LEVELS OF KNOWING: ARE WE TEACHING AND ASSESSING WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO US?

PAMELA MILLER, PH.D.ASSOCIATE VP FOR LEARNING

February 2011

SESSION DESCRIPTION This interactive workshop provides a framework for

deciding whether our instructional methods are helping student achieve the levels of learning that are important to us as teachers and expected from our instructional programs. The session will also provide guidance for creating student learning activities that match our instructional goals.

INTRODUCTIONS

Name, School, Program/Discipline

Level of Experience with:Writing Learning Outcomes

Using Bloom’s TaxonomyDesigning Learning Activities

Accommodating Learning Styles

LEARNING OUTCOMESThe participant will: Learn and apply the definition of assessment and describe the

four levels of assessment engaged in at SJC Learn and apply the definition of learning outcomes to SJC’s

Common Student Learning Outcomes (CSLO’s) and then to one’s own course(s)

Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to design learning activities that address the outcomes for one CSLO at varying cognitive levels

Improve own and others’ learning activities associated with SJC’s CSLO’s by sharing and discussing drafts

Reflect upon the learning activities utilized in one’s own courses – Do they clearly align with one or more student learning outcomes (SLO’s)

identified on the course syllabus? Are they expressed at the appropriate level of Bloom’s? How is student learning assessed?

ASSESSMENT – THE BIG PICTURE

ASSESSMENT - DEFINED Assessment: An ongoing process aimed at

understanding and improving student learning.Assessment involves making our expectations explicit and public; setting appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expectations and standards; and using the resulting information to document, explain, and improve performance.  Assessment in this context does NOT mean institutional judgment and evaluation of individual performance or either faculty or students. When it is embedded effectively within larger institutional systems, assessment can help us focus our collective attention, examine our assumptions, and create a shared academic culture dedicated to assuring and improving the quality of higher education.

LEVELS OF ASSESSMENT @ SJC All College

Common Student Learning Outcomes (CSLO’s) Program

5-Year Assessment Plan Program Review

Course Annual Assessment Plans and Reports

General Education Annual NMHED Core Competency Reports

Communications Mathematics Laboratory Science Social/ Behavioral Sciences Humanities/Fine Arts)

STUDENT LEARNING

LEARNING OUTCOMES - DEFINEDLearning Outcomes specify the observable and/or measurable knowledge, skills and judgment which a person is expected to have developed or acquired as the result of a course of study or a set of identifiable experiences.

They describe what a person should know or be able to do or demonstrate at a given point in their development.

Learning Outcomes: are unambiguous use plain language use verbs which require verifiable performances

THE COURSE SYLLABUS – LEARNING OUTCOMES Think about the syllabus for one of the

courses that you teach: How were the learning outcomes for the course

developed? Do the LO’s clearly describe what students

should know and be able to do upon completion of the course?

Do all of the learning activities in the course (reading, assignments, homework) support the learning outcomes?

How do you know that students are mastering the learning outcomes in your course?

LEVELS OF KNOWING – BLOOM’S TAXONOMY Bloom's Taxonomy is a multi-tiered model of classifying

thinking according to six cognitive levels of complexity The levels have often been depicted as a stairway,

leading many teachers to encourage their students to "climb to a higher level of thought”

The taxonomy is hierarchical; each level is subsumed by the higher levels

This hierarchical arrangement led to natural divisions of lower and higher level thinking

This taxonomy is frequently used when writing learning outcomes to describe the cognitive level that is expected in student work

HANDOUT: Bloom’s Taxonomy “Revised” – Key Words, Model Questions, and Instructional Strategies

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a multi-tiered model of classifying thinking according

to six cognitive levels of complexity

LEVELS OF KNOWING – CSLO’S In small groups, consider one of the five

CSLO’s identified by SJC: Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, identify the cognitive

level at which each “characteristic” of the CSLO is written.

What patterns, if any, did you discover? Are both lower- and higher-level thinking addressed in

the characteristics? Are the characteristics primarily written at the lower

levels of Bloom’s? If so, why do you suppose this is the case?

Should all six cognitive levels be expected for each CSLO? Why or why not?

LEVELS OF KNOWING – CSLO’S In small groups, consider one of the five

CSLO’s identified by SJC: Select one of the courses that a member of the

group is teaching. Identify the learning activities that are currently used

in the course that address one or more of the CSLO characteristics.

Identify additional learning activities that might be developed to further integrate assessment of the CSLO in the course. Higher cognitive level? Characteristic not already addressed?

SJC COMMON STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (CSLO’S) - ACT Students will act purposefully, reflectively, and

respectfully in diverse and complex environments. CHARACTERISTICS OF ACT:

Demonstrates clear understanding of the context and roles for action

Collects and interprets appropriate information to determine course of action

Listens to and considers diverse viewpoints and perspectives

Formulates a plan of action and supports the plan through logical reasoning

Conducts action with competence, sensitivity, and integrity Listens and contributes respectfully and honestly during

interaction with others Analyzes and evaluates action through reflection Proposes changes in future action based on analysis

SJC COMMON STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (CSLO’S) - COMMUNICATE Students will exchange ideas and information with

clarity and originality in multiple contexts. CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATE:

Introduces the main idea and purpose with an audience in mind

Maintains appropriate focus throughout the assignment Demonstrates knowledge base necessary for appropriate

terminology Presents significant and substantive content Uses effective strategies for delivery which are appropriate

for the context of the message Organizes in a logical way Delivers message in a coherent and fluid manner Anticipates and responds to possible reactions to the

message Uses language effectively

SJC COMMON STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (CSLO’S) - INTEGRATE Students will demonstrate proficiency in the use

of technologies in the broadest sense related to their field of study.

CHARACTERISTICS OF INTEGRATE: Selects the best technology for the task at hand Sets up a logical sequence for use of technology for

the given task Implements steps to complete task Arrives at a logical and satisfactory conclusion

SJC COMMON STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (CSLO’S) - LEARN Students will actively and independently acquire, apply

and adapt skills and knowledge to develop expertise and a broader understanding of the world as lifelong learners.

CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARN: Demonstrates clear mastery of subject matter and requisite

skills through definition, and identification Uses knowledge of major ideas and skills to demonstrate,

illustrate, or examine an assignment, task or problem Uses terminology and vocabulary appropriately to address an

assignment, task or problem Selects and synthesizes information to interpret or analyze a

task or problem Apply concepts to understand situations, accomplish a task or

solve problems Demonstrates more than rote memorization or dry reporting of

facts

SJC COMMON STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (CSLO’S) - THINK Students will think analytically and creatively to

explore ideas, make connections, draw conclusions and solve problems.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THINK: Demonstrates a clear understanding of the issue,

problem, or task Accurately relates and interprets evidence,

information, or experiences Examines and recognizes relationships Draws logical conclusions Uses knowledge and understanding to solve

problems Uses reasoning to develop and defend results,

solutions, or arguments

LEARNING STYLES

LEARNING STYLES – ANOTHER DIMENSIONThe VARK Categories The acronym VARK stands for Visual, Aural, Read/write, and Kinesthetic sensory modalities that are used for learning information. Fleming and Mills (1992) suggested four categories that seemed to reflect the experiences of the students and teachers. Although there is some overlap between categories, they are defined as follows. Visual (V):

This preference includes the depiction of information in maps, spider diagrams, charts, graphs, flow charts, labeled diagrams, and all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies and other devices, that instructors use to represent what could have been presented in words. It could have been called Graphic (G) as that better explains what it covers. It does NOT include movies, videos or PowerPoint. It does include designs, whitespace, patterns, shapes and the different formats that are used to highlight and convey information.

Aural / Auditory (A):This perceptual mode describes a preference for information that is "heard or spoken." Students with this modality report that they learn best from lectures, tutorials, tapes, group discussion, email, using mobile phones, speaking, web chat and talking things through. It includes talking out loud as well as talking to yourself. Often people with this preference want to sort things out by speaking, rather than sorting things out and then speaking.

Read/write (R):This preference is for information displayed as words. Not surprisingly, many academics have a strong preference for this modality. This preference emphasizes text-based input and output - reading and writing in all its forms. People who prefer this modality are often addicted to PowerPoint, the Internet, lists, filofaxes, dictionaries, thesauri,quotations and words, words, words...

Kinesthetic (K):By definition, this modality refers to the "perceptual preference related to the use of experience and practice (simulated or real)." Although such an experience may invoke other modalities, the key is that people who prefer this mode are connected to reality, "either through concrete personal experiences, examples, practice or simulation" [See Fleming & Mills, 1992, pp. 140-141]. It includes demonstrations, simulations, videos and movies of "real" things, as well as case studies, practice and applications.

ACCOMMODATING LEARNING STYLES In your small groups, re-consider the learning

activities that you discussed to integrate assessment of the CSLO in the course you chose: Identify which learning styles the activities are

best suited to. Identify how the learning activities might be

adapted to suit different learning styles.

QUESTIONS?