Report from the COC-SACS mtg—July 2008

The Institute on Quality Enhancement and Accreditation Sponsored by the Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (COC-SACS) July 27-30, 2008 Orlando, FL

Goals Working directly with SACS staff and reviewers Networking with colleagues at other SACS institutions Clarify my own thinking about the QEP process

Lessons Learned QEP is not an imposition imposed by those outside of our institution, it is a vehicle by which we can increase our overall quality by focusing on improving student learning.

Lessons Learned QEP is a “transformative campus process” and is designed to enhance the “climate for student learning” QEP needs to be part of an “ongoing and integrated institution-wide planning process.”

Lessons Learned Accreditation is about: Mission Continuous Improvement Ensuring the curriculum leads to student learning

Lessons Learned QEP needs to be centered in a strong framework of micro- and macro- assessment Assess the process *and* the product Integrate Gen Ed systems into QEP plans

Lesson Learned “You cannot solve all of your institutional problems through a QEP.”

Lessons learned about “process” “If you can recognize the QEP as an intentional process that you can work at as an institution, you can accomplish the same with less anxiety.”

Introductions I2A Team Dr. Patty Payette Dr. Cathy Bays Dr. Edna Ross Dr. Eileen McFall Executive Director I2A Specialist I2A Specialist I2A Specialist for for Assessment for Critical Thinking Culminating Experiences Hannah Anthony, Program Assistant Senior

Welcome & Today’s Objectives Objectives: Review the introductory facts & concepts about I2A Explore: What is Critical Thinking? Discuss the “learning curve” for college students The “how & why” of Student Learning Outcomes

Introductions of participants Introduce yourself and your role at UofL and answer this: “One thing I enjoy about my job is __________ because _____________.”

What is Ideas to Action? Ideas to Action ( I 2A) is our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), and we need to show measurable progress to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) by April Using Critical Thinking to Foster Student Learning and Community Engagement

From student focus groups: “Reduce the amount of memorization required for tests, I feel I don’t learn as much by doing this.” “Decrease the memorization required, can’t remember it all.” “Too much memorization and no sufficient critical analysis.” “The subject testing is not challenging due to memorization.” “Regurgitated material (can just read chapters for tests).” One student even suggested that student learning could be improved by offering a course that would aid in memorization.

I 2A and “Connecting the Dots” “Our extensive consultation with all University constituencies yielded a surprisingly strong and clear call for education focused on the skills and knowledge needed to deal with real-world issues and problems, an education in which students can see the importance of the parts (the courses) to the whole (their education as citizens and workers).” [QEP Report, 2007] skills and knowledge real-world issues & problems the parts to the whole

I2A: What are the components? Sharpen our existing focus on building critical thinking skills in the general education program… …..continuing through undergraduate major courses with an emphasis on applying and refining those skills… …resulting in a culminating experience, such as a senior thesis, research, service learning project, internship, or capstone project that fosters engagement I2A Thematic Priority: Community Engagement

What is I2A? I2A is… A vehicle for institutional transformation through enhancement of the undergraduate experience. How can we help you do this?

Learning Reconsidered & Learning Reconsider 2 Learning Reconsidered and Learning Reconsidered 2 are the ACPA/NASPA Guides that encourage college personnel to rethink our ideas about learning—how it happens, what supports it and what the outcomes are

So what? “Learning is a complex, comprehensive, holistic, transformative activity that occurs throughout and across the college experience…learning, development and identity formation can no longer be considered as separate from each other; they are interactive and shape each other as they evolve.” - Learning Reconsidered

What is your role in promoting student learning? education training First, explore the difference between education and training. Think about this & jot down some notes. Next, in a group of 3, put on a flip chart and draw a picture of the difference between “training” and “education”.

Education vs. Training Discuss: How do we as student affairs staff understand this and live this distinction? How do we see classroom work or the mission of the University as doing either or both?

So what? Training: What to think and do. Education: How to think and do. But it’s not that easy… What is critical thinking? What does it look like? How can we capture it?

Define Critical Thinking In groups of 2 or 3, write down each of your thoughts on two separate sticky notes filling in the blanks below. Critical thinking is ________________________. Critical thinking is not _____________________.

Key Concept: Critical Thinking Critical thinking can be described, modeled and measured.

A Well-Cultivated Critical Thinker:  Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely  Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively  Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards  Thinks open mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as needs be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences  Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems (Richard Paul and Linda Elder, the Foundation for Critical Thinking:

Key Concept: Critical Thinking 1)Describe the quality of a well-cultivated critical thinker in your own words. What is this really saying? 2)Why is this challenging for students in a classroom setting? 3)Why is it challenging in a campus setting? 4)Give an example of what this looks like? 5)Come up with strategies of how you can promote this thinking with your students.

The student “learning curve” Why is CT and “grappling with open-ended problems” so hard for students?

Perry Scheme of Development Stage 1: Duality – Uncertainty doesn’t exist. Authorities hold the right answers.

Perry Scheme of Development Stage 2: Multiplicity – We don’t have all the answers/multiple answers to problems. Authorities may be fallible.

Perry Scheme of Development Stage 3: Relativism – Uncertainty is inherent and I must negotiate, compare evidence, and weigh choices.

Perry Scheme of Development Stage 4: Commitment Making and adjusting commitments becomes part of the life-long pursuit of personal growth and wisdom. Life is uncertain; it’s all relative; I must make choices and be responsible for them.

“A Nudge is Best” Robert Kloss, “A Nudge Is Best, Helping Students through the Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development” Disequilibrium is part of learning to function in the complex world around us.

Student Learning Objectives What are they? SLOs move us from fuzzy goals to specific skills and behaviors we want to cultivate and measure in our students.

Student Learning Objectives Goals vs. Objectives Goals are broad; objectives are narrow. Goals are general intentions; objectives are precise. Goals are intangible; objectives are tangible. Goals are abstract; objectives are concrete. Goals can't be validated as is; objectives can be validated.

Student Learning Objectives Examples “After studying the processes of photosynthesis and respiration, the student should be able to trace the carbon cycle in a given ecosystem.” (Academic) “Students will recognize the purpose of this session is to raise their awareness of the question/issue at hand (behaviors that reinforce safety) and strengthen their sense of self efficacy about thinking critically and making informed decisions.” (PEACC)

SLOs in Student Affairs In Student Affairs, we have goals related to: Effective Communication Social Responsibility Appreciating Diversity A SLO lets you describe what this looks like.

The SLO Cycle Plans for Improvement Learning Outcomes Identify Evidence, Measures, & Timeline Observation/ Evaluation Results  Student learning via Student Affair programs is reflected by the SLO Cycle  Continuous learning process  Quality improvements will happen automatically

SLO Exercise What is one way you want your students or student staff to be different at the end of this year? What will that look like, sound like? How will you know it? How will you foster that behavior and measure it? How will you know you and your staff made a difference? Write one goal and one objective focusing on a measurable skill or specific behavior.

Wrap up What are the top 10 things you learned today?

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