Written Communication Report
Fall 2024 and Spring 2025
Overview
Virginia Tech has chosen to measure two outcomes within the Discourse area of the Pathways general education program for the assessment of written communication. These two outcomes were chosen based on their alignment with the concept of Written Communication.
Discourse is the exchange of ideas in writing or speaking, adapted to specific contexts and developed through discovery, analysis, creation, presentation, and evaluation. A student who is competent in discourse demonstrates the ability to reason, write, and speak effectively for academic, professional, and public purposes. (Students take three courses in this area of the curriculum.)
During the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters, Virginia Tech sampled 96 course sections that addressed the Core Concept of Discourse. In addition, some sections sampled for other Pathways Core Concepts also covered Discourse. 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, 143 sections reported data for Discourse.
Table 1 summarizes the number of Pathways sections sampled, the number of sections reporting data, and the enrollment totals included in the analyses for Discourse. A total of 96 Pathways sections were sampled, and 143 sections reported data. Of these, 83 were sampled sections that submitted data and 60 were “bonus” sections that were not sampled but still reported. Enrollment in reporting sections totaled 4,052 students. Footnotes clarify that some sections were sampled for other Core Concepts that also cover Discourse, and that enrollment counts may include students enrolled in or assessed across multiple Pathways courses.
Outcomes Virginia Tech Measured this Reporting Cycle
- Develop effective content that is appropriate to a specific context, audience, and/or purpose.
- Exchange ideas effectively with an audience.
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 summarizes competency level results for two Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in the Discourse area. For SLO 1, which focuses on developing effective content appropriate to a specific context, audience, and/or purpose, 141 sections and 2,635 students were included in the analyses. Of these students, 3% (89) demonstrated Developing Competence, 22% (583) were rated Competent, and 74% (1,963) demonstrated Advanced Competence. For SLO 2, which focuses on exchanging ideas effectively with an audience, 143 sections and 2,473 students were included in the analyses. Results show that 5% (124) demonstrated Developing Competence, 21% (516) were rated Competent, and 74% (1,833) demonstrated Advanced Competence.
SLO 1: Develop effective content that is appropriate to a specific context, audience, and/or purpose.
Table 3 summarizes the Pathways sections and student enrollments that reported data and were included in the analyses for SLO 1. A total of 141 Pathways sections submitted data. Enrollment across these sections totaled 3,941 students, and 2,635 students were included in the analyses. A footnote notes that enrollment figures may include students who were enrolled in or assessed across multiple Pathways courses.
Figure 1 displays the competency level distribution for SLO 1, which focuses on developing effective content appropriate to a specific context, audience, and/or purpose. Based on 2,635 students, 3% (89 students) demonstrated Developing Competence, 22% (583 students) were rated Competent, and 74% (1,963 students) demonstrated Advanced Competence.
SLO 2: Exchange ideas effectively with an audience.
Table 4 summarizes the Pathways sections and student enrollments that reported data and were included in the analyses for SLO 2. A total of 143 Pathways sections reported data. Enrollment across these sections totaled 4,052 students, and 2,473 students were included in the analyses. A footnote notes that enrollment values may include students who were enrolled in or assessed in multiple Pathways courses.
Figure 2 shows the competency level distribution for SLO 2, which focuses on exchanging ideas effectively with an audience. Based on 2,473 assessed students, 5% (124 students) demonstrated Developing Competence, 21% (516 students) were rated Competent, and 74% (1,833 students) demonstrated Advanced Competence.
