Tired of Tests? Alternative Ideas for Monitoring Student Learning

WCET 19th Annual Conference E-Learning in Higher Education:Making Good on the Promises

Robin F. Blackman, Middle Tennessee State UniversityCarol Gering, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Anna Witter-Merithew, University of Northern Colorado

November 2007

Establishing a Student Learning Assessment Plan

Robin F. BlackmanMiddle Tennessee State University

Establishing a Student Learning Assessment Plan

• Identify a shared purpose• Collaboration across the institution - Academic Master Plan.• Commitment from administration and faculty• Provide resources to support faculty in the development of student

learning assessment• Evaluate efforts to assess and improve student learning

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A Plan to Assess Student Learning Outcomes

Middle Tennessee State University is dedicated to providing academic programs with a process for determining and assessing student learning outcomes.

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Who is Middle Tennessee State University?

• Located in Murfreesboro, TN (geographic center of Tennessee)

• Member of the Tennessee Board of Regents (The State University and Community College System of Tennessee)

• 45 campuses• 182,000 students• 13, 0000 employees

• Enrollment 23,248 (fall 2007)• 939 full-time faculty (fall 2007)

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Academic Master Plan“Middle Tennessee State University will integrate student learning outcomes, program evaluations, and student evaluation of faculty processes. These processes will enhance the University’s quality assessment of the effectiveness of it general education and degree programs and enhance educational outcomes”.

Academic Master Plan 2007-2017, MTSU

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What is Student Learning Assessment?

• Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning.

(Angelo T. and Cross, P., 2003)

• “Assessment is the systematic collection of information about student learning, using the time, knowledge, expertise, and resources available, in order to inform decision on how to improve learning”.

(Walvoord, B., 2004)

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Why are we focused on Student Learning

Assessment?

• Accountability• Improve curricula learning experiences• Provide a strategy for understanding, confirming,

and improving student learning

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MTSU’s Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

• Provide academic programs a process for determining and assessing student learning outcomes.

• Develop a common language of assessment.• Provide faculty with resources for writing student learning

outcomes.• Provide faculty with resources to assess student

learning.• Share results of outcomes assessment with faculty.• Use results to improve academic programs.

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Process

• Campus-wide awareness• Departmental workshops• Campus-wide seminar/workshops offered by

Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC)

• In-house developed application to capture departmental goals, course, and program outcomes

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Common Language of Assessment

• Levels of assessment • Goals• Objectives• Student Learning Outcomes

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Writing Student Learning Outcomes

• Distinguish between goals, objectives, and outcomes

• Describe what students should know, be able to Do, or value/believe by the end of the course

• Represent what is important in a course

• Link to the common domains of learning; cognitive (Bloom’s Taxonomy), affective and psychomotor

• Focus on observable outcomes (an “action verb” can provide that focus

• Be S.M.A.R.T• Specific• Measurable• Actionable• Relevant• Timed

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Assessment and Results • Assess

• What methods and techniques will be used to assess the learning?

• Classroom assessment techniques (CATs)

• Rubrics• Portfolios

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• Interpret and share results• Who will interpret the

results?• Who will have access to the

results?• How will the institution use

the results?

Where are we now?

Resources• Angelo, T. A., & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for

college teachers (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.• Hernon, P., & Dugan, R.E. (Eds.). (2004). Outcomes assessment in higher education:

Views and perspectives. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.• The Higher Learning Commission. (2003). Handbook of accreditation (3rd Ed.). Chicago:

Author.• Learning, Teaching & Innovative Technologies Center. Middle Tennessee State

Tennessee.• Maki, P. L. (2004). Assessing for learning: Building a sustainable commitment across the

institution. Sterling, Virginia: Stylus Publishing• Middle Tennessee State University. (2007) Building on the Blueprint for Excellence:

Academic Master Plan for 2007-2017. Murfreesboro, Tennessee: Author. • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. (2005).

Resource Manual for the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement (Interim Edition). Decatur, Georgia: Author.

• Walvoord, B. E., (2004). Assessment Clear and Simple: A Practical Guide for Institutions, Departments, and General Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004.

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Contact Information

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Robin F. Blackman

Assistant Professor

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

rblackma@mtsu.edu