Empowering Student Services Staff to Become Learning Centered Bette M. Simmons, Ed. D. County College of Morris July 13, 2007

Welcome, Introduction, and Presentation Overview The Need for Learning Centered Assessment The Need for Learning Centered Assessment History of Assessment at County College of Morris History of Assessment at County College of Morris Bringing the Division of Student Development & Enrollment Management On Board Bringing the Division of Student Development & Enrollment Management On Board Identifying Student Learning Outcomes and Establishing a Divisional Outcomes Assessment Plan Identifying Student Learning Outcomes and Establishing a Divisional Outcomes Assessment Plan Implementation of Outcomes Assessment Plan Implementation of Outcomes Assessment Plan Empowering Others on Campus to Demonstrate Student Learning Empowering Others on Campus to Demonstrate Student Learning Wrap-up and Questions Wrap-up and Questions

The Need for Learning Centered Assessment Demonstrates that students have knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with institutional goals and that students at graduation have achieved appropriate higher education goals. Demonstrates that students have knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with institutional goals and that students at graduation have achieved appropriate higher education goals. Essential to help students improve and to monitor and maintain academic quality. Essential to help students improve and to monitor and maintain academic quality. Fit between what we expect our students to understand and be able to do and what they actually demonstrate at points along their educational careers. Fit between what we expect our students to understand and be able to do and what they actually demonstrate at points along their educational careers.

The Need for Learning Centered Assessment (Cont’d) Assists in reviewing and revising academic programs and support services. Assists in reviewing and revising academic programs and support services. Assists in planning, conducting, and supporting professional development activities. Assists in planning, conducting, and supporting professional development activities. Assists in planning and budgeting for the provision of academic programs and services Assists in planning and budgeting for the provision of academic programs and services

History of Assessment at County College of Morris – Prior to the Last 6 Years Academic Affairs Only Academic Affairs Only Departmental Self-Study Process every 5 – 6 Years Departmental Self-Study Process every 5 – 6 Years Quest for Division of Student Development Quest for Division of Student Development Pilot Project of Office of Career Services & Cooperative Education Pilot Project of Office of Career Services & Cooperative Education

History of Assessment at CCM (Cont’d) Middle States Commission on Higher Education Standards Middle States Commission on Higher Education Standards –Standard 7 – Institutional Assessment Evaluates institution’s overall effectiveness in achieving stated mission and goals and assures that institutional processes and resources support appropriate learning and other outcomes for students and graduates. Evaluates institution’s overall effectiveness in achieving stated mission and goals and assures that institutional processes and resources support appropriate learning and other outcomes for students and graduates. –Standard 14 – Assessment of Student Learning Demonstrates that students have knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with institutional goals and that students at graduation have achieved appropriate higher education goals. Demonstrates that students have knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with institutional goals and that students at graduation have achieved appropriate higher education goals.

Bringing the Division of Student Development & Enrollment Management On Board Linking student learning outcomes with Middle States Standards of Excellence Linking student learning outcomes with Middle States Standards of Excellence –Cognitive abilities –Content literacy –Competence in information management –Value awareness

Linkage with New Jersey Community College Academic Officers Association General Education Objectives Diversity and global perspective: Students will analyze the implications of commonalities and differences among culturally diverse peoples. Diversity and global perspective: Students will analyze the implications of commonalities and differences among culturally diverse peoples. Ethical dimension: Students will recognize, analyze, and assess ethical issues and situations. Ethical dimension: Students will recognize, analyze, and assess ethical issues and situations. Oral and written communication: Students will communicate effectively in both speech and writing. Oral and written communication: Students will communicate effectively in both speech and writing. Technological competency: Students will use computer systems or other appropriate forms of technology to achieve educational and personal goals. Technological competency: Students will use computer systems or other appropriate forms of technology to achieve educational and personal goals. Society and human behavior: Students will use social science theories and concepts to analyze human behavior and social and political institutions. Society and human behavior: Students will use social science theories and concepts to analyze human behavior and social and political institutions.

Statewide initiative for establishing student learning objectives Students will demonstrate self-directed or independent learning by using available resources to define and resolve problems. Students will demonstrate self-directed or independent learning by using available resources to define and resolve problems. Students will demonstrate understanding of ethical, civic, and social responsibility. Students will demonstrate understanding of ethical, civic, and social responsibility. Students will understand and articulate the impact of diversity in our society. Students will understand and articulate the impact of diversity in our society. Students will use technology to access information, perform routine transactions, and communicate effectively. Students will use technology to access information, perform routine transactions, and communicate effectively. Students will demonstrate effective communication, critical thinking, and decision-making skills in analyzing information, presenting ideas, and executing programs and activities. Students will demonstrate effective communication, critical thinking, and decision-making skills in analyzing information, presenting ideas, and executing programs and activities.

Bringing the Division of Student Development & Enrollment Management On Board (Cont’d) Career Services & Cooperative Education professionals become divisional assessment experts Career Services & Cooperative Education professionals become divisional assessment experts Assessment In-service Training Assessment In-service Training –2002 Division-wide training –2004 Directors and Coordinators training –2004 Division-wide retraining –2005 Expanded division-wide training –2006 Institutional departments training Individual departmental consultations Individual departmental consultations

Infusing student learning and outcomes assessment philosophy in all we do Conduct an analysis of programs and services provided by the Division Conduct an analysis of programs and services provided by the Division –Led staff to identify strengths of Division –Exercise revealed that some work of Division was already oriented toward student learning, especially leadership training and development of self- understanding and self-confidence –Also identified number of areas where staff felt it was deficient and that needed improvement Vice President charged staff with responsibility to create series of key documents at divisional level that articulated division’s intent to place student learning at center of its work Vice President charged staff with responsibility to create series of key documents at divisional level that articulated division’s intent to place student learning at center of its work –Mission statements –Departmental objectives –Intended learning outcomes

Infusing student learning and outcomes assessment philosophy in all we do (Cont’d) After these documents drafted, critiqued, revised, and agreed upon by staff, each department asked to develop or revise mission and objectives statements keeping in mind that each department’s mission statements and objectives had to flow from division’s mission statement and broad goals developed previously After these documents drafted, critiqued, revised, and agreed upon by staff, each department asked to develop or revise mission and objectives statements keeping in mind that each department’s mission statements and objectives had to flow from division’s mission statement and broad goals developed previously After training, staff was assigned to investigate kinds of instruments available to assess fulfillment of mission, objectives, and learning outcomes of their departments After training, staff was assigned to investigate kinds of instruments available to assess fulfillment of mission, objectives, and learning outcomes of their departments Finally, staff requested to develop assessment plan to measure effectiveness in fulfilling mission, objectives, and intended learning outcomes Finally, staff requested to develop assessment plan to measure effectiveness in fulfilling mission, objectives, and intended learning outcomes

Infusing student learning and outcomes assessment philosophy in all we do (Cont’d) Because a focus on student learning requires that staff be able to assess its impact on student learning, staff directed to complete an inventory of ongoing assessment activities in each department Because a focus on student learning requires that staff be able to assess its impact on student learning, staff directed to complete an inventory of ongoing assessment activities in each department –Revealed that while a number of assessment initiatives were taking place, many needed to be more intentionally focused on student learning

Developing framework of student learning outcomes assessment plan Mission Mission –In just a few sentences a mission statement communicates the essence of the unit to stakeholders and to the general public. “The Division of Student Development & Enrollment Management is committed to providing comprehensive programs, services, and activities that complement the learning process, encourage community identity, and maximize students’ abilities to realize their educational, career, and life goals.” “The Division of Student Development & Enrollment Management is committed to providing comprehensive programs, services, and activities that complement the learning process, encourage community identity, and maximize students’ abilities to realize their educational, career, and life goals.” Objectives Objectives –Broad, general statements of what the unit wants students to be able to do and to know, or what the program will do to ensure what students will be able to do and to know. Provide students with opportunities to develop their leadership skills. Provide students with opportunities to develop their leadership skills. Educate in the areas of wellness and health promotion. Educate in the areas of wellness and health promotion. Provide resources to help students assess and relate their interests, skill, education, and experience to possible careers. Provide resources to help students assess and relate their interests, skill, education, and experience to possible careers. Programs and Services Programs and Services –Actual accounting of what the unit does that evaluates its objectives.

Developing framework of student learning outcomes assessment plan (Cont’d) Intended Outcomes Intended Outcomes –Outcomes are more detailed and specific statements derived from the objectives that explain why a specific program or service is offered. –Outcomes are specifically about what the end result of a unit’s efforts are to be. They describe how a student demonstrates what he/she knows or can do. Assessment Assessment Feedback and Change Feedback and Change

Implementation of Outcomes Assessment Plan Developing Outcomes Assessment Plans for each department Developing Outcomes Assessment Plans for each department Developing Implementation Plans for each department’s Assessment Plan Developing Implementation Plans for each department’s Assessment Plan Sample of Outcomes Assessment Plan Sample of Outcomes Assessment Plan

Empowering Others on Campus to Demonstrate Student Learning Developing Outcomes Assessment Template Developing Outcomes Assessment Template Outcomes Assessment Notebooks Outcomes Assessment Notebooks Campus-wide training Campus-wide training Institutional Student Learning and Outcomes Assessment Internal Website Institutional Student Learning and Outcomes Assessment Internal Website Continuous improvement Continuous improvement

Wrap-up and Questions 

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