Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Summit Cañada College, Spring 2008

Welcome Comments Martin Partlan, ASGC President Tom Mohr, Cañada College President Ernie Rodriguez, AFT President

SLOAC Orientation Workshop Based on a workshop presented by Marcy Alancraig & Sid Burks at the Senate Vocational Leadership Conference, March 2008 Ray Lapuz, Mathematics Professor SLOAC Coordinator Patty Dilko, Early Childhood Education/Child Development Professor ASGC Past President

To Deal with Student Learning Outcomes You Need: Sense of Play Willingness to Experiment Healthy Dose of Skepticism Ability to translate assessment theory and jargon into the language of our college

Accreditation Standards: The 5 Stages of Faculty Grief Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance

Why Are We Here? ACCJC/WASC – 2 year rule Maintain Full Accreditation Status Progress: Awareness, Development, Proficiency The Goal: Sustainable Continuous Quality Improvement

Quickie Review: Standards Require SLOs for all courses SLOs for all programs SLOs for all certificates and degrees

More Review All SLOs must be assessed regularly Assessment results must be discussed (dialogue & documentation are key elements!) SLOAC must be tied into Program Review and College Planning

What the X?!& is an SLO? Knowledge Skills Abilities Attitudes that a student can demonstrate by the end of a course, program, certificate or degree

So what else is new? Haven’t we always done this?

Yes!!! Now, however, we are being asked to articulate and document our process in a new way.

SLOs: The Big Picture Require HIGHER LEVEL thinking skills May synthesize many discreet skills Require students to APPLY what they’ve learned Result in a product Product must be evaluated or assessed by faculty Choose 1-3 most important concepts per class

Objectives: Nuts and Bolts Describe small, discreet skills Require basic thinking skills Do not necessarily result in a product

SLOs v. Objectives The Official Course Outline of Record at Cañada Many of us have written objectives that would qualify as SLOs Pick the best, modify Official Outlines later

Closing the Assessment Loop Assessment must feed back into processes to improve teaching and learning In the classroom In the department Across the entire campus Assessment activities should be useful and easy

Enhance teaching/ learning; inform institutional decision- making, planning, budgeting How well do students achieve the learning outcomes that we set? Gather Evidence Interpret Evidence College Mission Goals for the Teaching and Learning Environment – adapted from: Peggy Maki, AAHE The Assessment Loop

Key Point! Our college must design the assessment process and loop to fit our college’s culture.

Assessment Made Easy Write SLOs that you are truly interested in learning more about. When possible, use assessment tools that are already embedded into your course. Write SLOs that allow you to gather meaningful data. Vocational programs should use available external certification process.

Reporting on Your Progress All forms for reporting are available on the SLOAC web page: Forms should be submitted electronically to your dean and the SLOAC Coordinator 3 Forms 1. SLOAC Proposal 2. Report of Assessment Results 3. Reflection on Assessment Results

Where Does the Data Go? Turn in data to your Dean Analysis will be facilitated Data will be reported in aggregate Data will not be used in personnel evaluations Senate will establish a policy next year

The Packet Cañada College SLOAC Philosophy Descriptive documents Handy worksheets Paper copies of forms

SLOAC Facilitators Available To Work With Groups Today SLO Development: Sandra Comerford, College of San Mateo Ray Lapuz, Cañada College Karen Wong, Skyline College Assessment Development: Cathy Hasson, Skyline College Ben Stefonik, Cañada College Katie Townsend-Merino, Cañada College

Instructions for Today As soon as you choose a room, call Joan Murphy at: Create at least one SLO for each current class Identify an assessment technique for one SLO in each class Remember to stop for lunch at 12:30 Digitally submit SLOAC Form #1 for at least one SLO per class to your Dean and Ray Lapuz

By the End of the Semester Be sure that your SLOs are complete for all classes Complete the assessment on at least one class and submit data to your dean

During Next Semester Complete the reflection process on assessment data from sp 08. Complete assessment on at least one class Be on the look out for updated and revised forms and a Handbook Participate in department, division, and college-wide SLOAC activities

ACCJC: Sustainable Continuous Quality Improvement The Cycle Renews Itself Every Semester Building on the Last Semesters Work We like to call it: Becoming Overtly Responsive to Student Learning in Our Classrooms, Programs and College.

Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Summit Cañada College, Spring 2008