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

What the f*&!^% are SLOs anyway?

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:Critical Thinking Skills

• Analyzing

• Problem Solving

• Creative Thinking

• Computing

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

Why do I need to do SLOs, PLOs, ILOs, WTF??

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: tonipfi@hotmail.com