FACULTY REPORTS JANUARY 16, 2009 GEOFFREY DYER Taft College’s Progress in SLOs

Overheard This Week “I don’t know if you know what you’re talking about, but it makes sense to me.” “Give us release time to do this.” “I still don’t know what SLOs are.” “Can you get someone to do it for me?” “Our campus has embraced change!”

Taft College’s SLO History Course SLOs added to Course Outlines of Record, 2002 Independent efforts to raise SLO awareness, present Social Sciences Division Wide SLOs and assessments Science includes specific Learning Objectives, linked with instructional units, into course-packs eLumen purchased, piloted Student Services integrate SLOs into program review handbook, work extensively; develop timeline, template and five sets of Student Services program SLOs

History Liberal Arts division retreat focusing on SLOs, spring 2008 SLOs placed on syllabi, spring 2008 Institutional SLOs drafted through divisions and Academic Senate, SLO Coordinator identified to begin duties in fall, 2008 Meaningful discussion! “Campus embraces change”

Since Summer, 2008 SLO Assessment Teams implemented New Course Level SLO template adopted New Individual Assessment Report template adopted 53 new Course SLOs written in new template 22 documented Individual Assessment Reports from Assessment Team participants to date Course Level SLO workshops at in-service SLO Webpage created Program SLOs drafted in Business Administration Program SLOs discussed at Planning and division meetings as component of Program Review template

SLO Assessment Teams Pilot launched in summer 2008 Offered fall and spring, Participants identify or write an SLO to assess, conduct assessment, document it, and suggest improvements. Individual Assessment Reports shared Emphasis is on integrating assessment of SLOs into campus culture

Course Level SLO template Easy and fun to use Lists SLOs, assessments, and institutional alignment Ensures academic freedom (Faculty write SLOs... Does not ensure freedom from SLOs) Available on Taft College’s SLO Webpage—free!

Individual Assessment Report Template A home for data Guides you through the steps of conducting assessment Consolidates evidence for accreditation Eye catching, thanks to Linda West’s in-service training on Microsoft Word 07 Improved by input from the summer Assessment Team And...

You guessed It! Fun and easy to use!

SLO Webpage The living repository of course SLOs, templates, Individual Assessment Reports, and training materials Created at faculty request Soon to be the home of program SLOs Visit:

Apples to Apples 1 Palomar’s statistic taken from their Annual Report Update on SLOs for ACCJC. Sacramento and LA Mission taken from their Annual Reports, and Riverside from its most recent Self Study.

...But then... That 42% of course SLOs for Taft includes the old SLOs written in grids on Course Outlines (95 courses from our offerings) and courses using the Social Sciences division wide SLOs. The percentage, based on courses offered at Taft in , of courses with our new revised SLOs is 16%. This is the area we have made the most progress in. In assessment, improvement, and program SLOs, we are even weaker.

How can we fix it? How can I help?