1. SATAL Students Assessing Teaching and Learning
Presenters: Robert Ochsner
Adriana Signorini
SATAL Students: Celina Chun, Alex Tani, Edward Smith, and Chris Gehrmann
Welcome to this Center’s workshop today. RO, SS, and I will be facilitating this presentation today.
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2. Participants will be able to…
Gain familiarity about how the program works
Outline some ways of collecting indirect evidence of SLOs
Know how to request the SATAL service
At the end of this presentation you’ll be familiar about….you’ll be able to outline some ways …Presentation outcomes
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3. SATAL Students Assessing Teaching and Learning
Students respond to the instructors’ invitations to gather classroom data
SATAL –students assessing Teaching and Learning- is an assessment support program at your service. It is a service offered to programs, instructional faculty and TAs. What is distinctive about SATAL is that it is a program in which undergraduates – juniors and seniors respond to professors’ invitations to gather data on classroom activities and give them confidential feedback. It is professor- driven. Students are trained in data collection and reporting. Advantages of SATAL is that students are excellent resources for feedback. 1- Students provide objective perspectives about what is happening in a course, because they are not working for a grade; 2- Students can offer a helpful perspective because they have experienced a wide range of college teaching situations and styles; 3) Students in this program are Peer Mentors who have been selected because they are interested in the learning and teaching process. They are interested in having a experience in education. The students in your classes can voice/ reflect their learning experiences in a non-threatening environment. Robert, what is the value of SATAL with regard accreditation and instructor’s assessment for tenure track?
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4. SATAL Students Assessing Teaching and Learning
Assessment Support Service:
Collect Indirect evidence in support of Students Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Indirect evidence = results obtained from surveys, interviews, focus groups, class observations, and anything else that elicits opinions about student learning
Direct evidence = quizzes, exams, essays, projects, course portfolios and anything else that represents actual student performance as learners.
Instructional faculty may invite SATAL to collect confidential data on their classroom activities and courses. Who is familiar with indirect vs direct evidence?
Group work: get in groups of three and think about what indirect vs direct evidence is
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5. Which provides indirect evidence?
Quiz
Focus Group
Which assessment tool provides indirect evidence?
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6. Class videotaping provides indirect evidence
Yes No
It depends if It is a videotaping of an oral presentation, the videotaping is direct evidence
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7. Which provides indirect evidence?
Exam
Survey
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8. SATAL Students Assessing Teaching and Learning
Assessment Support Service:
Collect Indirect evidence in support of Students Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for formative assessment
Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment
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9. Which option provides formative assessment?10
Mid-course evaluations
Final course evaluations
The SATAL options are assessment tools to gather indirect evidence of SLOs for formative assessment/ provides individualized formative assessment – we expect behavior change /additional information which confirms students’ learning
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10. Ways to work with SATAL Options for Instructional Faculty:
1) Class interviewing:
focus group leaders
who will facilitate
discussion, to produce
a summary report
Alex will describe the process and what you could gain from this option / add picture/ He will consider instructor’s role/ introduction/ overview/ individual writing/ small groups / whole groups/ closing/ Creating an interview report/ extra slide with report
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11. Class Interviewing - Sample Report
What helps students learn in this class:
Computer exercises. (6)
The teacher:
Sincerity (5)
*Enthusiasm (3)
*Builds up/motivates the students “great job” “yes, that’s right!” (3)
Wants all of the students to succeed (3)
*Sense of humor
*Informs the class of outside activities, scholarships, etc.
Takes extra time (before class) to explain things
Open office hours—students can get help
Workbook exercises (4)
Examples from the teacher’s personal experience (4)
Going over problems in class (3)
What hinders students’ learning in this class:
*Teacher doesn’t always go over the exercises thoroughly (5)
*Students don’t feel prepared for the tests (3)
*Lectures:
Rushed and vague (2)
Teacher sometimes gets off on a tangent (2)
Not always clear
Course structure is not clearly defined—not sure what the goals of the class are
Suggestions the students have for improving this class:
*A better book is needed. (3)
*More hands-on activities in the first few weeks of class (2)
Course Outline
More scheduled time to work with computer
Going step-by-step over the things the students need to learn
Review more often
More examples
Course outline
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12. Ways to work with SATAL Options for Instructional Faculty:
2) Focus Groups:
focus group leaders who will facilitate discussion and audio record the session to produce a summary report.
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13. Ways to work with SATAL Options for Instructional Faculty:
3) Mid/end course evaluations: proctors who will distribute and collect a faculty-designed questionnaire and then tabulate and write a summary report of findings
Chris will describe this option and what you could gain from it. The class instructor can also do this, but the difference is that the student will tabulate the responses for you.
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14. Ways to work with SATAL Options for Instructional Faculty:
4) Class Observations: Observers who will describe (rather than evaluate) what goes on in the classroom with regard to time spent in questioning, board work, small groups discussion, etc.
Celina will describe this process and what instructors could gain from it. It could be targeted to one aspect, such as students interaction for e.g. how many of the students take down notes when I am lecturing or it could be an alternative to the videotaping. It could provide the wide spectrum of what goes in the classroom.
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15. Class Observation – Sample report
3:44 – Professor changes slide. Professor asks the TA to send an regarding one of the slides. Professor says what is on the slide is crucial to his class and many students begin to write on their notes. Professor states his SLO’s he expects from the class and many students copy this information down. 3:45 – Professor explains terms that were used previously in the lecture. Some students taking notes, some on the Internet, one side conversation.
3:46 – Professor changes slide and tells a joke.  
3:49 – Professor states he will be calling on people in the class to answer the 3 questions on the slide and says it will be ok for the students to talk to their neighbors. Professor calls on a student by their first name. Student answers without problem and the Professor gives encouraging words. Second question is asked to another student, she answers the question wrong. The Professor gives her encouraging words and thanks her for trying. Professor then asks the students around her for the answer, and tells the rest of the students they can feel free to discuss with their neighbors if they are unsure. The same student gives a second answer. The Professor then talks to the class and describes the answer. A few students raise their hands to elaborate on the answer and the Professor picks one. The Professor then gives encouraging word to the entire class and answers the question on his own.
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16. Ways to work with SATAL Options for Instructional Faculty:
5) Class videotaping: The student will film class, creating a DVD for the faculty to discuss what goes on in the class.
Edward will describe this option. We’ll share the project with the physics program
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17. How does the program work?
Complete a request form online
Select an option and fill out the form with name, address, and office telephone number to arrange for an initial visit with the student.
Invitation why? Complete a request form online
Students are trained and experience over the spring semester and summer with reading diagnostics and summer bridge focus groups in writing reports
Assigned according to class times and student’s availability
Assessment is considered a process
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18. How does the program work?
Meet with student to clarify expectations
Verify details such as class time and place
Plan a follow-up meeting
You meet with the students to clarify expectations and get acquainted with each other and the SATAL options. What information would you like to receive from the students, for e.g., is student engagement an issue? Or Am I giving too much reading in my class? The nature of the feedback depends on the option you select. We suggest that you use the students for more than on observation so that they can collect more data. If you are interested in trying other options, you are welcome to continue with the program.
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19. How does the program work?
Feedback is more effective when information is gathered from a number of sources
Continue in the program and select another option of discontinue the service
Feedback is more effective when information is gathered from a number of sources. Assessment is a process; the instructor could request other options and consider different assessment tools. Students are involved in the program to serve you. They may have ideas and suggestions, but their role is to assist you in getting what you want out of the program. Students are committed to keeping the entire consultation process confidential. They recognize that this service and the information they gather are for your use only
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20. How does the program work?
Complete the program feedback
When you are ready to discontinue your participation, inform the student, fill out the evaluation form sent to you via also on line and return it to the center
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21. SATAL Options:
Provide the instructor with descriptive, objective reporting
Allow students to reflect on courses in a non-threatening manner
Supplement student evaluations and peer reviews
. A number of theorists have examined the role of the students and conclude that the feedback process must be client-oriented and democratic process if it is to be useful to the feedback recipient and if it is to be effective in producing behavior change. The student acts as facilitator, helping the client identify problem areas, set priorities, brainstorm for alternative behaviors and strategies. Feedback is more effective when the students are authentic, respectful, supportive, emphatic, non judgmental and able to keep consultations confidential
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22. SATAL Students Assessing Teaching and Learning
To request the SATAL service:
complete a request form at:
Center for Research on Teaching Excellence
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23. SATAL Students Assessing Teaching and Learning
References:
Brinko, K. (1993). The Practice of Giving Feedback to Improve Teaching. Journal Of Higher Education, Vol. 64, (5),
Ramsden, P. (2003). Approaches to Learning. In Learning to Teach in Higher Education (2nd ed.), pp London: RoutledgeFalmer
Smith, T. W.,and Colby, S. (2007). Teaching for Deep Learning. The Clearing House, 80(5),
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24. SATAL Students Assessing Teaching and Learning
Other ideas? Please contact:
Adriana Signorini
In person COB 214
By phone By
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25. Which is your best SATAL option?
High Self-esteem
Low Self-esteem
I don’t know
Feedback is more effective when it is sensitive to the recipient’s self-esteem. Individuals high in self esteem who seek feedback rely more on their own self perceptions; individuals low in self esteem rely more on feedback from external sources. According to your personality, which is the best way to receive class feedback? Do you have a high self esteem or a low self esteem? Depending on these factors, research says the you are going to be more benefited if you have High self esteem, from class videotaping and you reflecting on the class and identifying what needs to be changed. If you have a low self esteem you are going to be more benefited from class interviewing or class observation.
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26. Instructors with high self esteem respond better to class videotaping?
Yes, they do
No, they don’t
I don’t know
Answer Now
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27. Low self esteem instructors are benefited from any options
True
False
:10
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