best practices in writing student learning outcomes · 101, students are expected to be able to do...

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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


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


Weak Foundation


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Fortify the Bricks


Equation for Building Sound SLOs


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“Hook” and “Ladder”


“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


The “Ladder”

List of skills andknowledge


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Visual reminder; Not a hierarchy

Ladder


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:


Assessable SLOs

1.Observable verb

2.Single barreled


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Criterion 1: Observable

*by the faculty member

*


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


• 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.”


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.”


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


“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


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


“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)


SLOs Are Precious Real Estate


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Your PLOs:

•Meaningful

•Necessary & sufficient


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


Picture the student upon graduation

Best Practice #5


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Not the ideal student


Not substandard


best practices in writing student learning outcomes · 101, students are expected to be able to do...

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