Northern Illinois University March 2009 Susan Hatfield Winona State University Leave No Outcome Behind: Teaching, Learning & Assessment

Plan Assessment Teaching Learning

Assessment

A few things you need to know

1. Assessment is about student learning

AssessmentLearning National Norms Trend Lines Instrument DrivenOutcome Driven Relational Data Targets & Goals AnalysisCollection How do we compare?What does it mean?

2. It isn’t going away

3. You’re probably already doing it

Evaluation Assessment Quizzes Count toward final grade Used to see if students understand TestsScored and returned Scored, tabulated. returned & discussed; adjustments to syllabus Rubrics Returned to students with grade Returned after being aggregated & analyzed; adjustments to syllabus

4. The rules have changed

INDIRECT MEASURES

Indirect Measures of Learning Alumni, employer, and student surveys (including satisfaction surveys) Exit interviews of graduates and focus groups graduate follow up studies Retention and transfer studies Length of time to degree ACT scores Graduation and transfer rates Job placement rates

DIRECT MEASURES INDIRECT MEASURES

Direct Measures of Learning Capstone experience Standardized tests Performance on national licensure certification or professional exams Locally developed tests Essay questions blind scored by faculty Juried review of senior projects Externally reviewed exhibitions performances Evaluation of internships based upon program learning outcomes

PROCESS MEASURES OUTCOME MEASURES

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITY

INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS STUDENT LEARNING

5. It’s a bumpy ride

Evolutionary Trajectories Beginning Mature Making Progress

6. It’s all about student learning outcomes

Program Level Student Learning Outcomes Students should be able to > >

Program Level Student Learning Outcomes Learner Centered Specific Action oriented Cognitively appropriate for the program level

KNOWLEDGE COMPREHENSION APPLICATIONANALYSISSYNTHESIS EVALUATION Cite Count Define Draw Identify List Name Point Quote Read Recite Record Repeat Select State Tabulate Tell Trace Underline Associate Classify Compare Compute Contrast Differentiate Discuss Distinguish Estimate Explain Express Extrapolate Interpolate Locate Predict Report Restate Review Tell Translate Apply Calculate Classify Demonstrate Determine Dramatize Employ Examine Illustrate Interpret Locate Operate Order Practice Report Restructure Schedule Sketch Solve Translate Use Write Analyze Appraise Calculate Categorize Classify Compare Debate Diagram Differentiate Distinguish Examine Experiment Inspect Inventory Question Separate Summarize Test Arrange Assemble Collect Compose Construct Create Design Formulate Integrate Manage Organize Plan Prepare Prescribe Produce Propose Specify Synthesize Write Appraise Assess Choose Compare Criticize Determine Estimate Evaluate Grade Judge Measure Rank Rate Recommend Revise Score Select Standardize Test Validate Lower division course outcomes

KNOWLEDGE COMPREHENSION APPLICATIONANALYSISSYNTHESIS EVALUATION Cite Count Define Draw Identify List Name Point Quote Read Recite Record Repeat Select State Tabulate Tell Trace Underline Associate Classify Compare Compute Contrast Differentiate Discuss Distinguish Estimate Explain Express Extrapolate Interpolate Locate Predict Report Restate Review Tell Translate Apply Calculate Classify Demonstrate Determine Dramatize Employ Examine Illustrate Interpret Locate Operate Order Practice Report Restructure Schedule Sketch Solve Translate Use Write Analyze Appraise Calculate Categorize Classify Compare Debate Diagram Differentiate Distinguish Examine Experiment Inspect Inventory Question Separate Summarize Test Arrange Assemble Collect Compose Construct Create Design Formulate Integrate Manage Organize Plan Prepare Prescribe Produce Propose Specify Synthesize Write Appraise Assess Choose Compare Criticize Determine Estimate Evaluate Grade Judge Measure Rank Rate Recommend Revise Score Select Standardize Test Validate Upper division Course / Program outcomes

7. Assessment requires exertion and intention

Exertion without Intention

Intention without Exertion

Intention and Exertion

Teaching and Learning

Campus Climate u Meteorological metaphor u Seasonal u Changing u Uneven u Perpetuated by individuals u Something an university HAS

Campus Culture u Anthropological Metaphor u Deep rooted u Defended u Perpetuated by structures, policies, procedures, behaviors u What a university IS: Who you ARE

Culture u Cultures cannot be consciously created -- they can be promoted, but an college’s culture arises from the interaction of multiple variables.

Evidence of Culture u Vocabulary u Metaphors u Legends, stories, mythologies, folklore u Symbols u Rites & Rituals

Evidence of Culture u Written Materials u Formal & Informal Policies and Procedures u Organizational Structure u Social Knowledge u Reward Structure

Student Learning: Climate or Culture?

Focus on Student Learning: Climate or Culture? TemporaryOngoing ExternalInternal AccreditationImprovement SurfaceEmbedded Personality DrivenStructurally Driven IsolatedPervasive

Focus on Student Learning: Climate or Culture? TemporaryOngoing ExternalInternal AccreditationImprovement SurfaceEmbedded Personality DrivenStructurally Driven IsolatedPervasive LEADERSHIP KNOWLEDGE SUPPORT & RESOURCES COMMITMENT

Reflection Does NIU have a climate or a culture of student learning? Must exceed the Difficulty of the Task

Moving toward a Culture of Student Learning

u A Culture of Learning requires a fundamental shift away from a focus on Teaching

TEACHER CENTEREDTEACHER CENTERED LEARNER CENTEREDLEARNER CENTERED Knowledge is communicated from professor to student Students passively receive information Emphasis on acquisition of knowledge in a specific context Professor’s role is to be primary information giver and evaluator Students construct knowledge through gathering and synthesizing information Students are actively involved Emphasis on applying knowledge to new situations and issues Professors role is to coach and facilitate Teaching and assessing are separate Teaching and assessing are intertwined

TEACHER CENTEREDTEACHER CENTERED Assessment is used to monitor learning Emphasis is on the right answers Desired learning is assessed indirectly Focus is on a single discipline Assessment is used to promote and diagnose learning Emphasis is on generating better questions and learning from errors Desired learning is assessed directly Approach is compatible with interdisciplinary learning Culture is competitive and individualistic Culture is collaborative, cooperative, supportive LEARNER CENTEREDLEARNER CENTERED

Reflection u What elements of the teacher-centered focus are embedded in the culture of NIU? u What elements of the learner-centered focus are embedded in the culture of NIU?

Shifting from a Teaching Focused to a Learning Focused Institution

Reflection on Teaching How did you get to be a good teacher?

What Good Teachers Do Understand learning theory Prepare carefully Identify learning outcomes Consider instructional strategies Respect their students Assess their students and themselves Bane, K. What Good Teachers Do

Facilitating Learning: The Seven Principles for Good Practice 1. Student-Faculty Contact 2. Cooperative Learning 3. Active Learning 4. Prompt Feedback 5. Time on Task 6. High Expectations 7. Respect for Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning

Assessment should be viewed as “ a strategy of inquiry into student learning and actions taken to improve student learning.” According to the HLC: From the HLC powerpoint presentation Making a Difference in Student Learning: Assessment as a Strategy of Inquiry

1. How are your stated student learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, degrees, and students? 2. What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes? 3. In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning? Guiding Questions - Student Learning

4. How do you ensure shared responsibility for student learning and assessment of student learning? 5. How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning 6. In what ways to do you inform the public and other stakeholders about what and how well your students are learning? Guiding Questions - Student Learning

Relatively Easy Changes Faculty Can Make to Enhance Learning

Course Design Instead of…. Try……. Letting the textbook determine the content of the course Focus the course on the specific learning outcomes for the course

Instruction Instead of…. Try……. Focusing on “getting through the material” Using Classroom Assessment Techniques to make sure students understand before moving on to the next concept

Feedback Instead of…. Try……. Trusting students understand when they don’t seem to have any questions. Asking students to demonstrate what they have learned through a one minute paper or summary and the end of the class period.

Quizzes Instead of…. Try……. Giving points for quizzes that count toward the final grade. Use quizzes frequently to see how students if students are progressing in their learning.

Exams Instead of…. Try……. Returning exams without discussion Conducting an analysis of which items students missed, and figure out how to help them understand.

Rubrics Instead of…. Try……. Returning the rubric to the students with your evaluation of their performance Aggregating your student’s performance on each dimension of the rubric to see in what areas they are having problems.

Course Structure Instead of…. Try……. Moving forward even if students are lagging behind. Readjusting the syllabus or offering additional resources and support for those students who haven’t yet grasped the material.

Program Level Assessment Instead of…. Try……. Having a huge list of every single concept to be learned in the program Identifying the top five or six things you want students to know or be able to do and map those outcomes to the courses in the curriculum.

Assessment Instead of…. Try……. Conducting an assessment program without telling the students about it… Making the learning outcomes for the course and program explicit to the students so they know what is expected of them.

Assessment Instead of…. Try……. Collecting tons of data Focus on a few key learning outcomes and collect, discuss and analyze that data.

Assessment Instead of…. Try……. Attempting to revise an entire course. Take one class or lesson (this semester!) and try to approach it differently.

Reflection What can you do to help transform NIU toward a culture of student learning?

Northern Illinois University March 2009 Susan Hatfield Winona State University Leave No Outcome Behind: Teaching, Learning & Assessment