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Assessing Student Learning Outcomes in United States Government Courses

  • Leonard Champney (a1) and Paul Edleman (a2)
Abstract

This study employs the Solomon Four-Group Design to measure student knowledge of the United States government and student knowledge of current events at the beginning of a U.S. government course and at the end. In both areas, knowledge improves significantly. Regarding knowledge of the U.S. government, both males and females improve at similar rates, those with higher and lower GPAs improve at similar rates, and political science majors improve at similar rates to non-majors. Regarding current events, males and females improve at similar rates. However, those with higher GPAs and political science majors improve more than others.

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Copyright
COPYRIGHT: © American Political Science Association 2010
References
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Alperin, Davida. 2007. “American Government as a General Education Course: Assessment to Improve Teaching and Learning.” Presented at the American Political Science Association's Teaching and Learning Conference. Washington, D.C., February.
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Botsch, Carol, and Botsch, Robert. 2001. “Audiences and Outcomes in Online and Traditional American Government Classes: A Comparative Two-Year Case Study.” PS: Political Science and Politics 34 (1): 135–41.
Champney, Leonard, and Harris, Jean. 2006. “Is Attention to Current Events Among Political Science Majors Habit Forming?” Presented at the American Political Science Association's Teaching and Learning Conference. Washington, D.C., February.
Crawford, Sue E.S. 2007. “Will We Ruin Them for (Civic) Life? Analyzing the Impact of Teaching Rational Choice in Introductory Courses.” PS: Political Science and Politics 40 (2): 387–91.
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Edleman, Paul, and Kahn, Halima. 2006. “Assessing Sources of Students' Prior Knowledge in Introductory American Government Courses.” Presented at the American Political Science Association's Teaching and Learning Conference. Washington, D.C., February.
Ford, Lynne. 2002. Women and Politics: The Pursuit of Equality. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
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Quackenbush, Alvin. 2006. “Active Leaning and Assessment in US Government: Developing an Understanding and Appreciation of US Government.” Presented at American Political Science Association's Teaching and Learning Conference. Washington, D.C., February.
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PS: Political Science & Politics
  • ISSN: 1049-0965
  • EISSN: 1537-5935
  • URL: /core/journals/ps-political-science-and-politics
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