Closing the Loop & Making Improvements to Student Learning Toni Pfister, MS, EdD Imperial Valley...
-
Upload
ashlee-hopkins -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
0
Transcript of Closing the Loop & Making Improvements to Student Learning Toni Pfister, MS, EdD Imperial Valley...
Closing th
e Loop & Making
Improvements
to Student Learning
Toni Pfister, MS, EdDImperial Valley College
Flex DayAugust 19, 2011
8:15 am: too early!!
Wow! Great effort!!
> 200 cycle assessments from 2009-2010 Described improvements in
– Pedagogy
– Outcomes Process
– Learning Verification
– Evaluation Techniques
Pedagogical Improvements
• Revised assignments
• Changed sequence of class activities
• Spent > time on critical thinking
• Redesigned instructions to increase transparency
• Improved study guides
• Provided > student assistance
Outcomes Process Improvements
• Increased F/T & P/T participation
• Determined that consistent assessments made cycle assessments easy
• Confirmed rubric efficacy
• Challenges: getting together with faculty
Learning Verification
• Improved student knowledge and skills
• Compared data from semester: semester & F2F: online
• Increased % of students demonstrating acquisition of outcomes
• Considering & implementing various assessment techniques
• Logging student progress
• Adding pre/post assessments
• Adding performance tests
• Changing the timing of assessments
Improvements to Evaluation Techniques
Objectives…
are small steps that lead toward a goal, for instance the discrete course content that faculty cover within a discipline. Objectives are usually more numerous and create a framework for the overarching SLOs which address synthesizing, evaluating and analyzing many of the objectives.
Student Learning Outcomes…
are the specific observable or measurable results that are expected subsequent to a learning experience. These outcomes may involve knowledge, skills, or attitudes that provide evidence that learning has occurred as a result of a specific course, program activity, or process. An SLO refers to an overarching outcome and usually encompasses a gathering together of smaller discrete objectives.
Mt. San Jacinto College
• Institutional Planning and Effectiveness
• Institutional Planning and EffectivenessMt. San Jacinto College
IVC’sIVC’sInstitutional Learning Institutional Learning
OutcomesOutcomes
ILO1: Communication SkillsILO2: Critical Thinking SkillsILO3: Personal ResponsibilityILO4: Information LiteracyILO5: Global Awareness
*Review “Strive for Five” form
Strive for 5: Communication Skills
• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
• Interpreting art
• Creating art
Strive for 5:Personal Responsibility
• Being self-aware
• Self-motivating
• Demonstrating workplace skills
• Striving for personal health & wellness
• Meeting deadlines & completing tasks
• Using student services as needed
• Demonstrating fiscal literacy
Strive for 5:Information Literacy
• Researching
• Using technology
• Effectively searching online catalogs & online databases using keywords & phrases
• Retrieving information, understanding copyright issues
Strive for 5: Global Awareness
• Respecting diverse people & cultures
• Protecting the environment• Engaging in or assessing artistic
endeavors• Describing one’s place in history
Authentic Assessments…
• …simulate real world experience by evaluating the student’s ability to apply critical thinking and knowledge or to perform tasks that may approximate those found in the workplace or other venue outside of the classroom
• Use assessments that provide you with meaningful data on student learning: simulations, performances, complex activities, exit surveys, capstones, team projects, rubrics
Rubric for Evaluating Institutional Effectiveness:
Student Learning Outcomes
• Level 1 “Awareness”
• Level 2 “Development”*****
• Level 3 “Proficiency”
• Level 4 “Sustainable Continuous Quality
Improvement”
WASC Rubric for SLOs: Proficiency Level #1-4
• SLOs and Authentic Assessments in place for courses, programs, degrees/certificates
• Assessment results are being used for improvement campus-wide
• Widespread institutional dialogue about assessment results and identification of gaps
• Decision-making includes dialogue on results of assessment & is purposely directed toward aligning institution-wide practices to support and improve student learning
WASC Rubric for SLOs: Proficiency Level # 5-8
• Appropriate resources continue to be allocated & fine-tuned
• Comprehensive reports exist & are completed & updated on a regular basis
• Course-level outcomes are aligned with degree-level outcomes
• Students demonstrate awareness of goals & purposes of courses & programs in which they are enrolled
The SLO Plan • One lead person per course (plan, coordinate, submit pprwk)• Minimum # of outcomes per course = unit number (3 unit
course = 3 outcomes)• Outcomes are included in CurricUNET along with ILOs• Generally, assess one outcome per year – Plan ahead!• All outcomes must be assessed within 3 year period so they
can be used for Comprehensive Program Review• Include all outcomes on Syllabi• Collect data, complete Cycle Assessment form (email & send
hard copy to SLO Coordinator)• Cycle Assessments are due the 5th week of the semester
after they are collected.• Dialogue: discuss outcomes & assessments with others!!
Help is available in many forms
• CurricUNet: Dixie Krimm
• Data & Stats: Dawn Chun
• SLOs & PLOs: SLO Committee Members
• Counseling
• Prozac
• Punching Bag
• Tai Chi
• Absinthe…Cuba Libre…Margarita
Course-level SLOs are important
• Program Learning Outcomes
• Program Review
• Resource (think “BUDGET”) Allocation
• Accreditation Reports
• Most importantly, improve student learning.
Mt. San Jacinto College
• Institutional Planning and Effectiveness
• Institutional Planning and EffectivenessMt. San Jacinto College
Program Objectives assess nuts and bolts of a program
as determined by professional organization and standards or
advisory groups.
Program ContentPre-requisite Courses,
Program Course of Study & Content, General Education,
Internships
Programmatic Student Learning OutcomesAssess higher level integrated abilities, knowledge, and skills.
Assess observables that a student can DO at the end of a course of study.
Use licensure exam results, project, capstone course, standardized test, program exam, performance, product,
alumni and employer feedback etc.
Program GoalOverall focus for the program
Program Components
Inc
rea
sin
g a
bility
to a
ss
es
s re
su
lts
Program ComponentsListing of program requirements for degree
or certificate
Program Learning Outcomes
Community expectations
Program vision, mission, and goals
Parent institution mission vision and goalsStudent needs and goals
Related professional expectations
Course SLOs
Course SLOsCourse SLOs
Overlapping Course SLOs Become Program SLOs
PLOs & Assessment• What is the name of the program?• What are the most important things your program does
for your students?• What evidence of specific learning for your program is
most visible or observable?• What do faculty value most in your program?• What are the general outcomes of students that
successfully complete your program?
After answering these questions, draft the mission statement for your program.
•
Composing Program Learning Outcomes
• The goal is to explicitly state overarching outcomes that represent skills, knowledge, and abilities the students attain as a result of the program of study.
• This may include activities beyond course work (field trips, internships, volunteer experiences).
Program Assessment Simulates Real World Experiences
• Qualitative and quantitative
• Looks, feels & smells like an experience in life
• Includes concepts & decision making
• Something they would see at work; something they can apply to their own life
Program Assessment Tools
• Embedded Course Questions or Problems
• Portfolios
• Performance Assessment
• Capstone Courses or Projects
• Student Self-Assessment
Program Outcomes and Course Alignment Grid for Imperial Valley CollegeProgram: Mountaineering Guide DegreeCompletion Date: Feb 20, 1878 Prepared by: John Muir
CourseCommunication Critical Thinking Personal Responsibility Information Literacy Global
Awareness
MG101
MG121
MG221
ENG121
MUS221
PE121
GEOL221
**FIVE POINT KEY: Using this key, to receive a 3 or 4 the ILO needs to be measured through the outcome and assessment.
4=This is a STRONG focus of the course. Students are tested on it or must otherwise demonstrate their competence in this area.3=This is a focus of the course that will be assessed.2= This is a focus of the course, but is NOT assessed.1=This is briefly introduced in the course, but not assessed.0=This is not an area touched on in the course.
Program Review• 3 year cycle• Documents program activities• Requests for additional funding• Assesses present & projected staffing needs• Describes facilities• Catalogues equipment• Verifies the program’s values & effectiveness• Describes how the program supports the
overall institutional missions & goals
Quote to remember:
“Though accountability matters, learning still matters most.”
Tom Angelo (1999) former Dir, Am Assoc for Higher Ed Assessment
Forum
Contact information
Toni Pfister
Office 716 Northwest Corner of Gym
(760) 355-6546
Email: [email protected]