Using Placement Tests to Improve SLOs and RetentionRachelle Hall and Beth Berry
PresentersRachelle Hall• Faculty – Business and
Information Technology• Director – Assessment and
Program Review • CIS105 Coordinator• SAM user/administrator for 11
years• Technology Power User
Beth Berry• Faculty – Business and
Information Technology– Accounting and Computer
Application courses
• Supervisor – BPC programs and courses
• SAM administration / user for 10 years
Glendale Community College
– Glendale Community College, Glendale AZ– Enrollment – 19,993 – FTSE – 11,581– LMS is Canvas– Use SAM for all Office application courses
GCC Courses• CIS105 – Survey of Computer Information Systems
– Applications and Concepts– Enrollment – approximately 1,200 per semester
• BPC110 – Business Personal Computers– Applications only– Enrollment – approximately 200 per semester
• All office application courses– Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint– Enrollment – approximately 500 per semester
Grade Distribution
Our Plan• Placement Survey in SAM
– Minimum level of proficiency to succeed in CIS105 and BPC110– Set the competencies of Intro to Computers (BPC101)
• If student scored C or below, were recommended to change courses for success• Monitoring students for success patterns• Study will go through Spring of 2014• Recommendations to President in Summer of 2014
Goal is to have mandatory placement test prior to enrollment
Student Benefits• Students succeed!• Eliminates the frustration that leads to failure in or withdrawal from
the more advanced course• Increased student learning
– Instruction is targeted to students at this skill level– More opportunities to collaborate with peers
• Students obtain solid computing skills necessary for success in transfer courses
• Time and Financial benefits– Students are not spending time or money on a class they will not pass
Instructor Benefits• Quick and easy set up for multiple sections• Students are properly placed for success• Class is more homogenous
– Class flow is not interrupted – Content is covered on schedule
• Skill level is more consistent throughout the class– More collaborative opportunities between students– More opportunities for the teaching of advanced skills and “fun” stuff. This allows
more time for enhanced and engaged learning
