Student Learning Student Learning Outcome Assessment:Outcome Assessment:

A Program’s PerspectiveA Program’s Perspective

Ling Hwey Jeng, DirectorLing Hwey Jeng, DirectorSchool of Library and Information School of Library and Information

StudiesStudiesLjeng@twu.eduJune 27, 2011June 27, 2011

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Operational AssumptionsOperational Assumptions

Every program is unique, but it is still Every program is unique, but it is still possible to have common process for possible to have common process for quality assessment.quality assessment.

Data used to inform decisions must Data used to inform decisions must be open, consistent, and continuous. be open, consistent, and continuous.

Evidence of student academic Evidence of student academic attainment must be explicit, clear and attainment must be explicit, clear and understandable.understandable.

No assessment can be good without No assessment can be good without direct measures on student learning direct measures on student learning outcomes.outcomes.

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AccreditationAccreditation

Paradigm shift Paradigm shift – from “what faculty teach” to “what from “what faculty teach” to “what

students learn” students learn” Focus shift Focus shift

– from structure “input, process, output” from structure “input, process, output” to outcomesto outcomes

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The Anatomy of The Anatomy of AccreditationAccreditation

Input (e.g., enrollment, faculty recruitment, Input (e.g., enrollment, faculty recruitment, facility)facility)

Process (e.g., curriculum, services, advising)Process (e.g., curriculum, services, advising) Output (e.g., grades, graduation, placement)Output (e.g., grades, graduation, placement)

OutcomeOutcome– Goal oriented planning, support, teaching, Goal oriented planning, support, teaching,

as shown in evidence of learningas shown in evidence of learning

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Example: Structure and Example: Structure and OutcomesOutcomes

  Input Process Outputs Outcomes

Students backgrounds, enrollment

Student services and programs

grades, graduation, placement

Skills gained, attitudes changes

Faculty backgrounds, recruitment

teaching assignment, class size

work units, publications, conference presentations

citations, impacts

Program history, budget, resources allocated

policies, procedures, governance

participation rates, resources utilization

program objectives achieved

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Example: Output v. Example: Output v. OutcomeOutcome

OutputOutput

Course gradesCourse grades

Faculty publicationsFaculty publications

Enrollment growthEnrollment growth

>> Outcome Outcome

> Skills learned> Skills learned

> Citation impacts> Citation impacts

> Objective achieved> Objective achieved

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Two Levels of AssessmentTwo Levels of Assessment

Program level assessmentProgram level assessment Course level assessmentCourse level assessment

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Implicit in COA StandardsImplicit in COA Standards

is the expectation that assessment isis the expectation that assessment is Explicit and in writingExplicit and in writing Integrated in the program’s planning Integrated in the program’s planning

processprocess Done at both program level and course Done at both program level and course

levellevel Accessible to those affected by the Accessible to those affected by the

assessmentassessment Implemented and used as feedback by Implemented and used as feedback by

the programthe program

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The Guiding Principles of The Guiding Principles of AssessmentAssessment

Backward planningBackward planning– Start with where we want to endStart with where we want to end

TriangulationTriangulation– Multiple measures, both direct and Multiple measures, both direct and

indirectindirect Gap analysisGap analysis

– Inventory of what has been doneInventory of what has been done

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Steps for AssessmentSteps for Assessment Identify standards, sources of evidence Identify standards, sources of evidence

and constituent inputsand constituent inputs Define student learning objectivesDefine student learning objectives Develop outcome measuresDevelop outcome measures

– Direct and indirect measureDirect and indirect measure Collect and analyze dataCollect and analyze data

– Methods, frequency, patternsMethods, frequency, patterns Review and use data as feedbackReview and use data as feedback

– Impacts on decisions madeImpacts on decisions made

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Faculty Expectations as the Faculty Expectations as the BasisBasis

The really important things faculty think The really important things faculty think students should know, believe, or be able to students should know, believe, or be able to do when they receive their degrees do when they receive their degrees

Approaches to establishing faculty Approaches to establishing faculty expectationsexpectations

Top down: Top down: – use external standards to define faculty use external standards to define faculty

expectationsexpectations Bottom up:Bottom up:

– identify recurring faculty expectations among identify recurring faculty expectations among courses, and use the list to develop overarching courses, and use the list to develop overarching program level expectationsprogram level expectations

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Example: A Bottom Up Example: A Bottom Up ApproachApproach

Take all course syllabiTake all course syllabi Examine what expectations (i.e., course Examine what expectations (i.e., course

objectives) are included in individual objectives) are included in individual coursescourses

Make a list of recurring ones as the Make a list of recurring ones as the basis for program level expectationsbasis for program level expectations

Ask what else need to be at program Ask what else need to be at program levellevel

State the expectations in program State the expectations in program objectivesobjectives

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Activities for Direct Measures Activities for Direct Measures (e.g.)(e.g.)

written examswritten exams oral examsoral exams performance assessmentsperformance assessments standardized testingstandardized testing licensure examslicensure exams oral presentationsoral presentations projectsprojects demonstrationsdemonstrations case studiescase studies simulationsimulation portfoliosportfolios juried activities with outside paneljuried activities with outside panel

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Activities for Indirect Activities for Indirect MeasuresMeasures

questionnaire surveysquestionnaire surveys interviewsinterviews focus groupsfocus groups employer satisfaction studiesemployer satisfaction studies advisory boardadvisory board job/placement datajob/placement data

(examples only)(examples only)

Demonstration of Demonstration of AssessmentAssessment

Program objectives aligned with mission and goals

Multiple inputs in developing program objectives (both constituents and disciplinary standards)

Program objectives stated in terms of student learning outcomes

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Demonstration of Assessment Demonstration of Assessment (Cont.)(Cont.)

Student learning outcome assessment addressed at both course level and program level

Triangulation with both direct and indirect measures

A formal, systematic process to integrate results of assessment into continuous planning

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Assessment of input and process (i.e., Assessment of input and process (i.e., structure) only determines capacity. It structure) only determines capacity. It does not determine what students learn.does not determine what students learn.

Don’t confuse “better teaching” with Don’t confuse “better teaching” with “better learning.” One is the means and “better learning.” One is the means and the other is the outcome.the other is the outcome.

Everything we do in the classroom is about Everything we do in the classroom is about something outside the classroom.something outside the classroom.

It’s what the learners do that determines It’s what the learners do that determines what and how much is learned.what and how much is learned.

If I taught something and no one learned If I taught something and no one learned it, does it count?it, does it count?

Words for ThoughtWords for Thought

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A Program Director’s A Program Director’s PerspectivePerspective Map the objectives with professional Map the objectives with professional

standardsstandards Make visible the invisible expectationsMake visible the invisible expectations Make sure what we measure is what Make sure what we measure is what

we valuewe value Begin with what could be agreed uponBegin with what could be agreed upon Include both program measures and Include both program measures and

course embedded measurescourse embedded measures Make use of assessment in gradingMake use of assessment in grading Harness the accreditation process to Harness the accreditation process to

make it happen make it happen