Engaging Online Faculty and Administrators in the Assessment Process at the American Public University System Assessment and Student Learning: Direct and Indirect Measures of Assessment

Fundamental Questions AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE How are your stated student learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, degrees, and students? What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes? In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning? How do you ensure shared responsibility for student learning and for assessment of student learning? How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning? In what ways do you inform the public and other stakeholders about what students are learning---and how well?

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE How are your stated student learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, degrees, and students?

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Course Syllabus Outline By explicitly stating these expectations up front, you have defined what your students will learn and how you will assess their learning.

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Curriculum Mapping

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes?

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Direct and Indirect Measures

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Evidence In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning? What are the essential skills and knowledge I am trying to teach? How can I find out whether students are learning them? How can I help students learn better?

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Example Choose a student learning outcome to assess Choose an assessment technique – direct or indirect measure Administer the assessment to the student Analyze the data Use data for continuous improvement

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Example In a particular course, a faculty member chose to evaluate a student learning outcome relevant to information literacy. The faculty member chose the quiz for week two which assesses student’s proficiency in information literacy. After a thorough analysis of the data over a six month period, data demonstrated that students often missed a specific question on how to conduct basis research in an electronic environment. Lead faculty members of the course met to discuss the data and how the curriculum could be reinforced to ensure that students gain proficient knowledge on how to conduct research in an electronic environment. A new lesson (e.g., interactive simulation) that reinforces the content was added to the course. Student quiz results were then monitored to evaluate whether the reinforced curriculum increased the quiz scores of the students, thus enhancing their learning.

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE How do you ensure shared responsibility for student learning and for assessment of student learning?

ASSESSMENT AT APUS AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning?

APUS Program Review Process AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE External Review Analysis Program Review Meeting Three Year Plan Follow-Up Data Collection

Data Collection and Analysis AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Course books Electronic resources Learning strategies Library and Learning Resources Student learning outcomes Instructional strategies Evaluation procedures Academic rigor Curriculum Assessment Expert reviewer report Industry Advisory Council report External Reviewer Feedback

Data Collection and Analysis AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Analysis of faculty credentials and expertise to ensure breadth and diversity Faculty Student demographic information Enrollment History Growth trends Students Curricular Mapping Assessment measures Fact book Learning Outcomes Assessment

Data Collection and Analysis AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Program benchmarking with similar programs and institutions Program Benchmarking Evaluation of findings Program recommendations Three year proposed strategic plan Program Directory Summary Dean’s observations Meeting minutes Review and Findings

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE One of fourteen charter member institutions College Choices for Adults website dults.org/ Transparency by Design Initiative y-scholars/learning-outcomes- assessment/index.htm APUS Learning Outcomes Assessment Website Meetings Faculty, staff, and student newsletters Faculty and student lounges Internal Communications In what ways do you inform the public and other stakeholders about what students are learning---and how well?

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE Things you do to contribute to assessment at APUS: Be aware of the program and institutional level outcomes and how your course objectives contribute to them If an assignment in your class measures learning in those areas particularly well, let the PD know Use internal assessments (class assignments) to ensure your students are learning, and review them over time Be aware of how students in your areas are performing on external assessments (MFT and EPP tests) Participate in program review processes when they occur (every 3 years)