Supporting Students’ Academic Success: What is in our locus

of control?Kay M. Sagmiller, Ph. D

What influences whether students learn?

As professors, some things are simply not within our locus of control…

► Sleep deprivation► Distractions► Effort

Factors Within Faculty’s Locus of Control

►Curriculum Design

►Curriculum Implementation

►Assessment of Student Learning

Courses

Programmatic Assessment

Institutional Assessment

Design: Alignment

University Outcomes = Lifetime GoalsProgram Outcomes = 4 Year Goals

Course Outcomes = 10 week Goals

Lesson Outcomes = Daily Goals

Course Design…

Where does this course fit in the

curriculum?

Course Design…At the end of this course… what must my students know…and be able to do?

How can I find out if they learned what I intended?

Intentional Scaffolding of Knowledge and Skills

► Skills must be demonstrated, practiced and assessed through performance

► Knowledge is associated with prior knowledge and must be intentionally developed through intellectual activities

Content

Construct Meaning

Organize

Store

Teaching Content1) Assess prior knowledge2) Provide advance organizers3) Ask students to present information

graphically, pictorially4) Review key ideas and concepts and

illustrate how this information is at the core of the course

5) Require students to discuss content

Assessing Content►Multiple Choice Test/ True & False

Mastery of terminology

►Essay Relationships

►Research Papers, Problem-based projects, Socratic dialogue Application and Transfer of

knowledge

Skills

ConstructModel

Shape Internalize

Supporting Skill Development

1. Explain the process2. Show examples, examples, examples3. Think aloud process4. Practice with guidance5. Point out common errors, give

feedback6. Analyze exemplary models7. Ask student to explain what they are

doing and why

Assessing Skills►Performance►Performance►Performance►Performance►Performance►Performance►Performance

Design Matters: AlignmentCurriculum

Explicit

Planned

Taught

Learned

Assessed

Unplanned

Untaught

Unlearned

Unassessed

ImpliedNull

Design ConsiderationsWhat is the best way to organize this course so students’ knowledge and skills develop over time?

What do I anticipate will be difficult for my students to learn?

How will I clearly communicate my expectations to students?

What general education outcomesare required to be Incorporated into this class?

Kindergarten Graduation

Cross Curricular SkillsMidpoint

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Quantitative Reasoning

Information Literacy

Thinking

Thinking

Constructing Understanding

GE Course

Capstone

Degree

GE Course

GE Course

GE Course

GE Course

3 Levels and 3 Types of Evidence of Student Learning

Descriptive

Institutional Enrollment DataRetentionDiversity Stats

Programmatic Enrollment DataRetentionDiversity Stats

Course EnrollmentGrade TrendsInformal Feedback

Indirect

Surveys:NSSEHERI

Surveys:Alumni Employer

Course Evaluations

Direct

Student Work:CLA

Student WorkCapstonesDiagnostic EssaysStandardized Tests

Student WorkTests; ProjectsAssignments

Course Design

1. Institutional

2. Programmatic

3. Course level

Student work is the window into the student’s thinking and

learning process

Course Program Institutional

Design

Implementation

Assessment