Weber State University   

Telecommunication & Business Education

Results of Assessment

2003-2004 (submitted 11/18/04)

During the year 2003/04, the Telecommunications and Business Education (TBE) faculty completed the following goals from 2002/03 assessment:

• Offered alternative ways to present courses to accommodate students, such as adding online and evening courses.
• Added TBE 3200, Linux Systems Administration.
• Revised TBE 3534 to be an advanced multimedia animation course.
• Added TBE 3535 as an advanced 2D graphics course.
• Adjusted the credit hours to TBE 2200, Microcomputer Operating Systems, (2 credits to 3 credits) and TBE 3000, Advanced Word Processing, (2 credits to 1 credit) to more accurately reflect the content of the course.
• Deleted the networking certificate.

During the year 2003/04, the Telecommunications and Business Education (TBE) faculty reviewed the exit interviews, internship/practicum evaluations, student teaching evaluations, and advisory committee recommendations.  These assessment tools were used to evaluate the nine outcomes for TBE.  Also, several goals were continued from last year’s assessment.  Outcomes 3, 5, and 8 were targeted as the areas needing revision.  Based on these assessment tools, the following goals were suggested for 2004/05:

Overall Department Goal

Based on input from graduating students and faculty, the following goals were set:

1.      Continue to consider alternative ways of offering courses to accommodate students’ schedules such as offering advanced courses during evening hours on alternate years.

2.      Conduct graduate surveys for telecommunication majors and multimedia minors.

Outcome 3 (Knowledge and Skills of Technology) Goals

In order to provide students with current marketable skills, the following recommendations were made by advisory committee members, students, and faculty:

1.      Revise the business education minor to include courses these future teachers will teach in Utah high schools:  business communications, web page design and development, personal finance, and accounting.   Drop the courses these students will not likely teach in Utah high schools:  introduction to telecommunications, business English, and LAN management.

2.      Revise the marketing minor to include courses future teachers will teach in Utah high schools:  business communications, web page design, and accounting.  Drop the courses students are less likely to teach in Utah high schools:  business English, introduction to LAN management, and introduction to telecommunications. 

3.      Revise the business education major to prepare students to apply for the multimedia endorsement after graduation by adding the following courses:  web page design and development, 2D graphics, and multimedia web animation.  Drop the introduction to telecommunications course that students are not likely to teach in Utah high schools. 

4.      Add the advanced image editing course to the list of courses students may select for the business systems technology major. 

5.      Research multimedia employment opportunities. 

6.      Change the exit interview survey to obtain input from multimedia minors.

Outcome 5 (Preparation Toward Certification/Licensing) Goals 

Based upon the need to have appropriate certification/licensure assessments, the following goals have been set for this year: 

1.      Review the feasibility of requiring the Praxis II Exam for Business Education major and minors and Business Education/Marketing minors. 

2.      Communicate the benefits of Cisco certification more effectively to students. 

Outcome 8 (Teaching and Leadership Skills) Goals 

Based upon the need for appropriate assessment tools, the following goal has been set:

1.  The department will keep copies of student teacher evaluations from the TBE department evaluator. 

Telecommunications and Business Education Outcomes 

As a result of the assessment tools, the other seven outcomes are working well with no suggestions for revision.  The nine outcomes for Telecommunications and Business Education are as follows: 

1. Effective business communications skills
2. Effective computational applications
3. Knowledge and skills of technology
4. Implementation of decision-making and problem-solving skills
5. Preparation toward certification/licensing
6. Knowledge of ethics and professionalism
7. Understanding of diversity including international and intercultural issues
8. Teaching and leadership skills
9. Learning outcomes through community partnerships