Traditionally, colleges and universities have focused solely on the knowledge that students should gain in higher education – the General Education Requirements.  At Tunxis Community College we also focus on how students are able to apply the knowledge they have gained.  We call this approach Ability Based Education (“ABE”).

Consistent with the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education Transfer Articulation Policy, the faculty identified the General Education Abilities as the abilities that students will need in order to be successful, whether they plan to pursue further education or employment after graduation.

Assessment of student achievement is necessary to ensure that students have developed these abilities and to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.  The faculty have designed a variety of student assessments for each ability.  Tunxis students strive for achievement of these abilities as well as traditional grades.

Tunxis General Education Abilities

Students will understand the diverse nature, meanings, and functions of creative endeavors through the study and practice of literature, music, the theatrical and visual arts, and related forms of expression.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Identifies and describes formal aspects, historical or cultural context, and aesthetic elements of the genre with clarity and appropriate vocabulary.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Unable to clearly identify and describe the formal aspects, historical context, and aesthetic elements of the genre.

Students will be able to organize, interpret, and evaluate evidence and ideas within and across disciplines; draw reasoned inferences and defensible conclusions; and solve problems and make decisions based on analytical processes.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Identifies the issue(s); formulates an argument; explains and analyzes relationships clearly; draws reasonable inferences and conclusions that are logical and defensible; provides support by evaluating credible sources of evidence necessary to justify conclusions.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Identifies few or no issues; formulates an argument without significant focus; provides an unclear explanation of analysis and relationships; drawing few reasonable inferences and conclusions that are illogical and indefensible; provides little to no support using credible sources of evidence necessary to justify conclusions.

Students will identify ethical principles that guide individual and collective actions and apply those principles to the analysis of contemporary social and political problems.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Identifies and reflects critically on ethical issues presented in classroom instruction or in assigned co-curricular or civic activities and/or professional internships and practica.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Does not sufficiently identify or reflect critically on ethical issues presented in classroom instruction or in assigned co-curricular or civic activities and/or professional internships and practica.

Students will study the interrelatedness of various realms of human experience from multiple historical perspectives.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Analyzes and describes with sufficient detail and specific examples the impact of past events on subsequent events.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Inaccurately or insufficiently analyzes and describes the impact of past events on subsequent events.

Students will be able to use traditional and digital technology to access, evaluate, and apply information to the needs or questions confronting them throughout their academic, professional, and personal lives.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Collects and synthesizes relevant and authoritative information resources appropriate to need and audience andutilizes current technologies to solve problems, complete projects, and make informed decisions.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Does not collect and synthesize relevant and authoritative information resources appropriate to need and audience nor satisfactorily utilize current technologies to solve problems, complete projects, and make informed decisions.

Students will be prepared to develop oral messages of varying lengths and styles that communicate effectively and appropriately across a variety of settings.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Delivers oral presentations using appropriate evidence and appeals as determined by the rhetorical situation.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Delivers oral presentations lacking appropriate evidence and appeals as determined by the rhetorical situation.

Students will learn to recognize, understand, and use the quantitative elements they encounter in various aspects of their lives.  Students will develop a habit of mind that uses quantitative skills to solve problems and make informed decisions.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Interprets numerical information and applies sufficient laws of logic and mathematics to solve problems using numbers, symbols, graphs and/or descriptions.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Misinterprets numerical information or insufficiently applies laws of logic and mathematics to solve problems using numbers, symbols, graphs and/or descriptions.

Students will gain a broad base of scientific knowledge and methodologies in the natural sciences.  This will enable them to develop scientific literacy, the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes essential for personal decision making and understanding scientific issues.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Consistently recalls and correctly applies discipline-specific terms, relevant theories, laws, and concepts to analyze and explain scientific information.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Inconsistently recalls or incorrectly applies discipline-specific terms, relevant theories, laws, and concepts to analyze or explain scientific information.

Students will become familiar with science as a method of inquiry.  Students will develop a habit of mind that uses quantitative skills to solve problems and make informed decisions.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Identifies and successfully executes components of the scientific method (hypothesis, procedure, observations, data analysis, and conclusions) to investigate real-world phenomena.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Misidentifies or poorly executes components of the scientific method (hypothesis, procedure, observations, data analysis, or conclusions) to investigate real-world phenomena.

Students will develop an increased understanding of the influences that shape a person’s, or group’s attitudes, beliefs, emotions, symbols, and actions, and how these systems of influence are created, maintained, and altered by individual, familial, group, situational or cultural means.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Accurately and sufficiently explains factors that influence and shape a person’s or group’s attitudes, beliefs,decisions, and actions.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Inaccurately or insufficiently explains factors that influence and shape a person’s or group’s attitudes, beliefs, decisions, and actions.

Students will be prepared to develop written texts of varying lengths and styles that communicate effectively and appropriately across a variety of settings.

Rubric

Demonstrates:  Writes articulate texts using appropriate evidence and appeals as determined by the rhetorical situation.

Does Not Demonstrate:  Writes texts lacking appropriate evidence and appeals as determined by the rhetorical situation.

This page is also available as a printable PDF.

For more information contact Susan GentryAcademic Assessment Coordinator.