Bridging the Empirical Divide of College Teaching and Student Learning

1. Bridging the Empirical Divide of College Teaching and Student Learning Karen Kurotsuchi Inkelas P. Jesse Rine Inaugural Academic Symposium April 14, 2011 CASTLHE Center for Advanced Study of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education

2. Two parallel streams in the teaching and learning literature Student learning outcomes assessment College teaching and pedagogy CASTLHE

3. Literature on college teaching and pedagogy • Teaching and pedagogical best practices • NSSE Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practices • McKeachie’s Teaching Tips • Learning Styles • Index of Learning Styles (Richard Felder & Barbara Solomon) • Multiple Intelligences (Howard Gardner) • Course evaluations • Classroom assessment CASTLHE

4. Literature on student learning outcomes assessment • Typologies of outcomes assessed • AAC&U Essential Learning Outcomes • Lumina’s Degree Qualifications Profile • Wabash Study of Liberal Arts Education • Institutional-level assessments • Peggy Maki, Trudy Banta, Linda Suskie, etc. • Accreditation/Quality assurance • SACS, SCHEV CASTLHE

5. Several stakeholders with varying interests College teaching and pedagogy Student learning outcomes assessment Faculty Students Parents Public policymakers Accreditors CASTLHE

6. For optimal effectiveness, the two streams need to integrate Student learning outcomes assessment College teaching and pedagogy CASTLHE

7. One place to start:Mandatory SCHEV competency assessments • Quantitative reasoning • Writing • Scientific reasoning • Critical thinking • Oral communication • Undergraduate research CASTLHE

8. Other recommended student learning outcomes • Knowledge of human cultures and the physical & natural world • Intellectual & practical skills • Personal & social responsibility • Integrative & applied learning • Intellectual skills • Specialized knowledge • Broad, integrative knowledge • Civic learning • Applied learning AAC&U’s Essential Learning Outcomes Lumina’s Degree Qualifications Profile CASTLHE

9. Popular methods for assessing student learning outcomes (Maki, 2004) • Direct methods • Students’ demonstration of learning via some form of standardized test focusing on aspects of student learning • Examples: CAAP, CLA, MAPP, plus GRE subject tests, PRAXIS tests, etc. • Indirect methods • Students’ perceptions of their learning and the educational environment that supports that learning • Examples: NSSE, NSLLP • Performance-based methods • Students represent learning in response to assignments/projects that are embedded into their educational experiences CASTLHE

10. Teaching methods showcased in UVa Academic Symposium presentations CASTLHE

11. Assessment methods integrated into UVa Academic Symposium presentations Assessment of SLOs? Type of assessment? 11% 47% 37% 42% 63% CASTLHE

12. Student learning outcomes assessed as part of UVa Academic Symposium presentations CASTLHE

13. Where do we go from here? • How can we marshal an inclusive, cross-grounds approach to assessing the nexus between college teaching and student learning outcomes that satisfies all stakeholders? • This is the primary goal of CASTL-HE CASTLHE

14. Next: Two different ways to assess student learning • Using the Collegiate Learning Assessment (a standardized test) • Josipa Roksa • Using learning portfolios (Teaching Resource Center) • Dorothe Bach • Marva Barnett CASTLHE