Can Testing Determine What Students Learn in General Education?

Overview & Synopsis

Testing to assess student learning in general education and the extent to which students achieve general education goals at Trenton State College were examined. Faculty reported that the general education program most emphasized both problem solving and communication and research and least emphasized the arts and non-Western civilization. Two tests that could be used to measure outcomes in general education were located: the College Outcomes Measurement Program (COMP) from the American College Testing Program, and Tests of General Education (TGE) from the Educational Testing Service. Seniors' tests results were compared with national norms and scores of transfer seniors and freshmen. Scores during the freshman and senior years were also compared, as were scores on the TGE and the COMP. In addition to summarizing findings of these comparisons, nine procedural problems in a general education testing program are identified. A six-step feedback loop for evaluating general education is suggested: developing goals, attaching the goals to each course, determining a means of assessment, testing and analyzing results, evaluating the instrument, evaluating and revising the curriculum, and revising the goals. (SW)