Assessing General Education

Workshop forCollege of the Redwoods

Fred Trapp

August 18, 2008

Assessment Key Concepts

Program Outcomes/

Topic Areas

Student Learning Outcomes

Means of Assessment /

Evidence

Criteria for Assessment

Standards of Success/Quality of Performance:Exemplary Satisfactory Unsatisfactory

GE Program Outcomes/Topics

• Broad descriptions

• Categories of learning outcomes

• End toward which efforts are directed

Examples of GE Program Outcomes

• Critical Thinking

• Effective Communication

• Global Awareness

• Personal Responsibility

Academic Senate, College of the Redwoods

Student Learning Outcomes

• Results in terms of specific student learning, development, and performance (Braskamp and Braskamp, 1997)

• Answer the question – “What do we expect of our students?” (CSU Report 1989)

• Describe actual skills, understandings, behaviors, attitudes, values expected of students

Examples of GE Student Learning Outcomes

Math: Use arithmetical, algebraic, geometric and statistical methods to solve problems.

Personal Responsibility: Demonstrate facility in making value judgments & ethical decisions

Global/cultural context: Analyze issues from multiple perspectives

Team work: Listens to, acknowledges, and builds on the ideas of others.

Make Student Learning Outcomes

• Public and visible– The syllabus

Relevant and meaningful– If my class was the only one a

student took in the discipline …

Motivating and supportive of learning

Course Rating SchemeFor each GE learning outcome rate your course

0- Course does not include instruction and assessment of this outcome.

1- Course includes instruction or practice of the outcome, and performance/knowledge of this outcome is assessed.

2- Course includes instruction or practice in the outcomes of this outcome, performance/knowledge is assessed, and 20% or more of the course focuses on it.

3- Course includes instruction or practice in the outcome, performance/knowledge is assessed, and 1/3 or more of the course focuses on it.

See the example matrix

Means of Assessment/Evidence

• Student work that demonstrates achievement of outcomes (assignments, projects, presentations, papers, responses to questions, etc.)

• Designed for appropriate level of learning expectations (outcomes)

• Opportunity for different ways of demonstrating learning

Examples of Means of Assessment/Evidence

Critical ThinkingRole play or case study

Project or problem solving assignment

Math Mathematical and statistical projects

and papers

Personal Responsibility A written accountA multi-media presentation or display

boardAn audio tape

Criteria for Assessment

• Basis on which student work is evaluated

• Support faculty in making objective evaluations

• Represent powerful professional judgments of faculty

• Guide student learning efforts– (if you share the criteria in advance)

Examples of Criteria for Assessment

Math – Accuracy– Complexity– Clarity and Coherence

Personal responsibility– Complexity (broad, multifaceted, interconnected)– Conscious Awareness

Global/cultural context – Range of Cultures– Reflectivity and Integration

Teamwork Respect Flexibility

Standards of Success/Quality of Performance

• Describe different levels of performance in the criteria

• Support faculty in making objective evaluations

• Describe specific indications of criteria

• Promote understanding of criteria

Examples of Standards of Success/Quality of Performance

Math (Accuracy)– Satisfactory: Contains few errors and those errors do not

significantly undermine the quality of the work.– Considers and uses data, models, tools or processes that reasonably and effectively address issues or problems.– Unsatisfactory: One or more errors that significantly

undermine the quality of the work.– Uses data, models, tools or processes in inappropriate or

ineffective ways.

Global/cultural context (Complexity)– Standard for Excellent: Consistently views sophisticated

and significant dilemmas and issues with a broad focus and from multiple perspectives.

– Standard for Satisfactory: Usually views sophisticated and significant dilemmas and issues with a broad focus, but may sometimes use a more narrow focus and may use fewer perspectives.

– Standard for Unsatisfactory: Mainly views issues and dilemmas in simple terms and usually does so with a limited focus and minimal perspectives.

Assessment Key Concepts Example• GE program outcome/topic

area-Personal responsibility

• Learning outcomes-Students demonstrate a facility in making value judgments & ethical decisions

-Student describe and assume personal responsibility in collaborative endeavors, and respect and support the responsibilities of others

Personal Responsibility

• Means of assessment/evidence-Written code with discussion of two different life decisions based on the code-Multimedia presentation-Letter of application for professional position-Dramatization of ethical issues

• Criteria for assessment-Reflection-Multiple perspectives

Personal ResponsibilityStandards of success/quality of

performance

-Excellence in Reflection: Consistently raises questions, checks assumptions, connects with previous experiences, acknowledges biases and values and engages in self-assessment

-Excellence in Multiple Perspectives: Examines thinking and experiences of others, considers those affected by decisions, and considers diverse courses of action

Assessment Process

Student Learning

Assessment Activities

3. Means of Assessment and

Criteria for Success

2. Intended Learning

Outcomes

5. Use of Results

4. Assessment Results

1. Expanded Mission Statement-GE, Program & Course Purposes

Aligning Curriculum and Pedagogy with Learning Outcomes

• Outcomes and criteria as planning focus

• Course Alignment Grids

• Teachers talking teaching

See sample course alignment grid

Collect Evidence of Student Performances

• Individual faculty collect representative samples of student work

(3 Exemplary, 3 Satisfactory, 3 Unsatisfactory)

CSU Monterey Bay approach

Review and Analyze EvidenceFaculty as a group (faculty learning

community)

• Read holistically to determine whether outcomes are achieved (reliability).

• Several readings to identify examples of criteria (validity).

• Final reading for insights about pedagogy, class structure and environment, and learning supports.

• CSU Monterey Bay approach

Collect Evidence of Student Performances

• Research office/assessment committee selects classes for assessment work

• Individual faculty forward student work to the research office

• Research office makes copies & returns originals for grading

• Next term research office draws a sample of the work

Johnson County CC approach

Review and Analyze Evidence

• A cross disciplinary team of faculty apply holistic rubrics in reviewing samples of work

• Assemble and discuss findings reflecting on their implications for future action

Johnson County CC approach

Collect Evidence of Student Performances

• Individual faculty decide on an assignment fitting the GE theme

• Faculty (individually & collaboratively) build a grading rubric

• Faculty teach their course, grade work but keep a course portfolio of their experiences

Raymond Walters CC approach

Review and Analyze Evidence

• Faculty meet in departments at the end of the year to exchange experiences and notes from their course portfolios

• Department writes a summary report of findings and recommendations for future action

Raymond Walters CC approach

Process Results: Improving Learning

• Documentation of student achievement of outcomes – Someone has to keep the data

Faculty as a group• Identification of curricular gaps/foci and

pedagogical weaknesses/strengths

• Clarification of outcomes, criteria & standards

• Redesign of means of assessment/evidence