best practices in writing student learning outcomes · 101, students are expected to be able to do...
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10/13/2017
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Best Practices in Writing
Jill Allison Kern, PhDDirector of Assessment & Accreditation
Eastern Washington UniversityOctober 2017
Student Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes for Today’s Training
At the end of today’s training, participants will be able to do the following:
• Distinguish among course, program, and institution learning outcomes
• State the two necessary and sufficient criteria that make a student learning outcome assessable
• Report from memory at least two best practices in crafting student learning outcomes
• Write an assessable program learning outcome for their program
• Provide one example of an assignment they could use to assess the program learning outcome they generate
©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
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Learn Scales Play Bach©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
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“Ask me to assess, and I write a report.”-Charles Blaich and Kathy Wise
Assessment ≠ Report©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
Curiosity+ Inquiry
Assessment =
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Conversations about Teaching & Learning
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What Are Student Learning Outcomes?
Knowledge Skills
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3 levels
•ClO’s
▪PlO’s
▪IlO’s©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
Bedrock of Assessment Edifice
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Poorly designed SLOs
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Weak Foundation
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Fortify the Bricks
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Equation for Building Sound SLOs
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“Hook” and “Ladder”
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“Students who successfully complete[name the learning unit] should beable to do the following:”
The “Hook”
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• “Upon the successful completion of Psychology 101, students are expected to be able to do the following:”
• “Graduates with a major in Computer Engineering will be able to do the following:”
• “Those who earn an undergraduate degree at EWU should be able to:”
Hook Examples
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The “Ladder”
List of skills andknowledge
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Visual reminder; Not a hierarchy
Ladder
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La
dd
er
• COMP MATH-PLO – 1: Demonstrate competency in calculus.
• COMP MATH-PLO – 2: Demonstrate competency in real analysis.
• COMP MATH-PLO – 3: Describe the logical structure of proofs.
• COMP MATH-PLO – 4: Construct proofs of core mathematical results.
• COMP MATH-PLO – 5: Develop viable mathematical models of physical or economic phenomena.
• COMP MATH-PLO – 6: Utilize a programming environment to conduct a successful simulation.”
“Upon the successful completion of the BS degree in Computational and Applied Mathematics at EWU, students will be able to:
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For each rung to be assessable,it needs to meet two
necessary & sufficient criteria:
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Assessable SLOs
1.Observable verb
2.Single barreled
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Criterion 1: Observable
*by the faculty member
*
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Describe
Explain
List
Present
Write
Formulate
Create
Analyze
Arrange
Critique
Synthesize
Predict
Examples of Observable Verbs
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Know
Learn
Understand
Comprehend
Appreciate
Study
Experience
Become familiar with
Be knowledgeable about
Think
Value
Realize
Become aware of
See
Examples of Non-observable Verbs
©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
• Know the arguments
• Reflect on the issues
• Think critically
• Understand the principles
• Comprehend the methods
• Appreciate art
• Summarize the arguments
• Discuss one’s reflections on the issues
• Question the assumptions implicit in theories
• Apply the principles
• Explain the methods
• Describe the aesthetic properties of art works that appeal to you
Not Observable Observable
Convert
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Criterion 2: Single-Barreled*
*No “and”©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
“Students who earn a degree in French will be able to write and speak fluently.”
Double-Barreled
not assessable
*
*
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Single-Barreled
• “Students who successfully earn a degree in French will be able to write effectively.”
*assessable
*
• “Students who successfully earn a degree in French will be able to speak fluently.”
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However, SLOs that connect two or
more verbs with “or” are assessable.
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“Those who earn a degree in music will be expected to compose complex scores orplay an instrument skillfully.”
©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
Best Practices in Writing SLOs
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Best Practice #1
Specify
Skill
Body of knowledge, or
Level of mastery
Unlikely acquired prior to learning unit
©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
“Graduates of EWU’s BA program in Studio Art should
be able to:
Example
• Create a body of work that demonstrates conceptual intent.
• Create a body of work that demonstrates technical skill.
• Critically evaluate art work using appropriate terminology.
• Produce a professional quality portfolio that includes an artist’s statement, résumé, and documentation of their work.”
Sk
ills
level of m
astery
Sk
ill &
Kn
owled
ge
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Best Practice
SLO should identify the evidence you will collect to
assess it.
Best Practice #2
©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
Matching SLOs with Evidence
“Students who earn a passing grade in Great Books of the Western World will be able to
list at least five attributes of texts influenced by Western traditions.”
To assess, collect lists of text attributes.
Example
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“Students who earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics will be able to
construct proofs of core mathematical results.”
To assess, collect proofs of core mathematical results.
Example
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“For every verb-driven learning outcome statement you write, offer three different examples of assignments that flow logically from the governing verbs of the statement.”
-Clifford Adelman 2015
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Keep list of SLOs short
Best Practice #3
• About four to six CLOs for a three-unit course
• About five to seven PLOs for a major
• About five to seven ILOs for a degree (GE
outcomes)
©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
SLOs Are Precious Real Estate
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Your PLOs:
•Meaningful
•Necessary & sufficient
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Collective Endeavor
Best Practice # 4
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Developing program learning outcomes
Deciding which CLOs will be taught in of each of a major’s
required courses (i.e., to map the curriculum)
Reviewing assessment findings annually after they’ve been
compiled in order to make sense of what they mean and what
action steps to take to improve student learning
Three Junctures in Assessment Cycle When Faculty’s Collective Efforts are Necessary
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Picture the student upon graduation
Best Practice #5
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Not the ideal student
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Not substandard
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But the satisfactory student
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Proud©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
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The End!©Copyright 2017, Jill Allison Kern, PhD
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