Date of Award

10-2015

Rights

© 2015 Doreen Danielson

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Michelle Collay

Second Advisor

Brianna Parsons

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore teaching faculty members’ perceptions regarding how they design and implement writing assessments to evaluate Student Learning Outcomes in developmental English/writing courses. The study identified teaching faculty members’ pedagogical beliefs about the purposes of writing assessment and instructors’ attention to Student Learning Outcomes when designing assessment plans in developmental English/writing courses at a California community college. Using Moustakas’ (1994) phenomenological approach, the study drew data from interviews with full-time faculty members at a Central Valley community college in California. Focusing on the participants’ experiences and perceptions about the purposes of assessment in developmental English/writing courses, the analysis of data suggested that frequent writing assessments and integrated assessment were vital for evaluating Student Learning Outcomes. Even though the participants noted that their academic department did not enforce an integrated approach to writing assessment, they recognized its importance in evaluating Student Learning Outcomes. The participants believed that their institutional placement exam’s lack of customization to developmental English/writing courses’ Student Learning Outcomes caused students to be misplaced in courses. Faculty in one community college English department strove to provide productive assessment for students in developmental English/writing courses.

Comments

Ed.D. Dissertation

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