From: Academic Development Committee: Government Task Force
Re: GOVT 2305 and GOVT 2306 Pretest Results
Date: November 19, 1999
The results of the pretest in United States Government (GOVT 2305) and Texas State and Local Government (GOVT 2306) are attached. The mean for GOVT 2305 was 17.1 correct responses (57 percent correct). The mean for GOVT 2306 was 14.4 correct responses (48 percent correct). These results are nearly identical to the results of the Fall 1998 pretest when GOVT 2305 had a mean of 17.1, and GOVT 2306 had a mean of 14.3.
In the results, the committee members noted the number of students that missed each question and the percentage of students that answered each question correctly. We have also noted the learning objective for each question that was answered correctly by at least 70 percent of the students taking the pretest. In GOVT 2305, students are able to define the following concepts: ideology, democracy, political socialization, primary election, and lobbying. They are also able to identify the social movement that promoted the adoption of the Voting Rights Act, to distinguish between civil liberties and civil rights, and demonstrate an understanding of the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances. In GOVT 2306, students are able to define democracy. They also understand the purpose of checks and balances, the meaning of judicial review, the agents of socialization, and the reasons for low voter turnout in Texas.
The committee has emphasized what the students know rather than what they don't know. I would encourage instructors to ensure that all of the learning objectives identified in the Government Instructor's Manual, 1999-2000 have been covered adequately, particularly those objectives that the students don't appear to understand.