Student Learning Outcomes SLO and Assessment

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Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) and Assessment
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Why?

• As part of the SACS reaffirmation process, we
  must demonstrate that all courses and programs
  have defined student learning outcomes (SLO),
  assessment of SLO, and evidence of using
  assessment results to improve programs.
• The SLO and mode of assessment must be included
  within each syllabus of every section, for every
  course offered.

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What are Student Learning Outcomes?

• During reaffirmation, SACS will consider whether
  courses are results-oriented
• SLO have three distinguishing characteristics
• observable
• measurable
• achievable in one semester
• The SLO must convey to the student the
  information they will learn/apply during the
  semester.

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How?

• Most often, SLOs are activities that students are
  already doing for grades you may just need to
  re-word your activities (objectives) and define
  assessment methods to be able to measure them
• SLOs should consist of action verbs that define a
  level of learning within that particular outcome
  (see http//access.nku.edu/oca/slo/bloom.htm)
• Include intended SLOs in all sections syllabi

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Blooms Classification of Cognitive Skills

• Use of Blooms Classification of Cognitive Skills
  or another classification system is recommended
  to focus on what students should learn to do with
  course content
• Knowledge
• Comprehension
• Application
• Analysis
• Synthesis
• Evaluation

Bloom, B. S. (Ed.) Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives The Classification of Educational
Goals. Handbook I Cognitive Domain. White
Plains, NY Longman, 1956.
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For More Information onBlooms Classification
ofCognitive Skills see http//access.nku.edu/oc
a/slo/bloom.htm
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When?

• SACS requires a four semester history of syllabi
  showing SLOs
• Every faculty member must electronically submit
  via their departmental curriculum committee a
  syllabus for each class they are teaching, for
  each of the following semesters
• Fall 2006
• Spring 2007
• Fall 2007, and
• Spring 2008

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General Education Courses

• SLOs approved during the recertification of
  general education courses in 2002 must be
  utilized
• All general education courses must include
  approved SLOs in syllabi for each section
• Assessment must be linked to SLOs

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Syllabus Content Required by SACS

• SLO (see examples on following slides)
• Defined assessment methods that are directly
  linked to the SLOs and used to evaluate student
  achievement of the SLO
• The content and goals of the course should be
  consistent with the departmental mission

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Sample SLO

• CMGT 101 (currently defined as objectives)
• At the conclusion of CMGT 101, each student will
  be able to
• Interpret and comprehend construction blueprints
  for residential, commercial, and highway
  construction projects.
• Communicate an understanding of construction
  systems by demonstrating the ability to correctly
  sketch and draw construction systems and
  components.
• Locate and apply industry standard reference
  materials to determine appropriate materials and
  installation methods.
• Explain the permit procedures including building
  and zoning code requirements.
• List the responsibility of and the relationship
  between the owners, architects, engineers,
  construction managers, contractors, and specialty
  contractors.
• List the advantages and disadvantages of the
  different project delivery systems.

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Sample SLO

• PSY 360 (currently defined as objectives)
• Identify sites of drug action in the brain (e.g.,
  neurotransmitters, receptors, transporters,
  enzymes).
• Recognize the clinical effects and side effects
  of antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic
  drugs.
• Understand the biological basis of drug abuse and
  addiction.

• Recall and identify sites of drug action in the
  brain (e.g. receptors, transporters, enzymes)
  during in-class discussions and on examinations.
• Recognize the clinical effects and side effects
  of antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic
  drugs, evidenced through performance on
  presentations.
• Demonstrate understanding of the biological basis
  of drug abuse and addiction on written
  assignments.

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Sample SLO

• PAD 626 (Graduate Research Methods/Program
  Evaluation course)
• Increase knowledge of evaluation rationale,
  theories, concepts and processes as evidenced in
  discussion and class presentations
• Practice techniques related to evaluation logic,
  design, data collection and analysis on in-class
  case study assignments
• Demonstrate insight to key issues and challenges
  associated with evaluation during in-class
  presentations
• Enhance ability to analyze evaluation settings
  and to communicate findings effectively both in
  written papers and in oral presentations

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After Ive defined my SLO, what else does SACS
want?

• 3.3.1 The institution identifies expected
  outcomes for its educational programs and its
  administrative and educational support services
  assesses whether it achieves these outcomes and
  provides evidence of improvement based on
  analysis of those results.
• 3.4.1 The institution demonstrates that each
  educational program for which academic credit is
  awarded
• (a) is approved by the faculty and the
  administration, and
• (b) establishes and evaluates program and
  learning outcomes.

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Assessment?

• A systematic process of looking at student
  achievement within and across courses by
  gathering, interpreting and using information
  about student learning for educational
  improvement.

American Association of Higher Education Bulletin
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Five Themes of Assessment

• Assessment should focus on improving student
  learning
• The focus of assessment should not be limited to
  the classroom, but include the wide range of
  processes that influence learning
• Assessment is a process embedded within larger
  systems
• Assessment should focus collective attention and
  create linkages and enhance coherence within and
  across the curriculum and
• Tension between assessment for improvement and
  assessment for accountability must be managed.

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Why arent grades enough?

• grading practices are not standardized
• need for different ways of structuring program
  assessment
• grades reflect several variables other than
  course content and mastery
• objectives and outcomes differ across departments
  and programs
• good assessment incorporates multiple ways of
  measuring goal achievement

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How?

• Connect SLO to exams and assignments to measure
  performance by
• Creating assessment instruments that incorporate
  assignments, projects and exams you are already
  using
• Utilizing rubrics - see rubric example slide 18
• Reporting and evaluating assessment instruments -
  see rubric example slide 19
• Defining assessment plan statements see example
  slide 20
• Close the loop by
• Comparing data across semesters to find
  strengths/weaknesses in different SLO areas - see
  example slide 21

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Sample Assessment Rubric (written communication
skills)
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Report your Assessment Findings

• Assessment Criteria/Performance
  Standards/Expected Result(s)
• i.e. Less than 30 of students will answer each
  embedded question correctly on the pretest,
  whereas 80 or more will answer each embedded
  question correctly on the final exam
• Statement of Actual Results
• i.e. Expected results were met
• Problems Encountered
• (if minimum standards were not met)
• Actions Taken/Recommendations for Further Action
• i.e. curricular changes or improvements
• Complete this for each assessment criteria
  statement.

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Define your Assessment Plan Statement (i.e. SOC
201)

• Intended Outcome 1
• i.e. Students enrolled in sophomore SOC will
  demonstrate an understanding of key sociological
  concepts and principles.
• Assessment Measures, Techniques and Target
  Courses/Activities
• i.e. SOC 201 students will complete a pretest and
  final examination, in which questions related to
  key sociological concepts and principles are
  embedded. Faculty will evaluate student
  performance across all sections.
• Assessment Criteria/Expected Results
• i.e. Less than 30 of students will answer each
  embedded question correctly on the pretest,
  whereas 80 will answer correctly on the final
  exam.

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Close the loop

• Ask four questions
• What do you expect your students to know at the
  beginning of the semester?
• What do you expect your students to have learned
  by the end of the semester?
• Did the students meet your expectations?
• What can be done to change the course so that
  students can better meet/exceed your expectations
  next semester?

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What if you do not have assessable goals?

• Examine the set of required courses.
• Ask, What have we been trying to teach? (SLO)
• Ask, What should students know before they enter
  the curriculum in order to succeed? (Entrance
  Criteria)
• Ask, What should students know when they
  complete the curriculum in order to graduate?
  (Exit Criteria)
• Ask, At what points in the curriculum are
  students doing well or having difficulty?
  (Midpoint Criteria)
• Ask, Are our alumni successful in the field?
  (Post Completion Criteria)

Adapted from NCTLA
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9 Best Practices for Assessing Student Learning

• The assessment of student learning begins with
  educational values.
• Assessment is most effective when it reflects an
  understanding of learning as multidimensional,
  integrated, and revealed in performance over
  time.
• Assessment works best when the programs it seeks
  to improve have clear, explicitly stated
  purposes.
• Assessment requires attention to outcomes but
  also and equally to the experiences that lead to
  those outcomes.
• Assessment works best when it is ongoing not
  episodic.
• Assessment fosters wider improvement when
  representatives from across the educational
  community are involved.
• Assessment makes a difference when it begins with
  issues of use and illuminates questions that
  people really care about.
• Assessment is most likely to lead to improvement
  when it is part of a larger set of conditions
  that promote change.
• Through assessment, educators meet
  responsibilities to students and to the public.

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Resources

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
  (SACS) Principles of Accreditation. Approved by
  the College Delegate Assembly, 2001.
  http//www.sacscoc.org
• Kelley, L.H. (Ed.D) Assessment and Planning
  Resources link found at http//www.angelfire.com/
  ia/kelley/ , 2006.
• Bloom, B. S. (Ed.) Taxonomy of Educational
  Objectives The Classification of Educational
  Goals. Handbook I Cognitive Domain. White
  Plains, NY Longman, 1956.
• Angelo, T.A. AAHE Bulletin. April 1995, p.11.
• Angelo, T.A. AAHE Bulletin. November 1995, p.7.
• Alexander W. Astin Trudy W. Banta K. Patricia
  Cross Elaine El-Khawas Peter T. Ewell Pat
  Hutchings Theodore J. Marchese Kay M.
  McClenney Marcia Mentkowski Margaret A. Miller
  E. Thomas Moran Barbara D. Wright. This
  document was developed under the auspices of the
  AAHE Assessment Forum with support from the Fund
  for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education
  with additional support for publication and
  dissemination from the Exxon Education
  Foundation. Copies may be made without
  restriction.