Assessing Arts and Sciences Faculty Learning Objectives and Practices: Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Describe a Unique College Identity

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to describe a college identity using faculty learning objectives and skills they teach that are valued by both the liberal arts and employers. Hypotheses predicted that faculty within the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) would emphasize higher-level learning objectives and consistently use collaborative pedagogical strategies to meet them compared to strategies used to meet lower objectives. A total of 103 faculty volunteered to complete the survey, and 14 volunteered for follow-up qualitative interviews. Results suggested CAS faculty collectively include application and analysis learning objectives as frequently as lower-level Bloom objectives and use collaborative strategies to meet those objectives. This article finds that, compared to national norms, liberal arts faculty uniquely relied on these strategies compared to other disciplines. This study offers an empirical framework for disseminating college-wide assessments to summarize unique college-level educational objectives and pedagogical strategies compared to other disciplines.