Student Activities Assessment Plan Project

SLOs/SAOs, Assessment and Beyond!

An Interactive Flex Day Presentation

January 25, 20131*Intended Audience: Mission College Administrators, Faculty and Staff

Purpose of this WorkshopTo provide faculty with the tools in applying Course Level SLOs or SAOs to Institutional Level Learning Outcomes

To provide faculty with the tools to document evidence of assessment result implementation

To HAVE FUN! January 25, 20132Addresses the question: Why are we here?Why did you choose the field of Education?Money?Fame?Popularity?

or..

STUDENTS?January 25, 20133Start the presentation with a question that will get the audience thinking about their number one reason for choosing to become an educator.

Start by making suggestions:

Are you in it for the money? Well, last time I checked, individuals with a Masters degree could be making more money in the technology field than in education.Are you in it for the fame? Hmm.I cant say that I am as famous as Angelina JolieAre you in it because its a popular field to pursue? Judging from the most impacted college programs such as nursing and biotechnology, education seems to not be ranked so highly on the popular program list.

Sowhy did you choose education?? Of course, many of us would say, to educate the future leaders of America.. To educate STUDENTS! Philosophy of AssessmentAs a student-centered Staff or Faculty Member

When you hear the word assessment, what does that mean to you?

What is the difference between being teacher-centered and learning-centered?

January 25, 20134*Ask audience: What does assessment mean to you? Have audience share their views of assessment within their present department.(Identify teacher-centered views and student-centered views shared by audience members)

*Handout:Distribute Huba & Freeds (2000) Comparison of Teacher-Centered and learner-centered paradigms.

*Activity: Have audience get into groups to discuss how they currently utilize techniques found within the Learner-Centered paradigm handout.

Philosophy of AssessmentAssessment is a technique for institutions to:

Improve services

Achieve shared vision

Identify areas of accountability January 25, 20135Huba and Freed (2000) define assessment as, the process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand, and can do with their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences; the process culminates when assessment results are used to improve subsequent learning (p. 8).

By incorporating student assessment into our mission, Mission College will be increasing the importance of assessment as a means of educational and institutional improvement (Banta, 2002, p. 40).

As an institution, we will be able to achieve a shared vision by developing institutional goals based on the learner-centered paradigm.

In doing so, we will also be meeting accreditation and state mandated requirements.

Roles of AssessmentWe assess to assist, assess to advance, assess to adjust

AssistAdvanceAdjustRuth Steihl (2007), The Assessment Primer: Creating a Flow of Learning Evidence.

January 25, 20136Assist: provide formative feedback to guide student performanceAdvance: summative assessment of student readiness for whats nextAdjust: continuous improvement of curriculum, pedagogy (Steil, 2007)

Next, we will discuss the differences between formative and summative.

Goal of AssessmentFormative

Summative

January 25, 20137If the purpose of the assessment is formative, its goal is to obtain information that can be used as feedback to improve or fine tune an existing program. A summative assessment is designed to sum-up a programs overall value or impact (Cuseo, p. 1).

Take a minute to develop one formative goal or one summative goal that can be implemented into your specific Student Services Department.

A goal that I have created that relates to the MESA Program is: By implementing a summative assessment plan, I hope to measure the impact of MESA Student activities on a students academic performance. Purpose of AssessmentScholars and assessment professionals have argued that student assessment should not be an end in itself but should be used for educational and institutional improvement (Banta, 2002, p. 26). January 25, 20138In support of Bantas statement, the main goals of assessment should pursue institutional improvement, accountability, and improving student learning. Huba and Freed (2000) mention that, When faculty collectively take charge of their educational programs, making visible their purpose and intent and putting in place a data based system of evaluation that focuses on improving student learning, the institution itself is the primary beneficiary while external audiences are satisfied as well (p. 19).Mapping the Assessment ProcessMission of Institution, Student Services and/or Instructional Program

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)/Student Area Outcomes (SAO)

Measurement/Assessment

Results

Use of Results (Formative or Summative)

January 25, 20139Since we have already identified and completed steps 1 3, we will focus on steps 4 and 5What are You Already Doing?January 25, 2013Develop, modify, or review a curriculum, course, program, or service.

Develop Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) or Student Area Outcomes (SAO).

Design & Measure Student Outcomes as a result of the Curriculum, Course, Program or Service.

Collect, discuss, and analyze data.

Determine refinements based on outcomes data. Closing the Assessment Loop Skyline College SLOAC, 200710Many of you may already be assessing students in your program. Huba and Freed (2000) define assessment as, the process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand, and can do with their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences; the process culminates when assessment results are used to improve subsequent learning (p. 8).

Take a moment to identify assessments that you are currently utilizing in your program.

Step 4: ResultsWhat did you observe?

How did the students perform on the measurement?

January 25, 201311Step 4: ResultsAnswer the following questions and Identify how the data will be shared. Grann suggests, by thinking about how stakeholders will respond to data before it is collected, puts the program in a better position to make good decisions about how the assessment data will be implemented.

This information should be found in your Program Review documents.

Step 5: Use of ResultsHow will you use your results to improve your program?

How will you document your use of results?January 25, 201312Evaluating Assessment PlansContains a balance of direct and indirect assessment methods overall.

Contains a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures overall.

Contains mostly formative assessments for mid-course corrective action.

Contains links between major assignments/activities and assessments.

Contains three different ways to assess each SLO.

Contains criteria that are based on realistic and meaningful benchmarks.

Contains a variety of assessment methods both tried and true and new.

Contains suggested approaches for sampling or systematically evaluating the student learning outcome.

January 25, 201313Handout: Skyline Colleges Assessment Plan Checklist

Skyline College has developed this assessment plan checklist that will assist you in determining the effectiveness of your individual assessment plans.

Please take a minute to review your plan and the checklist to insure that your plan is complete and comprehensive.

Final ThoughtAssessment involves the systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and use of information to understand and improve teaching and learningAssessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning

(Skyline College SLOAC Committee, 2005, p. 6).

January 25, 201314Assessment is an ongoing process that assists educators in participating in, what Cushman calls a Cycle of Inquiry and Action in which a staff or faculty member poses a question about the work in relation to the school's vision of teaching and learning, then identifies possible sources of information that might help answer it. The next step involves gathering the relevant data and breaking it into parts that make possible comparison, reflection, and analysis. Finally, that analysis yields new action, which in turn suggests new inquiry into the results; and the cycle begins again (p. 2).

Although this workshop may be over, the cycle of inquiry and action is ongoing!

Breakout GroupsBusiness & Technology Division: Room

Liberal Studies Division: Room

Applied Science Division: Room

Language Arts Division: Room

Math & Science Division: Room

Student Support Services Division: Room

January 25, 201315Handout: The Muddiest Point

Please take a moment to fill out The Muddiest Point assessment. This will allow me to identify changes that may need to be made in order to assist you in understanding the assessment process better. Also, keep in mind that The Muddiest Point handout is an assessment tool you can utilize in your program!

Lastly, if you would like to refer back to the presentation, you can access it online on my faculty web page.Breakout Group ActivitiesReview/revise current SLOs (with use of SLO Toolkit) Review/revise current identified Assessments (with use of Backwards Design Model)Record Assessment Result implementation and outcomesConnect course/program SLOs to Institutional SLOs

January 25, 2013ReferencesBanta, T. W. (2002). Building a scholarship of assessment. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Banta, T. W., Black, K. E., Kahn, S., and Jackson, J. E. (2004). A perspective on good \practice in community college assessment. In New Directions for Community Colleges. 126, 5 16. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Periodicals.

California Assessment Institute (n.d.). Resources. Retrieved November 24, 2007, from California Assessment Institute Web site: http://cai.cc.ca.us/Resources/index.htm

Chickering, A. W. and Gamson, Z. F. (1997). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. Retrieved November 23, 2007 from http://learningcommons.evergreen.edu/pdf/fall1987.pdf

Cuseo, J. B. (2003). Assessment of the first-year experience: Six significant questions. Retrieved November 5, 2007, from http://www.sc.edu/fye/resources/assessment/pdf/Cuseos6Qs-web.pdf

Cushman, K. (1999). The cycle of inquiry and action: Essential learning communities. Retrieved November 10, 2007 from http://www.essentialschools.org/cs/resources/view/ces_res/

Friedlander, J. and Serban, A. M. (2004). Meeting the challenges of assessing student learning outcomes. In New Directions for Community Colleges. 126, 101 109. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Periodicals.

Hendriksen, S. I., Yang, L., Love, B., and Hall, M. C. (2005). Assessing academic support: The effects of tutoring on student learning outcomes. Journal of College Reading and Learning. 35, 56-65.

Huba, M. E. and Freed, J. E. (2000). Learner-Centered assessment on college campuses. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

January 25, 2013References Joint Task Force for Student Learning, (1998, June, 2). Powerful partnerships: A shared responsibility for learning. Retrieved October 31, 2007, from ACPA College Student Educators International Web site: http://www.myacpa.org/pub/documents/taskforce.pdf','700','450'

League for Innovation in the Community College. (n.d.) An assessment framework for the community college: Measuring student learning and achievement as a means of demonstrating institutional effectiveness. Retrieved May 15, 2006, from http://www.league.org/publication/whitepapers/0804.html

Pasadena College SLO (2005). Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). Retrieved November 24, 2007 from Pasadena City College Web site: http://www.pasadena.edu/SLO/resources/

Maki, P. (2002).Developing an assessment plan to learn about student learning. Journal of Academic Leadership. 28, 1-2.

Moorpark Community College. (2007) Program Improvement Toolkit 2007. Moorpark, CA: Moorpark College Assessment Committee.

Stiehl, R. and Lewchuk, L. (2007). Assessment Primer. Blaine, WA: The Learning Organization.

Stiehl, R. and Lewchuk L. (2007). Outcomes Primer. Blaine, WA: The Learning Organization.

Skyline College SLOAC Committee (2005). The Skyline College SLOAC framework: An implementation guide for the student learning outcomes and assessment cycle. Retrieved November 18, 2007, from Skyline College Web site: http://www.smccd.edu/accounts/skysloa

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