LEARNING OUTCOMES WORKSHOP Dr. Jan Hillman University of North Texas January 8, 2007

Why do we need Student Learning Outcomes?  SLOs are part of comprehensive assessment plans: Tracking Satisfaction Needs Student Culture & Campus Environment Outcomes Comparative Institution (benchmarking) National Standards Cost Effectiveness

Why do we need Student Learning Outcomes?  Our student affairs philosophy and history Our piece of educating students has developed from providing services to student learning and development, which requires a different kind of measurement

Why do we need Student Learning Outcomes?  National Standards and External Influences Learning Reconsidered: Campus-Wide Focus on the Student Experience (2004, NASPA,ACPA) Spellings Commission Report and NASULCG Response Accreditation

What are the benefits of using SLOs?  Reinforces the university mission  Helps students learn more effectively  Makes clear what students can gain from participating in programs and activities  Informs overall planning and decision- making  Defines the appropriate techniques and activities to use for learning to occur  Helps to explain what the activity or program is to achieve  Ensures the appropriate assessment is used

How do I write SLOs?  Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) focus on behavior that is a result of some intervention or activity  Most accurate when measurable changes in knowledge, skills, behaviors, values  Uses action verbs—Bloom’s Taxonomy  Best ones describe knowledge or skills that will be used beyond their university experience

How do I write SLOs?  Example: You could write: Students will make ethical decisions More concrete SLOs: 1) Students will define and describe ethical behavior 2) Students will compose an ethical dilemma case study 3) Students can define ethical and unethical behavior from case studies from their peers

Questions to Ask (from Bresciani, Zelna & Anderson, 2004)  Is is measurable?  Is it meaningful?  Is it manageable?  Who will I gather information from?  Who would know if the outcome is met?  How will I know if the outcome is met?  Will it provide evidence that will lead me to continuous improvement?

Use multiple measures for robust results  Examples: Survey with follow-up interview or focus group Pre and post tests Student self-evaluation and faculty/staff/peer evaluation of student

Tools and Strategies  Portfolios  Senior/capstone projects  Observations of student behavior  Juried reviews of student performance  Internships and student employment  Performance on case studies  Standardized or national licensure tests  Performances/exhibits  Questionnaires and surveys  Completion rates, job placement rates  Evaluating with rubrics

Examples from Paradise Valley Community College of Tools  Service Learning—written reflection rubric  Learning Support Center—tutor observations  Media Services—pre/post survey of services used

Examples of SLOs from Meredith College Child Development Course  Identify communication patterns that contribute to positive interpersonal relationships  Analyze factors which contribute to the dysfunctioning of families

Examples from University of West Florida  SLO: Students will demonstrate proficient teamwork and communication skills Assessment Tool: teamwork rubric and communication rubric completed by faculty, supervisors and students  SLO: Our student staff will demonstrate professionalism Assessment Tool: Students and supervisors rate students with a professionalism rubric

Let’s’ Practice!  Use form to write an SLO from your department using a strategy from the UNT Strategic Plan  See University of Oregon example  Come back together and share!

Summary Advice from Dr. Marilee Bresciani  Go ahead and write every program outcome down  However, do not try to assess every program outcome every year  You may want to start with specific activity outcomes and build program outcomes from these  You can start with institutional, division, or unit outcomes and can see how your program and activities tie to those  Then, move to implementing the entire assessment cycle one outcome at a time, making everything for that systematic—in other words, begin to form “habits” of assessment

Summary Advice from Dr. Marilee Bresciani  Remind each other of the benefits of assessment  Share examples with each other  Celebrate assessment victories  Advertise your assessment learnings and the decisions made  Incorporate students in all facets of assessment planning and implementation if your program is ready