student learning outcomes: writing good objectives, gathering good evidence, preparing for the...

Student Learning Outcomes:Writing Good Objectives,

Gathering Good Evidence,Preparing for the Accreditation Visit

Faculty Development DaySeptember 1, 2010

“A University should be a place

of light, of liberty,

and of learning.”

Benjamin Disraeli

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE gustavus.edu

Outline

•Ice Breaker: Who’s in the room?

•Student Learning at Gustavus

(What matters most?)

•Student Learning Outcomes

(What do we want our students to learn?)

•Evidence and Assessment of Student Learning

(How do we know if our students have learned?)

•Accreditation and Student Learning Outcomes


Who’s in the room?What is your academic division?

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1.Fine Arts2.Humanities3.Natural Sci/Math4.Social Sciences5.Education/Nursing


Who’s in the room? (part 2)What is your academic rank?

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1. Instructor2. Assistant Professor3. Associate Professor4. Professor

Student Learning Outcomes

What matters MOST to you about student learning at

Gustavus?


The Big Picture: Who Contributes to Student Learning?

Learning

Faculty

Tutors

Lab Assistants

Resource Staff

Coaches

Music Directors

Chaplains

Advisors

Residential LifeStaff

Support staff

Peers

Student Activities Staff


STUDENT LEARNINGOUTCOMES


At the completion of this session, participants will:

•Define “student learning outcome”.

•Recognize student learning outcome statements.

•Translate knowledge, skills, abilities, and dispositions into

student learning outcomes.

•Distinguish between student learning goal and student

learning outcome.

•Justify the role of student learning outcomes throughout

the institution.

•Formulate student learning outcomes for their program

or courses.


“Learning outcomes are statements describing our

intentions about what students should know,

understand, and be able to do with their

knowledge when they have graduated.”

Huba, M. E. & Freed, J. E. (2000). Learner-centered assessment

on college campuses: Shifting the focus from teaching to

learning. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.



Making connections throughout the institution



Gustavus has clearly articulated learning outcomes at the institutional level.

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1.Strongly Agree2.Agree3.Neutral4.Disagree5.Strongly Disagree


My department has clearly articulated learning outcomes at the program level.

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I clearly articulate learning outcomes in my courses (on my syllabus).

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Of what value are clearly articulated Student Learning Outcomes?

•Provide direction for our instruction

•Inform students about our intentions and expectations

•Focus on lasting results

•Form a basis for our assessment


What is the difference between a learning goal and a learning outcome?

Goal: “broad and long-term descriptions of

learning expectations”

Learning Outcome: “specific descriptions of

expectations that…learners can demonstrate when

they complete a course, program, or

baccalaureate degree”

Driscoll, A., & Wood, S. (2007) Developing Outcomes-Based

Assessment for Learner-centered Education. Sterling, VA:

Stylus.



Goals and Outcomes

Goal

Outcome Outcome Outcome Outcome



Goals and Outcomes

GOALS

• Broad

• General

• Abstract

• Not easily

validated


OUTCOMES

• Narrow

• Precise

• Concrete

• Can be validated


Example: Dental Health 101

GOAL:

Understands proper

dental hygiene


OUTCOMES

Outcome 1: Identify the

active ingredient in

toothpaste

Outcome 2: Explain why

teeth should be cleaned

twice a year

Outcome 3: Describe how poor

dental hygiene can lead to

poor overall health



Students will ( or will be able to):

<<action verb>>

<<learning object>>

by <<criterion>>.


Hatfield, S. “Going Rogue: What No One is Telling You About Assessment,” The Higher Learning Commission Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. April 2010.


Student Learning Outcomes: Examples

Journalism:

Write a news story in the proper inverted pyramid format.

Machine Technology:

Demonstrate basic shop safety and safe attitudes in all

class activities.

Graphic Arts:

Create visual sketches of a variety of fundamental

graphic imaging techniques.



•Learner-centered

•Specific

•Action oriented

•Cognitively appropriate for the program level

•Measurable




Levels of the Cognitive Domain

Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis

Application

Comprehension

Knowledge


Levels of Cognitive Domain

• Remember or recall informationLevel 1: Knowledge

• Understanding informationLevel 2: Comprehension

• Use ideas, concepts, and actions to solve problemsLevel 3: Application

• Use critical thinkingLevel 4: Analysis

• Put together the parts to form something newLevel 5: Synthesis

• Make judgments based on evidence or defined criteriaLevel 6: Evaluation


Assessment for Learner-centered Education. Sterling, VA: Stylus.


Verbs associated with each level of the cognitive domain:• ask, define, draw, fill in, identify, label, list, listen, match,

memorize, name, observe, recall, record, recite, repeat, select

Level 1: Knowledge

• defend, describe, discuss, distinguish, document, explain, estimate, express, generalize, identify, locate,

paraphrase, recognize, report, restate, review, tellLevel 2: Comprehension

• change, classify, compute, construct, dramatize, draw, demonstrate, employ, illustrate, interpret, manipulate,

operate, sequence, show, solve, test, translate, use, writeLevel 3: Application

• appraise, calculate, categorize, contrast, debate, defend, diagrams, differentiate, dissect, distinguish, experiment,

inventory, map, relate, solve, subdivide, survey, test

Level 4:Analysis

• appraise, compare, conclude, contract, criticize, decide, discriminate, justify, rate, recommend, select, state,

summarize, support

Level 5: Synthesis

• assemble, compose, construct, create, design, formulate, hypothesize, invent, manage, organize, plan, prepare,

produce, propose, set up, speculate

Level 6: Evaluation


Assessment for Learner-centered Education. Sterling, VA: Stylus.



Course Outcomes

• Realistic, measurable

• Relate to program outcomes

• Connect courses to one

another systematically

• Build upon each other to

create an integrated whole

Program Outcomes

• Critical, broad

• Knowledge and skills develop

over time in increasing

sophistication

• Integrate skills and

knowledge

• Describe what all students

will be able to do at

completion

Pagano, N. “Defining and Assessing Program Outcomes,” The Higher Learning Commission Assessment Workshop, Lisle, IL. 22 July, 2010.


Defining Student Learning Outcomes

Initial question:

What knowledge, skills, abilities, and dispositions should

the ideal student (graduating from our program or

completing this course) demonstrate?


Defining Student Learning Outcomes: Starting points

•Gustavus mission statement and core values

•Departmental or Program mission statement

•Professional and Disciplinary Associations

•Colleges and Universities

•Community members (alumni, employers)

•Faculty

•Students


Defining Student Learning Outcomes Activity

The College of Lake Wobegon“where all the students are above average”


Defining Student Learning Outcomes Activity

•Learner-centered

•Specific

•Action oriented

•Cognitively appropriate for the program level

•Measurable




My department has clearly articulated learning outcomes at the program level.

1 2 3 4 5

20% 20% 20%20%20%



I clearly articulate learning outcomes in my courses (on my syllabus).

1 2 3 4 5

20% 20% 20%20%20%



At the completion of this session, participants will:

•Define “student learning outcome”.

•Recognize student learning outcome statements.

•Translate knowledge, skills, abilities, and dispositions into

student learning outcomes.

•Distinguish between student learning goal and student

learning outcome.

•Justify the role of student learning outcomes throughout

the institution.

•Formulate student learning outcomes for their program

or courses.


Evidence and Assessment of Student Learning


Assessment Cycle (Spiral)

Mission

adapted from Assessing for Learning (2004) by Peggy L. Maki


Examples of Evidence of Student Learning

Direct

Performance-Based

• Assignments

• Projects

• Portfolios

• Papers

Perceptions

Exams and Tests

• Standardized exams

• Local exams

• Licensure exams

Indirect

Surveys

• National surveys

• Local surveys

• Program/dept surveys


Accreditation and Student Learning Outcomes


The Higher Learning Commission Criteria for Accreditation

Criterion One: Mission and Integrity

Criterion Two: Preparing for the Future

Criterion Three: Student Learning and Effective

Teaching

Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery, and

Application of Knowledge

Criterion Five: Engagement and Service

SLIDE CATEGORY TITLE


Criterion Three Statement: The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its institutional mission.

Core Component 3a. The organization’s goals for student learning outcomes are clearly stated for each educational program and make effective assessment possible.

The Higher Learning Commission Criteria for AccreditationAddressing Student Learning Outcomes



What do we want our students to learn?

How do we know if our students are learning (what we

want them to learn)?

That’s what it’s all about!!


STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

A little learning is a dangerous thing;Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian

spring:There shallow draughts intoxicate the

brain,And drinking largely sobers us again.

Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism (1711)

student learning outcomes: writing good objectives, gathering good evidence, preparing for the...

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