Assessment of Student Learning
Transcript of Assessment of Student Learning
Assessment of Student Learning College of Arts and Sciences
Progress Report
March, 2008Assessment and Continuous Improvement Office
(A+ Office)Dr. Vivian NavasDr. Eddie MarreroDr. Mario Núñez
Objectives
Describe the Arts and Sciences (A&S) Assessment and Continuous Improvement Office (A+) structure
Present the model used by A&S to assess student learning
Discuss assessment achievements in A&S
Present A&S dissemination strategies
Arts and Sciences Assessment Office (A+)
Structure
A+ Office
The Office for Assessment and Continuous Improvement (A+ Office) was created in 2004 to coordinate assessment activities in A&S
Office Staff: Director - Dr. Mario Núñez-Molina, Associate
Dean of Assessment and Learning Technologies
Two assessment consultants Vivian Navas and Eddie Marrero
An assessment coordinator for each of the 13 departments
College of A&S department coordinators
Biology: Dra. Vivian Navas Marine Sciences: Dra. Nilda Aponte Social Sciences: Dra. Luisa Guillemard Hispanic Studies: Dr. Víctor Rivera Economy: Dr. Eduardo Kicinski Physical Education: Dra. Diana Rodríguez Nursing: Prof. Elba Vargas Physics: Dr. Raúl Portuondo Geology: Dr. Fernando Gilbes Humanities: Dr. Christopher Powers English: Dra. Judith Casey Math: Dr. Pedro Vásquez Chemistry: Dr. Francis Patrón and Nairmen Mina
Monthly meetings to coordinate activities and follow-up Assessment training for coordinators Continuous mentoring to department coordinators
Arts and Sciences assessment strategy and methodology
Department coordinator tasks
Coordinate the development of a departmental student learning assessment plan
Do one learning assessment cycle (loop) per year
Present results and actions taken to other faculty, coordinators and university officials
Submit a report
Participation incentives
3 credits release time for department coordinator
Professional enhancement education credits (CEP Center) for faculty participants
Seed money to conduct learning assessment research
Opportunity to publish in Avalúo Plus Journal
Model used by College of A&S to assess student learning
MSCHE recommendation- June, 2005
“Each program should complete at least one significant assessment project during the next academic year on a topic of importance to that program.”(MSCHE Report, 2005, p.20)
Assessment strategy A template with the fundamental elements
in an assessment project was designed. The template serves as a guide for
designing, implementing and reporting the assessment cycle.
Assessed criteria What was assessed – skill or content?
Justification Why focus on the selected item?
Participants Numbers of students and faculty members impacted by the project?
Preintervention
What was done to determine the student’s status on the chosen skill or content before the intervention?
Intervention What activities were implemented to improve student performance in the chosen skill or content?
Postintervention
How was the effectiveness of the intervention determined?
Results& discussion What results were obtained? Why?
Course of Action
Results Dissemination
What actions were taken based on these results?
Where did you present the results?
Assessment cycle template
Emphasis in closing the loop
We continuously emphasized that the assessment of student learning should be viewed as a cycle. Assessment is not completed unless actions are taken based on the results, allowing for continuous improvement of student learning.
Assessment achievements in the Departments of the
College of Arts & Sciences
DepartmentLearningAssessmentPlan
Loop 1 Presentation
Loop 1Final report
Loop 2 Presentation
Loop 2Final Report
Published in A+ Journal
1.Biology X X X X X
2. Marine sciences X X X X X
3. Social Sciences X X X X X X
4. Economy X X X X X X
5. Nursing X X X X X X
6. Physical Education
X X X X X
7. Hispanic Studies X X X X X X
8. Physic X X X X X
9. Geology X X X X X X
10. Humanities X X X X X
11. English X X X X X
12. Math X X X X X X
13. Chemistry X X X X X
Department Learning Assessment Loop I – August 2006
Learning Assessment Loop II – January 2007
Partiipants Assessed Criteria Participants Assessed Criteria
Faculty Students Faculty Students
Biology 3 429 Learning in the Introductory Biology II course.
4 279 Learning in the Introductory Biology I course.
English 6 250 Written Communication skills
2 60 Written Communication skills
Hispanic Studies
5 111 Technological skills 2 57 Writing skills
Humanities 118 Critical thinking 8 25 Critical thinking
Physical Education
1 21 Sports teaching skills 2 10 Sports teaching skills
Sample
Achievements
•Course improvement: ●Misconceptions were identified and clarified (Biol) ●Important concepts and concepts not well learned in previous courses were identified and re-taught (Biol, Econ, Math, Geol, Physics)●Student awareness on contemporary issues increased (Marine Sciences)
•Skills development improvement:● Student’s methodology for teaching a sport (Phy Ed)● Faculty use of technology in the classroom (Social sciences)● Thesis statement writing skills (English)● Specialized electronic resources (Hispanic Studies)●Written (Hispanic Studies) and oral communication (Marine sciences) skills ●Critical thinking skills (Humanities)●Medical report writing skills (Nursing)●Lab report writing skills (Chem)
Achievements
In progress
Third assessment loop project implementation Presentation (may 08) Final report
Publication Department assessment plan revision Departmental workshops to increase faculty
involvement
Department Loop 3 Assessed Criteria
Biology Contemporary scientific issues
Social Sciences Technological skills
Economy Content
Nursing Basic concepts knowledge
Humanities Social bookmarking in teaching
English Written Communication skills
Math Math learning in advance course
Next semester Coordinator will become department
assessment facilitator (consultant) Faculty will conduct student learning
assessment in their particular courses. Coordinator will mentor them.
Coordinator has been empowered Objective: Involve more faculty in
assessment
College of Arts and Sciences Dissemination Strategies
Office Weblogs: (http://www.uprm.info/avaluo )
http://uprm.info/avaluo/cierres/
Assessed criteria Assess learning of basic biology concepts and identify misconceptions in General Biology I course
Justification Course introduces important concepts necessary for advanced courses.Many course topics are comprised within the Department learning outcomes
Impacted population
Pre test - 279 students, Post test – 174 students, 2 faculty members
Pre- Pretest - first day of class.
Int Conventional lectures, laboratory exercises, small group diagnostic test discussion
Post-
Post test near end of the semester.
Results and discussion
Students improved performance.
Course of Action Incoming and persisting misconceptions as well as missed concepts were identified and re-taught.Faculty was made aware of the misconceptions
Results Dissemination
Project was summarized at department meetingProject was presented at Arts and Sciences activity
Avalúo Plus: Learning Assessment Journal (http://uprm.info/avaluoplus/ )
Summary
A+ Team
Available Resources
PowerPoint presentation Avalúo Plus Journal (both editions) College of Arts and Science
Progress report (submitted on May 2007)
QUESTIONS?