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Frequently Asked Questions What is major field assessment? The purpose of this component of the assessment program is to evaluate students’ knowledge in their major field and to assess the curriculum within each major. The faculty from each college have developed goals, outcomes, and assessment criteria for each major. All candidates for graduation in associate-and baccalaureate-degree programs will complete various assessment activities specific to their major field of study. Examples of the assessment activities include an exit survey, essay exams and/or standardized tests, locally developed exams and portfolios. Students who do not participate in the assessment activities will not be allowed to graduate. Who will complete the major field assessment test? All students enrolled in associate and baccalaureate degree programs and teacher certification programs are required to participate in major field assessment. Students who have not participated in the major field assessment will not graduate. When will the exams be completed? The fall semester exams will be administered on November 10, 2005 and the spring exams will be given on March 30, 2006. All daytime classes will be canceled to facilitate the testing process. Candidates for graduation from teacher education programs will complete their major field assessment in education during the semester of student teaching. How are the MFAT tests completed? Currently, Math, Business, and Computer Science are completed online. Biology is still completed via paper and pencil. How do students prepare for the MFAT tests? Sample questions for the MFAT test are available at http://www.ets.org/hea/mft/discipline.html. How long do the MFAT tests take? The tests are two-hour, multiple-choice examinations designed to assess mastery of concepts and principles as well as knowledge expected of students at the conclusion of a major in specific subject areas. How soon will I know my results? If you are completing the test online, your results will be instant. However, if you are completing the test by paper and pencil your results will be sent to you in the following semester. What do the results mean? What are required scores? Major Field Test scores are reported on a scale of 120-200, with sub scores reported on a scale of 20-100. Many of the tests also report scores based on group-level achievement in subfields of the discipline. These “assessment indicators” report the average percent of test questions answered correctly, in a particular subject area, by all students tested. Major field test only score correct answers, thereby not penalizing student for any omissions or guesses. Currently, DSU doesn’t have a required score for the major field assessment test. It is only required by the BOR that student complete an exit exam prior to graduation. What if students need accommodations for testing? Students with disabilities can request accommodations by contacting the ADA Academic Coordinator, Keith Bundy, at 605-256-5121 or by e-mail at Keith.Bundy@dsu.edu . Questions? Students can contact DSU’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment at 605-256-5159 or their academic advisors for specific information on the policies developed by the Board of Regents to address the major field assessment test. The OIEA website http://www.departments.dsu.edu/assessment contains links to policies and procedures. back |