Sort email by sent from, subject, date
sent
Windows XP
Close a program
Delete a file or folder
Display contents of a specific drive/folder
Display contents of a specific drive/folder
Minimize window
Create a folder
Arrange icons by name, type, size, or date
Rename a file or folder
Copy file from one disc to another
Switch programs
Start a program
Word 2007
Open a document
Save a document
Correct spelling
Set margins
Change text to bold
Change size of font
Save a document specifying the file type
Copy text
Move text
Print Preview
Want to practice your computer skills before taking the assessment or before retesting?
The Learning Express Library has free online tutorials for:
• Windows XP
• Microsoft Outlook 2007
• Word 2007
Enter your Social Security Number or any public library card number and choose a library
name from the drop down list to enter into the Learning Express Library menu. (This step
assures that you are a user from the state of Ohio.) Click "Login to Add" beside the
tutorial you would like to practice. If you are a new user, click "Register" and create a
username and password for the Learning Express Library system. This same login can be
used to take any practice test or tutorial on their system.
Students will have one (1) opportunity to take the Computer Literacy portion of the
assessment, free of charge. Any student wishing to retest on the 4 core competencies Internet, Email, Windows, and Word processing - must get approval from the Student Success
Center, make an appointment, and pay a retest fee of $15.00 to the cashier prior to
retesting.
Computer Literacy Assessment Retest Form
Pag e |8
List of Skills on Current CIS Assessment
Performance Overview
Report score:
GRADE:
98% (39/40)
Pass
Performance Analysis
TOPICS
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet:
Outlook 2007-E-Mail:
Windows XP-Windows XP:
Word 2007-Word Processing:
Digital Literacy-E-Mail:
Score
100%
100%
100%
90%
100%
Correct
10
8
10
9
2
Total
10
8
10
10
2
QUESTIONS
Q#
11
12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Topic
Digital Literacy-E-Mail
Digital Literacy-E-Mail
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Internet Explorer 7.0-Internet
Outlook 2007-E-Mail
Outlook 2007-E-Mail
Outlook 2007-E-Mail
Outlook 2007-E-Mail
Outlook 2007-E-Mail
Outlook 2007-E-Mail
Outlook 2007-E-Mail
Outlook 2007-E-Mail
Windows XP-Windows XP
Windows XP-Windows XP
Windows XP-Windows XP
Windows XP-Windows XP
Name
Attachments
E-Mail Addresses - Description
Link - Go To
Navigate - Back
Web Page - Go To
Copy
Favorites - Go To
Home page - Go To
History
Refresh Page
Fonts
Favorites - Add
Create New E-Mail
Send Message
Forward Mail
Contacts - View
Create New Contact
E-Mail - Open
Sent Items
Sort Mail
Close WordPad
Delete Folder
Change Drive (CD ROM)
Minimize Window
Status
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Pag e |9
Time (# secs)
9
22
10
25
24
11
21
8
66
21
41
26
29
73
21
8
17
11
15
18
12
14
24
19
List of Skills on Current CIS Assessment
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
Windows XP-Windows XP
Windows XP-Windows XP
Windows XP-Windows XP
Windows XP-Windows XP
Windows XP-Windows XP
Windows XP-Windows XP
Word 2007-Word Processing
Word 2007-Word Processing
Word 2007-Word Processing
Word 2007-Word Processing
Word 2007-Word Processing
Word 2007-Word Processing
Word 2007-Word Processing
Word 2007-Word Processing
Word 2007-Word Processing
Word 2007-Word Processing
Create Folder
Arrange Icons
Rename Folder
Copy File Between Disks
Switch Programs
Start Program
Open Document
Save Document
Spellcheck
Margins
Bold Text
Fonts
Save As New Format
Copy Text
Move Text
Print Preview
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
Incorrect
P a g e | 10
23
16
28
26
29
15
21
37
31
53
7
12
33
18
14
39
Faculty Survey Results March 2010
PHYS THER
SCIENCE
RADIOL-OGY
RESP CARE
CRIM JUST
HUM SERV
Un-known
TOTAL
ENGLISH
BUS
MATH & FYE
ECE
ACCT
SPEECH
PSYCH, SOC &
HUM
DEV ED
Un-known
TOTAL
COMP INFO SYS
DIGITAL MEDIA
ENGI-NEERING
WORK FORCE
PHYSICS
TOTAL
7
2
3
2
1
1
2
4
25 6
2
5
2
1
1
2
1
2
22 2
2
3
3
1
11
2
1
7
2
3
2
1
1
1
4
24 6
2
5
2
1
1
1
1
2
21 2
2
3
3
1
11
95%
88%
86%
69%
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
0
7
6
7
5
2
2
1
2
3
1
1
0
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
4
4
4
24
20
21
17
6
6
6
5
2
2
2
2
5
4
4
4
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
20
20
18
16
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
1
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
11
11
11
7
39
26
17
67%
45%
29%
2
1
0
1
1
1
4
3
0
1
1
0
2
0
0
2
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
3
2
2
16 5
11 3
5 2
2
1
0
4
1
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
2
1
16 1
7 1
4 1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
3
3
1
1
1
7
8
8
56
97%
2
1
7
2
3
2
1
0
2
4
24 6
2
5
2
1
1
1
1
2
21 2
2
3
3
1
11
53
49
41
40
91%
84%
71%
69%
1
2
2
2
1
1
0
1
7
5
3
2
2
2
2
1
2
3
3
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
3
4
2
2
22
22
17
15
6
6
6
5
2
2
1
2
4
4
3
2
2
2
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
2
2
1
2
20
18
15
15
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
11
9
9
10
40
36
32
30
25
69%
62%
55%
52%
43%
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
1
6
1
2
1
3
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
2
2
2
2
0
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
2
1
2
1
1
2
3
2
2
2
14
12
13
10
10
5
6
4
5
3
2
2
2
1
1
3
2
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
2
2
2
1
2
17
16
14
12
8
0
1
0
0
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
1
3
2
3
3
2
3
2
1
9
8
5
8
7
14
24%
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
5
0
2
2
2
PRAC NURS
ASSOC NURS
Technology &
1
GRAND
TOTALS
%
58
Respondents 2
out of 70
FT faculty
83%
Send, receive, and reply to an e-mail
56
97%
Access NC Student e-mail system using login and password
Attach files, documents, and links to messages
Open attachments for available applications
Save, delete, and print e-mail
Demonstrate knowledge of e-mail etiquette (do not flame
people, do not use all caps, only use Reply All when
appropriate)
Forward and redirect an e-mail
Use view, find and sort functions
55
51
50
40
E-MAIL
Business, Liberal Arts,
OCCU THER
Health Science
INTERNET
Access a given web site using an internet browser
Navigate within a website using basic browser functions
(e.g., back, forward)
Conduct simple keyword search
Access search results (identified web sites)
Navigate between and within websites
Copy/paste information from a webpage or download a file
from a web site to a desired location
Use a search function within a web site
Print web page selections
Refine search by modifying search terms
Use additional browser functions (e.g., refresh, history)
Organize bookmarks for frequently used or important web
sites
6
P a g e | 11
GRAND
TOTALS
%
PRAC NURS
OCCU THER
ASSOC NURS
PHYS THER
SCIENCE
RADIOL-OGY
RESP CARE
CRIM JUST
HUM SERV
Un-known
TOTAL
ENGLISH
BUS
MATH & FYE
ECE
ACCT
SPEECH
PSYCH, SOC &
HUM
DEV ED
Un-known
TOTAL
COMP INFO SYS
DIGITAL MEDIA
ENGI-NEERING
WORK FORCE
PHYSICS
TOTAL
Faculty Survey Results March 2010
52
50
90%
86%
1
2
1
1
6
6
2
2
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
3
22 6
22 5
2
2
5
4
2
2
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
19 2
17 2
2
2
3
3
3
3
1
1
11
11
50
86%
1
1
6
2
2
2
1
1
1
4
21 6
2
4
2
1
0
1
1
1
18 2
2
3
3
1
11
42
72%
1
1
5
2
1
2
1
1
0
2
16 5
2
2
2
1
1
0
1
2
16 1
2
3
3
1
10
39
67%
1
0
2
2
1
2
1
0
1
2
12 4
2
3
2
1
1
1
1
2
17 1
2
3
3
1
10
35
30
60%
52%
1
0
1
1
3
2
1
1
1
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
2
10 6
8 4
2
2
2
1
0
2
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
2
14 2
14 1
2
2
3
1
3
3
1
1
11
8
29
24
16
50%
41%
28%
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
2
0
0
0
1
1
0
2
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
8
4
6
3
4
2
1
1
0
2
2
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
2
2
1
10 2
10 1
5 0
2
2
2
3
3
1
3
3
2
1
1
0
11
10
5
49
46
45
84%
79%
78%
1
1
1
1
1
1
7
6
4
2
2
2
1
0
0
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
1
2
2
2
3
3
4
21 6
18 5
18 6
2
2
2
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
18 2
18 2
17 2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
0
0
0
10
10
10
43
42
74%
72%
1
1
1
1
3
6
2
2
0
0
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
3
3
16 6
18 6
2
2
3
2
2
2
1
1
0
0
1
0
1
1
2
2
18 2
16 1
2
1
3
3
2
3
0
0
9
8
41
36
33
24
22
21
18
18
71%
62%
57%
41%
38%
36%
31%
31%
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
0
1
4
3
4
1
0
1
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
16
13
10
6
7
8
5
5
6
6
6
6
2
1
2
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
17
15
15
12
8
7
8
9
OPERATING SYSTEM AND FILE
MANAGEMENT
Start an application (such as word processor, internet
browser, typing tutorial, etc.) by desktop icon or menu
Power on a computer and peripherals
Use features of an application simply by using the mouse,
keyboard, and the application’s menu bar
Store and access files on a removable storage device (such
as a CD-ROM or USB Flash drive)
Print files of various formats (e.g., PDFs, JPEGs, PowerPoint
files, etc.)
Interrupt and restart an application or the computer when
it freezes
Backup files
Use folders (or directories) with meaningful names to
organize related files
Differentiate between files and directories
Scan a paper document and save the file
WORD PROCESSING
(e.g., Microsoft Word)
Create documents
Spell-check and Grammar-check documents
Print preview, print, and save documents
Format text (font, bold, italic, underline, font size,
alignment, etc.)
Cut, copy and paste text or objects
Enter text using word wrap, indentation, appropriate line
spacing, etc.
Adjust page layout (margins, page orientation, etc.)
Save documents in specific formats (doc, rtf, other)
Create Headers and Footers
Insert and format graphics
Create and format a table
Create columns
Create Footnotes and Endnotes
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1 3
2 3
2 3
1 3
1 3
1 3
2 2
1 P2a
2
2
3
2
3
2
1
g e
1
0 8
0 8
0 8
0 6
0 7
0 6
0 5
| 12
0
4
GRAND
TOTALS
%
PRAC NURS
OCCU THER
ASSOC NURS
PHYS THER
SCIENCE
RADIOL-OGY
RESP CARE
CRIM JUST
HUM SERV
Un-known
TOTAL
ENGLISH
BUS
MATH & FYE
ECE
ACCT
SPEECH
PSYCH, SOC &
HUM
DEV ED
Un-known
TOTAL
COMP INFO SYS
DIGITAL MEDIA
ENGI-NEERING
WORK FORCE
PHYSICS
TOTAL
Faculty Survey Results March 2010
37
64%
1
1
5
1
0
2
1
1
1
3
16 4
2
4
2
1
0
0
0
1
14 1
2
3
1
0
7
31
26
24
10
53%
45%
41%
17%
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
0
2
2
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
2
2
2
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
1
12
9
8
3
4
4
4
1
2
2
1
1
3
2
2
1
2
1
1
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
12
10
9
3
1
1
1
0
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
7
7
7
4
52
51
48
38
37
37
17
90%
88%
83%
66%
64%
64%
29%
2
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
6
6
6
4
2
3
1
2
2
2
2
1
2
0
3
3
3
0
2
3
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
4
3
3
3
1
22
21
22
15
15
17
5
5
5
4
3
4
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
4
4
3
3
3
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
2
2
2
1
1
1
0
19
19
18
14
13
12
7
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
2
1
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
11
11
8
9
9
8
5
PRESENTATION SOFTWARE
(e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint)
Create a presentation
Run the slide show using presentation options (advance, go
back, go to a specific slide, black out, use pointer, etc.)
Insert text and graphics
Format the presentation
Add animation and transitions
COURSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
(e.g., Blackboard)
Login to system and access a course
Access course materials
Access grades
Submit documents
Take tests or quizzes
Use the discussion board
Use web-conferencing tools (Elluminate)
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