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Graduate Assessment: Core Competencies

Information Literacy | Quantitative Reasoning | Scientific Reasoning | Oral Communication | Critical Thinking

Core Competency Graduate Assessment Testing

Southside Virginia Community College

2003-2006

An Executive Summary

Information Literacy

              The Virginia Community College System began assessing community college graduates in the area of Information Literacy during the spring of 2003 and continued the required assessment through the spring of 2004, after which, continued testing in this area became an option for local community colleges.  Southside Virginia Community College continued to administer the Information Literacy Assessment to graduates.  The results of this testing is summarized below for 2003-2005.  The results from 2006 are not included in this report and are still being analyzed.

              Students graduating from Southside Virginia Community College have shown significant improvement in this area since the testing first began.  It would be impossible to attribute this success to any one factor but the Learning Resource Center at the college has worked diligently to develop materials for students to use to increase their ability in this area.

• The average score for those graduates taking the Information Literacy Assessment Test has increased from 35.08 to 57.47.  The average VCCS score for 2003 was 36.08.  We have received no additional information about the average score since 2003.
• The percentage of SVCC graduates who test as proficient has increase from 23.9% to 34.07%.  The VCCS percent for proficiency is 28.7%
• The percentage of SVCC graduates who test as highly advanced is 62.99% compared to the VCCS average of 1.0%.

Quantitative Reasoning

              The VCCS began assessing Quantitative Reasoning as a core competency in the spring of 2004 and continued through the spring of 2005.  A comparison between SVCC graduates and the Virginia Community College System as a whole is summarized below.  The comparison is made between those SVCC students receiving an AA&S Degree since most of the students taking the test at SVCC were AA&S Degree recipients.

• The average mean score of SVCC AA&S graduates for 2004-2005 was 12.53 compared to the VCCS average of 13.0
• The percent of SVCC graduates who scored proficient in quantitative reasoning increased from 65.52% to 70.11% for 2004-2005 compared to the VCCS average of 67%.

              Scientific Reasoning

                            The VCCS began assessing Scientific Reasoning as a core competency in the spring of 2004 and continued through the spring of 2005.  A comparison between SVCC graduates and the Virginia Community College System as a whole is summarized below.

• The mean score for SVCC graduates for 2004-2005 was 18.94 compared to a VCCS average score of 20.0
• The percent of SVCC graduates scoring proficient during 2004-2005 was 71.27% compared to a VCCS average proficiency of 79.3%.

              Oral Communication

                            Oral Communication graduate assessment testing began in the spring of 2006.  The results are given below:

                            SVCC graduates scored slightly below the VCCS average. Additional analysis is being done by program to determine where improvements are needed. Additional testing in future years should be done to determine any possible trends.

Critical Thinking

              Critical Thinking graduate assessment testing began in the spring of 2006.  The results are given below.

              SVCC graduates scored slightly below the VCCS average.  Additional analysis is being done by program to determine where improvements are needed.  Additional testing in future years should be done to determine any possible trends.