Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts Report
Fall 2024 and Spring 2025
Overview
Virginia Tech has chosen to measure two outcomes within the Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts area of the Pathways general education program for SCHEV assessment.
Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts courses utilize a hands‐on, minds-on approach by which students acquire the intellectual tools for a richer understanding and knowledge of the process, meaning, and value of the fine, applied, and performing arts and creative design. (Students take two courses in this area of the curriculum.)
During the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters, Virginia Tech sampled 61 course sections that addressed the Core Concept of Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts (CPDA). In addition, some sections sampled for other Pathways Core Concepts also covered CPDA. Instructors of sampled sections were asked to submit data for all Core Concepts. The final group of sections included in the analyses below were sections that were not required to submit data but contributed data voluntarily. As a result, 117 sections reported data for CPDA.
Table 1 provides information on the number of Pathways sections sampled, the number reporting data, and the enrollment totals included in the analyses for CPDA. Overall, 61 Pathways sections were sampled, and 117 sections submitted reporting data. Of these, 65 were sampled sections that reported data and 52 additional “bonus” sections that were not part of the sample but still reported. Enrollment in the reporting sections totaled 6,650 students. Notes clarify that some sections were sampled for other Core Concepts that also cover CPDA, and enrollment totals may include students enrolled or assessed in multiple Pathways courses.
Outcomes Virginia Tech Measured this Reporting Cycle
- Employ skills, tools, and methods of working in design or the arts.
- Produce a fully developed work through iterative processes of design or the arts.
Virginia Tech's Target for this Reporting Cycle
At least 70% of students will be rated as meeting or exceeding competency in this area.
Methods
All undergraduate students are required to participate in the Pathways general education program. As of Fall 2024, Virginia Tech utilizes a sampling methodology for general education assessment that aims to collect data from a subset of course sections that is representative of the general education curriculum. All courses approved for Pathways are part of the sampling pool. Based on an estimated enrollment population for general education course sections of 80,000 each fall and spring semester, along with a confidence level of 99% and a 2% margin of error, approximately 4,000 students should be assessed each semester. Based on the minimum number of students that can be assessed in any one section (i.e., 20), this equates to approximately 200 sections per semester. The number of course sections sampled for each Core Concept is then based on the required number of credit hours that students must complete in each area (i.e., Core Concepts that require students to complete nine credit hours have a greater number of sampled course sections than areas in which six credit hours are required).
When developing a final sample each semester, if a course section was already selected to participate in another Core Concept area, this course section was excluded from selection in other areas. Except for extremely rare cases, if an instructor was already selected during the current semester or a previous semester within the four-semester data collection period, this instructor was not required to participate again. Additionally, large-enrollment course sections from each Core Concept were sampled. Large-enrollment course sections are defined as those having more than 200 students enrolled on average.
Instructors develop their own assessment methodologies based on the content and structure of the course. Students complete the required assessment(s) developed by the instructor teaching the sampled course section. All assessments must be direct measures of student learning. Some possibilities include: written assignments, multiple-choice items, projects, case studies, and artistic creations. Faculty determine what is a developing competence, competent, and advanced competence level of performance on each learning outcome. Rubrics have been developed to guide faculty in this process.
Data and Analysis
Table 2 presents competency level results for two Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in the CPDA area. For SLO 1, which focuses on employing skills, tools, and methods of working in design or the arts, 87 sections and 4,230 students were included in the analyses. Of these students, 4% (171) demonstrated Developing Competence, 20% (848) were rated Competent, and 76% (3,211) achieved Advanced Competence. For SLO 2, which focuses on producing a fully developed work through iterative design or arts processes, 76 sections and 2,523 students were included in the analyses. Results show that 4% (90) demonstrated Developing Competence, 22% (560) were rated Competent, and 74% (1,873) demonstrated Advanced Competence. A note clarifies that instructors are required to teach and assess a majority of the five SLOs in the CPDA area, which leads to differing section counts between SLO 1 and SLO 2.
SLO 1: Employ skills, tools, and methods of working in design or the arts.
Table 3 summarizes the number of Pathways sections and student enrollments included in the analyses for SLO 1. A total of 87 Pathways sections reported data. Across those sections, enrollment totaled 5,207 students, and 4,230 students were included in the analyses. A footnote explains that some students may be counted more than once if they were enrolled in or assessed across multiple Pathways courses.
Figure 1 displays the competency level distribution for SLO 1, which focuses on employing skills, tools, and methods of working in design or the arts. The chart summarizes results from 4,230 students. Four percent (171 students) demonstrated Developing Competence, 20% (848 students) were rated Competent, and 76% (3,211 students) demonstrated Advanced Competence.
SLO 2: Produce a fully developed work through iterative processes of design or the arts.
Table 4 summarizes the number of Pathways sections and student enrollments included in the analyses for SLO 2. A total of 76 Pathways sections reported data. Enrollment across those sections totaled 3,167 students, and 2,523 students were included in the analyses. A footnote notes that enrollment values may include students who were enrolled or assessed in multiple Pathways courses.
Figure 2 shows the competency level distribution for SLO 2, which focuses on producing a fully developed work through iterative processes of design or the arts. Results are based on 2,523 students. Four percent (90 students) demonstrated Developing Competence, 22% (560 students) were rated Competent, and 74% (1,873 students) demonstrated Advanced Competence.
