Cal State LA

LEARNING BY DESIGN: A FACULTY LEARNING

COMMUNITY

WASC ARCAPRIL 23, 2014

Catherine HarasDavid ConnorsCalifornia State University, Los Angeles

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PROGRAM REVIEW

A formal performance review procedure for all existing degree programs on campus in order to assess periodically both the quantitative and qualitative viability of each undergraduate and graduate program in the total context of offerings.

- Cal State LA Faculty Handbook

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PROGRAM REVIEW

The process by which academic institutions evaluate student progress in learning and success in achieving educational goals.

- Cal State LA Faculty Handbook

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ASSESSMENT

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ASSESSMENT

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PROGRAM REVIEW

What my friends think I do.

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PROGRAM REVIEW

What the faculty think I do.

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PROGRAM REVIEW

What I think I do.

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Some background

The Director of Program Review and the Director of CETL were curious whether

we could get faculty to “assess” a course holistically-- as part of a course

structure.

We tried not to use the word assessment.

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The Institute

• Pairs of faculty worked together to redesign a required course (N=15)• We met three consecutive Fridays• We originally used the Dee Fink

taxonomy of significant learning as a model

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Our premise

Assessment is a natural part of the teaching process.

Jot down 3-5 words that describe your discipline.

Now name 3 things your discipline values.

Find a partner.Jot down 3-5 words you feel describes their (your partner’s) discipline.

Name 3 things you think this discipline values.

SHARE with each other.

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EXERCISE!

What prior knowledge did you need to do this exercise?

How did you acquire that knowledge?

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DEBRIEF

What prior knowledge do you need to do program review?

How do you acquire that knowledge?

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PROGRAM REVIEW

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OUR PREMISE

Faculty who can articulate the values of their discipline—which in turn inform their course—will help their students care [learn].

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Course learning goals can (and should) set a standard of

expectation of care for the class.

Course goals that care may produce program outcomes that

measure skills and attitudes.

‘’Care’ in program context

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‘CARE’ IN COURSE CONTEXT

For students:Expressed as motivation, curiosity, concern or interest in learning in your course (Affect).

For Faculty:Designing an intentional learning experience which fosters student motivation, curiosity, concern or interest.

Fink’s Significant Learning Matrix, 2003

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Foundational knowledgeCourse contentDisciplinary frameworksExpertise

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Most course outcomesMost program review outcomes

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ValuesAttitudes, habits, dispositionsWhether the course mattersWhether the major is a good fitSelf-awarenessMotivationCare

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Exercise!

A year or two after my course is over, I want and hope that my students will be able to:

Two years from now you meet a former student on the street.

What do you hope they will tell you they learned from your class?

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LONGITUDINAL EFFECTS OF TEACHING

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CREATE A CARING GOAL

Write a caring goal that you think represents the notion of “care” for your discipline.

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Why ‘care’?

Sustained changes in behaviors and/or beliefs Increased self-awarenessPositive attitudesImproved performance

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ChemistryNursing

Accounting

Philosophy

UsefulnessPrecision (measurement)Patient wellness

How does your discipline ‘care’?

Quality of argument

Mechanical Engr

Conceptualization

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BiochemistryNursing

Accounting

History

Client memo

Lab: measurement activities

Pain management protocol

Can you assess ‘care’?

Source evaluation exercises

Our Redesign Model

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OUR OTHER PREMISE

Faculty who can fully imagine |represent |analogizea course for their students will encourage their students to care [learn].

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Our Institute metaphor

Origami

EXERCISE!

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This week, think about a song, a workof art, or a thing that personifies a course you currently teach.

What’s your metaphor?

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ANECDOTAL OBSERVATIONS

Designing caring outcomes helped reconciled course goals with assessment.

The process was extensible to the program.

The metaphor was effective at revealing course structure.

The process allowed faculty to reflect upon their own attitudes and dispositions.

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STRUCTURE A COURSE FOR CARE

Use an integrating question and graphics to illustrate your course. (Your metaphor comes alive here).

Build course content on analogies and other representative devices, which tap into students’ prior knowledge and act as bridges to new knowledge.

Allow students to reflect on their own processes-- self- awareness is the strongest motivator.

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STRUCTURE A COURSE THAT ANTICIPATES

PROGRAM REVIEW

Automated reflections can be used in the aggregate for program review.

Evaluations are a form of feedback (assessment)--for students and instructors.

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TIPS FOR A GOOD INSTITUTE

• Pick strong people the first time• PAIRS only: a Chair and someone

enthusiastic (young) from the department

• Multiple disciplines work best • Model the process• ALL students are novices- don’t use PR

jargon

Application

 

Care

Connection

P r i n c i p l e s o f p e d a g o g yTe a c h i n g f r a m e w o r k s

I n s t i t u t e M o d e l

U s i n g c o n t e n t t o d r i v e a u t h e n t i c g o a l s / a s s e s s m e n t

 

C r e a t i n g a c o u r s e s t r u c t u r e d e s i g n e d

f o r s t u d e n t l e a r n i n g

F a c u l t y a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d s t e a c h i n g

Metacognition

 

Content Knowledge

Institute Structure

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THANKS

Catherine HarasDirector, Center for Effective Teaching and Learning (CETL)California State University, Los Angeles charas@calstatela.edu

David ConnorsDirector, Program Review and AssessmentCalifornia State University, Los Angelesdavid.connors@calstatela.edu