How Do We Know What’s Working? A Guided Dialogue on SLOs and Assessment Lesley Kawaguchi Santa Monica College Chair, Committee on Student Learning Outcomes and Accreditation Bob Pacheco Barstow College Member, Committee on Student Learning Outcomes and Accreditation

How Do We Know What’s Working? A Guided Dialogue on SLOs and Assessment The regional SLO Coordinator meetings in Spring 2008 gave us some rich information about current practices at California community colleges. Survey results have provided some common themes across the state. Faculty leaders play a critical role in empowering SLO Coordinators. Come learn what other colleges are doing and join the dialogue. If SLOs work, what does it look like in a classroom, in programs and departments, and at the college level. Come help us move to the next level.

Outcomes For Today Report Some Preliminary Findings of What’s Working in Student Learning Outcomes Assessment According to Those at the Heart of the Field. Dialogue about 1) the Successes and Setbacks of the Movement; 2) Concerns for Practice; and 3) the Role of Faculty Leaders. Examine Some New Directions.

Background of the Study When? Who Came? Spring 2008, 4 Regional Meetings Northern and Southern California SLO Coordinators, Committee Members and Administrators 142 attended, 83 institutions represented 53 institutions responded (64%) How? Survey questions (quantitative) Opened Ended (qualitative)

Some Developing Themes Increased Dialogue on the Campuses Departmental Faculty, Interdisciplinary, Campus-wide Role of the Local Senate Leaders to Help Bring About Consensus ; Curriculum Committee SLO Committees to Help Handle the Workload Greater Connection of SLOs to the Program Review Process SLO Assessment Stage (Concern over how to get it done) Still individualized Need for Training, Experts, Education Increased Dialogue Intradepartmental Interdisciplinary Cross- Campus Pedagogy Expectations + Criteria Expectations + Criteria Articulation Pre-Reqs Student Services Quality of Student Experience Quality of Student Experience

Some Developing Themes Increased Dialogue on the Campuses Departmental Faculty, Interdisciplinary, Campus-wide Role of the Local Senate Leaders to Help Bring About Consensus ; Curriculum Committee SLO Committees to Help Handle the Workload Greater Connection of SLOs to the Program Review Process SLO Assessment Stage (Concern over how to get it done) Still individualized Need for Training, Experts, Education Faculty Senate Leadership Generate Momentum Curriculum Connection Provide Direction and Leadership Equity in Educational Outcomes

Some Developing Themes Increased Dialogue on the Campuses Departmental Faculty, Interdisciplinary, Campus-wide Role of the Local Senate Leaders to Help Bring About Consensus ; Curriculum Committee SLO Committees to Help Handle the Workload Greater Connection of SLOs to the Program Review Process SLO Assessment Stage (Concern over how to get it done) Still individualized Need for Training, Experts, Education Institutional Level GEOs, ISLOs Core Competencies Institutional Direction Shared Responsibility Institutional Purpose Program Review Strategic Planning Accreditation

Some Developing Themes Increased Dialogue on the Campuses Departmental Faculty, Interdisciplinary, Campus-wide Role of the Local Senate Leaders to Help Bring About Consensus ; Curriculum Committee SLO Committees to Help Handle the Workload Greater Connection of SLOs to the Program Review Process SLO Assessment Stage (Concern over how to get it done) Still individualized Need for Training, Experts, Education Assessment Process SLO’s Identified How to Get It Done? Individualized Connection to Research Training Experts Resistance Embedded Communication Disconnect Data

Some Developing Themes Increased Dialogue on the Campuses Departmental Faculty, Interdisciplinary, Campus-wide Role of the Local Senate Leaders to Help Bring About Consensus ; Curriculum Committee SLO Committees to Help Handle the Workload Greater Connection of SLOs to the Program Review Process SLO Assessment Stage (Concern over how to get it done) Still individualized Need for Training, Experts, Education Work Load Demands SLOACs SLO Coordinator Completion of the Cycle Role and Authority

Some Developing Themes Increased Dialogue on the Campuses Departmental Faculty, Interdisciplinary, Campus-wide Role of the Local Senate Leaders to Help Bring About Consensus ; Curriculum Committee SLO Committees to Help Handle the Workload Greater Connection of SLOs to the Program Review Process SLO Assessment Stage (Concern over how to get it done) Still individualized Need for Training, Experts, Education Systematize the Process Predictable and Reliable ; No Regular Assessment Adjunct Instructors Common Use of Terms Connection to BSI, Grants and Other Programs Not Institutionalized

System for Collecting, Storing and Reporting Data?

What Kind of System?

Dialogue

What Can Faculty Leaders Do to Help? Conduct trainings that are thorough, broad scoped and institutionally and culturally appropriate Encourage dialogue and program changes that faculty led; Lead by example; model effective practices; Be open-minded Implement valid and reliable assessment methods Demonstrate concern over budget and workload demands Focus on assessment that improves education Source: Janet Fulks

Next Steps for the Study Connect with Advanced Colleges Engage in Rich Information Sift Out Reliable Data Develop Models and Training Get The Information Out to the Colleges