1. Dreaming As Well As Doing:
Achieving Successful Action Through Assessment
John Cosgrove & Larry McDoniel
St. Louis Community College
Innovations ’11 San Diego, ca Tuesday, March 1, :30 – 1:30 Cobalt 520, Level 5

2. Teaching and Learning Are The Core Principles Of The College’s Mission Statement
STLCC Mission Statement….“St. Louis Community College Expands Minds & Changes Lives Every Day……”
Our Mission Statement Is Our PROMISE To The Community & Therefore Must Be The Guiding Force In Our Assessment And Planning Processes.

3. Assessment Action
By Directly Linking Assessment, Strategic Planning, Resource Allocation, & Action, We Are In A Better Position To Answer These Key Questions:
Are we doing the right things to achieve our mission?
Are we doing those things well?
What actions are needed to improve?
Did Our Actions Help Improve Teaching and Learning?

4. STLCC Mission-Based Assessment
STLCC Assessment is a MISSION-BASED, continuous improvement process involving the systematic collection, analysis, interpretation and use of data by faculty and staff to improve student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness.

5. I DID: STLCC Assessment Process
INQUIRE—What Do We Want To Know? Define the specific area or student learning outcome to be assessed.
DISCOVER—What Do We Know? Identify data sources and methods of assessment and collect assessment data.
INTERPRET—What does the information tell us? Analyze and share the results of the data.
DEVELOP—What actions do we plan to take? Use results to design strategies and take action to improve student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness

6. Achieving The Dream: Community Colleges Count
“Achieving The Dream (ATD) Is A National Effort To Help More Community College Students Succeed.”
“Achieving The Dream’ s Student Centered Model Of Institutional Improvement Is Focused On Creating A Culture Of Evidence In Which Data And Inquiry Drive Broad-Based Institutional Efforts To Close Achievement Gaps And Improve Students Learning Outcomes” (ATD Field Guide For Improving Student Success)

7. Four Principles ATD’s Four Principles For Institutional Improvement
1. Committed Leadership
2. Use of Evidence To Improve Programs & Services
3. Broad Engagement
4. Take Action Aimed At Systemic Institutional Improvement

8. Achieving The Dream Goals
Students Will Successfully Complete The Courses They Take
Students Will Advance From Remedial To College-Credit-Bearing Courses
Students Will Enroll In & Successfully Complete Gatekeeper Courses
Students Will Enroll From One Semester To The Next
Students Will Earn Degrees And/Or Certificates. 

9. Resource Allocation & Action
Assessment, Strategic Planning, Resource Allocation & Action: With The ATD Catalyst
Assessment
Strategic Planning
Resource Allocation & Action
Teaching & Learning
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
Mission: STLCC expands minds & changes lives every day. We create accessible, dynamic learning environments focused on the needs of our diverse communities.
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst

10. Assessment and Strategic Planning Identified 3 Strategic Directions
Growing Enrollment…From Fall 2008 to Fall 2010, STLCC Increased Its Enrollment By 16 Percent
Improve Our Responsiveness To Evolving Workforce Needs….STLCC initiated its “At Graduation” assessment effort, as well as created two new facilities designed specifically to address workforce needs.
Improve The Academic Achievements & Student Learning Outcomes of Our Students…STLCC Is Using ATD To Focus Additional Emphasis On This Direction

11. Resource Allocation & Action
Assessment & Strategic Planning To Improve The Academic Achievements & Student Learning Outcomes of Our Students
Assessment
Strategic Planning
Resource Allocation & Action
Teaching & Learning
Assessment of CTE graduates’ skills related to Reading For Information and Applied Mathematics and use of results to strengthen both course and program content/objectives.
Assessment of writing skills in General Education Capstone courses and use of results to improve writing across the curriculum.
Assessment of Student Engagement and use of results to develop effective student orientation programs.
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst

12. Resource Allocation & Action
Assessment & Strategic Planning To Improve The Academic Achievements & Student Learning Outcomes of Our Students
Assessment of learning outcomes in developmental mathematics & use of results to modify instructional content, design, and delivery.
Assessment of the link between success seminars and performance in science courses & use of results to expand such services.
Assessment of learning outcomes in developmental reading & use of results to modify instructional design and create linked courses between reading and English and reading and mathematics.
Assessment
Strategic Planning
Resource Allocation & Action
Teaching & Learning
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst

13. Resource Allocation & Action
Assessment, Strategic Planning & ATD To Help Focus Our Actions and Resource Allocation
Assessment
Strategic Planning
Resource Allocation & Action
Teaching & Learning
ATD CORE TEAM Reviewed Assessment and Planning Information And Selected The Following Two ATD Goals As Immediate Priorities
Students Will Advance From Remedial To College-Credit-Bearing Courses
Students Will Enroll From One Semester To The Next
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst

14. Retention of Fall 2009 New Student Cohort By Key Ethnic Groups

15. 3, 4, and 5 Year Graduation Rate Analysis For First-Time, Full-Time, Degree Seeking Students Who Start As Developmental Students

16. Percentage of Developmental Students Who Complete ENG:030 With A C or Better Who Then Complete ENG:101 With A C or Better

17. Percentage of Developmental Students Who Complete MTH:140 With A C or Better Who Then Complete MTH:160 With A C or Better

18. Percentage of Percentage of Fall, New Developmental Reading Students Who Complete RDG:020 or RDG:030 With A C or Better In Their 1st Term, Then Complete 24 + Hours of College-level Work With GPA of 2.0 or Higher 2 Years Later

19. STLCC Assessment and Achieving the Dream have collaborated to close the gaps on several significant issues (refer to the data slides #14 - # 18 above).
How do you think these gaps should be addressed?
How have you grappled with such at your institution?

20. Assessment, Strategic Planning, & ATD Aimed At “STRATEGIC DOING”
Resource Allocation & Action
Teaching & Learning
Campus Strategies Teams Are Currently Crafting Specific Strategies To Address The ATD Goals.
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst

21. Resource Allocation & Action
Assessment, Strategic Planning, and Resource Allocation ATD Aimed At “STRATEGIC DOING”
Proposed Resource Commitment For FY 2012 = $1 Million
Dev Ed Faculty $500,000
Student Orientation
+ $150,000
Improved Advising
+ $200,000
Academic Support/SI
+ $150,000
Assessment
Strategic Planning
Resource Allocation & Action
Teaching & Learning
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst
ATD Catalyst

22. Resources: STLCC Mission-Based Assessment
“St. Louis Community College Customizes Assessment.” League for Innovation: iStream Project Highlight (2009): n. pag. Web. February 2009.
Cosgrove, John, and Lawrence J. McDoniel. “Assessment Is More Than Keeping Score: Moving From Inquiry, Through Interpretation, To Action.” League for Innovation: Learning Abstracts 12.2 (2009): n. pag. Web. February 2009
through-interpretation-to-action
Cosgrove, John, and Lawrence J. McDoniel. “Creating a Culture of Action Using Mission-Based Assessment.” Assessment Update (2009): n. pag. Print.
Cosgrove, John, and Lawrence J. McDoniel. “Mission-Based Assessment to Improve Student Learning and Institutional Effectiveness.” Ed. Trudy Banta. Designing Effective Assessment: Principles and Profiles of Good Practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,
Contact Information
Lawrence J. McDoniel, Professor of English and Faculty Director of Assessment
John J. Cosgrove, Director Institutional Research and Planning

23. For All The Assessment Directors/Leaders “The great ruler speaks little   and his words are priceless   He works without self-interest   and leaves no trace   When all is finished the people say   It happened by itself”   Tao Te Ching Verse 17