A Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Process at the Academic Program Level

Christina Horne, Nita Paris, & Valerie Whittlesey

Kennesaw State University- 2005 SACS Meeting

www.kennesaw.edu/ie/assess/index.htm

History of Assessment at KSU From 1994 to 2003, all academic

departments turned in annual reports to the Executive Assistant to the President & the Institutional Planner

“Describe the assessment methods that you use to improvement your departmental programs.”

Change in Criteria for Reaccreditation in 2004 KSU will be reviewed by the Southern

Association for Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 2006

SACS has new criteria for reaccreditation

“An academic program for which academic credit is awarded should establish and evaluate learning outcomes.”

Assurance of Learning at KSU Establishment of an Assurance of

Learning (AOL) Council in Fall of 2002 within Academic Affairs with a Chair of the Council (Asst. Vice President for Academic Affairs)

Council membership includes two faculty from each College, the Director for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the Director of Institutional Effectiveness

Assurance of Learning Council Function of the AOL Council is to

serve as a steering committee, advisory and consultative group to academic programs as they plan and implement their student learning outcomes assessment plans

Needs Assessment of the AOL Council Review of old department/program

reports An initial meeting to determine the

knowledge of student learning outcomes assessment in departments/programs

Needs Assessment Results Knowledge of

student learning outcomes assessment ranged from “no knowledge” to “advanced knowledge”.

0102030405060708090

100

None Advanced

Seven Elements of Assurance of Student Learning (AOL) 1) Articulating

Student Learning Outcomes

2) Connecting Outcomes to Program Requirements

3) Connecting Outcomes to Methods that Collect Evidence of AOL

4) Articulating Expected Findings for the Evidence

5) Articulating the Plan and Timetable for Collecting Evidence of AOL

6) Collecting, Analyzing, and Interpreting Evidence of AOL

7) Using Results for Improvement

Establishing a Firm Foundation Focus on

Elements 1 and 2 Collaborative

Model of Faculty Assisting Other Faculty

Implementation of the Collaborative Model

Formal Workshops

Informal Workshops

Formal Workshop Goals To summarize the seven elements of

assurance of learning planning and reporting

To summarize the Assurance of Learning action plan for fall of 2003

To summarize the role of the AOL Council

To summarize changes in the SACS reaccreditation guidelines

Informal Workshop Goals To give feedback to faculty

working on elements 1 and 2 of their student learning outcomes assessment plans on drafts of their work so far

Brown Bag sessions

Identifying Learning Goals Teaching Goals Inventory from

Classroom Assessment Techniques by Angelo and Cross (1993)

Rate the importance of each of 52 goals for your program

Exercise #1- Group Activity Linking Outcomes to the

Curriculum using Course Titles and Program Descriptions

Create groups of 4-5 participants

Exercise #1- Group Activity Instructions

What knowledge, skills, and attitudes should a graduate have based on reading the program descriptions

What knowledge, skills, and attitudes should a graduate have based on reading the course titles

Exercise #1- Group Activity Sharing of results

from the exercise

Sample AOL Report Biochemistry General Student Learning

Outcomes Four and its Associated Specific

Student Learning Outcomes Brief and Detailed Matrix

connecting Outcomes to Program Requirements

Submission & Review of AOL Reports All academic programs and

general education addressed elements 1 and 2

Reports due on Dec. 31, 2003 AOL Council provided formative

feedback on elements 1 and 2

Continuing a Firm Foundation Focus on

completing a partial report (elements 3, 4, 5) or a complete report (elements 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7

Collaborative Model of Faculty Assisting Other Faculty

Assurance of Learing Consultation Team During fall 2004 and spring of 2005,

a team of five Kennesaw State University faculty was assembled.

The team provides individualized (customized) assistance to faculty in academic programs and general education in areas where additional expertise and direction were needed.

Submission & Review of AOL Reports All academic programs and

general education submit a partial or complete AOL report

Reports due on Dec. 31, 2004 AOL Council will provide formative

feedback on the partial or complete reports

Submission & Review of AOL Reports All academic programs and

general education submit a complete AOL report

Reports due on Dec. 31, 2005 AOL Council will provide formative

feedback on the complete reports

Lessons Learned Flexibility with deadlines dates for

program reports and with the formatting of AOL program reports

Fear about AOL based on history with the Program Review process

Sequencing of the General Education AOL report

Questions and Discussion ?