Online Assessment Report
Assessment Process Overview
The Online Campus embraces a philosophy of continuous quality improvement and requires
program administrators to use a variety of robust assessments to ensure that the stated mission
and goals are achieved. Both internal and external assessments are utilized to monitor and
evaluate the graduate program, allocate resources, create professional development, and update
processes as part of the continuous quality improvement cycle. Specifically, the graduate
program assessment process is designed to evaluate data from three areas: 1) direct measures of
student learning outcomes, 2) indirect measures and 3) key performance indicators.
Faculty members, in collaboration with instructional designers, are responsible for developing
standardized assessment materials to be used within courses. Authentic assessment materials are
designed to evaluate student capabilities as they relate to program and institutional outcomes.
These standardized assessment instruments become a part of the course, and all faculty members
teaching the course are required to administer the instruments. It should be noted that all
standardized assessment instruments are developed with the intent to embed the assessment
process within the course. In this manner, students are not asked to complete additional
assignments or assessments beyond those that are a part of the normal educational process. This
embedding of assessment measures is important to the faculty of the Center for Graduate
Studies, who believe that assessment should be an integral piece of the educational process, not
an addition to it. The assessment materials are designed to support faculty members in their
classroom assessment and evaluation, present students with clear expectations and performance
parameters, and provide students detailed feedback on performance as it relates to learning
outcomes.
In addition to the direct measures, data are collected through the use of indirect measures,
including surveys of program graduates, employer surveys, and/or accrediting agency reports.
These data are combined with direct measures to complete the assessment data set
Key Performance Indicators (KPI) have been developed to complete the assessment plan. These
KPI are intended to measure programs in relation to priorities that have been set by the
Institution based on our mission and values. The Center has identified the following as key
performance indicators for evaluating the success of graduate programs:
•
•
•
•
•
Enrollments
Retention
Graduation rates
Employment rates of graduates
Faculty credentials
These KPIs provide data for analysis and evaluation on metrics beyond teaching and learning.
These metrics provide the primary operational data necessary for evaluating the stability of the
program as well as for planning, budgeting, high level assessment of operations, and how the
program contributes to the mission and guiding principles of the institution. Additionally, these
metrics are compared across graduate programs developing benchmarks, internal targets, and
minimum performance standards.
Annually, the program administrator has the responsibility of compiling the data, discussing and
analyzing the data with the faculty council, and collaboratively developing a continuous
improvement plan. The continuous improvement plan is designed to identify the steps necessary
for improving student learning in the designated areas. To address specific findings, the plan
may include identifying actions such as redevelopment of a course, seeking additional data to
clarify student achievement, or requesting alteration of specific assignments or teaching
strategies to improve attainment of learning outcomes. Based on the findings, the plan may also
include operational alterations to such areas as student services or faculty development.
In addition to a review of data collected, the program administrator and the Faculty Council will
undertake an annual review of the program assessment plan to determine the effectiveness of the
plan, and the quality and usefulness of the data collected. As a portion of this annual review, it is
anticipated that the assessment plan for each program will remain a dynamic document,
continuing to evolve as the faculty become more experienced in the process of program
assessment.
Assessment Report
Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)/Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Dean/Program Director: Lesley Morgan, PhD, MBA, ARNP
Year: 2012-2013
Assessment Process:
1. Collect data regarding:
a. Student learning (direct measures/course embedded assessments)
b. Indirect measures
c. Key performance indicators
2. Review and analyze data with the following stakeholders:
a. Nursing Faculty
b. Advisory Board
c. Baker College Online
3. Develop a Continuous Improvement Action Plan in collaboration with faculty:
4. Submit assessment report:
a. Chief Academic Officer
b. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
5. Publish assessment report:
a. Faculty consumption
b. Student consumption
c. Staff and other stakeholders
6. Implement Continuous Improvement Action Plan
7. Review progress on the Continuous Improvement Action Plan of the prior year
assessment report
Results: Direct Measures of Student learning
The direct measure of student learning, for both institutional outcomes and BSN program
outcomes, were quite positive.
This Waypoint information represents 9 students and 2 faculty. For the next academic year it is
hoped to increase the number of faculty oriented to teach the capstone course by at least one to
further validate grading distribution. There are also revisions planned to the grading rubrics to
better represent student outcomes, primarily involving language consistency.
As seen in the two Waypoint data graphs all evaluated students Met or Exceeded performance
expectations for all 10 criteria for both major assignments in the Capstone Course, NUR 482.
Student performance is directly measured against the 10 BSN program outcomes for two
separate assignments.
The portfolio rubric has a maximum point total for each criterion of 30 with students required to
score a minimum of 24 points.
The capstone project has a maximum point total for each criterion of 15 points with students
required to score a minimum of 12 points.
Portfolio Rubric
Capstone Project Rubric
Results: Indirect Measures of Student Learning
The RN to BSN program has a total of 12 graduates to date, nine during this academic period.
The BSN evaluation plan calls for students to be surveyed at one and 5 years post-graduation.
Surveys will be sent to all graduates to date in the Summer of 2014, upon final decision by the
School of Nursing (SON) Assessment Committee of a survey tool. Due to the small number of
graduates over the past 2 years, and with the intent to preserve student anonymity, graduate
students will be surveyed as a group of 3 graduating years.
Students in the BSN program are asked to evaluate the program at the end of the capstone
course, the final course in the program curriculum. Student responses are shown in Appendix
A. The data indicate the majority of students were Very Satisfied or Satisfied with all aspects of
the program.
Two students indicated they were Dissatisfied with the resources available for the program, and
two students indicated they were Very Dissatisfied with specific resource availability of clerical
staff, tutoring, etc., Upon review of individual student comments it was found these comments
were directed towards academic advising.
Overall the written comments by the students were positive, offering specific areas for
improvement. The comment regarding the difficulty in obtaining courses was specific to the
senior nursing courses. As a result of this and other anecdotal comments by students and
advisors, additional courses were added in the summer, specifically the capstone and elective
courses to allow students to complete the program in time for Fall admission to nursing graduate
programs.
Results: Key Performance Indicators
The BSN program has completed Year 4 and continues to mature as a program with enrollment
increasing each year. The state of Michigan State Board of Nursing continues to support the
Institute of Medicine (IOM) report calling for eighty percent of practicing registered nurses to
hold, at minimum, a bachelor degree by the year 2020. This is coupled by hospitals in Michigan
striving for Magnet status, one criterion of which is a high percentage of baccalaureate nurses.
These two situations are expected to contribute to a continuing growth in enrollment.
The expected completion time for a working nursing student is approximately three years. Based
on the expected graduation period of 150% we expect at least 80% of students to complete the
program within 5 years. As we are in year 4 of the program, data for this criterion will not be
available until the end of Academic Year 2013-2014.
BSN Program
2009-10
2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
Total New Students
5
17
22
19
Total Registered
Students
36
67
101
138
Retention Rate
63.0%
57.2%
70.8%
67.3%
1st Year Persistence
Rate
N/A
33.3%
60.0%
25.0%
Total Graduates
0
0
3
9
Graduation Rate
N/A
N/A
Employment Rate
N/A
N/A
100.0% 100.0%
Related Employment
Rate
N/A
N/A
100.0% 100.0%
Note: New Students refer to students newly enrolled at Baker College. This number does not
represent students who have previously received a degree or taken courses at Baker College prior
to enrolling in the BSN program.
Faculty
Four new part-time faculty were recruited to teach in the BSN program during this academic
period.
New Part-Time
Beck, Debbie
Bobo, Maria
Hart, Leigh
Wyatt, Theresa
Degree
MSN/MHA (PhDc)
DNP WHNP-BC
PhD, FNP-BC
MSN (PhDc)
Program
RN-BSN
RN-BSN
RN-BSN
RN-BSN
Four part-time faculty members continue to teach in the BSN program.
Prior Part-Time
Elmers, Coleen
Frander, Elizabeth
Grant, Catherine
Morgan, Hilary
Degree
MSN/MSEd (PhD student)
DNP, FNP-BC
DNP, FNP-BC
PhD, CNM
Program
RN-BSN
RN-BSN
RN-BSN
RN-BSN
Progress Report on 2012-2013 Continuous Improvement Plan
1. Increased enrollment in RN-BSN Program. Since the last academic year enrollment has
increased by 37 students. Much of this increase is due to marketing by the campus Directors of
Nursing to their ADN graduates and to the requirement from many Michigan acute care facilities
to hire only BSN prepared RNs. Secondarily, upward mobility within these same health care
facilities is severely limited for RNs who are not educated at the BSN level.
2. Obtain a graduation rate of at least 80%. Note: graduation rate is calculated at 150% of
projected time (part-time) to complete the RN to BSN program (projected time 3 years x 1.5 =
4.5 years). Data will be available for this benchmark at the end of the 2013-2014 academic year.
3. Strengthen faculty/student engagement via the discussion board. Faculty annual evaluations
were heavy weighted this academic year on the quality of discussion board interactions with
students. All new faculty attended an orientation program emphasizing best practices in
engaging student/faculty interaction. Additionally existing faculty attended a similar course.
Auditing of faculty discussion board activity indicates strong student engagement and the use of
multiple techniques to push content to students.
Objective Description
Timeline
Responsible Party
Measure of Success
1. Increase enrollment
Continuous
Lesley Morgan
Annual student
Campus Directors of
enrollment numbers
in RN-BSN Program
Nursing (DON)
2. Graduation Rate
3. Strengthen
Summer 2014
Summer 2014
Lesley Morgan
*Graduation rate
Online Campus
equal to or above 80%
Lesley Morgan
Observation of
faculty/student
Faculty DB during
engagement via the
annual faculty
discussion board
evaluation.
*Graduation rate 150% of planned completion time of 3 years
2013-2014 Continuous Improvement Action Plan
Identified Improvement Areas/Action Plan:
1. Increase faculty awareness of the assessment initiative
2. Increase indirect measure of program outcomes by surveying program graduates at least
one year post graduation
3. Increase availability of senior nursing courses to better meet student academic needs
4. Improve satisfaction of students toward Baker College support services, specifically
academic advising
5. Incorporate and market MSN program to Baker College BSN graduates and to other
qualified student Michigan and surrounding area
Improvement Strategy
In the 2013-2014 academic year the following activities will be conducted to address the areas
for improvements.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Discuss the assessment report with faculty, identifying gaps and strategies to student
learning
Revise Waypoint assessment rubric for NUR 482 to improve evaluation data available for
program assessment.
Increase the number of faculty oriented to Waypoint and thus available to teach NUR
482.
Conduct meetings with student advisors assigned to the nursing program
Increase indirect measures to student learning by assessing program alumni
Encourage nursing faculty to attend the Faculty Development Seminar
Develop the MSN Curriculum and courses based on the American Association of
Colleges of Nursing (AACN) The Essentials of a Master’s Education in Nursing
Market and recruit students to begin the MSN program Fall 2014
Friday, September 20, 2013
Nursing Program Exit Survey
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
Very Satsified = "4" . . . Very Dissatisfied = "1"
Question
Overall satisfaction with the program:
Informational resources to support the program were available:
Lab assistants, coordinators, work-studies, clerical staff, tutoring, etc. were adequate, appropriate, and available
Resources were adequate, appropriate, and available for this program:
Opportunities for exposure to and interaction with professionals in this field were incorporated
Develop appreciation for the liberal arts
Knowledge of different cultures, societies, and ideas
Utilize critical thinking
Ability to synthesize information to solve problems
Understand and apply the nursing process
Deliver holistic and patient-centered care
Opportunity to apply learned knowledge into clinical practice
Experience in a varierty of settings
Appreciation of the patient care needs within communitities
Knowledge and skill in patient care technologies
Use of information technology to keep current with nursing practice
Evaluate selected research for applicability to nursing practice
Apply scientific methods and principles
Utlilize nursing journals
Utilize beginning nursing leadership skills
Understand economic impact of health care
Manage time efficiently and effectively
Participate in quality and patient safety initiatives
Implement resource saving patient care
Knowledge of state and national regulatory environments
Function as a healthcare advocate
Utilize healthcare team coordination
Demonstrate strong communication skills
Provide nursing care that implements patient safety
Support collaborative strategies in the delivery of patient care
Demonstrate in practice professional, legal and ethical standards
Assume responsibility for personal and professional behavior
Respect privacy and confidentiality of patients
Ability to serve as mentor/preceptor
Value lifelong learning
Commitment to attaining excellence when practicing nursing
Nursing Program Exit Survey
Total
Responses
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
17
18
18
17
17
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
645
100%
Very
Satisfied
4
7
3
3
8
4
7
10
10
10
8
7
8
10
7
9
10
8
12
11
11
9
9
8
7
12
10
12
12
12
11
11
12
6
11
13
322
49.9%
Satisfied
14
11
14
13
10
14
11
8
8
8
10
11
10
8
11
9
8
10
6
7
7
9
8
10
11
5
7
6
6
6
7
7
6
11
7
5
319
49.5%
Very
Average
Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Rating
0
0
3.22
0
0
3.39
0
1
3.06
2
0
3.06
0
0
3.44
0
0
3.22
0
0
3.39
0
0
3.56
0
0
3.56
0
0
3.56
0
0
3.44
0
0
3.39
0
0
3.44
0
0
3.56
0
0
3.39
0
0
3.50
0
0
3.56
0
0
3.44
0
0
3.67
0
0
3.61
0
0
3.61
0
0
3.50
0
0
3.53
0
0
3.44
0
0
3.39
0
0
3.71
0
0
3.59
0
0
3.67
0
0
3.67
0
0
3.67
0
0
3.61
0
0
3.61
0
0
3.67
0
1
3.22
0
0
3.61
0
0
3.72
2
2
3.49
0.3%
0.3%
Page 1 of 3
Summary of Responses
F2012 - Present
400
322
Session
S12
F12
S13
X13
319
300
200
100
2
2
Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied
Total
Responses
71
108
286
180
645
100%
Very
Satisfied
45
50
152
75
322
49.9%
Satisfied
26
58
131
104
319
49.5%
Very
Average
Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Rating
0
0
3.63
0
0
3.46
1
2
3.51
1
0
3.41
2
2
3.49
0.3%
0.3%
0
Very Satisfied
Satisfied
1) Overall satisfaction with the program:
S13
Satisfied
Difficult to obtain needed courses in many of the semesters!
S13
Satisfied
Difficult to register for courses due to unavailable courses.
X13
Satisfied
A bit disorganized
3) Lab assistants, coordinators, work-studies, clerical staff, tutoring, etc. were adequate, appropriate, and available
S13
Satisfied
Assistance with TurnItIn was minimal and delayed us multiple times.
X13
Satisfied
Unorganized at times
4) Resources were adequate, appropriate, and available for this program:
S13
S13
X13
Dissatisfied
Satisfied
Dissatisfied
Academic advisor not knowledgeable about program.
The librarians were amazing. Constantly changing academic advisors was not helpful.
No contact from advisor unless initiated by me
37) Program Strengths
439
441
442
444
447
452
At no point did I feel like I was wasting my time by taking a course. I always learned something new and could incorporate it into my nursing practice in someway.
I think the program is on the right track for future successes.
I have a great appreciation for this program and for Dr. Morgan. I feel that this was an excellent starting point for my continuing educational process.
See above.
I would recommend this program to my co-workers for the fact that the clinicals are easy & flexible in the last seminar.
The quizzes always froze up and I feel I was always rushed during the. I feel I don't learn as much and retain material when imam rushed. I would have liked to
actually be able to have time to read through them longer and apply my knowledge more.
456 Real nurses that have clinical knowledge and apply to learning.
38) Comments for Strength
439 The only issues I ever encountered were technical. Once pointed out they were always corrected in a timely manner.
440 Instructed were spread thin, many were too busy at times to be readily available. Courses were not offered when needed.
441 Grading inconsistencies were an issue at times as some professors grade based on if the assignment was turned in and other pick the assignment to shreds. These
inconsistencies were constantly an issue, but nothing we were not able to easily learn based o
Nursing Program Exit Survey
Page 2 of 3
442 For a 3 week course, there was FAR too much busy work. In addition to weekly projects, DQ's and discussion board participation, there was a 30 page art exhibition
that we had to create. This semester was by far the most difficult due to the sheer amount o
444 There needs to be more accurate information regarding what will be expected in terms of providing our own clinicals. It was much more involved and labor
intensive than my original expectations based on what I was told in the beginning. I enjoyed it and le
445 Functional Spanish would be a better addition to the BSN program. A class that teaches how to communicate in a medical setting would be much more useful than
conjugating a verb.
447 I hope future students could have an outline of how long this program really is and a layout of the class availability so one can plan their work/life balance.
448 Portfolio was discussed but had to completely change all of the progress made to adjust to program outcomes.
451 1. Clinicals presented in last class&CR;&LF;2. not all classes available to take 4 per quarter&CR;&LF;3. 5 day participation not conducive of a part time school
schedule&CR;&LF;4. I do not intent to have any employer review a school portfolio.
452 More time
454 Not offering every class on a regular basis. Several times we were told "If you can find other students that need a class we can open it." It should not be our
responsibility to solicit students.
Nursing Program Exit Survey
Page 3 of 3