Learning Outcomes in Psychology

1
Learning Outcomes in Psychology

• Inquiry
• Research Design
• Reflection

2
Cart Before the Horse Approach

• Existing Outcome Variables
• Senior Thesis
• Screening Advancement
• Comprehensive Exam
• Reflection
• What does each measure?
• Is it important?

3
Research Review of Literature

• Psychology Programs at other Universities
• Quantitative Analysis
• Likert format survey
• Knowledge based exam
• Objective evaluation of thesis
• Qualitative Analysis
• Student interviews
• Informal evaluation of Senior Projects

4
What should a college graduate know and be able
to do?

• Basic Skills
• Communication
• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking
• Listening
• Computation
• Critical Thinking
• Learning to learn

• Soft Skills
• Problem Solving
• Interpersonal
• Teamwork
• Planning Organization
• Self-control
• Emotional Intelligence
• Source www.cael.org

5
Document Review

• WASC What is good evidence?
• AAHE American Association for Higher Education
  Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student
  Learning (www.aahe.org)
• CAEL Council for Adult and Experiential
  Learning (www.cael.org)
• NSSE National Survey of Student Engagement
  (www.indiana.edu/nsse)

6
Four Learning Outcomes

• Personalized Education
• Writing
• Psychology Two Goals
• Graduate
• Undergraduate

7
Personalized Education

• Uniqueness of Chapman University Adult Learners
• Reflection on students
• Focus Groups on defining personalized education
• Key Areas
• Advising
• Teaching
• Mentoring
• Career/Graduate School Preparation

8
Personalized Education

• Purpose
• Identify Strengths Weaknesses
• Target effective tools/techniques
• Develop plan for improvement
• Assessment Method
• Likert format scale qualitative text responses
• On-line Survey
• Data base
• Administered at end of program

9
Writing

• Challenge Objective Process for Measuring
• Key Areas
• APA Format
• Summarize critique research articles
• Scientific Writing

10
Writing

• Purpose
• Provide profile of strengths weaknesses
• Identify curriculum needs
• Plan Implement instruction in targeted areas of
  need

• Assessment Method
• Evaluate Senior Thesis
• Develop Scoring Rubric
• Choose team of evaluators
• Train team in use of rubric
• Randomly choose sample of Senior Thesis

11
Psychology Diagnosis Treatment

• Purpose Focus on necessary essential skill in
  profession
• Graduate Students Determine diagnosis
  treatment plan
• Advancement Created objective criteria for
  measuring abilities when presented with vignette
• Committee evaluation
• Increased reliability

12
Psychology Critical Thinking

• Purpose
• Ability to critically analyze existing research
• Demonstrate knowledge of psychological theories
  and their application
• Include decision making and problem solving
  skills

• Assessment Method
• Qualitative text responses
• Likert format questions
• On-line survey at end of program
• Graduate Undergraduate students

13
Format
14
Conclusion

• Reflection Review existing research documents
  incubate
• Inquiry Ask important empirical questions
• Research Design Plan an Assessment Method that
  is reliable valid