Making Student Learning Assessment “Work”: Aligning Course and Program Learning Outcomes

1. Making Student Learning Assessment “Work”:Aligning Course and Program Learning Outcomes Mary Tygh, Assessment Specialist, Professional Education Unit Juliet Wunsch, Assessment Coordinator, Department of Theatre and Dance

2. Assessment is: • Establishing clear measurable expected outcomes of student learning. • Ensuring that students have sufficient opportunities to achieve those outcomes. • Systematically gathering, analyzing and interpreting evidence to determine how well student learning matches our expectations. • Using the resulting information to understand and improve student learning. Linda Suskie, Assessing Student Learning, 2nd edition

3. Why Do Assessment?Assessment of student learning is required for all degree programs, certificates and interdisciplinary minors.The Assessment process quantifies and substantiates that students are learning what we think they are learning.Teaching, Learning and Assessment are integrally linked in the service of student success. Improvement and Accountability

4. Resource: Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Connection Website: http://www.wcupa.edu/TLAC/

5. 1. What do we want students to know/be able to do?2. At what points in their education are they being trained to gain the skills?3. How do we measure student learning?4. Once we have the results, how do we use them to improve student learning?

6. Defining of Program Learning Outcomes: Every Program will be different: Top Down--Assessment Of Student Learning is regulated by an outside accrediting agency Bottom Up--Evolves by reviewing existing classes and examining the goals to define your program learning outcomes.

7. STEP 1: PLAN Establish Learning Goals • What should students know and be able to do when they graduate? • What does a successful student look like? • Clearly identify your Program Goals.

8. Defining of Program Learning Outcomes/Resources:(from TLAC website)

9. Why Recreate the Wheel? • Connect Course Level Assessment with Program Level Outcomes • Identifying where outcomes are already being taught in your classes HOW? 1 Method: Curriculum Audit

10. Identifying which Student Learning Outcomes are taught within each course. • Identify what is being taught and how it can be or already is being measured. • Direct Measurements/Indirect Measurements • Direct Measures: Provable Facts (Test scores, ratings as determined via rubrics,…) • Indirect Measures: Proxy Signs that students are probably learning (Perceptions, Outcomes are assumed to be due to an event or specific learning,…) Identifying what’s already there.

11. An Audit of Classroom Objectives and Measurements already in play… Class: __________________ Submitted by: _________________________________ Course Objectives: (These should be imbedded in the syllabus, but clearly identify what specific knowledge or skills should students have after taking this class?) Teaching Method(s) Used to Assess that these goals are being met: Department Outcomes Resulting from Taking this Course: (Courses would RARELY meet all 3, but should be providing foundations for at least 1!!) ____ OUTCOME 1: Knowledge of theatre as a Liberal Art. ____ OUTCOME 2: Research and scholarship. ____ OUTCOME 3: Career Preparation.

12. An informal inquiry into Information Literacy… Hi guys, information literacy is a STAND ALONE ASSESSMENT ITEM, which needs to be isolated/separate from our support of general education assessment goals. Information literacy is the array of knowledge and skills necessary to identify the information needed for a task and then to locate, understand, evaluate, and use that information efficiently and effectively within appropriate ethical and legal limits.    These skills relate to a student’s competency in acquiring and processing information in the search for understanding, whether that information is sought in or through the facilities of a library, through practica, as a result of field experiments, by communications with experts in professional communities, or by other means. determine the nature and extent of needed information; access information effectively and efficiently; evaluate critically the sources and content of information; incorporate selected information in the learner’s knowledge base and value system; use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose; understand the economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of information and information technology; and observe laws, regulations, and institutional policies related to the access and use of information. I IMAGINE that the bulk of our history, design classes and even performance/character development areas of education would contain these components. Please complete this form for each class which contains an information literacy component. THANK YOU!! Class: __________________ Submitted by: _________________________________ Teaching Method(s) Used to Assess that these goals are being met:

13. Different Ways to Measure Program Learning Outcomes Course Embedded Assessment Career point assessment Pre-test Mid-point Assessment Capstone Assessment Alumni Assessment

14. Coordinating a Matrix to Confirm All Program Outcomes are being Met.

15. Assessment Cycle Program Learning Goals Defined Assessment Points Identified (Indicators of Student Learning) Results Collected What now? What do we do with the assessment results?“Closing the Loop” 15

16. Are the students learning what you think they are? Are they gaining the skills necessary to succeed? Might new pedagogies or technologies lead to improved student learning? Where and how should resources be distributed to have the greatest impact on student learning? Should we continue the program as is or should we propose changes? Questions To Consider: Closing the Loop = Using your Results!

17. EXAMPLE: Course Syllabus for Middle Grades Preparation (MGP) 220—Field Experiences and the Middle-Level Environment (page 1) Course Objectives (Student Learning Outcomes) (Courtesy of Lynda Baloche, Martha Drobnak, and Sally Winterton)

18. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 2) PA Dept. of Education (PDE) 4-8 Professional Core Competencies

19. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 3) PDE 4-8 Professional Core Competencies (continued) and National Middle School Association (NMSA) Standards

20. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 4) NMSA Standards (continued)

21. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 5) Professional Education Unit’s Conceptual Framework and MGP Program Outcomes Linked to MGP 220

22. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 6) MGP Program Outcomes Linked to MGP 220 (continued) and General Education Goals Linked to MGP 220 N.B.: Information Literacy is embedded in the General Education goals linked to MGP 220 (i.e., think critically and analytically, and make informed decisions and ethical choices).

23. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 7) Policies

24. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 8) Assignments/Assessments—Journals and Discussion Board/Blog

25. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 9) Assignments/Assessments—Assignments 1-4 N.B.: There is a rubric for each of the 5 assignments to evaluate students’/candidates’ work. The evaluation scale/level of performance includes: Target, Solid/Sound, Acceptable, and Unacceptable.

26. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 10) Assignments/Assessments—Assignment 4 (continued) and Assignment 5

27. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 11) Assignments/Assessments—Lesson Plan and Reflection plus Grading

28. Course Syllabus for MGP 220 (page 12) Bibliography

29. MGP Program Outcomes Matrix Aligned with Courses including MGP 220 in the 4th Column (page 1)

30. MGP Program Outcomes Matrix Aligned with Courses (page 2)

31. MGP Program Outcomes Matrix Aligned with Courses (page 3)

32. Moving Towards a Culture of Assessment Keep on going—assessment is an ongoing process. Be flexible. Use assessment results.