Student Learning and Assessment

1. Student Learning and Assessment Council for Advancement of Student Learning (CASL), 2009 Student Learning Mini-Conference

2. Welcome! Overview of the Day UMD Council for Advancement of Student Learning www.d.umn.edu/vcaa/assessment

3. Student Learning & Assessment Session Learning Objectives & Transformative Assessment

4. Participants of this session will… • Be familiar with the concept of transformative assessment • Know UMD’s proposed student learning goals and outcomes • Know the timeline for submitting Parts 1, 2, & 3 of their program’s assessment plan • Be familiar with the assessment planning templates • Identify available resources for creating and implementing program assessment plans

5. What comes to mind when you hear the word(s) … Assessment or Assessment of Student Learning?

6. Principles of transformative assessment • Mission Specific • Focus on Student Learning • Participatory • Meaningful • Sustainable • Formative • Outcomes should be created by those who will use the data – faculty and program staff • Assessment should draw from what programs are already doing

7. Assessment – Closed Feedback loop

8. Transformative Assessment While a closed feedback loop is essential, it is not enough Programs must also continually monitor and intentionally increase the quality of the program through each assessment cycle An Upward Spiral Still identify goals and outcomes and still measure those outcomes, but with ever-increasing improvement of the quality of student learning as the spiral moves upward

9. UMD Learning Goals and Outcomes

10. Institutional Learning Outcomes • Council for Advancement of Student Learning (CASL) • Charged with developing a comprehensive assessment plan for UMD • Recommended six institutional learning outcomes, which were approved by EPC in December 2008 • Student Development Assessment Team (SDAT) • Charged with developing student development learning outcomes • Conducted review of recommended best practices • Recommended melding of academic and student development outcomes into one set of student learning outcomes • Based on SDAT’s recommendation, CASL revisited UMD’s learning outcomes and expanded to a set of nine inclusive outcomes • Represents a holistic approach to learning in which the learning experiences of students in the classroom and outside the class all contribute to the attainment of UMD's goals and objectives for learning • Introduced to EPC 9/16 for discussion at next meeting.

11. UMD Student Learning Goals Mission (excerpt from UMD mission statement) At UMD, a firm liberal arts foundation anchors a variety of traditional degree programs, outreach offerings, and selected professional and graduate studies. Active learning through internships, honors programs, research, and community service promotes the development of skills, critical thinking, and maturity sought by society. Student Learning Goals UMD promotes six major student learning goals at the undergraduate level: • Knowledge—Knowledge acquisition, construction, integration, and application • Thinking—Cognitive complexity • Self-Realization—Intrapersonal development • Relationships—Relational interdependence • Social Responsibility—Community engagement and humanitarianism • Life Skills—Practical competence Students will receive instruction and practice in these goal areas through the liberal education core, academic majors and minors, and student development programs.  Collectively, these academic and student development programs provide opportunities for students to attain UMD’s learning outcomes.

12. UMD Student Learning Outcomes UMD undergraduate graduates will be able to… • Demonstrate competence in a major field.  (Knowledge) • Construct, integrate, and apply knowledge from instruction and experience.  (Knowledge) • Think critically and creatively in seeking solutions to practical and theoretical problems.  (Thinking) • Use ethical reasoning to make informed and principled choices.  (Social Responsibility and Self-Realization) • Demonstrate self-knowledge across a range of developmental areas.  (Self-Realization) • Communicate effectively through writing, speaking, and interpersonal and group interactions.  (Relationships) • Apply understanding of cultural differences in diverse environments.  (Social Responsibility) • Contribute to local, national and global communities in which they live.  (Social Responsibility) • Apply life skills to succeed in college and beyond.   (Life Skills)

13. Timeline & Tools October 15 – Step 1 Align Program Outcomes with UMD Student Learning Outcomes

14. Step 1 Template - October 15, 2009 • Review outcomes and indicate how each contributes to the UMD Student Learning Outcomes • It is not necessary to have a program outcome mapped to every UMD student learning outcome Templates are available at http://www.d.umn.edu/vcaa/assessment/forms.html • Tips: • Strive to develop 5-6 program outcomes • During the assessment process, be open to revising program outcomes

15. Learning Goal  Outcome Matrix Tool

16. Timeline & Tools November 15 – Step 2 Map Curriculum/Activities to Program Outcomes

17. Step 2 Template - November 15, 2009 • Examine curriculum/activities to identify where program outcomes are being addressed • All faculty/staff in the program should participate in these discussions • Tip: • Start with your program’s core courses - those courses required by all students in the major

18. Timeline & Tools December 15 – Step 3 Build Assessment Plan

19. Step 3 Template - December 15, 2009 • Identify the ways that outcomes will be measured • Identify the cycle for data collection All program outcomes must be measured at least once by the spring of 2012 • Academic Program – Optional Template • To collect information from faculty about required courses: • Map course objectives to program outcomes • Identify course-embedded assessments

20. Course-Embedded Assessment • Review materials generated by students in a course to determine what evidence it provides that students have met specified student learning outcomes • Important: The intent is not to second-guess the faculty assignment of grades but only to focus on the assessment of student learning outcomes • Examples: • Questions embedded in final exams • Common questions in tests/exams across course sections • Rubrics used to grade a class project, presentation, or performance • Pre/post tests • Samples of student work Session Today – 2:30 - Garden Room: A funny thing happened on the way to the assessment with Geoff Bell

21. Building a campus assessment system • Embedded assessments and other measures… • Provide data to measure achievement of program outcomes… • Which are aligned to campus outcomes. A database that holds all the connections between program and campus outcomes, and tracks the measures of those outcomes, will allow data from multiple sources to measure a particular campus outcome.

22. Resources & Tools ePortfolio, staff, online, etc.

23. ePortfolio Tool • Updated version with enhancements to support authentic assessment of student learning • Includes… • Tools to guide student input of work • Assessment rubrics • Explicit communication of program outcomes to students • Student responsibility for synthesis of work and achievements Sessions Today – Rafters: ePortfolio Pilots @ 10:30-11:45 and 2:30-3:45 p.m. Technology for Assessment @ 4:00-5:15 p.m.

24. Support & Resources • Assessment webpage: www.d.umn.edu/vcaa/assessment/ • Assessment Grants – information on assessment website • Assessment Staff: • Jackie Millslagle, assessment director • Shannon Godsey – academic program assessment plans • Mary Keenan – co-curricular program assessment plans • CASL & SDAT members • IDS Workshops on November 4 & 5: Program Outcomes Mapping • Knowledge Management Center - assistance with developing ePortfolio assessment communities • Future webinars and discussion opportunities

25. Mini-Assessment: Question 1 1. When we talk about transformative assessment being predicated on an “upward spiral,” what do we mean? a. The ultimate goal of assessment is to measure as much as possible. b. The ultimate goal of assessment is ever increasing improvement in the quality of student learning. c. The ultimate goal of assessment is to measure as many students as possible. d. The ultimate goal of assessment is to broaden measures until the entire campus is included in the assessment activity.

26. Mini-Assessment: Question 2 2. At this point in time, UMD has proposed how many campus-wide student learning outcomes? a. 3 b. 6 c. 9 d. 12

27. Mini-Assessment: Question 3 3. Which of the following activities do we hope that programs will accomplish by November 15? a. Mapping Curriculum/Activities to Program Outcomes b. Align Program Outcomes with UMD Student Learning Outcomes c. Programs Submit Their Actual Assessment Plans

28. Mini-Assessment: Question 4 4. UMD’s proposed student learning outcomes represent an effort to tap into six student learning goals. Which of the following is NOT one of those six? a. Self-realization b. Knowledge c. Social Responsibility d. Vocational Aspiration

29. Mini-Assessment: Question 5 5. Which of the following is your best source of information if you want to increase your knowledge of ePortfolio? a. Students who actually are being asked to use the system b. Your associate dean c. Your collegiate student affairs office d. The Knowledge Management Center