GENERAL EDUCATION FACULTY RETREAT

1. GENERAL EDUCATION FACULTY RETREAT JUNE 2, 2009 GENERAL EDUCATION GROUPS: IA & IB-ENGLISH & LITERATURE IIIA &IIIB-HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES

2. ITINERARY 8:30-9:00-Breakfast 9:00-9:15-Introductions & Itinerary 9:15-10:45-Assessment Presentation 10:45-11:00-Break 11:00-12:00-Collaborate with ALL departments in General Education sub-group area and map courses to General Education Student Learning Goals. • IVA & IVB-Choptank GC 219 • IIA&IIB-Nanticoke GC 236 • V-Nanticoke GC 236 12:00-2:00-Working Lunch-Nanticoke Room • Staying in your original sub-groups, write specific student learning outcomes for your General Education sub-group area (e.g., IA, IIB, IIC), ALL relevant departments participate. 2:00-3:00-Each General Education sub-group area (e.g., IA, IIB, IIIC) will share their curriculum map and specific student learning outcomes with the larger group.

3. An introduction To Curriculum mapping and Student Learning Outcomes Kara Siegert, PhD University Analysis, Reporting, and Assessment Anna Zilberberg James Madison University

4. Assoc. of American Colleges & Universities “Almost all of the institutions surveyed (89 percent) are in some stage of either assessing or modifying their general education program.  Assessment of cumulative learning outcomes in general education is, in fact, now becoming the norm.” “Fifty-two percent of institutions are currently assessing cumulative learning outcomes in general education beyond the level of individual course grades, with another 42 percent reporting that they are planning for assessment of cumulative general education learning outcomes.” AAC&U, 2009, Survey of 433 colleges and universities

5. Workshop Objectives • Upon completion of the retreat, participants will be able to: • Describe the difference between goals and outcomes. • Differentiate between program goals/outcomes and student learning goals/outcomes • Identify Student Learning Goals (SLGs) that students completing courses in their General Education (GE) area (e.g. IA, IIB, IIIC, etc.) should attain • Name the four parts of a good outcome. • Write outcomes that are aligned with the GE SLGs.

6. ACTIVITY • Take 5 minutes at your table to compile 1-2 questions that you have about: • Assessment • Goals/Outcomes • Curriculum mapping

7. Clearing the air What we are NOT trying to do: • Compare faculty • Design courses • Evaluate individual academic programs • Assess all skills using multiple-choice tests • Collect student satisfaction or perception data • Collect data that are not used • Write outcomes that are irrelevant or unattainable • GE curriculum reform (handouts) • Student Learning Goals • GE Curriculum

8. Things to Consider • You already do assessment! • Systematic basis for collecting evidence of student development and growth • Think about why you go to work everyday—your purpose • Do you see your students as your clients? • What feedback from your clients would be beneficial for program improvement?

9. Assessment Process Defining Needs Establishing Outcomes Using Information Continuous Cycle Selecting/ Designing Instruments Analyzing/ Maintaining Information Collecting Information *Regardless, of the type of program or level of coursework required, the assessment process is the same

10. Stage 1: Defining the Need Does General Education Curriculum: • Assist the University in achieving its mission? • Align with the University Strategic Plan? • Help students to attain the Student Learning Goals …offering excellent, affordable education in undergraduate liberal arts, sciences, pre-professional and professional programs… Our highest purpose is to empower our students with the knowledge, skills, and core values that contribute to active citizenship, gainful employment, and life‑long learning in a democratic society and interdependent world. GOAL 1: Provide exceptional contemporary liberal arts education… GOAL2: Continue to attract and retain quality students GOAL 3: Promote and develop a student culture that places the highest priority on academic engagement…

11. Levels of a Mission Statement UNIVERSITY PROGRAM COURSE

12. Levels of Outcomes PROGRAM Provide a quality curriculum Design courses where participation in group learning is required Encourage student interaction with a faculty mentor STUDENT LEARNING • Prepare and deliver a well-organized and persuasive formal speech • Identify and use appropriate tools of information literacy • Describe issues involved in analyzing societies different from one's own COURSE Use multi-media software for instruction When given a sentence in French, students will be able to negate it in both oral and written forms. Describe the important structural features of each amino acid

13. Curriculum Mapping Example

14. Why Do We Need Goals and Outcomes? Foundations Of Excellence-Best Practices • There are established common learning goals specifically for the first-year experience that are written, endorsed by the institution, and shared widely. • In first-year courses, understand campus-wide learning goals for the first year, understand the characteristics of first-year students, and understand broad trends and issues in the first year. • The institution communicates effectively with first-year students about institutional mission, the institution’s academic expectations. • The institution effectively communicates its vision to students • The institution effectively communicates its rationale for the required courses (e.g., core curriculum, distribution, and general education), required competencies (e.g., library skills, computing, writing), and requirements for entry into majors.

15. Why Do We Need Goals and Outcomes? Goals and outcomes will help… • Demonstrate the impact of GE on the success of our students. • Define how we will measure the success of the GE program in helping develop well-educated students • Explicitly define expectations of students • What kinds of knowledge, skills, and attitudes will students have upon completion of GE courses? • Regardless of the course taken in a given GE area (e.g., IA, IIB, IIIC, etc.) all students should learn the same basic skills

16. Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes: Are they all the same? • GOALS • General expectations for student learning outcomes • Example: Students will acquire abilities to engage in independent and creative thinking and solve problems effectively (Critical Thinking.) • OUTCOMES = OBJECTIVES • Specific knowledge, skills, or attitudes that students are expected to achieve through their college experience • Example: Students will accurately apply perspectives from at least three different disciplines and advance convincing reasons to connect and differentiate among these perspectives.

17. Goals and Outcomes • Goal: Students will have the ability to relate to and work effectively with diverse groups of people (Interpersonal Communication) • Outcome 1: Upon completion of a freshmen seminar course, students will be able identify and manage the verbal and nonverbal dimensions of communication in a variety of contexts. • Outcome 2: Upon completion of the freshmen seminar course, students will be able to cooperate with team members to prepare a coherent formal debate presentation.

18. Hierarchy of goals and outcomes UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENT LEARNING GOALS General Education Goals GENERAL EDUCATION OUTCOMES PROGRAM OUTCOMES STUDENT LEARNING Program Level Outcomes COURSE

19. Hierarchy of goals and outcomes UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENT LEARNING GOALS GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENT OUTCOMES PROGRAM OUTCOMES STUDENT LEARNING COURSE

20. Pop Quiz-Is it a Goal or Outcome? GOAL Students will develop tolerance and respect for diverse groups of people GOAL Students will understand the interdependence among disciplines in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. OUTCOME Students will compose and revise well-structured and grammatically correct written arguments.

21. What are Student Learning Outcomes • OUTCOMES • Specific knowledge, skills, or attitudes that students are expected to achieve through their college experience • Describe observable behavior indicative of learning or development • Student-centered! • Aligned with the GE goals and the program’s mission SpecificMeasurableAttainableReasonable Timely

22. Writing Student-Focused Learning Outcomes • Outcomes should be worded to express what the student will learn, know, or do as a result of the instruction-- NOT what the instructor or program will do for the student • The verb dictates the type of assessment • Recognize – matching or multiple choice • Demonstrate = performance assessment • BAD Outcome: Provide students with knowledge about how the library works. • BETTER Outcome: After taking the Research Methods course, students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of how the library works by finding ten sources for a research paper in the library.

23. Bloom’s Taxonomy Less complex More complex

24. Bloomin’ Verbs Trice( 2000) p. 81; Grendler (1999), p. 69

25. The ABCD Method • A = Audience • What population are you assessing? • B = Behavior • What is expected of the participant? • C = Conditions • Under what circumstances is the behavior to be performed? • D = Degree • How well must the behavior be performed? To what level? Writing objectives isn’t creative writing: Just follow a formula! Given [Conditions]the [Audience] will [Behavior] by [Degree]. From “How to Write Clear Objectives”

26. The ABCD Method: Example • Outcome: Given 2 hours of time and access to all the library resources, students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of how the library works by finding ten sources for a research paper in the library. We may not be ready to define “degree” yet! Adapted from “How to Write Clear Objectives”

27. ACTIVITY Take 5-10 minutes to write 1-2 Student Learning Outcomes with other members of your table using the ABCD method.

28. Reasonable Outcomes • Outcomes should be reasonable; that is, they should reflect learning that the student can accomplish as a result of completing General Education requirements. • BAD Outcome: Students will demonstrate open-mindedness for all cultures by strongly agreeing with all of the items on the Open-Mindedness Inventory (OMI) • BETTER Outcome: Upon completion of the Study Abroad program, participants will show an increase in open-mindedness through a 10-point increase on the OMI.

29. Observable, Measurable Outcomes • Student learning should be assessed with an observable, measurable outcome. Outcomes such as “know” and “understand” are not observable. • BAD Outcome: Students will understand the electoral college. • BETTER Outcome: Students will be able to distinguish between the electoral college and popular votes as they apply to modern elections.

30. Specific Outcomes • Outcomes should specify the criterion of acceptable student performance. • BAD Outcome: The student will learn about the various art forms. • BETTER Outcome: Students completing their IIA General Education requirement will be able to explain how artistic works and culture are interrelated.

31. Common Mistakes • Vague behavior • Example: Have a thorough understanding of particle physics. • Gibberish • Example: Have a deep awareness and thorough humanizing grasp on… • Instructor behavior • Example: Train students on how and where to find information. From “Mager’s Tips on Instructional Objectives”

32. Summary: The Benefits of Clear GE Outcomes • Provide common understanding of expectations within each Gen Ed Area • Provide focus • Help studentsunderstand expectations, focus their attention, and estimate how well they are doing. • Helps program administratorsand staffclarify student learning and development priorities. • Dictate intervention • Allow for self-evaluation

33. SCHEDULE TIME: 11-12:00 WHAT: Collaborate with ALL departments in General Education sub-group area (e.g., IA, IIB, IIC) and map courses to General Education Student Learning Goals and rank the goals selected by level of importance (1-5, N/A) 1=least important - 5 = most important TIME: 12-2:00 WHAT: Working Lunch. Staying in your original sub-groups, write specific student learning outcomes for your General Education sub-group area (e.g., IA, IIB, IIC), ALL relevant departments participate. TIME: 2:00-3:00 WHAT: Each General Education sub-group area (e.g., IA, IIB, IIIC) will share their curriculum map and specific student learning outcomes with the larger group