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COLORADO

MOUNTAIN

COLLEGE

ASSESSMENT

PLAN

2013-2014

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COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT PLAN

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND Colorado Mountain College has developed a clear vision and mission and has articulated a set of values that define the work of Colorado Mountain College. Assessment processes are integral to accomplish this end. The purpose of this document is to describe the framework for assessment and improving academic and student affairs programs at Colorado Mountain College. Academic assessment is an important part of the culture of Colorado Mountain College involving students, faculty, department chairpersons, central services and campus administration, Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Director of Assessment, Assessment Committee, and AQIP Action Teams. Vision: We aspire to be the most inclusive and innovative student-centered college in the nation, elevating the

economic, social, and environmental vitality of our beautiful Rocky Mountain Communities. Mission: CMC offers a dynamic and innovative teaching and learning experience serving a diverse

population in a student-centered, inclusive, and personalized learning environment. Through a comprehensive array of programs and courses of study, CMC provides high-quality education that is affordable and accessible, helping all students meet their individual educational goals. CMC measures its success through student success.

CMC Values:

1. We believe higher education and lifelong learning provide a vital and necessary foundation for an egalitarian society.

2. We treat all people with civility, dignity, and respect. 3. We encourage open and honest communication and honor all ideas and opinions. 4. We embrace diversity in its many forms and work actively to create an inclusive college community. 5. We act with integrity to build trust in our personal and professional relationships.

The specific aims of CMC are to:

• Deliver undergraduate instruction for associate and bachelor’s degrees and certificates; • Offer college preparatory instruction and academic skill development; • Prepare students for careers requiring professional and technical training, and assist business and

industry in meeting their workforce development needs; • Provide support services tailored to the needs of each student; • Make life-long learning opportunities available to all; and • Contribute to the economic, social, and cultural vitality and sustainability of the communities that CMC

serves.

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CMC's Signature Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes

Proficiencies and Capacities

General Education

Intellectual & Practical Skills

Communication Skills

Inquiry & Analysis

Quantitative Literacy

Information Literacy

Technology Literacy

Problem Solving

Sustain-Ability

Personal/Social Responsibility

Civic, Economic Knowledge & Engagement

Ethical & Equity

Reasoning

Lifelong Learning

Health and Wellness

Responsibility toward the environment and for academic success

Integrative/Applied Learning

Demonstrate advanced skills to new settings and complex problems

Human Culture and

Physical/Natural World

Recognize Interconnected-ness of Systems

Discover cultures, physical, & natural world through academic studies

Intercultural Knowledge, Competence

DEFINITIONS - CMC SIGNATURE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to understand or accomplish the following in key domains:

DOMAIN: INTELLECTUAL AND PRACTICAL SKILLS, INCLUDING

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Effective communication involves writing, speaking or communicating using language appropriate to the audience, technology, and purpose. Effective communication also includes receiving information/listening actively with understanding, demonstrating college-level reading comprehension, and writing in Standard English.

INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS

Inquiry is any process that has the aim of augmenting knowledge, solving doubt or solving a problem. Analysis is separating or breaking up of any whole into its parts, esp. with an examination of these parts to find out their nature, proportion, function, interrelationship, etc.

QUANTITATIVE LITERACY

Quantitative literacy involves performing mathematical computations, using appropriate methods to arrive at accurate results. Quantitative literacy also includes analyzing, interpreting, and explaining the results of computations, including graphs, charts, tables, or statistical data.

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INFORMATION LITERACY

Information literacy involves defining the information needed to accomplish a specific purpose and accessing, analyzing, synthesizing, and incorporating selected information effectively. Information literacy also includes evaluating information critically and drawing from a variety of perspectives and sources. Other elements include the ethical and legal use of information.

TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY

Technology literacy is the ability to responsibly use appropriate technology to communicate, solve problems, and access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information to improve learning in all subject areas and to acquire lifelong knowledge and skills in the 21st century.

PROBLEM SOLVING & CRITICAL THINKING

Critical thinking and problem solving involves recognizing, analyzing, and defining problems, drawing logical well-supported conclusions and testing them against relevant criteria and standards. Critical thinking also includes examining issues by identifying and challenging assumptions (including one’s own), developing alternative solutions or strategies, and evaluating practical and ethical implications.

DOMAIN: PERSONAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, INCLUDING

CIVIC, ECONOMIC KNOWLEDGE AND ENGAGEMENT – LOCAL AND GLOBAL

Civic knowledge and engagement is acquiring the skills and values needed to be effective active citizens. An effective citizen is a person who understands the obligation and undertakes the responsibility to improve community conditions, build healthier communities and address social problems. Communities can be geographic, interest-based and even “virtual” and are local, national, and global.

ETHICAL & EQUITY REASONING AND ACTION

Ethical reasoning and action recognizes the complexity and importance of choices available to humans in their personal, professional and social lives. Students are able to identify and analyze real-world ethical problems or dilemmas, and identify those affected by the dilemma. He or she should be able to articulate and acknowledge their own deeply held beliefs and assumptions as part of a conscious value system.

FOUNDATIONS AND SKILLS FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

Today’s life and work environments require far more than thinking skills and content knowledge. The ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the globally competitive information age requires students to pay rigorous attention to developing adequate life and career skills. These might include the ability to adapt to change, manage goals and time, work independently, be self-directed learners, interact effectively with others, work effectively in diverse teams, manage projects, produce results, guide and lead others, and be responsible to others.

INCORPORATION OF LIFE PRACTICES LEADING TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS

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Health and wellness encompasses the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors for a student to maintain physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual health. Students should be able to explain the impact of lifestyle choices on physical, emotional, social, intellectual, or spiritual wellbeing. Exploring various proactive behaviors that enhance health and/or personal safety should be a lifelong goal along with designing and implementing wellness plans consistent with individual needs and goals.

THE ABILITY TO APPLY ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIORS TOWARDS OUR ENVIRONMENT

Environmental ethics is concerned with the issue of responsible personal conduct with respect to natural landscapes, resources, species, and non-human organisms. We know that humans can cause massive and permanent damage to natural landscapes, resources, and ecosystems. Not only do we know that we can cause these insults, we also know how we can cause them, and how we can prevent or remedy them. Knowing all this exacts an obligation to act with care, foresight and, at times with forbearance and constraint. In our dealings with the natural environment, we are, in short, called upon to reflect, act, or perhaps to refrain from acting, in a manner which testifies to our worth as persons and as a culture.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS

The ability to apply academic success strategies such as developing strong study skills, note taking skills, setting goals, staying motivated to achieve short-term and long-term goals, avoiding procrastination, effective time management skills, increase classroom learning by making the best use of class time and by taking responsibility for learning. Students should seek to develop effective test preparation skills that will help lower anxiety, and produce better scores on exams. One of the most positive success strategies is avoiding academic burnout by managing /reducing academic stress through a variety of techniques.

DOMAIN: INTEGRATIVE AND APPLIED LEARNING

SYNTHESIS AND ADVANCED ACCOMPLISHMENT ACROSS GENERAL AND SPECIALIZED STUDIES

The ability to synthesize information from different disciplines or perspectives to solve problems, gain new experiences, or create new things which often involves putting parts of different ideas together to make a new whole.

DOMAIN: KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN CULTURES AND THE PHYSICAL AND NATURAL WORLD

RECOGNIZE THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THE HUMAN, PHYSICAL, AND NATURAL WORLDS

Students will be able to explain the impact of science and technology on the environment, human experience or social change

DISCOVER CULTURES, PHYSICAL & NATURAL WORLD THROUGH ACADEMIC STUDIES

A liberal arts education includes breadth of knowledge and the ability to think beyond one’s discipline, major, or area of concentration. This knowledge can be gained through the study of sciences, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, history, languages and the arts. Students will be able to identify fundamental principles, theories, concepts, methodologies, tools or issues from various

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disciplines. Additionally, students will be able to synthesize information from different disciplines or perspectives to solve problems, gain new experiences, or create new things.

INTERCULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCE

Intercultural knowledge and competence is the ability to interact and work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures and to empathize with and understand those who are different. Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the forms and mechanisms of oppression, discrimination, or privilege. Students will be able to explain how values and ideas of cultures have evolved or how patterns of globalization have shaped the modern world.

Adapted from previous publications of the Association of American Colleges and Universities: Greater Expectations: A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to College (2002), Taking Responsibility for Quality of the Baccalaureate Degree (2004), and Liberal Education Outcomes: A Preliminary Report on Achievement in College (2005) and published most recently in High -Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter (2008).

RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Because assessment efforts are part of CMC culture, everyone helps with the assessment process. Each CMC employee plays an important part in the process of assessing students’ learning. CMC Guiding Principle 3: We strive for excellence and innovation in all we do, and CMC Guiding Principle 4: We create a positive working environment and a stimulating and enjoyable teaching and learning experience exemplify how we all feel about our role at the college. Further, we have defined each employee’s role in the process of assessment.

FACULTY Assessment programs that work are faculty owned and driven. In other words, faculty participation ought to be active and ongoing in all aspects of the assessment cycle. Faculty members use the results of assessment data to strengthen and improve the curriculum, textbooks, and pedagogy, and thus improve student learning. Faculty members’ collective responsibilities include:

• Utilize web based TaskStream to design assessment plans and set student targets for academic programs/courses.

Create and share a course/program mission statement

Choose which Student Learning Outcomes will be assessed during the academic year. • Design and disseminate to cohort faculty teaching the course common assessment measures and

rating rubrics according to the assessment plan for each outcome chosen. • Implement instructional strategies that promote success in student learning outcomes and conduct

assessments to ascertain levels of student learning. • Gather and aggregate all course information in TaskStream according to the appropriate program or

course level assessment plan. • Collaborate with colleagues to “close the loop” by analyzing and improving all aspects of program

design, delivery, and services (if needed).

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Participate with colleagues to develop, monitor and report on a continuous improvement plan by creation of a yearly summary for each discipline. Lead faculty/Discipline Coordinators input yearly summaries into TaskStream each year.

Provide representation on the Assessment Committee, which coordinates specific assessment effort at Colorado Mountain College.

STUDENT AFFAIRS STAFF Assessment programs that work are focused on the whole student. Student Affairs staff are responsible for actively participating in all aspects of the assessment cycle. Staff members use both formative and summative assessment results to provide continuous improvement in the delivery of their functional area services. Responsibilities regarding assessment of all Student Affairs programs/services include:

• Integrate student learning outcomes into Student Services initiatives.

Utilize web-based TaskStream, to design assessment plans for their functional programs and learning experiences, with mission statements, goals, student learning outcomes and assessment measures.

• Design appropriate assessment measures according to the functional area • Implement strategies that promote student learning outcomes and conduct assessments to ascertain

levels of student learning. • Gather and archive in TaskStream assessment data according to the appropriate program assessment

plan. • Collaborate with colleagues to analyze and improve all aspects of services design, and delivery. • Participate with colleagues to develop, monitor and report on a continuous improvement plan. • Provide representation on the Assessment Committee, which coordinates program and services

assessment effort at Colorado Mountain College.

STUDENTS Assessment information that demonstrates exceptional student learning starts with the students. Our students participate in direct assessment activities (tests, assignments, portfolios, etc.) and indirect assessment activities (surveys, focus groups, etc.) Other roles in assessment that students might assume include:

• Facilitating assessment activities by acting as assessors themselves (as a required outcome in certain General Education courses, creating class projects and presentations of other students, group work evaluation, conducting campus surveys, etc.).

• Provide feedback and comments on assessment activities. • Participate in developmental analyses of assessment data and deliberations about program

improvements (e.g. exit interviews and graduate survey). • Participate in college-wide assessment activities (e.g. General Education Assessment)

ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE The Assessment Committee is responsible for facilitating the Colorado Mountain College Assessment Plan. The Assessment Committee is a standing faculty, administrative, staff committee that is chaired by the Director of Assessment. The Assessment Committee works in coordination with Student and Academic Affairs, Department of Institutional Research, AQIP Action Teams and Joint Leadership Team. The Assessment Committee responsibilities include:

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• Develop and communicate to the CMC Community annual goals on assessment that are consistent with the Institutional Strategic Plan.

• Review and monitor the assessment of student learning outcomes program in chosen academic and student service programs.

• Encourage professional development that aids in student learning and assessment. • Play an advisory role in all aspects of the assessment process. • Scrutinize the Institutional Assessment Plan periodically to enhance, improve, and report upon

teaching and learning.

OFFICE OF ASSESSMENT The Director of Assessment has primary responsibility for designing, planning, implementing, assessing, and revising the CMC Institutional Assessment Plan. This person reports to the Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, Arts and Sciences, and is a permanent member of the Assessment Committee. Duties Include:

• Serve as consultant evaluator to the academic departments on the development and implementation of program plans.

• Serve as resource for academic departments as they prepare annual reports on assessment activities. • Coordinate and implement the CMC Institutional Assessment Plan and Student Report. • Coordinate web-based TaskStream efforts for developing and implementing program and course

assessment plans. • Provide faculty with training and support for all aspects of TaskStream. • Work with academic discipline coordinators, program directors and faculty to develop, maintain, and

conduct effective assessment activities. • Plan and offer professional development activities for faculty and staff. • Oversee the budget for assessment.

INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH

• Gather and maintain accurate, up to date information on student enrollment, retention, transfer rates, graduation and placement rates.

• Gather student, faculty, and staff surveys and other data needed to gauge institutional effectiveness. • Gather employer satisfaction data as they pertain to graduates • Produce an annual institutional effectiveness report that summarizes programs’ enrollment, retention,

and graduation and placements rates.

DISCIPLINE COORDINATORS

• Support and verify academic assessment within the department • Ensure the appropriate participation of the full time and adjunct faculty in course and program

assessment activities in each assessment cycle by working with Instructional Supervisors. • Responsible for academic program changes as designed by faculty in response to assessment findings

(Closing the loop). • Demonstrate a commitment to assessment of student learning and use of its results by department

faculty.

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISORS

• Work with Discipline Coordinators to ensure assessment accountability through the evaluation system.

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• Provide professional development opportunities related to assessment. • Demonstrate a commitment to building a culture of assessment.

VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS As Chief Academic Officer, the Vice President of Academic Affairs has ultimate responsibility for all academic and assessment matters. Responsibilities include:

• Support and verify assessment at all levels. • Demonstrate institutional commitment to assessment of student learning. • Coordinate professional development activities that support student learning and assessment. • Coordinate the periodic review of academic programs with particular emphasis on student learning

and assessment. • Support budget requests as needed for continuous improvement plans. • Synthesize the annual learning report and make recommendations to the AQIP Action Council.

VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS As the Chief Student Affairs Officer, the Vice President of Student Affairs has ultimate responsibility for all Counseling and Student Life matters and assessment. Responsibilities regarding assessment of Counseling and Student Life program assessment include:

• Support and verify assessment of all Student Affairs programs. • Demonstrate institutional commitment to a culture of assessment and use of results to drive program

decisions. • Coordinate professional development activities to support the use of program assessment. • Coordinate the periodic review of student affairs programs with particular emphasis on student

learning and data driven decisions. • Support budget requests as needed for continuous improvement plans. • Synthesize the annual learning report and make recommendations to the AQIP Action Council.

AQIP QUALITY TEAM The AQIP Action Council, now called the Q Team, is responsible for identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and on the basis of that analysis assigns tasks to AQIP Quality Team. Responsibilities include:

• Serve as a College-wide audience for assessment results. • Be responsible for identifying opportunities for continuous improvement. • Review work efforts and provide needed feedback and recommendations. • Provide to the President specific proposals for improving student learning.

CAMPUS VPs The Vice President of each CMC campus is ultimately responsible for assessment on their campus. Responsibilities include:

• Create a campus culture of assessment. • Support and fund professional development activities relate to assessment for staff and faculty.

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• Support Instructional Supervisors as they work with site faculty and Discipline Coordinators to ensure assessment accountability.

PRESIDENT The President has ultimate responsibility to implement AQIP Quality Team recommendations and to improve student learning.

ASSESSMENT CYCLE The CMC Assessment Cycle demonstrates the college’s steps to a clear path of planning, assessing, collecting and aggregating data, interpreting data, making improvement plans then re-assessing, or plans to assess other competencies if no improvement is presently needed. Improvement efforts in Academic Affairs for General Education, Course and Program assessments are cyclical and ongoing. Improvement efforts in Student Affairs involve a yearly, scheduled self-assessment of each of the student services areas. Colorado Mountain College has selected TaskStream AMS to provide an effective way for the college to document, manage and archive the outcomes assessment and accountability initiatives at all levels of the institution.

Since the larger push to enculturate assessment in 2009, the college continues to work diligently at developing a fluency in Common Assessments in course, program, institution and general education. We created a “Tools” grid so that assessment is aligned with the strategic plan. All tools on the assessment grid feed our need to know how students are performing in the classroom. This information is critical not only for us to understand the academic health of the college, but ensures that we are closing the loop, feeding into the strategic plan under section B1.

Decisions about, student performance, budgets and academic resource allocation are based upon information gleaned from assessments on the grid. The College continues to update the CMC Assessment Cycle which demonstrates the steps to a clear path of planning, assessing, collecting and aggregating data, interpreting data, making improvement plans or making plans to assess other competencies if no improvement is presently needed.

Our data is physically housed in CMC’s TaskStream AMS site where all faculty and administrators have access. Aggregate data indicating short term goals of students demonstrate that 72% of all students have met/exceeded the short-term goals of the faculty upon first assessment. Faculty work with students through the course to improve student performance directly in the class and beyond. Data from faculty indicate 81% of the students reach an exceeded/approaching status on the long-term course goals as they leave the course, a 9% aggregate improvement. General Education faculty work collaboratively to improve student learning as outlined in the Direct Assessment Example #3. Data to support improvement in our chosen assessment of outcomes for General Education assessment is scheduled to take place in March 2014.

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CMC Course Assessment Cycle

What When Action

Plan

*Discussion of year's assessments and Yearly

Summary

*Spring Professional

Development In-Service (May)

*Discussion leads to additional assessments where improvement is needed or choosing new SLO/Course to assessment next year *assessment results entered into TaskStream *Corrective plans from previous assessments entered into TaskStream (May 1)

*Identify which new course(s) & specific

Student Learning Outcomes to assess

beginning fall semester next academic year

*For new courses, create and input an Assessment Plan, Common Assessment Tool, Common Rating Rubric, short and long term goals into TaskStream

*Celebrate Successes - Announce yearly

Assessment Marmot Awards

*Winner of awards determined through the use of the CMC Assessment Rubric

Implement

*Implement corrective plan from spring in-service

meeting into next assessment cycle

Fall/Spring (August &

January) *First week before school starts

each semester

*Discipline Coordinators and/or Lead Faculty send discipline faculty new common assessment/rubric and direction for corrective plan

*Implement Assessment Plan for newly chosen

courses

Discipline Coordinators and/or Lead Faculty send faculty common assessment/rubric

Assess

*Students engage in

assessments

Throughout Fall/Spring Semester

*Faculty assess, collect, rate & analyze student work - send rated student work to Discipline Coordinator/Lead Faculty for Aggregation

Report/ Revise

Yearly finding reported and go back to Planning

Due No Later Than May 1 each

year

*Discipline Coordinators and/or Lead Faculty report semester (fall & spring) and final assessment findings in TaskStream

Yearly Summary

*Discipline Coordinators and/or Lead Faculty create a Yearly Summary of all the assessment activities and findings which are loaded into TaskStream

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After the spring in-service meeting faculty submit to the Director of Assessment which courses and student learning outcomes will be assessed in the coming year, along with the common assessment tool and common rubric for rating the students’ work. A reporting grid is created and distributed to Discipline Coordinators, Lead Faculty, administrators, faculty and staff. An example is included at the end of this document.

Strategic Planning & Assessment

Colorado Mountain College (CMC) embarked on a strategic planning initiative in March 2013 to align the many efforts of the multi-faceted institution to serve a diverse set of student and community needs. By defining and continuously striving to achieve a vision for the future, CMC will enhance the College’s outcomes and position within the State of Colorado, the Rocky Mountain region, and beyond. In simplified terms, this Strategic Plan seeks to clearly lay out where CMC will invest time and financial resources in coming years and why. The current Strategic Plan is the result of a twelve-month interactive planning process that engaged hundreds of community members, students, faculty, staff, and the Board of Trustees in a discussion of the future of the College and the communities it serves across nine counties. The challenges and issues were framed by the analysis of internal and external data from the Environmental Scan that was produced and updated during plan development. Assessment of student learning is integrally aligned to Goal B: Teaching and Learning, Section B.1 in the performance standards of the CMC Strategic Plan. Just as curriculum mapping makes it as easy to derive content and potential assessment tasks from intended learning outcomes at the institution, program or service/course levels, mapping of essential and important survey and assessment tools makes it easier to derive task outcomes and potential areas of improvement. In spring 2014, the college began efforts to expand the strategic planning process by mapping important assessment tools to the final CMC Strategic Plan. From an original listing of twenty-eight assessment tools, fifteen of our current tools are used in measuring student performance with eight of the fifteen tools identified as direct measures of academic student learning outcomes. The CMC Student Learning Outcome Assessment for 2013-2014 is included below. Additionally, the “action” column lists several examples of direct measures where an implementation plan for improvement served to ‘close the assessment loop’.

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CMC Student Learning Outcome Assessments 2013-2014 (B1 - Strategic Plan 2014-2015)

Assessment Tools

Administered By

Time Frame Criteria Measured Action

Direct Measures of Student Learning at CMC

Course Learning Outcomes - Domain 2

Course Faculty Each

Semester

Direct Measure - Measures aggregate

student competencies in selected assessed

course/outcome(s)

AA-AVP-A&S, AA-AVP-CTE, Director of Assessment &

Discipline Coordinators/Lead Faculty work toward

improving student learning in courses. *Examples Provided

Gen Ed/College Learning

Outcomes- Domain 2

Course Faculty Each

Semester

Direct Measure- Measures aggregate

student competencies in selected Gen Ed

assessed course(s)/outcome(s)

AA-AVP-A&S, AA-AVP-CTE, Director of Assessment &

Discipline Coordinators/Lead Faculty work toward

improving student learning in General Education courses.

*Example Provided

CCLA (Community

College Learning Assessment)

Institutional Research

Fall even-yrs. for freshmen & Sp odd-yrs

for graduating

sophomores

Direct Measure- Measures and compares

student learning between cohorts; math, English, writing & critical

thinking

Measures discussed by Academic Affairs Leadership Team; findings reported to

Instructional Leadership Team for administering corrective plan if needed; results for Critical Thinking used in

GenEd assessment. *Example Provided

Student Licensure Exams

National/State Licensing Boards

Just before Graduation

Direct Measure- Measures competencies

in CTE Certificate/Degree Area

Program faculty and Academic Affairs AVP-CTE

share information and create/implement corrective

plan if needed

SAILS (Student Assessment of

Information Literacy Survey)

- Domain 2

Institutional Research &

Library Board

Fall and Spring of

chosen year

Direct Measure- Measures student

proficiency in Information Literacy

First survey to begin March 2014 - Used to determine

Information Literacy skills - Domain 2

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CLA (College Learning

Assessment)

Institutional Research

Fall even-yrs. for freshmen

& Sp. odd-yrs. for

graduating seniors

Direct Measure-Measures and compares CMC graduate student

learning between cohorts; math, English,

writing & critical thinking

Measures discussed by Academic Affairs Leadership Team; findings reported to

Instructional Leadership Team for administering corrective plan if needed; results for Critical Thinking used in

GenEd assessment. *Example Provided

Program Accreditations

National/State Accrediting

Boards

Once every five years (on

average)

Direct Measure-National/State

competencies measured in Nursing, Vet Tech,

Early Childhood Education, Emergency

Medical Services

Program faculty and Academic Affairs AVP-CTE

share information and create/implement corrective

plan if needed *Examples Provided

Learning Outcomes -

Domains 1, 3 & 4

Under Development

Under Development

Direct/Indirect Measures-Measures

nine outcomes in student soft skill areas

Under Development

Indirect Measures of Student Learning at CMC

CO State Key Performance

Indicators

Institutional Research

Each Spring

Indirect Measure - 8 Key Indicators from the State of Colorado

Funding Model

CMC State of CO Key Performance Indicators to measure student success

Employer Surveys

Institutional Research

End of each year

Indirect Measure -Employers surveyed about CMC graduate employees' skill level and work readiness

AVP of AA-CTE program summarizes report and shares

improvement action plan with CTE faculty and Instructional Chairs

IDEA (Individual Development

and Educational Assessment)

Each Campus Location

End of each semester

Indirect Measure - Student rating of faculty

performance, course objectives & learning

Instructional Chairs (Faculty Supervisors) share forms with

faculty during individual faculty evaluations/create corrective plan if needed

NCCBP (National Community

College Benchmark

Project)

Institutional Research

Spring of chosen years

Indirect Measure- Provides National comparisons for

enrollments, student success/proficiency, HR, VE-135 Report, Online student success and Financial Indicators

VP Academic Affairs, VP Student Affairs, Campus VPs,

VP Human Resources, Instructional Chairs & AVP IE

work to identify areas of improvement, create and

implement corrective actions college-wide.

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Student Progress Survey

Institutional Research

Each Semester

Indirect Measure- Student opinion of

personal goal success

VP for Academic Affairs and Campus Academic Officers work on corrective actions

Graduate Survey Institutional

Research

Administered at each

Graduation

Indirect Measure-Satisfaction with

student learning & Employment or Transfer

plans

VP for Academic Affairs and Campus Academic Officers work on corrective actions when needed based upon

student needs

Program Reviews - AA-

CTE AAS degree

Full Time Faculty Program

Coordinator and campus location Instruc. Chairs

End of each year

Indirect Measure of Student Learning

Academic Affairs & APRC provide feedback and

corrective measures needed to Faculty Program

Coordinators and Campus VPs

TASKSTREAM ACCOUNTABILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (AMS)

CMC engaged in a pilot program in the summer 2009 and continued using a comprehensive, web based system to support continuous improvement. AMS by TaskStream helps facilitate and manage the “big picture” of all assessment and accountability initiatives at an institution. AMS enables the creation of flexible workspaces in which designated faculty, staff and administrators within academic programs and nonacademic offices are able to document all aspects of these processes, including: program objectives, outcomes, assessment plans, strategic plans, curriculum maps, assessment findings in aggregate, and action plans to track improvement initiatives. AMS is an institution-wide platform that is used, primarily, by administrators, program coordinators, staff and faculty participating in continuous improvement, strategic planning, program review, accreditation (e.g., HLC/AQIP) and other accountability processes within the institution. AMS is customized to meet the unique needs of Colorado Mountain College.

RESULTS AND EXAMPLES DIRECT MEASURE EXAMPLES Example 1: Community College Learning Assessment (CCLA) – The College participates in the CCLA, which is designed to measure an institution’s contribution or value added, to the development of higher-order skills in the 2 – Yr. Degree Programs and CTE area. This approach allows an institution to compare its student learning results on the CCLA with learning results at similarly selected institutions. Measures in critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving, and written communication make up the four areas of common assessments as shown by completed tasks in entering students’ scores and exiting students’ scores. The graph below indicates entering (fall semester freshmen) and exiting (spring semester sophomore) scores from students at CMC and in the Total Cohort with differences in scores calculated. While entering scores on the 10-11 survey are relatively less on each of the four areas, CMC student scores show larger gains in three of the four

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main areas and in the total mean scores than the general cohort (highlighted). CMC looks forward to receiving its current results in fall 2013.

CCLA 2010-11

CMC Cohort

Entering Exiting Difference Entering Exiting Difference

Total Mean CCLA Score 943 1034 91 987 1062 75

Performance Task 949 1026 77 978 1060 82

Analytic Writing Task 937 1042 105 996 1064 68

Make-an-Argument 932 1021 89 987 1046 59

Critique-an-Argument 939 1062 123 997 1082 85

Over the next two years, faculty worked at several smaller projects aimed at improving teaching and learning in the four critical areas measured by the CCLA. Critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving, and written communication were softly targeted by faculty in the majority of classrooms where credit courses were offered. The addition of two 4 – Yr. Bachelor’s Degrees promoted the recruitment of students who, overall, were better prepared for higher education and more motivated. CCLA results were then collected again in fall 2012 and spring 13. CMC student differences were not as disparate as in 10-11, but exiting scores were higher in every case than the cohort. Results follow:

CCLA 2012-13

CMC Cohort

Entering Exiting Difference Entering Exiting Difference

Total Mean CCLA Score 983 1042 59 955 1021 66

Performance Task 978 1036 58 944 1007 63

Analytic Writing Task 988 1048 60 967 1035 68

Make-an-Argument 987 1029 42 957 1013 56

Critique-an-Argument 987 1064 77 970 1051 81

Smaller projects continue to be emphasized within the classrooms, and are highlighted in several of the Direct Measure examples. The CLA uses constructed-response tasks to evaluate students’ performance in analytic reasoning and evaluation, writing effectiveness, writing mechanics and problem solving. Sampling occurs much the same as the CCLA from example 1 in fall (freshmen students) and following spring (senior students) semesters. Example 2: In 2012-2013, the College participated in the first administration of the CLA (Collegiate Learning Assessment) which included students who were within fifteen credits of graduating with a four year degree. Comparison numbers taken from the 2012-2013 CCLA beginning students show an appreciable positive difference as compared to 2012-2013 CLA graduating students.

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CLA 2012 - 2013

Mean Score

Freshman

Mean Score

Seniors

Difference

Total CLA Score 983 1099 116

Performance Task 978 1101 123

Analytic Writing Task

988 1097 109

Make-an-Argument 987 1077 90

Critique-an-Argument

987 1117 130

Example 3 – General Education Improvement

Colorado Mountain College assesses General Education courses utilizing Common State Standards set forth by Colorado Department of Higher Education in five categories: Critical Thinking, Mathematics, Reading, Technology and Written Communication. Each of the General Education Disciplines (Arts and Humanities, Communication, Mathematics, Natural and Physical Sciences and Social and Behavioral Sciences) requires specific competencies to be fulfilled before the courses can be designated as GT (Guaranteed Transfer) courses according to the following:

Colorado State General Education Criteria for GT Courses

Criteria Identified Competencies

Other Language

Critical Thinking

Written Communication

Reading Technology Mathematics

Humanities Courses

Humanities x x x x x

Music x x x x x

Philosophy x x x x x

Theatre x x x x x

Arts x x x x x

Literature x x x x x

Communication Writing x x x

Mathematics Mathematics x x

Natural & Physical Sciences

Astronomy x x x

Biology x x x

Chemistry x x x

Geology x x x

Meteorology x x x

Physics x x x

Anthropology x x x

Social Sciences Economics x x x

Geography x x x

History x x x

Political x x x

19

Science

Psychology x x x

Sociology x x x

In 2012-2013, the College focused its efforts on improving students’ written communications skills for Criteria One: Information Acquisition – The students will be able to find, select, and synthesize information from appropriate primary and secondary sources (CDHE Criteria Attached) in English/Literature and History. GT courses were assessed and data collected over the course of the first semester. Both English and History faculty recognized the need to supplant extra material into the curriculum for student improvement. Library staff volunteered to help faculty with the needed additional course materials by purchasing virtual Research Modules, placing them online in our virtual library for easy access. (Modules linked here: http://library.coloradomtn.edu/modules ) Moreover, Librarians work with course faculty to offer condensed, in-class training on using library resources and, most recently, are covering copy write laws. Additionally, faculty collectively in English, History, Science and Humanities/Philosophy have added to the virtual library collection over the past year by writing departmentally focused Research Strategy Modules and Information Sources Modules, which are also embedded on the Virtual Library Server for easy student access. Scores in last year’s CCLA indicate a moderate improvement in the Analytic Writing Task but didn’t offer the college comprehensive results for students in courses where the modules were being utilized. Librarians offered their help again, scheduling selected students into the administration of the SAILS Survey (Student Assessment of Information Literacy Survey) at the mid-spring semester this year, 2014. Students selected from a larger cohort who has successfully completed 45 credits or more will be testing this spring semester. As a comparison, the Sails Survey will also be given at the beginning of fall semester to a selected cohort of CMC students who have 15 credits or less. The difference between these two cohorts should offer the college the in depth information to determine whether or not the students are utilizing and learning from the Research Modules, in turn showing improved writing/research ability. Too, the survey offers a national comparative view of how students at other colleges compare with CMC students and offers the college the first base-line data for assessing within our Signature Learning Outcome, Information Literacy. Example 4 – Capstone Course/Program Assessment of Nursing Program

The students in the CMC Nursing Program remain top performers for the most part due to the dedication of the nursing faculty. Assessments are performed and reported regularly, with even the smallest deficiency analyzed with immediate improvement measures taken as can be seen in the selected TaskStream example from 2012-2013 below. Nursing faculty, staff and students exemplify and excel in the college’s efforts to infuse a culture of evidence throughout the institution.

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TaskStream Example:

Outcome 2 - Provides leadership in a variety of healthcare settings for diverse patient populations. (Manager Role; Advocate Role) (Level Outcome 2) Measure: Student Self-Reflective Presentation Course level; Direct – Portfolio Details/Description: The nursing student will spend one-hundred twenty (120) hours immersed in the

capstone internship experience. During this time, the nursing student will analyze the healthcare system

and understand the role of the professional nurse. He or she will identify, explore and reflect on major

concepts of the healthcare system and apply the concepts to his or her practice. Each student creates a

PowerPoint presentation about the capstone internship. Part of the PowerPoint measures how the

student meets Outcome 2: The student will be able to: Analyze how the professional nurses in the facility

acted as leaders, citing how this improved the patient safety and quality care. Give three examples.

Students are rated on this outcome using the following rubric: 4- Analyzes 3 examples of ways the nurses act as leaders and cites how each example improves quality care. 3- Analyzes 2 examples of ways the nurses act as leaders and cites how each example improves quality care. 2- Analyzes 1 example of ways the nurse acts as a leader and cites how the example improves quality care. 1- Does not analyze any (zero) examples of ways the nurses act as leaders OR did not cite how the examples improve quality care. Short Term Target: Observation: Midway through the semester, students will be asked to answer the following question to measure this outcome: Analyze how the professional nurses in the facility acted as leaders, citing how this improved the patient safety and quality care. Give three examples. The short term target is for 85% of the students to achieve a 4 or more on the above rubric.

Long Term Target: Observation: At the end of the semester, students will turn in a PowerPoint presentation which includes stating the answer to the following question: Analyze how the professional nurses in the facility acted as leaders, citing how this improved the patient safety and quality care. Give three examples. The long term target will be for 90% of the students to achieve a 4 or more using the above rubric.

Key/Responsible Personnel: Connie Selzer

**Findings for Student Self-Reflective Presentation Summary of Findings: Midway through the semester, the students hand wrote how they were currently meeting the objective: analyze how the professional nurses acted as leaders, citing how this improved the patient safety and quality care. Answers were graded using the rubric. 22 students out of 29 or 75.9% of students were at or above 4 on the rubric. At the end of the semester, each student completed a PowerPoint presentation, which included how each student met the objective of analyzing how the professional nurses acted as leaders, citing how this improved the patient safety and quality care. Answers were graded using the rubric. 28 out of 29 (96.5%) were at 4 on the rubric.

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Results: Short Term Target Achievement: Not Met; Long Term Target Achievement : Exceeded Recommended Actions for Continued Improvement: The midpoint findings were low mainly because student were not able to draw a parallel between the leaders actions and how they affected safety and quality care. Next semester we will discuss reflection of leadership throughout the semester, helping students firm-up the relationship between leaders actions and safety/quality care. Reflections/Notes : Ensure students understand that there are two parts to this question. First, is to analyze three ways in which nurses act as leaders. Second, cite how the actions improve quality and safety. It is unclear if the students cannot relate the two, or if they didn't read through the question.

1

Arts and Sciences

Area

Discipline/Course

CoordinatorsCourses 2013-14

Course Titles being

Assessed

Common

Assessment

Received

HUM 121 Early Civilizations s

HUM 122 From Medieval to Modern

HUM 123 The Modern World

Music Tom Buesch MUS 120 Music Appreciation

Philosophy Bo Persiko PHI 111 Introduction to Philosophy

Theatre Gary Ketzenbarger THE 212 Development of Theater I

ART 111

Art History-Ancient to

Medieval s

ART 112

Art History-Renaissance to

Modern

Business Martyn Kingston Only 4 yr. Business

COM 115 Public Speaking s

Reading Evan Weatherbie Not this year

English Evan Weatherbie ENG 090 Basic Composition

MAT 055 - Spring 14 Algebraic Literacy s

MAT 050 - Spring 14 s

Elementary Education Barbara K.V. Johnson NA

GED Tracking specific CASAS items

Standard 3 - SOQ State of Colorado Standards NA

Standard 2.4 - SOQ State of Colorado Standards NA

Standard 2.2 - SOQ State of Colorado Standards NA

Writing ENG 121 Composition I s

Literature LIT 115 Introduction to Literature s

SPA 111

Beginning Spanish

Language I s

SPA 112

Beginning Spanish

Language II s

Dis

cip

line

- Art

s an

d S

cie

nce

s

Jenny LeRoux/Jan

Attoma

Foreign Language Carol Koch

Visual Arts Margaret Maxwell

Humanities

English

Tom Buesch

Christi Smith FA12

Communications

ESL

Developmental

Education

Humanities

David Chimovitz

Roseanne ShepardMath

Jennifer Wing

2

Arts and Sciences

Area

Discipline/Course

CoordinatorsCourses 2013-14

Course Titles being

Assessed

Common

Assessment

Received

Math Tracy White MAT 121 College Algebra s

OUT 112 Mountain Orientation s

HUM 137

Wilderness & The American

Ethic

Course Lead Faculty

Astronomy Jim Westlake AST 101 Astronomy I s

Kimberly Harding BIO 201 Human Anatomy & Physiology I s

Rod Taylor BIO 111 General College Bio s

Chemistry Bill Painter CHE 111 General College Chemistry s

Geology Joe Reining GEY 111 Physical Geology s

Meteorology MET 150

Physics

AnthropologyAbby Ruby-Sandy

Jackson ANT 101 Fall 13 Cultural Anthropology s

Economics Not Spring ECO 201 & 202

Geography

HIS 111 & 112

US History to

Reconstruction

HIS 202

US History Since the Civil

War

Political Science Bob Gumbrecht POS 205 Not Spring

Psychology Laura Jensson PSY 235 Fall

Human Growth &

Development s

Sociology Abby Ruby SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology s

Social and Behovioral

Sciences Discipline

Coordinator - Abby

Ruby (SOC, PSY, ECO)

Dis

cip

line

- Art

s an

d S

cie

nce

s

Outdoor Education &

Physical Education

Biology

Physical & Life

Sciences DC - Nephi

Thompson

History David Ruffley

Cooper Mallozzi

3

CTE Area DC or Lead Courses 2013-14 Course Name

Common

Assessment

Received

Accounting Pat Turner

AutomotiveHugo

Kosteski/Trujillo ASE 101 Fall Auto Shop Orientation I

CLETA

Computer Based

Web CWB Brian Tinker CWB 205 Client-side Scripting

Computer

Information

Systems CIS Louis Beatty CIS 118

Introduction to PC

Applications

Computer &

Networking

Technology CNG Gwyn Ebie

JOU 105 Introduction to Mass Media

RTV 278 Electronic Media Portfolio

Kevin Clarke, Todd

Rymer

CUA 124

Vegetable prep and

Breakfast Cookery

CUA 261 Cost Controls

CUA 124 Breakfast Cookery

CUA 261 Cost Control

CUA 124

Vegetable prep and

Breakfast Cookery

CUA 261 Cost Control

Lead - Brian Tinker

Car

eer

and

Tec

hn

ical

Ed

uca

tio

n

Resturant &

Culinary Mgmt.

Todd RymerSustainable

Cuisine

Tom Smiley

Rob MartinNew Media

Culinary Arts Kevin Clarke

Culinary Arts

4

CTE Area DC or Lead Courses 2013-14 Course Name

Common

Assessment

Received

ECE 101

Intro to Early Childhood

Education

ECE 102 Intro to Early Childhood Lab

ECE 103

Guidance Strategies for

Children

ECE 220 Curriculum Development

ECE 238

Child Growth and

Development

Mike Trujillo/Chris

Jackson Program Outcomes

EMS 145 Basic EMT Lecture

EMS 146 Paramedic Practice

Paramedic Elisabeth Owen EMS 231 Cardiology

Entrepreneurship Susanna Spaulding

Fire Science FST Chuck House FST 204Code Enforcement and

Principles

MGD 101

Introduction to Computer

Graphics

MGD 289 Capstone

Mike Trujillo

Mike Trujillo

NRE 289 Capstone

NRE 127

Field Monitoring

Techniques

Geographic

Information

Systems GIS

Car

eer

and

Tec

hn

ical

Ed

uca

tio

n

Kato Dee

Natural Resource

Management

Graphic Design

Medical Assistant

Early Childhood

Education

Leads - Mike Trujillo & Daryl Yarrow

Emergency Medical

Services

Brian Tinker

Joe Crutcher

Barbara Jackman

5

CTE Area DC or Lead Courses 2013-14 Course Name

Common

Assessment

Received

Nurse Aide Mike Trujillo

Judy Evans NUR 101 Fundamentals of Nursing

w/Lab s

Connie Selzer NUR 260 Spring 14 Capstone

Paralegal Daryl Yarrow

PRO 101

Introduction to Process

Tech

PRO 130 Fall 13 Instrumentation I

Professional

Photography Derick Johnston

Resort Management

and Hospitality

Program

Terry Hunter

HOS (All)

Ropeway Maintenance

Technician Paul Rauschke

SKB 117 Ski and SB Retailing & Sales

SAO 160 Patrol Operations

SAO 101 Concept and Tools

Gretchen Lamb VET 202 Anesthetic Nursing Lab

Nancy Sheffield VET 121 Clinical Pathology Lab

Jeff Myers VET 207 Radiography Safety Lab

Jeff Myers Program Proficiency Vet Tech National Exam

Jeff Myers Program Proficiency Accountability Exam

Nancy Sheffield Program Proficiency Soft Skills

Welding WEL

Car

eer

and

Tec

hn

ical

Ed

uca

tio

n

Nursing Betty

Bembenek

Paul Rauschke

Mike Martin

Real EstateAdrian Rippy

Sheehy

Ski and Snowboard

Business

Process Technology

Vet Tech Program

Jeff Myers

Ski Area Operations

Nursing AND

Dennis

Zhang/Chris Ellis