Social‐Behavioral Sciences Program Review Program Name: Psychology Degrees and Certificates: A.A. PSYC 101 ‐ General Psychology PSYC 102 ‐ Educational Psychology PSYC 205 ‐ Abnormal Psychology PSYC 206 ‐ Industrial Psychology PSYC 207 ‐ Psychology of Personality PSYC 208 ‐ Social Psychology PSYC 210 ‐ Child and Adolescent Development PSYC 215 ‐ Life Span: A Survey of Human Development PSYC 250 ‐ Adulthood and Aging PSYC 270 ‐ Health Psychology PSYC 272 ‐ Stress Management PSYC 273 ‐ Psychology of Adjustment & Growth Mission: Psychology courses offer students both an introduction to psychological concepts as well as in‐depth looks at topics such as abnormal psychology, child development, health psychology, stress management, and more. IMPROVEMENTS SINCE LAST REVIEW What improvements have been made since the last program review or provide reasons for other program decisions. Faculty continue to use a variety of teaching methodologies to address various learning styles in the classroom, including but not limited to working with computers in the classroom, task and problem solving to attain mastery, using state of the art technology to create an in person and computer literate milieu for young students. Traditional lecture has been being slowly replaced with interactive student experiences enhanced by technology. To provide additional learning opportunities for students beyond the classroom, a Psychology and Social Services Resource Network has been developed. This organization has members from current students, alumni, community and human services agencies, and charitable organizations. The GSD program has experienced continued development. The program not only offers the student development course but also offers the career development course. These programs address the needs of incoming psychology students, including those from at‐risk populations, as well as students from the general population. Concern for the well‐being of the student has been addressed by the development of two courses, including the Health Psychology and Stress Management course.
Computer‐assisted learning has been greatly expanded. Many psychology courses are now offered as online or blended courses. A repository has been created that makes available media resources for all psychology faculty as well as all social science faculty. What assessments have been conducted and what improvements have been made as a result? Student evaluations are conducted in non‐tenured and adjunct faculty classes to ensure quality teaching. Trends in enrollment, retention, etc. are also being tracked. The online courses have been reviewed by University of Illinois through the Illinois Online Network (ION). Any suggested changes have been made. QUALITY, CURRENCY AND RELEVANCY 1. What are the student learning outcomes for the program, degrees, certificates and courses and to what extent are they being achieved? Students will apply the scientific method to the critical analysis of behavior. Students will also use critical thinking during the evaluation of psychological research findings and theories. Students will conceptualize normal and abnormal behavior, using the appropriate psychological principles, concepts and terminology. Comprehend the complex nature of human behavior and consequently the problems, limits, and ethical questions involved in classification and diagnosis of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Explain and discuss the emotional, social, physical, and cognitive development through the lifespan Students will gain a greater understanding of themselves, especially in terms of social influence (that is, how others influence us and vice‐versa). Success in meeting learning outcomes is measured by grades, students’ self‐reports, and future outcomes such as how many psychology students go on to major in psychology at four‐year schools, and how many of them go into careers related to psychology. Student placement in internships, participation in multicultural symposiums, and development of literature reviews and original research for social science conferences will also provide students with opportunities for self‐exploration. What are the implications for change to the program, degrees, certificates, courses and curriculum? (Based on the results of assessment and other information about courses and sequences of courses in the discipline, what steps need to be taken to up‐date or improve? What should we stop, start or change?) No changes are needed. 2. What trends are you seeing in your field/profession? (Identify sources.) An IAI Core Curriculum class that is not currently offered at JJC is Adulthood and Aging. The placement of internships at the Department of Labor and continuing emphasis on research are critical in helping psychology students to articulate and transfer. In addition, the development of courses that utilize ebooks, mobile learning, and technological resources will be instrumental in helping to reach the goals of the National Education Technology Plan. The Secretary for Education and MacArthur Foundation are leaders in the Chicago area for the inclusion of technology in the classroom. In addition,
the National Science Foundation encourages the incorporation of new technology in the classroom to increase articulation in the math and sciences. Implications for change to the program, degrees, certificates, courses and curriculum? (Based on this information about courses and sequences of courses in the discipline, what steps need to be taken to up‐date or improve? What should we stop, start or change?) Adulthood and Aging could be added as a course offering. 3. How does this program support achievement of JJC’s strategic goals. JJC Strategic Goals 1. Improve student success with an emphasis on enrollment, retention, graduation, and transfer rates and effective teaching strategies and learning outcomes. Program supports: Psychology has had a 38.2% increase in credit hours generated in the Spring census from 2007 to 2011. Psychology has exceeded the average JJC rate of retention. From 2004 to 2008, Psychology had a 89.1% average, while JJC overall had a 87.7% average rate of retention. 2. Increase institutional sustainability with an emphasis on obtaining necessary resources, state‐of‐the‐art facilities, professional development, and environmental stewardship. Program supports: online classes help promote sustainability by reducing paper needs. 3. Increase and improve partnerships with organizations that support the college’s mission. Program supports: In a cooperative effort with Career Services the psychology department has initiated and continues to supervise the placement of student interns at multiple community organizations. These students have continued their roles as alumni and provide networking and professional opportunities for current students. Site placements have included the Department of Labor, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Easter Seals, and many other community service organizations. 4. Utilize technology strategically to advance teaching and learning, expand online and alternative delivery methods, and enable effective administrative and support services. The Social and Behavioral Science department currently leads the college in departmental use of iCampus and Angel learning Management Systems. Faculty members have initiated Best Practice Learning Object Repositories and Resources for both full and and adjunct faculty use. These resources have included a faculty from the department developing and giving a presentation on the use of wiki based course projects, a Professional Development Seminar on Contiguity and Context in Positive Feedback, and integration of the first publisher based portal to utilize cost‐ effective ebook and loose‐leaf alternatives to traditional textbooks. Investment and resources for advances in technology has also been explored through community, state, and national resources. Faculty and students have addressed representatives from the Department of Education, Mayor‐elect Ron Emmanuel, Macarthur Foundation, Chicago Public Libraries, Parson’s School of Design, and multiple publishers. Issues have included consideration of efforts to reach underserved students through Chicago Quest and the Digital Youth Network. The Director of Technology for the Secretary of Education spoke to faculty and students about participation in the Open Resources Network Grant and other initiatives to meet President Obama’s goal of 60% college degree completion by 2020. Faculty has also met with representatives of the National Science Foundation to consider grant funding for Virtual Learning Environments. This effort includes collaboration with the Physics department, grant writing team, and game design professionals. The National Education Technology Plan initiated by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan specifically calls for educators to engage a more diverse population of students in the use of technology to improve learning outcomes. The psychology department has also scheduled the first National Education Technology Plan conference for summer 2011 to showcase student media projects to local community members and alumni. All core classes in psychology are offered as face‐to‐face and online opportunities.
5. Improve the success of minority, underrepresented and underprepared student populations in addition to closing the gap between high school and college performance. Currently there are several programs the psychology department is working with including Project Achieve, Project Success, and Student Accommodations and Resources. Psychology faculty have won awards for level of participation from these organizations for the last several years. In addition to these programs which serve minority, underrepresented and underprepared student populations, there are currently several departmental initiatives being undertaken to explore the opportunities for increasing articulation of these populations. The first approach has been the inclusion of students from all areas of social and behavioral sciences in the Career Services job preparation fairs, job fairs, and options for student employment through the streamlined online professional and social networking opportunities. Speakers are scheduled regularly for assisting all students in understanding and utilizing the resources available to help students. The second important area is in the internships, volunteer opportunities, and participation in both civic and charitable community events and services. As mentioned above, in a cooperative effort with Career Services the psychology department has initiated and continues to supervise the placement of student interns at multiple community organizations. These students have continued their roles as alumni and provide networking and professional opportunities for current students. Site placements have included the Department of Labor, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Easter Seals, and many other community service organizations. Another area that is currently being utilized as an opportunity to increase engagement and facilitate articulation is the participation of students in conferences at multiple universities. Current involvement has included participation in the Multicultural symposium at Columbia. Students have participated in the Midwest Institute for Students and Teachers of Psychology where two students won awards for literature research. Other conference attendance designed to assist students with successful transition to four‐year institutions include conferences at Elmhurst College, Northern Illinois University, and the Midwest Psychological Association. Sessions have been scheduled with students to successfully describe and include these experiences on resumes, college applications, personal statements, and curriculum vitae. 6. Develop programs that anticipate and respond to labor market demand. Program supports: An AA with an emphasis in Psychology supports entry‐level employment in the mental health field. 4. What are the staff qualifications? Professors are experienced in teaching and research. They contribute in a number of ways to the psychology program. Dr. Marti S. Bonne: Ph.D., Experimental Psychology, University of Missouri‐St. Louis, 1997 Specializations in social and cognitive psychology. Dissertation title: Unconscious Processing During Impression Formation. Have been teaching psychology courses since the early 1990s‐‐have been teaching full‐time at JJC since the Fall, 2000 semester. Teach traditional, blended and completely online courses in General Psychology, Social Psychology and Abnormal Psychology at JJC. Use Angel in all aspects of all of my courses. Wrote the first completely online psychology course offered by JJC (2001‐General Psychology) as well as the first completely online Abnormal and Social Psychology courses, in addition to the first blended psychology course offered at JJC. Earned the Master Online Teacher Certificate in 2005 by completing the required series of MVCR (Making the Virtual Classroom a Reality) courses through the ION (Illinois Online Network). Mary Anna Conti M.S., Counseling Psychology Illinois Benedictine University 1989: Masters Review of the Literature on “The Efficacy of Psychotherapy.” Psychology Instructor, and currently Chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. David F. Filak, Ph.D., Illinois Institute of Technology. Dissertation title: Reward Magnitude and Percentage of Reward as Determinants of Goldfish Incentive Shift Performance. My specializations include the Psychology of Learning and
Physiological Psychology. I have been teaching psychology courses since 1976, and have been teaching full‐time at Joliet Junior College (JJC) since 1989. I am currently a Full Professor of Psychology at JJC. Although I have taught most of the traditional first and second year psychology courses offered at JJC, my current teaching interest is in General Psychology. I have also published the Study Guide and Work Book that is used in my Psychology 101 courses. Angel Course Management Technology has been incorporated into all of my Psychology 101 courses. I have also completed the JJC Online Teaching Workshop and have earned a certificate to teach online courses for JJC. Sarah Martin, Ph.D., Psychology, Bowling Green State University, 2010. Specialization in clinical psychology. Dissertation title: Theory of Mind, Social Information Processing, and Children's Social Behavior. Teaching full‐time at JJC since Fall 2010 semester. Teaching traditional classes (General Psychology, Personality Psychology). Online course management training in Angel. Utilization of Angel features in traditional classroom setting (e.g., gradebook, powerpoints, dropboxes). Patrick L. Tinken: M.S., General Experimental Psychology, Western Illinois University, 1976. L.C.P.C (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor 1993). Master’s Thesis: Examining for a Reality Basis of the “Beautiful is Good” stereotype. Have been teaching Psychology full‐time at the college level since 1975. Developed classes in Health Psychology and Stress Management for Joliet Junior College (JJC). Currently teaching both of these courses in addition to Abnormal Psychology and General Psychology. Have been teaching at JJC since Fall, 1987. Previously taught at Iowa Western Community College (1976 – 1986) and Illinois College (1975). Have completed 55 hours beyond the Master’s Degree. Have served as a Coordinator in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department for a total of approximately 15 years. Have participated in various programs generated by grants at JJC (Substance Abuse Prevention and International Education) which have been incorporated into my classes. Founded and developed the Holistic Wellness Program (1995) at JJC. Founded and served as faculty advisor for PSI Beta (National Honor Society in Psychology for Community Colleges, 1994‐2000) at JJC. Recently completed training in Angel and I am incorporating Angel into my Classes. Margot Underwod, M. A., Clinical Psychology, Roosevelt University, 2001: Thesis Personality Characteristics/Variables in Individuals with Morbid Obesity. Courses taught include General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Child Development, Lifespan Development, and Theories of Personality. I have been teaching psychology courses at JJC since 2002. Currently, I am serving as faculty representative to the Online Steering Committee and assisting the chair with current accreditation through the Assessment Committee. Responsibilities include the faculty advisor to the Psychology and Social Services Resources Network which it the largest student club on campus. Students have developed and won awards for original research presented at the Midwest Institute for Students and teachers for Psychology (MISTOP). In addition, students and their families have attended multiple conferences including Columbia’s New Directions in Cultural Studies, 44th Annual Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA), Northern Illinois University’s Artistry Day, and the Midwest Psychological Association. These serve to introduce students to the research process and increase articulation to colleges through tours and family involvement. In terms of online development, all courses have complete websites developed with extensive test pools and online resources. In coordination with iCampus, course websites have been developed and shared with all adjuncts including streaming media and all ancillaries. A “Best Practices” online learning repository featuring alternative presentation software and Web 2.0 tools has been developed for the department, students, and included in the JJC Faculty LOR. Student media assignments have been developed to meet the requirements for the National Education Technology Plan and will be presented at a conference in June to family and local community members. Solicitation for grants has been initiated through the National Science Foundation and the MaCarthur Foundation for developing online learning opportunities. In addition, a professional development seminar was given emphasizing the neural basis for positive feedback and applications for online grading.
What are the implications for change to the program, degrees, certificates, courses and curriculum? (Based on this information about courses and sequences of courses in the discipline, what steps need to be taken to up‐date or improve? What should we stop, start or change?) Psychology is contributing to JJC’s strategic goals. The Social and Behavioral Sciences is looking to add a human service component in the form of a two year certificate. Included in this cert program will be tracks in Social Work, and Addictions Studies. NEED 4. What trends are apparent in the data regarding the NEED for the program? We expect continued high enrollment in psychology classes. Students are identifying Social Science as a valuable part of an overall education and our courses are dovetailing into the four‐year tracks for Social Science Generalist at the University Level. We need to explore and extend agreements for automatic transfer to local Four‐year universities. What are the implications for change to the program, degrees, certificates, courses and curriculum? (It is expected that there is a continuing need for courses in each of the academic disciplines, but is the array of courses offered appropriate to meet the needs of students and support academic programs? What should we stop, start or change?) Given the increases expected in enrollment, additional classes may needed to meet student demand. In addition, offering more classes in a variety of formats, such as blended and online classes, may help to meet student needs. A possible course development may be a Research Methods course. In addition, the psychology department has placed over 50 interns in the last 3 years so a course option to supervise these internships may be developed, as well. COST 5. What trends are apparent in the data regarding the COSTS for the program? On average, psychology has a low unit cost (we rank 81 out of 82 in terms of cost). Within our division, we generate the highest number of credit hours for the lowest cost. We anticipate this trend will continue because the population in Will County will continue to increase. What are the implications for change to the program, degrees, certificates, courses and curriculum? (What steps can be taken to offer courses more cost‐effectively? Are there needs for additional resources? What should we stop, start or change?) Overall, given the low unit cost of psychology, changes are not needed. An increased focus on teaching online classes could be one method of improving cost‐effectiveness. As a result of the Program Review, select one of the following actions for this program: X Continued with minor improvements Significantly modified Discontinue/eliminate Place on inactive status Schedule for further review Other, please specify: ACTION PLAN FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS Continue to offer more classes (traditional, blended, and online), as needed by the student population (Ongoing). Explore adding Adulthood and Aging to the curriculum by Spring 2013. Explore adding Research Methods by Spring 2013.
