Assessing Student Learning Outcomes in Student Development

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Assessing Student Learning Outcomes in Student
Development Part I

• Student Development Division Meeting
• SUNY Oneonta
• May 9, 2008

2
Presenter

• Patty Francis, Associate Provost for
• Institutional Assessment and Effectiveness

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Topics for Today

• Assessment basics
• Why student learning outcomes in Student
  Development?
• Oneontas Student Development Division Learning
  Outcomes
• Good assessment practices in Student Development
  Review and examples

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Some Assessment Basics

• Establishing congruence among institutional
  goals, programmatic and unit objectives, student
  learning opportunities, and assessments
• Direct vs. direct measures
• Process vs. outcome statements
• Using a variety of measures, both quantitative
  and qualitative, in search of convergence
• Using existing data sources as much as possible
• Assessment as an ongoing, iterative process

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Assessments Four Steps

• Setting objectives What you say you do
• Objective mapping How you do what you say you
  do
• Assessment How you know you are doing what you
  say you do
• Closing the loop What you do next based on
  results
• Assessment without 4 Waste of time!

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Most Important

• Done correctly, assessment
• Initiates a never-ending dialogue among staff
  members regarding programmatic priorities,
  objectives and effectiveness
• Offers multiple, rich opportunities for
  professional development
• Provides (mostly) affirming data in support of
  existing programs and services
• Provides a focused direction for change and
  future activities

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Student Learning Outcomes in Student Affairs
Rationale

• Recent transformation in higher education
• From inputs to outcomes
• Heightened emphasis on personal development as
  primary goal of undergraduate education
• Recognition that co-curricular environment is as
  important as the classroom
• Important question How do student development
  professionals intentionally create conditions
  that enhance student learning and personal
  development?

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Important Assumptions Underlying a
Learning-Oriented Student Affairs Division
(from ACPA, 1996)

• Characteristics of a college education person
  range from complex cognitive skills to the
  ability to apply knowledge to practical problems
  to a coherent integrated sense of identity
• The concepts of learning, personal development,
  and student development are intertwined and
  inseparable
• Experiences in and outside the classroom and on
  and off campus contribute to student learning
  and development
• Learning and personal development occur through
  transactions between students and their
  environments broadly defined

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And Last, But Not Least

• Student affairs professionals are educators who
  share responsibility with faculty, academic
  administrators, other staff, and students
  themselves for creating the conditions under
  which students are likely to expend time and
  energy in educational-purposeful activities.

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Questions to Ask at the Beginning

• Does the division mission statement explicitly
  address student learning and personal development
  as primary objectives?
• Do staff understand, agree with, and perform in
  ways congruent with this mission?
• How can staff be more intentional about promoting
  student learning (and still provide needed
  services)?
• What measures should be in place to demonstrate
  effectiveness and inform practice?

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A Few Words About Outcomes

• There are different categories of outcomes
• Behavioral
• Cognitive
• Attitudinal
• Some categories are much easier to assess than
  others!
• The best outcomes statements result from staff
  discussion, negotiation and, ultimately,
  consensus

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Oneontas Student Development Division Learning
Outcomes

• Mature Relationships
• Appropriate social skills
• Work cooperatively in groups
• Conflict resolution
• Effective communication
• Cognitive Skills
• Problem solving
• Applying knowledge
• Find, evaluate, and integrate new information

• Identity and Personal Maturity
• Develop values/ethical standards
• Set short- and long-term career and life goals
• Learn principles for improving physical and
  mental health
• Take responsibility for behavior
• Understand self
• Develop self-confidence
• Constructively express emotions and ideas
• Become self-reliant

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Oneontas Student Development Division Learning
Outcomes (cont.)

• Intercultural Maturity
• Understand and appreciate cultural/ethnic
  differences
• Get along with people from various backgrounds
• Effective Citizenship
• Become more aware of local, national, global and
  international political/social issues
• Develop and use effective leadership skills

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Student Learning Outcomes in Student Development

• Review and Examples

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• Academic Advisement
• Students will
• Develop an educational plan for achieving their
  educational goals and select courses each
  semester consistent with that plan.
• Know the institutions general education
  requirements.
• First-Year Experience
• Students participating in orientation will
  identify at least two faculty academic
  expectations of students in the classroom.
• First-year students will identify at least two
  student organizations in which they would like to
  get involved.

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• Career Services
• Students will demonstrate increased job search
  skills (e.g., letter and resume writing,
  interviewing, employer research).
• Judicial Affairs
• Students will demonstrate an awareness of their
  rights and responsibilities as members of the
  campus community as well as of the resources
  available to them if they feel their rights have
  been violated.
• Disability Services
• Students will independently and successfully
  negotiate their academic accommodations with
  faculty members.

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• Opportunity Programs
• Students will demonstrate a good working
  knowledge of all campus student support offices
  and services.
• Students will follow through when referred to
  appropriate campus resources.
• College Union
• Student workers will identify, provide, and
  implement technical equipment that is appropriate
  for specific union events.
• Student Life
• Student organizations will execute a program that
  requires effective collaboration with another
  student organization.

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Transitioning to the Retreat

• When thinking about outcome statements, take into
  account
• How do you expect your services and programs to
  influence students (overall and sub-groups as
  appropriate)?
• What information do you have on previous students
  you have served?
• Can you actually assess the outcome?

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Assessing Student Learning Outcomes in Student
Development

• Student Development Division Meeting
• SUNY Oneonta
• May 9, 2008