Department Chair Activities

A summary of the activities I engage in as Department Chair of the Social Sciences Department.

The Department of Social Sciences is a very small department...but we provide a critical service to all of the students at KVCC.  My focus has been on the development of standardized assessments, quality instruction (both face-to-face and online) and the recruitment and retention of quality Faculty.


Documentation

Fall 2018

Associates of Science in Psychology

I am now the Chair of the AS in Psychology and Social Sciences

Summer 2016

Completion of Instructional Design for ECE

This summer we completed the Instructional Design work to deliver the Early Childhood Education program completely online.

Spring 2016

Organizational Structure of the ECE and Autism Program Staff

  • Advocated to have Irene Daigle offered a 20-hour per week job as Program Coordinator for both the Early Childhood Education and Autism Studies programs.
  • Jessica Powell was brought on in partnership with Educare and KVCAP to provide leadership in the revision of the ECE Curriculum.
  • New office space for Irene and Jessica was located in the basement of Averill on the Alfond Campus.
  • The original classroom for ECE was converted to a child-centered play and education center and the classroom for ECE classes was located in the basement next to the new office.

Spring 2014

Assessment of General Education Outcomes

Click HERE to view the Signature Assignments for Spring 2014

Department-wide Social Sciences Resources Initiative

I have created a document that resides in every Bb shell in the Department that outlines basic resources and services for all students taking Social Sciences courses.

Content in this "Resources" page includes links to the following:

  • KVCC Information and Resources
  • Computer and Technical Support
  • Writing Resources and Supports (including the KVCC Writing Center and the Writing Across the Social Sciences resources)
  • Student Services
  • Library Information and Access
  • KVCC Center for Civic Engagement

Click HERE to view the Social Sciences Resources page

Department-wide Face-to-Face and Online Instructional Design Initiative

Developing and implementing a department-wide standard of online course development incorporating the ALOTA Model of Instructional Design. Provision of Instructional Design and Technical Development of all face-to-face and online courses in the department.

Fall 2013

Assessment of General Education Outcomes

Click HERE to view the Signature Assignments for Fall 2013

Fall 2012

Assessment of General Education Outcomes

Initiated a program seeking to standardize assignments across five first-year courses in the department:

  • PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology
  • PSY 215: Developmental Psychology
  • SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology
  • COM 104: Introduction to Communication
  • COM 105: Interpersonal Communication

These assignments, distributed across each of the 5 classes, will provide assessment data on student learning outcomes for all 15 of the Amercan Association of Colleges and Universities VALUE Rubrics.

In a separate phase of this program, the VALUE Rubrics will be distributed across the 10-MHT course sequence in the Associates of Applied Science in Mental Health.

Fall 2011

Implemented Program for all Social Sciences courses to have Bb Components

This is an ongoing initiative, but it started out as a requirement that all social science classes will have a Bb component.

Minimum expectations for the content of this Bb course include:

  • Utilization of the standard course template designed for the department
  • Course Information including:
    • Basic course information including start and end dates, meeting times and place, and faculty contact information
    • Syllabus in PDF format
    • Course Policies
    • About your Instructor (autobiography)
  • Gradebook utilization to record and compute ALL grades

Spring 2009

Developed Online Course Development Guidelines for the Department of Social Sciences

This document outlined expectations for course development, communication, and assessment strategies.

The guide can be viewed by clicking HERE.

© Mark Kavanaugh 2017