A Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Process at the Academic Program Level
Christina Horne, Nita Paris, & Valerie Whittlesey
Kennesaw State University- 2005 SACS Meeting
www.kennesaw.edu/ie/assess/index.htm
History of Assessment at KSU From 1994 to 2003, all academic
departments turned in annual reports to the Executive Assistant to the President & the Institutional Planner
“Describe the assessment methods that you use to improvement your departmental programs.”
Change in Criteria for Reaccreditation in 2004 KSU will be reviewed by the Southern
Association for Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 2006
SACS has new criteria for reaccreditation
“An academic program for which academic credit is awarded should establish and evaluate learning outcomes.”
Assurance of Learning at KSU Establishment of an Assurance of
Learning (AOL) Council in Fall of 2002 within Academic Affairs with a Chair of the Council (Asst. Vice President for Academic Affairs)
Council membership includes two faculty from each College, the Director for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the Director of Institutional Effectiveness
Assurance of Learning Council Function of the AOL Council is to
serve as a steering committee, advisory and consultative group to academic programs as they plan and implement their student learning outcomes assessment plans
Needs Assessment of the AOL Council Review of old department/program
reports An initial meeting to determine the
knowledge of student learning outcomes assessment in departments/programs
Needs Assessment Results Knowledge of
student learning outcomes assessment ranged from “no knowledge” to “advanced knowledge”.
0102030405060708090
100
None Advanced
Seven Elements of Assurance of Student Learning (AOL) 1) Articulating
Student Learning Outcomes
2) Connecting Outcomes to Program Requirements
3) Connecting Outcomes to Methods that Collect Evidence of AOL
4) Articulating Expected Findings for the Evidence
5) Articulating the Plan and Timetable for Collecting Evidence of AOL
6) Collecting, Analyzing, and Interpreting Evidence of AOL
7) Using Results for Improvement
Establishing a Firm Foundation Focus on
Elements 1 and 2 Collaborative
Model of Faculty Assisting Other Faculty
Implementation of the Collaborative Model
Formal Workshops
Informal Workshops
Formal Workshop Goals To summarize the seven elements of
assurance of learning planning and reporting
To summarize the Assurance of Learning action plan for fall of 2003
To summarize the role of the AOL Council
To summarize changes in the SACS reaccreditation guidelines
Informal Workshop Goals To give feedback to faculty
working on elements 1 and 2 of their student learning outcomes assessment plans on drafts of their work so far
Brown Bag sessions
Identifying Learning Goals Teaching Goals Inventory from
Classroom Assessment Techniques by Angelo and Cross (1993)
Rate the importance of each of 52 goals for your program
Exercise #1- Group Activity Linking Outcomes to the
Curriculum using Course Titles and Program Descriptions
Create groups of 4-5 participants
Exercise #1- Group Activity Instructions
What knowledge, skills, and attitudes should a graduate have based on reading the program descriptions
What knowledge, skills, and attitudes should a graduate have based on reading the course titles
Exercise #1- Group Activity Sharing of results
from the exercise
Sample AOL Report Biochemistry General Student Learning
Outcomes Four and its Associated Specific
Student Learning Outcomes Brief and Detailed Matrix
connecting Outcomes to Program Requirements
Submission & Review of AOL Reports All academic programs and
general education addressed elements 1 and 2
Reports due on Dec. 31, 2003 AOL Council provided formative
feedback on elements 1 and 2
Continuing a Firm Foundation Focus on
completing a partial report (elements 3, 4, 5) or a complete report (elements 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7
Collaborative Model of Faculty Assisting Other Faculty
Assurance of Learing Consultation Team During fall 2004 and spring of 2005,
a team of five Kennesaw State University faculty was assembled.
The team provides individualized (customized) assistance to faculty in academic programs and general education in areas where additional expertise and direction were needed.
Submission & Review of AOL Reports All academic programs and
general education submit a partial or complete AOL report
Reports due on Dec. 31, 2004 AOL Council will provide formative
feedback on the partial or complete reports
Submission & Review of AOL Reports All academic programs and
general education submit a complete AOL report
Reports due on Dec. 31, 2005 AOL Council will provide formative
feedback on the complete reports
Lessons Learned Flexibility with deadlines dates for
program reports and with the formatting of AOL program reports
Fear about AOL based on history with the Program Review process
Sequencing of the General Education AOL report
Questions and Discussion ?