Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Instructor’s Assessment Report

Authors

Bee Yew, Fayetteville State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Process description: The CLA task performance for the real estate case for Affordable Home Real Estate Company is a computer case used in MIS 300 (course title: Information Systems Theory and Practice) for teaching students the application of spreadsheet in analyzing business information for decision-making. The teaching case also requires students to learn more about Excel pivot table tool and implement the tool to create very useful summaries of large dataset. These table summaries assist the analyst or decision maker in identifying associations among key variables.

The task to administer self-developed CLA performance task is a 2-phase process. The 1st phase is the discussion of the case with class activities in the form of extra credit assignments that students have to submit via Blackboard Assignment tool. These extra credit assignments questioned students’ understanding on key assumptions on the case, their understanding of the Pivot table tool in creating useful summary of information and use of Internet as a resource for enhancing their understanding of contextual information related to the case.

Phase I: The lack of detailed instructions for analysis provides great opportunity for in-class discussion with activities on given facts, assumptions, alternative sources of information gathered from "googling", and synthesis of information relevant for analyzing the solution(s) to the case. Preceding these class activities is a process of understanding both the case situation and the limitations of analysis based on the dataset provided for analysis of the case. The dataset is an excel file with records of 600 homes sold in Phase I. Using these historical records for projecting which housing project would be targeted for selling in Phase II is explained as a reasonable assumption because Phase II housing projects are similar to Phase I housing projects. Students were explained how specific information provided in the case helps in the process of understanding the case situation. This led to the next step in proper identification of the problem or decision at hand. Students were reminded (as specified in the case) that only one housing project is to be selected, but which one? Development of criteria to evaluate housing project options was initially approached from the dataset without external information, and later with external information that is relevant. The process of “googling” for external information was demonstrated with direction on searching for relevant survey results and statistics about home buyers and housing market. Students were advised to only consider information that would help with analysis of the given dataset (i.e. variables in the dataset).

Phase II: This phase describes how the CLA assessment were planned and carried out. Students were informed in their 1st class meeting that their participation in a CLA assessment will be treated as extra credit effort. Students in these classes took their 1st exam on Feb 5th with 46 out of 54 as the highest score. Students were then informed that the CLA assessment is set on Feb 12th, and performance in their CLA assessment will be evaluated as points added to their 1st exam score. Points added to their 1st exam scores were computed as CLA score/CLA possible * 8.

Students were asked to group in 2 to 3 members per group. Several students opted to work individually. Students were explained that the quality of their responses will be worth points added to their 1st exam scores. Students were given 45 minutes for completion of the task as they are already familiar with the case scenario, but they are NOT familiar with documents A through G prepared for the CLA task, and the questions structured for the CLA task.

Recommended Citation

Yew, Bee, "Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Instructor’s Assessment Report" (2009). Collegiate Learning Assessment Instructors' Reports. 1.
https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/div_aa_wp/1