Pam Ethridge, Coordinator P.E.

1
Welcome to A.A.S. Fitness Exercise, Personal
Trainer and Group Fitness Certificates

• Pam Ethridge, Coordinator P.E. Fitness Center

2
A little background

• PT certificate
• approved April 2001
• implemented Spring 2002
• 35 credits/13 core classes required
• A.A.S.
• approved March 2004
• Implemented Fall 2004
• 65 credits/16 gen ed/19 core classes required
• Group Fitness certificate
• approved March 2004
• 14 credits/14 core classes
• The entire program is taught by adjunct faculty

3
IDENTIFICATION OFOUTCOME OBJECTIVE

• The ability for the students to successfully
  retain and implement the knowledge received over
  a long period of time.
• HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS?
• By the development of several assessment
  techniques
• Direct - provides a students knowledge or skill
  against measurable learning outcome OR
• Indirect - measures the value of learning
  experience
• Our program uses both direct and indirect
  measures.

4
EXIT EXAMDirect measure

• Advantages
• Content can meet specific goals, objectives
• Rapid feedback-graded locally
• Greater faculty control of interpretation and
  results
• Easy to administer

• Disadvantages
• Requires a lot of coordination, especially during
  development
• May not provide for externality
• No outside expert assuring the validity and
  reliability

5
NOTEBOOKDirect Measure

• Advantages
• Can be used to view learning and development
• Economical in terms of student time and effort
• Greater faculty control over interpretation and
  use of results
• Avoids test anxiety problems
• Great for faculty exchange and development for
  curriculum goals and objectives

• Disadvantages
• Evaluator time increased
• Rubric is likely to be challenging

6
Small Group Instructional Feedback
(SGIF)Indirect Measure

• Disadvantages
• Requires direct contact
• May be intimidating to students
• Results tend to be highly dependent on wording of
  questions (off topic)
• Can be time consuming
• Scheduling of the trained moderator

• Advantages
• Provides immediate feedback
• Can include a greater variety of questions than
  on a survey
• Opportunity to interact with students
• Since a third party is moderating, students can
  answer questions openly
• Students know their comments are looked at
  seriously

7
INTERNSHIP SUPERVISOR SURVEYIndirect Measure

• Advantages
• Can provide unique input-how is the program
  serving their purpose?
• Relations may improve
• Convey a sense of importance regarding their
  opinions

• Disadvantages
• Good surveys are more difficult to construct than
  they appear
• Confidentiality may be a problem, if mailed
• Return of surveys from supervisors

8
DATA AND ANALYSISEXIT EXAM

• 2005 1st year
• No grade issued
• Only noted completion
• Mean score 50.4
• 2006 2nd year
• Grade issued for exam
• No minimum pass rate
• Mean score 61.0
• 2007 3rd year
• actual score issued for exam with a pass rate of
  70
• could take a 2nd time same exam
• Mean score 77.6

• 2008 4th year
• grade issued as 100 points for passing
• 70 points if taken 2nd time
• 0 points if did not have a pass rate of 70
  (different exam)
• Mean score 71.36

9
DATA AND ANALYSIS (cont.)EXIT EXAM

• Question content is reviewed yearly by program
  adjunct faculty, coordinator, and Advisory
  Committee utilizing an item analysis report.

Measurable improvement in median scores.
10
DATA AND ANALYSISNotebook

• 2005 1st year
• comprehensive notebook required
• 2007 1st year
• notebooks for individual classes made a
  requirement along with comprehensive notebook
• Graded by rubric

11
Rubric Used for Notebook
12
DATA AND ANALYSISSGIF

• Questions and Comments
• What works in the program?
• Hands on practice and internship very beneficial
• Start of the art equipment also a real benefit
• Order of classes each building on previous
  courses
• What does not work in the program?
• Nutrition class once a week
• Biomechanics class for only eight weeks
• Too much down time at intern sites

13
DATA AND ANALYSIS (cont.)SGIF

• What changes would you recommend?
• Room designated for practice, etc.
• More hands on assignments
• Making PSC a national certification test site
• Pay interns during internship
• More sections offered for each course, not just
  offered one time a year
• Shadow personal trainers more
• Were you prepared for your internship?
• Yes. (academically). No. (financially).

14
DATA AND ANALYSISSGIF

• Exit Exam Responses
• Time
• Time allotted was OK
• Give time for bathroom break
• Content
• There should be better alignment between what
  instructors teach and what exam tests.
• No scratch paper available for computations.
• Preparation
• Study guides were vague not helpful
• Give practice test or review session.

15
DATA AND ANALYSISInternship Supervisor Survey

• How well was the student prepared for the
  internship?
• Solid science foundation
• Practical application of fitness theories strong
• Good base
• Did the student have an understanding of fitness
  components and application skills?
• Picked up quickly
• Asked for help when needed
• Each day improved his ability to apply what he
  learned

16
DATA AND ANALYSIS (cont)Internship Supervisor
Survey

• If a position becomes available, would you hire
  the PSC intern?
• Yes I will /have hire/ed him/her
• Did the program coordinator communicate
  effectively with you i.e. solving problems,
  responding quickly to questions, etc.?
• Yes, with very detailed requirements.
• Would you consider hosting an intern in the
  future?
• Would absolutely host another intern
• We are reviewing our program internally to
  provide better personal training
• Wed love to!

17
(No Transcript)
18
ACTION TAKEN

• Nutrition for Sports Exercise met Spring 2007
  two days a week instead of one day.
• Biomechanics was increased from eight weeks to
  ten weeks.
• Group Fitness Instructor class was expanded to a
  16 week class.
• A task list of intern duties and goals has been
  included in the internship guidelines booklet.

19
ACTION TAKEN (cont)

• Improved relationship with Intern site
  supervisors
• Addition of a designated classroom
• Continual update and addition of new equipment.
• Up-to-date reference books added to the library
  inventory
• More hands on work in classes and at internship

20
New Assessment Project

• We will be taking a look at the success of
  students who complete English and Communications
  prior to entering the Fitness Exercise program.
• Rubrics and course requirements will be attained
  by corresponding departments and utilized to help
  measure student progress.
• Goal To evaluate whether taking English
  Communications are vital to a students success.

21
Thank You
Pam Ethridge Coordinator P.E. Fitness
Center Chicago Heights, IL Phone
708-709-3929 Fax [phone] www.pethridge_at_pra
iriestate.edu
22
PLEASE NOTE
Some information in this presentation was taken
from the workshop Assessment Fundamentals",
presented by Gloria M. Rogers of the Rose-Hulman
Institute of Technology