IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING for Institutional Effectiveness THE REASON: Improvement of Student Learning and Institutional Support Services THE OCCASION: Regional Accreditation

BACKGROUND In January 2005, the ACCJC sent a letter to Saddleback College listing multiple areas relating to Program Review AND Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) as needing immediate attention in order to be in compliance with the accreditation standards. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE: CURRENTLY, SADDLEBACK COLLEGE IS IN NON- COMPLIANCE WITH THE WASC STANDARDS. This must be taken seriously and rectified.

What the Commission Expected for First Round of Accreditation Reviews: An institution will have begun identifying SLO’s, defining meaningful measures of accomplishment, measuring and evaluating the results. There will be some plan in place to extend accomplishments to all courses, programs and degrees.

1.The faculty take collective responsibility for establishing, reviewing, fostering and demonstrating the attainment of Student Learning Outcomes. Standard 2 2.The faculty take responsibility for evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process AND use the results for improvement. Standard 4.6 A Successful Response to WASC criteria means: Our most important reason to exam student learning outcomes is to improve student learning!

How does the ACCJC requirement effect me and my teaching in the classroom? Without immediate action at the division, department and program level, the college will be unable to demonstrate any intent to show progress towards meeting the stated WASC requirements. – In other words: WE (faculty, staff, administration) MUST demonstrate a commitment to this project. – We have been given a deadline and must give written and physical evidence that WE are working on SLOs.

What is the Deadline? There are TWO deadlines that the WASC letter refers to: 1. PROGRESS REPORT: ”The Commission asks that a Progress Report be submitted by OCTOBER 15, it should focus on the recommendations … :” 2. VISITATION: “… accreditation has been reaffirmed, with a requirement that the college complete a Progress Report. The report will be followed by a visit by Commission representatives... “ NOVEMBER 2005.

RECOMMENDATION #2: The College fully develop, implement, and coordinate an integrated college planning and evaluation structure by: C. Identifying intended institutional and student learning outcomes, coordinated with the college mission statement, and measuring progress towards accomplishment: (Standards I.A.1, 1.B.I,I.B.2, I.B.2, I.B.3, and II.A.1) D. Coordinating program review more thoroughly with the educational master plan, department plans, and decision-making processes (Standards I.B.I,I.B.4), E. Requiring and implementing program review for all departments... (Standards II.A.1, IIA.2, II.B.3, II.B.4) ACCREDITATION REPORT AREAS OF CONCERN

RECOMMENDATION #3: The College develop and implement student learning outcomes across the college by: Developing measurable learning outcome for all courses, degrees, certificates, programs, and services (Standards I.A.1, 1.B.I,I.B.2, I.B.2, I.B.3, and II.A.1) Defining and instituting research, procedures for measuring, assessing, and tracking learning outcomes); (Standards I.B.I,I.B.4), AND Creating a staff development program to educate and train all pertinent faculty and staff members in the identification, assessment, and evaluation of student learning outcomes.” (Standards I.B.I,I.B.4), ACCREDITATION REPORT AREAS OF CONCERN

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WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. The college now plans to establish a multi-year foundational project which will include training of faculty and staff, the implementation of SLO assessment across the campus, and the integration of SLOs into the Program Review process. 2. This project is designed to institutionalize an assessment process that will lead to: – continual improvement of instruction and student services – address the standards set by WASC for our November 2005 site visitation from the Accreditation Team.

Now you ask, what exactly are SLOs? S tudent L earning O utcomes are formal written statements to determine what students know, think, feel or do as a result of a given learning experience. O utcomes are determined by the members of a particular department or program. A ssessment of the outcomes allows faculty to make a connection between what students are expected to learn and if the students are learning. A ssessment results stimulate discussion and direct activities that can improve instructional delivery and/ or student support systems.

Based on the new WASC Standards a “transformational change is necessary to ensure that the entire campus community begins to assess student learning. This will require a consistent, coherent plan and a unified effort.” Student Learning Outcomes Steering Committee, Mt. SAC What needs to be addressed?

The Saddleback Proposal C urrently, a variety of SLO models are utilized across the campus, many with excellent results. H owever, for all areas of the campus to work towards the same goal effectively, a common vocabulary and standard of practice must been established. This has now been done through the creation of: SLO Process and Procedures New Program Review process with outcomes assessment at its core SLO Implementation Team An Institutional Effectiveness Office – located in the Library - room 321K. Institutional Effectiveness website:

Overview of the Implementation Process A successful transition to the use of the SLO process at Saddleback College requires a structured plan for both training and support. To meet this goal, the SLO Implementation Team has been established as a committee of the Academic Senate in Spring 2005.

Organization and Leadership:  SLO Coordinator – responsible for supervising the campus- wide training and implementation efforts.  Works closely with Curriculum Chair & the Program Review Chair in the implementation of the process, particularly as they apply to curriculum issues, the program review process and accreditation.  Faculty Facilitators – responsible for conducting the initial departmental/program training, which will lead to the creation and utilization of SLOs, and work directly with individual departments and programs in ongoing implementation.  Educational Assessment Analyst Assistant – responsible for providing guidance and expertise regarding selection of assessment tools and analysis of resulting data.

DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT : Using the Five Column Model IIIIIIIVV Expanded Statement of Institutional Purpose Program: Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Method & Criteria for Success Assessment Results Use of Results

Getting started: 1. Begin at the Department/Program level. 2. Create a Short List (to look at now) and Long List (to look at later) of learning objectives for your program/department. 3. Consider only 3-5 SLOs for your program on the Short List. 4. Rotate learning outcomes after each one is addressed.

W ho Should Write the SLOs? Those who are experts and in direct involvement with the discipline: The Chair and Faculty.

SLO IMPLEMENTATION TEAM : IN-SERVICE TRAINING SCHEDULE Monday: 8/15 2:30-3pm Chair’s Meeting – Presentation on Program Review and SLOs Tuesday: 8/16 8:30-11:00am President’s Breakfast 8/16 12:30 - 1:20pm MSE Division Meeting Howard Adams, Carmen Dominguez, Wendy Gordon 8/16 1:00 - 1:50 pm LA/LR Division Meeting Cheryl Altman, Claire Cesareo-Silva 8/16 1:30 - 2:20 pm ATAS Division Meeting Howard Adams, Carmen Dominguez, Wendy Gordon 8/ :50 pm SBS Division Meeting Cheryl Altman, Claire Cesareo-Silva 8/ :50 pm BS Division Meeting Cheryl Altman, Claire Cesareo 8/ :30 pm HSHSEI Dept. Chair Mtg. Howard Adams, Carmen Dominguez, Wendy Gordon

WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS SUMMER: PROPOSAL FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS FORMATION OF AN SLO TEAM WORKSHOP FOR FACULTY TRAINING WITH THE INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS CREATION OF A WEBSITE PREPARATION OF A GUIDE BOOK ON SLOs REVISION OF PROGRAM REVIEW GUIDELINES LOCATION OF AN OFFICE FOR INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

GO TO YOUR DIVISION MEETINGS! GET THE SCOOP ON SLOs!!!!!