Program Based Assessment

SLIS has developed a set of Program Learning Outcomes  that are focused on the core competencies of our profession.  The culminating e-Portfolio serves to assess a student's mastery of all program learning outcomes (core competencies)  for the MLIS degree before graduation.

• MLIS Program Learning Outcomes (core competencies)
• Example e-Portfolio
• Rubrics used to evaluate the core competencies as addressed in the e-Portfolio

Review and Measurement of Individual Program Learning Outcomes.

Starting with the Fall 2007 semester, SLIS has collected data  each semester on the number of revisions needed to satisfactorily demonstrate achievement of a defined subset of 5 of the MLIS Program Learning Outcomes or Core Competencies presented in students' culminating electronic portfolios. Our goal is to have 90% or better of LIBR 289 (e-Portfolio) students who need no or only 1 revision to a Statement of Competency, the essay in which they demonstrate achievement of a specific Program Learning Outcome. If less than 90% of students submit work at that level, then that identifies for the faculty a need for curricular review of the courses that address that Program Learning Outcome..

Since 2007 we have collected datasets on all of our competencies and are in the process of reviewing all of them a second time as part of our ongoing curricular review process.

Assessment of Individual Program Learning Outcomes Reports MLIS

• Spring 2013 (.pdf)
• Fall 2012 (.pdf)
• Fall 2011 (.pdf)
• Spring 2011 (.pdf)
• Fall 2010 (.pdf)
• Spring 2010 (.pdf)
• Spring 2009 (.pdf)
• Spring 2008 (.pdf)
• Spring 2007 (.pdf)
• Fall 2007 (.pdf)

Course Student Learning Outcomes and Course Mapping to Program Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

Each course has both student learning outcomes - linked to assignments - as well as core competencies (program learning outcomes) defined for that particular class. - See http://slisapps.sjsu.edu/slo-core/mlis.php

External Inputs into the Curriculum

Field Based Program Advisory Committees

International Advisory Council

Emerging Job Trends and Titles -annual survey

Retention Data

As a student progresses through the MLIS program there are three key transition points where we can see retention rates.

1. After the required one unit LIBR 203. This class - Online Social Networking - is the first class taken by students admitted into the program. Students are required to pass the class in order to continue. One of the purposes of the class is to help determine if a student is equipped for the online environment.

Table 1. LIBR 203 Retention and Pass Data

2. Core Courses. All students are required to make a B in each of the core classes (LIBR 200 (Information and Society), LIBR 202 (Information Retrieval), LIBR 204 (Information Organizations and Management)). Students who fail to make a B are placed on administrative probation. They have one more chance to take the class before they are disqualified from the program.  Table 2b shows data from students repeating core classes.

Table 2a. Data about Students Making Less than a B in Core Classes

Table 2b. Students who Successfully Retake Core classes and Move Forward To Electives

3. In order to graduate with their MLIS degree students must complete as a culminating experience either LIBR 289 (e-Portfolio) or LIBR 299-Thesis.

The great majority of students select e-Portfolio. The goal of the e-Portfolio is to provide a program-based assessment to ensure that each student demonstrates mastery of all program learning outcomes (core competencies) for the degree before graduation.

The e-Portfolio can be completed in one semester though the preparation happens all throughout the student's program.

The completion of a thesis represents an organized research effort, where the student makes an original contribution to the field. It may take as many as two or more years, although most theses require about a year to complete.

Between Fall 2010 and Spring 2013, 11 students selected a thesis. Four have completed; one has withdrawn from doing a thesis; the others are in progress. In 2012 a SLIS graduating student -Jack Tilney- won the University's outstanding graduate thesis award.

Table 3. LIBR 289: e-Portfolio Statistics

*Students who fail Libr 289 have one more chance to retake the e-Portfolio course.  If they fail again, they are disqualified from the MLIS program.  Between Fall 2010 and Spring 2013, there were three disqualifications due to failing to produce a satisfactory e-Portfolio.

About Our Students: Graduating Student Exit Survey Data

• Demographics
  • Ages
  • Gender
  • Ethnicity
    •  Numbers for American Indians will be added as the students in the Circle of Learning program move to graduation.
  • Residency
• Time to Completion of Degree
• Employment Trends Upon Graduation
• Top School Strengths
• Overall Educational Experience
• In Their Own Words
• Takeaways (page down)

Alumni

 Employment opportunities are increasing and diversifying. Eighty six percent of the Spring 2012 graduating class who responded to the survey are working either full time or part time.  Of those who reported they had a job, 96% got their job in less than 6 months. Only a small percentage took longer than 6 months to find a job.This is due to a recovering economy and the diversity of the SLIS curriculum which prepares students for opportunities in a variety of information environments. See where SLIS alumni are working and SLIS Alumni career spotlights

• *Sp 2012 n= 81 (Survey data gathered in December 2012)
• *Fall 2011 n = 75 (Survey data gathered in September 2012)
• *Sp 2011 n= 92 (Survey data gathered in September 2012)
• *Fall 2010 n = 56 (Survey data gathered in September 2012)
• *Sp 2010 n = 42 (Survey data gathered in September 2012)

Read  more about our Alumni

Sample of Comments from 2012 Employer Survey

• We have hired two recent graduates from SJSU SLIS and they definitely excel at using technology to serve our customers, at adapting to change, and ability to deliver exceptional customer service across the board.    Graduates Job Titles: Virtual Services Librarian; Librarian 1/II; Manager
• We currently have one SJSU SLIS graduate and she is excellent across the board. She is a new graduate and is fully prepared to contribute to every project we've given her.   Graduate Job Title: Electronic Resources Specialist
• Our Corporate Library employs 2 librarians and one is a SLIS graduate. We also, over the last 8 years, have hired 4 summer interns from your program. ALL SLIS students that worked with us graduated and are now employed. All of these students were well prepared and trained. Our company benefited from their employment and we plan on hiring more for future intern positions as they come up. In my estimation, your program has done an excellent job of preparing your students. As the library world goes digital, there will be more opportunities for librarians to take key positions as digital asset managers and electronic resource librarians and morph into whatever comes along. The great thing about librarians is that they can easily transition into so many non-traditional positions...they just have to believe they can. I guess that is where your school can be most valuable....giving them the skills and confidence and vision for a broader scope of possibilities   Graduates Job Title: Research Librarian
• I thoroughly enjoy my SJSU employee - she has a great foundation in library science and technology, and is a great asset to the library and our company. Graduate Job Title: Digital Initiatives Librarian

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