Program Assessment Plans Step by Step

1. Program Assessment Plans Step by Step MUS Assessment Workshops R. W. Larsen, 2014 This presentation and handouts are available at: http://www.montana.edu/provost/assessment.html

2. Overview • Create program learning outcomes • Identify where each outcome is included in your curriculum • Determine where you can gather evidence of student performance for each outcome • Set an expected performance threshold for each outcome • Create a schedule for assessing each outcome • Describe your process for using the assessment data • Submit your assessment plan

3. 1. Create Program Learning Outcomes What do you want your students to know, to be able to do, and (sometimes) to be when they graduate from your program? The answers to this question are the list of learning outcomes for your degree program.

4. 1. Create Program Learning Outcomes Program learning outcomes are generally written in the form of statements starting with “Our graduates will…” Note: Many professional organizations have developed lists of expected competencies or student leaning outcomes.

5. Typical Program Learning Outcomes Our graduates will have the knowledge required to be successful in their field. Our graduates will be able to function in a professional manner in their field. Our graduates will be able to analyze problems in their field and develop solutions or strategies to solve those problems. Our graduates will be able to communicate effectively.

6. 1. Create Program Learning Outcomes Develop a list of learning outcomes for your degree program. Assign every outcome a number or letter so that it can be easily identified.

7. 2. Find Each Outcome in Your Curriculum List all required courses Remove courses outside of the faculty’s control (optional) Create a grid showing remaining courses (rows) and learning outcomes (columns) Use a highlighter to indicate where in the courses each outcome is addressed Add a code indicating cognitive skill level to the highlighted cells, for example: I = introductory , D = developing, M = mastery

8. 2. Find Each Outcome in Your Curriculum List all required courses Remove courses outside of the faculty’s control (optional) Create a grid showing remaining courses (rows) and learning outcomes (columns) Use a highlighter to indicate where in the courses each outcome is addressed Add a code indicating cognitive skill level to the highlighted cells, for example: I = introductory , D = developing, M = mastery You are creating a curriculum map.

9. 2.1 List All Required Courses ARCH 151--Design Fundamentals I BIOB 170IN--Principles of Biological Diversity CHMY 121IN--Intro to General Chemistry WRIT 101W--College Writing I M 145--Math for Liberal Arts BIOB 110CS--Introduction to Plant Biology HORT 131--Landscape Design, Hist/Theory HORT 105--Miracle Growing ENSC 245IN--Soils HORT 231--Woody Ornamentals HORT 232--Herbaceous Ornamentals EGEN 115--Engineering Graphics EGEN 116-- Engineering Graphics Lab • HORT 225--Landscape Graphics I • HORT 226--Landscape Graphics II • Communication Electives • HORT 310--Turfgrass Management • HORT 331--Planting Design • HORT 335--Site Development • HORT 336--Landscape Construction • Business Electives • HORT 431--Tough Plants in Tough Places • HORT 432--Advanced Landscape Design • Technical Electives • Horticulture Electives • Core Electives Courses outside of department shown in color

10. 2.3 Create a Grid of Courses and Outcomes

11. 2.4 Highlight Courses that Include Outcome Note: Example shown here is pure fiction!

12. 2.5 Add Code for Cognitive Skill Level

13. 2.5 Add Code for Cognitive Skill Level This outcome is not supported by the curriculum.

14. 2.5 Add Code for Cognitive Skill Level HORT 431 is not asking enough from the students, and students are never asked to demonstrate mastery in outcome 1.

15. 2.5 Add Code for Cognitive Skill Level Students are going to have a lot of difficulty in this outcome because of the inverted cognitive skill development.

16. 2.5 Add Code for Cognitive Skill Level We expect mastery in communications, but only have the students write in one course!

17. 2.5 Add Code for Cognitive Skill Level Two Possibilities: This course contributes nothing towards the program learning outcomes, - or - This course is contributing towards a learning outcome than has not been identified.

18. 3. Where Can You Gather Data? The grid (curriculum map) shows where each outcome is covered. The courses with higher cognitive skill levels are typically good sources for assessment data. Notes: You can save faculty time by gathering data from courses taken by students in multiple programs. Knowledge of the discipline can also be demonstrated using a discipline-based proficiency exam.

19. 3. Data Source Identification

20. 4. Set Performance Thresholds As long as students can “squeak by” and graduate with an overall GPA of 2.001, it is unreasonable to expect every student to demonstrate mastery in every outcome. Faculty need to decide what constitutes an acceptable performance threshold for each outcome. Example: At least 80% of students will be rated “Acceptable” or higher on every category of the scoring rubrics.

21. Example Scoring Rubric Graduates will have an ability to design a system that meets stated needs.

22. 5. Schedule for Assessing Each Outcome

23. 6. Process for Using Assessment Data • Data is collected from identified courses. • Samples are scored by two faculty members using prepared scoring rubrics. • The assessment coordinator tabulates the scores. • The scores are presented to the faculty for assessment. • The faculty reviews the assessment results, and makes decisions on how to respond. • A report summarizing the year’s assessment activities and faculty decisions is submitted to the Provost’s Office.

24. 7. Submit Assessment Plan Once you have an assessment plan with essential elements: Program learning outcomes Identified data sources Schedule for assessing each outcome Process for using assessment data then submit your completed plan to the Provost’s Office – and start working the plan.