The LearnerCentered College Phase 2

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The Learner-Centered CollegePhase 2

• Beverly Roskos-Ewoldsen

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Survey 1

• Use response pads

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Primary Purpose

• Primary purpose of learning outcomes and their
  assessment is to improve students life-long
  learning.
• Emphasis is on facilitating understanding through
  dialog and frequent feedback.

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Pressures on Quality Education
Increased number of students on campus
Increased class sizes
Quality Education
Clash of teaching/learning styles
Less than ideal academic preparation
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Focus on the Learner

• Learning outcomes (goals)

Increased number of students Collaborative
learning (community)
Increased class sizes Active learning (cps)
Learner
Less than ideal preparation Access to class
materials (tegrity)
Clash of styles Multimedia (multiple codes)
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The Learner-Centered College

• Focus on the processes by which a student gains
  knowledge and understanding.
• Expand student understanding through an active
  learning partnership with the student. 
• Regular, timely, and thorough assessment of
  student learning is key.

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Phase 1

• Identifying Learning Outcomes
• Focus on what a student will be able to do
• Action verbs

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Examples

• Synthesize information from several sources to
  trace an historical theme over time. (HY)
• Construct a reasonable electron-pushing reaction
  mechanism. (CH)
• Recognize the presence of mythic motifs and
  imagery in modern culture. (CL)

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Knowledge Action Verbs
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Comprehension Action Verbs
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Application Action Verbs
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Analysis Action Verbs
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Synthesis Action Verbs
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Evaluation Action Verbs
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Phase 1

• Learning Outcomes at Four Levels
• university, discipline, course, class period

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UA Learning Outcomes

• (100-200 level) Students will
• Recognize and identify key concepts in the arts,
  sciences, and humanities.
• Critically discriminate between reliable and less
  reliable information.
• Understand the scientific method and critically
  evaluate scientific information.

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UA Learning Outcomes

• Students will
• Become familiar with scholarly and research
  methods.
• Develop effective written communication skills.
• Develop skills in working together in team
  activities.

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Discipline-Specific LO

• Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts,
  theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and
  historical trends.
• Understand and apply basic research methods,
  including research design, data analysis, and
  interpretation.
• Understand and apply psychological principles to
  personal, social, and organizational issues.

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Question 1

• If Phase 1 is defining learning outcomes for 100
  and 200 level classes, then Phase 2 is ______.

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Phase 2

• Match learning assessments to learning outcomes
• Evaluate assessments for progress towards
  learning outcomes

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Matching In-ClassOutcomes Assessments
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Evaluation of In-Class Assessments

• At what point do you re-teach a concept?
• Teach less remember more (life-long learning)

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Matching CourseOutcomes Assessments
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Note

• Students should know what the learning outcomes
  are and how they are assessed.
• Include course outcomes and assessments on
  syllabus

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Evaluation of Course Assessments

• How was students performance?
• Especially compared with previous semesters or
  with other traditionally taught sections
• What improvements should be made?

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Matching UniversityOutcomes Assessments
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Documenting the ProcessThe QEP Matrix
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Focus on the Learner

• Learning outcomes (goals)

Increased number of students Collaborative
learning (community)
Increased class sizes Active learning (cps)
Learner
Less than ideal preparation Access to class
materials (tegrity)
Clash of styles Multimedia (multiple codes)
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Direct vs. Indirect

• Direct performance criteria
• Does not have to be related to grades
• Indirect opinions

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Question 2

• If Phase 1 is defining learning outcomes for 100
  and 200 level classes, then Phase 2 is ______.

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Cognitive Processes

• Practice at retrieval
• Testing enhances learning, particularly when
  tests are aligned with important content
• Re-representing material
• Challenges make learning effortful and thereby
  enhances long-term retention
• Varying learning conditions
• Materials presented in verbal, visual, and
  multimedia form richer representations

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Ending Comment

• A major goal of the College is to fully
  incorporate this paradigm into the colleges
  academic culture by addressing it in our
  curriculum, our assessments of student learning,
  and in faculty evaluations.

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Survey 2

• Use response pads

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QEP Course Redesign Framework

• Define the Student Learning Outcomes for a
  course.
• 5 to 10 learning outcomes
• 3-5 specific to discipline
• 3-5 higher order learning objectives and
  communication skills (UA learning outcomes)

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QEP Course Redesign Framework

• Define your active and collaborative learning
  strategy.
• Problem-solving exercises
• Informal small groups
• Simulations
• Examples at www.teaching.ua.edu

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QEP Course Redesign Framework

• Define the direct assessment measures you will
  use.
• Use 1-min summaries
• Apply major principles in culminating project
• Use second person to read course papers and
  projects to assess student learning

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QEP Course Redesign Framework

• Define the indirect assessment measures you will
  use.
• Ask students which activities engaged them the
  most in learning
• Ask students which activities produced the most
  learning
• Seek faculty reflection on activities

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QEP Course Redesign Framework

• Define your evaluation design.
• Identify changes in students learning outcomes
  due to your course redesign. (value-added)
• Collect baseline, redesign course, collect same
  assessment measures
• Teach one section traditionally, teach another
  using redesigned approach

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QEP Course Redesign Framework

• Identify results and actions taken
• Report the lessons you learned
• Report how you will change the course

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Documenting the ProcessThe QEP Matrix
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Survey 2

• Use response pads