Using a Senior Seminar for Assessing the Major

Abstract

We designed a senior seminar to address many theoretical and practical issues involved with, multidimensional assessment. We describe the structure of the course and various assessment measures used to tap student knowledge and student experiences. This course allowed us to accomplish several assessment and pedagogical goals. The course served as an integrative and self-reflective vehicle for students. As students became actively involved in identifying the body of knowledge that defines psychology, they also gained a better sense of the intricacies of assessment. Faculty gained information that can be directly applied to improving teaching and learning. We provide recommendations for using a seminar for assessment.

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