Gail G. EvansDean, Undergraduate Studies

San Francisco State University

Assessment of General Education: Who/What/When/Why/How?

CSU Summer Institute, GE Assessment Tools for Student Learning of GE Outcomes:

What are our Students Learning?June 25, 2012

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

Introduction• “American students already know they want

a degree. The challenge is to help students become highly intentional about the forms of learning and accomplishment that the degree should represent.” -- 2007 LEAP Report

• How can we as educators implement General Education to help achieve this goal? And how will we know when we get there?

• How do we effect a change in culture on our campuses to sustain implementation?

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

Steps to Campus Change•Get campus involvement from all constituencies.

•Link your proposed changes to other campus initiatives or plans.

•Ensure the support of your administration.

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

Steps to Campus Change• Develop a “road map” or timeline for

implementation.• Determine the effect of and on existing

policies and procedures.• Commit resources.• Develop an assessment plan for your work. • Recognize that the work in which you are

engaged is inherently political…….

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

Steps to Campus Change

So how have these steps worked (or not), in “real-

life” situations?

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

General Education in the California State University System

• Executive Order approved in June 2008:(amended in 2011 by EO 1065)

3.2 CSU Student Learning Outcomes: Each CSU campus shall define its GE student learning outcomes, to fit within the framework of the four “Essential Learning Outcomes” drawn from the Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) campaign, an initiative of the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes Framework

• Knowledge of Human Cultures and the

Physical and Natural World• Intellectual and Practical Skills• Personal and Social Responsibility• Integrative Learning

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

The San José Story of GE Reform and Assessment (thru 2008)

• Fall 1998: Implemented new GE Guidelines that were predicated on course-embedded assessment, as well as a diversity requirement across the curriculum

• 1998-2001: Approximately 280 courses were submitted for re-certification. Course proposals required a plan to assess student learning based on evaluation of Student Learning Objectives

http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/ge/

http://www.aacu.org/aacu_news/aacunews07/february07/feature.cfm

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

Certification & Continuing Certification Processes

• 2004: Eliminated a “check the box” format in relaying GE requirements to students and faculty

• 2001-2008: Course coordinators submitted assessment summaries and course syllabi indicating how students were assessed, the results of those assessments, and appropriate course modifications based on the assessments

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

SJSU Studies Integrated Knowledge of an

Educated Person•Earth and Environment (R) (3 units)

•Self, Society & Equality in the U.S. (S) (3 units)

•Culture, Civilization & Global Understanding (V) (3 units)

•Written Communication II (Z) (3 units)

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

SLOs for One Area of SJSU Studies:Culture, Civilization, & Global

Understanding • Students shall be able to:

O compare systematically … people from more than one culture outside the U.S.;

O identify the historical context of ideas and cultural traditions outside the U.S. and how they have influenced American culture; and

O explain how a culture outside the U.S. has changed in response to internal and external pressures.

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

Content ObjectivesO Diversity. Issues of diversity shall be incorporated

in an appropriate manner.O WritingO Civic Learning. Courses shall address the civic

relevance of the topic in an appropriate manner.O Values Clarification. Students should

demonstrate their ability to articulate and discuss their values and engage in civil discourse.

O Courses will address significant achievements of the human intellect and imagination in a comparative context to understand and appreciate different ideas, cultures, values, religions, institutions, languages, and peoples of the world.

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

Assessment· Assessment

· Writing shall be assessed for grammar, clarity, conciseness and coherence.

http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/ge/assessment/

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

Course Continuing Certification Philosophy

• Assessment as pathway to success vs. gateway

• Mentoring of facultyO GE Faculty in Residence

• No decisions until the decision is “YES”• Education of faculty regarding GE

objectives and assessment • Sharing of best practices

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

General Education Revision at SF State• Graduation Requirements Task Force was charged

in 2006 with reviewing and revising baccalaureate degree requirements, including GE

• Spring 2008 adopted baccalaureate goals• November 2009 submitted final report to the

Academic Senate• Spring 2010 new Baccalaureate Degree Policy

approved by Academic Senate http://www.sfsu.edu/~ugs/GE_Policy.html

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

San Francisco State’s Baccalaureate Goals

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

Physical Science Learning OutcomesAfter completion of a lower division course in physical science, students will be able to:

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Mapping Artifacts to Institutional Goals

Video Reflection Texts & Resources

Electronic Portfolio

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CSU Institute: GE & Assessment June 25, 2012

SF State Course

Instructor:Rachel Poulain

Students: • Cinema• Health Education• Sociology• Urban, Ethnic, and Women's Studies

Course Student Learning Outcome:

Students will be able to shoot and produce a documentary on a Health & Social Justice issue.

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“Co-creating “Empowering the Yard” has made a lasting impact in my life. With 1 in 100 Americans incarcerated and the growing rate of HIV/AIDS among young women, it is imperative that we listen and learn from one another…

Since the film's initial screening at SF State in May 2008, Empowering the Yard has been entered and accepted to film festivals across the country and is going global.”

Emily Kirsch

Testimonials to Student Learning

Videos available at:http://www.healthequity.sfsu.edu/doc/title/empowering.html

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Mapping Institutional Goals to Artifacts

Video Reflection Texts & Resources

Thank You

Thanks to Maggie Beers, Linda Buckley, Ruth Cox, and Kevin Kelly for their contributions to this presentation