Student Learning Outcomes and the changes to Career Technology Education (Formerly known as Vocational/Occupational Education) SLO’s and Accreditation Standards SLO’s and Accreditation Standards March 9, 2007 Facilitator: John C. Frala, Rio Hondo College Presented by: Sid Burks, Chaffy College Greg Gilbert, Copper Mountain College Sharron Vogel, Butte College

Disclaimer The information presented here is a compilation of three work shops on ACCJC/WASC standards and SLO requirements. The text was compiled and presented by Carrillo College, authored by MARY ALANCRAIG This is presented as a base or guide to help incorporate the SLO into existing curriculum.

Sources of Reference California Community College Academic Senate web site Occupational Education Council reditors/20/council_occupational_education.html reditors/20/council_occupational_education.html reditors/20/council_occupational_education.html California Chancellors web site Cabrillo College ACCJC/WASC web site

Getting started Many of the Rio Hondo Accreditation Committee members have found that Student Learning Outcomes are a major part of the new Accreditation Standards upcoming for our self study report due in The Occupational/Vocational programs are indeed a step ahead of the curve due to our past curriculum requirements

How this all reads into our programs Standard II clearly defines a vocational student; Standard II,3,a,b,and c An understanding of the basic content and methodology of the major areas of knowledge A capability to be a productive individual and life long learner: skills include oral and written communication, information competency, computer literacy, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis/logical thinking, and the ability to acquire knowledge through a variety of means

What the Heck Does this Mean??? In the ACCJC/WASC Standards for the new Accreditation SLO’s are documented 71 times in the final text. Yes, they are the new BUZZ WORD in education How do we as a group conform to this new objective?

Simple as A B C In the past we as Vocational/Occupational Education have had to set many precedents in curriculum development Now we can use the past as our ladder to advancing the course curriculum to meet and exceed the new accreditation standards

How Does This Work? Your handout from the Cabrillo College Accreditation report allows us to see how the SLO’s apply to Vocational Education In the past we have produced Student Outcomes in our course curriculum Now we must show how the outcomes are tested and verified to be accurate.

Here We Go Student Learning Outcomes Occupational programs learning outcomes state the most essential knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes students must acquire by program competition to be successful in the occupations the program prepares students to enter. SLOs are to be defined for all certificates and degrees offered by a program

First Step Organize your work with-in the department Organize your work with-in the department Do not re-invent the wheel…. Use idle time in meetings to evaluate needed improvements Document program revisions that meet the SLOs for your area

Second Step Use current materials to write SLOs for your programs Use current materials to write SLOs for your programs You already have outcomes for the course, turn these into student outcomes for each certificate and degree Make sure your outcomes fit the new Accreditation standards

Third Step Design assessments to make your outcomes verifiable Create a rubric to help collate course assessments Assessments must be quantifiable documentation

Step Four You must be able to evaluate the assessment for program advancement Program information changes with every class, using the assessment information you can document how you are changing coursework to better the student outcome

How the Automotive Team built ours First, we established was how to correctly construct a course from conception to curriculum. Now we have a frame work established lets analyze the entering skills, (what is expected of the student when He/She is enrolled)

Next what is expected when He/she has completed the course, (what skills can they demonstrate now) In prior curriculum outlines the information was presented on Matrix page numbers V.Course Objectives, VI Methods of Instruction, VII Assignments, and VIII Methods of Evaluation.

What has changed? The assessment of the course The evaluation of the student How you can prove what the student has achieved from the course

Examples Automotive course AUTOT 101 Introduction to Automotive service and Technology Course Objectives were: 1.Demonstrate the safe use of basic automotive lifting equipment 2.Explain basic understanding of engine, transmission, brake, suspension systems 3.Understand the automobile business and basic laws which govern it 4.Perform fundamental skills in using information retrieval systems

SLO’s are Students in the automotive technology program will have the knowledge to successfully complete the S/P2 Safety Exam. Students in the automotive technology program will research applicable vehicle and service information, system operation, and technical service bulletins. Students in the automotive technology program will complete work orders to include customer information, vehicle information, customer concerns, related service history, cause and correction. Students in the automotive technology program will demonstrate proper use of hand tools, power tools, and service equipment. Students in the automotive technology program will possess knowledge to identify and describe operation of different power train systems.

Assessing the SLO’s Assessment of the student is the key to writing the SLO. You must now be able to quantify the outcome with accurate measures. In our area it is by providing a skills test not just a written test as used in previous years.

Conclusion You are leaving with a great amount of prepared information. There are examples and resources to guide you in this transformation. Your campus Student Learning Outcome representative is Barbara Mikalson, she can provide specific answers to your questions, but the main resource is your division. Please be aware that the Accreditation Self Study is now on going now. This is faculty driven not administrative, so your help is needed. Please answer questions from committee members when you are questioned this coming sesmester.

Thank you for your attention John C. Frala MAED, Associate Professor Rio Hondo College Academic Senate Representative Alternative Fuels Education