moving forward: taking charge of slo assessment marcy alancraig english professor and learning...
TRANSCRIPT
Moving Forward: Taking Charge of SLO Assessment
Marcy Alancraig
English Professor and Learning Outcomes Coordinator
Cabrillo College
To Deal with Student Learning Outcomes You Need:
• Sense of Play• Willingness to Experiment• Healthy Dose of Skepticism
• Ability to translate assessment theory and jargon into the language of your college
Why Assess SLOs?
• It’s what you’ve been doing
informally all along• It’s good teaching practice• It’s better for students• It can make your teaching life better
New Accreditation Standards: The 5 Stages of Faculty Grief
• Denial• Anger• Bargaining• Depression• Acceptance
Quickie Review: Standards Require
• SLOs for all courses• SLOs for all programs• SLOs for all certificates and
degrees
More Review
• All SLOs must be assessed regularly• Assessment results must be discussed
(dialogue is key!)
Enhance teaching/ learning; inform institutional decision- making, planning, budgeting
How well do we achieve our educational objectives?
Gather Evidence
Interpret Evidence
Mission/Purposes
Educational Objectives
– Peggy Maki, AAHE
The Assessment
Loop
Closing the Assessment Loop
• Assessment must feed back into processes to improve teaching and learning
• In the classroom• In the department• Across the entire campus
• Activity should be useful and easy
Key Point!
• Each school must design the assessment process to fit that school’s culture
Key Decisions
• How much time do you want to spend?• Will the assessment be something extra
you require of students beyond class work?• Will the assessment be something extra
you expect of faculty?
More Key Decisions
• Do you want the same method used to assess SLOs across the entire campus?
• Who will analyze the results?• How will you close the feedback loop?
A suggestion:
• Use the KISS method• Keep it simple, sweetheart!
Rubrics Rock!
A Simple Method of assessment for all SLOs
So What’s a Rubric?
• A very detailed grading scale
for one assignment
• A descriptor of each level of
achievement
Why Rubrics Rock
• Great for students• Doesn’t impinge on your
academic freedom• May make your teaching life easier
• Caveat: Doesn’t work for multiple choice exams
Bonus Plus
• Can be easy assessment method for SLOs
But
only if the loop is closed
And the results are discussed
How do Rubrics Work?
• Rows: Criteria of rating • Columns: Levels of mastery
• Beginner• Developed• Accomplished
• Cells: Describes work at each level of mastery
• Build from strengths and weaknesses teachers see in student work over the years
Activity
• Create a Chocolate Chip Cookie rubric
Sample Rubrics
• Grid
• Narrative with points
• Combined with Grading Sheet
Advice: Rubrics are• As individual as instructor and
assignment• Works in progress, always changing• Something students should see in
advance?
Activity
• Choose one particular major assignment
• Use workbook to create a rubric for it• Share with folks at your table
Where do you go from Here?
• Next Steps