Report from the COC-SACS mtg—July 2008

The Institute on Quality Enhancement and Accreditation

Sponsored by the Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (COC-SACS)

July 27-30, 2008Orlando, FL

Goals

• Working directly with SACS staff and reviewers

• Networking with colleagues at other SACS institutions

• Clarify my own thinking about the QEP process

Lessons Learned

QEP is not an imposition imposed by those outside of our institution, it is a vehicle by which we can increase our overall quality by focusing on improving student learning.

Lessons Learned

QEP is a “transformative campus process” and is designed to enhance the “climate for student learning”

QEP needs to be part of an “ongoing and integrated institution-wide planning process.”

Lessons Learned

Accreditation is about:• Mission

• Continuous Improvement

• Ensuring the curriculum leads to student learning

Lessons Learned

• QEP needs to be centered in a strong framework of micro- and macro-assessment

• Assess the process *and* the product

• Integrate Gen Ed systems into QEP plans

Lesson Learned

“You cannot solve all of your institutional problems through a QEP.”

Lessons learned about “process”

“If you can recognize the QEP as an intentional process that you can work at as an institution, you can accomplish the same with less anxiety.”

Introductions

• I2A Team

Dr. Patty Payette Dr. Cathy Bays Dr. Edna Ross Dr. Eileen McFallExecutive Director I2A Specialist I2A Specialist I2A Specialist for for Assessment for Critical Thinking Culminating Experiences

Hannah Anthony, Program Assistant Senior

Welcome & Today’s Objectives

Objectives:• Review the introductory facts & concepts

about I2A

• Explore: What is Critical Thinking?

• Discuss the “learning curve” for college students

• The “how & why” of Student Learning Outcomes

Introductions of participants

Introduce yourself and your role at UofL and answer this:

“One thing I enjoy about my job is __________ because _____________.”

What is Ideas to Action?

Ideas to Action (I2A) is our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), and we need to show measurable progress to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) by April 2012.

Using Critical Thinking to Foster Student Learning and Community Engagement

From student focus groups:“Reduce the

amount of memorization

required for tests, I feel I don’t learn as

much by doing this.”

“Decrease the memorization required, can’t

remember it all.”

“Too much memorization

and no sufficient critical analysis.”

“The subject testing is not

challenging due to memorization.”

“Regurgitated material (can just read chapters for

tests).”

One student even suggested that

student learning could be improved

by offering a course that would aid in memorization.

I2A and “Connecting the Dots”

“Our extensive consultation with all University constituencies yielded a surprisingly strong and clear

call for education focused on the skills and knowledge needed to deal with real-world issues and problems, an education in which students can see the importance of the parts (the courses) to the whole (their education as citizens and workers).”

[QEP Report, 2007]

http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/files/finalreport.pdf

skills and knowledge

real-world issues & problems

the parts to the whole

I2A: What are the components?

Sharpen our

existing focus on building critical

thinking skills in the general

education program…

…..continuing through

undergraduate major

courses with an emphasis on applying and refining those skills…

…resulting in a

culminating experience,

such as a senior thesis,

research, service learning project,

internship, or capstone

project that fosters

engagementI2A Thematic Priority: Community Engagement

What is I2A?

I2A is…A vehicle for institutional

transformation through enhancement of the

undergraduate experience.

How can we help you do this?

Learning Reconsidered & Learning Reconsider 2

Learning Reconsidered and Learning Reconsidered 2 are the ACPA/NASPA Guides that encourage college personnel to rethink our ideas about learning—how it happens, what supports it and what the outcomes are

So what?

“Learning is a complex, comprehensive, holistic, transformative activity that occurs throughout and across the college experience…learning, development and identity formation can no longer be considered as separate from each other; they are interactive and shape each other as they evolve.”

- Learning Reconsidered

What is your role in promoting student learning?

First, explore the difference between education and training. Think about this &

jot down some notes.

Next, in a group of 3, put on a flip chart and draw a picture of the difference between

“training” and “education”.

Education vs. Training

Discuss:

How do we as student affairs staff understand this and live this distinction?

How do we see classroom work or the mission of the University as doing either

or both?

So what?

Training: What to think and do.Education: How to think and do.

But it’s not that easy…

What is critical thinking?What does it look like?How can we capture it?

Define Critical Thinking

In groups of 2 or 3, write down each of your thoughts on two separate sticky notes filling in the blanks below.

Critical thinking is ________________________.

Critical thinking is not _____________________.

Key Concept: Critical Thinking

Critical thinking can be described, modeled and measured.

A Well-Cultivated Critical Thinker:

Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely

Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively

Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards

Thinks open mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as needs be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences

Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems

(Richard Paul and Linda Elder, the Foundation for Critical Thinking: http://www.criticalthinking.org/)

Key Concept: Critical Thinking

1) Describe the quality of a well-cultivated critical thinker in your own words. What

is this really saying?

2) Why is this challenging for students in a classroom setting?

3) Why is it challenging in a campus setting?

4) Give an example of what this looks like?

5) Come up with strategies of how you can promote this thinking with your students.

The student “learning curve”

Why is CT and “grappling with open-ended

problems” so hard for students?

Perry Scheme of Development

Stage 1:

Duality – Uncertainty doesn’t exist. Authorities hold the right answers.

Perry Scheme of Development

Stage 2:

Multiplicity – We don’t have all the answers/multiple answers to problems. Authorities may be

fallible.

Perry Scheme of Development

Stage 3:

Relativism – Uncertainty is inherent and I must negotiate, compare evidence, and weigh choices.

Perry Scheme of Development

Stage 4: Commitment

Making and adjusting commitments becomes part of the life-long pursuit of personal growth and wisdom. Life is uncertain; it’s all relative; I must

make choices and be responsible for them.

“A Nudge is Best”

Robert Kloss, “A Nudge Is Best, Helping Students through the Perry

Scheme of Intellectual Development”

http://dhc.ucdavis.edu/fh/ct/kloss.html

Disequilibrium is part of learning to function in the complex world around us.

Student Learning Objectives

What are they?

SLOs move us from fuzzy goals to specific skills and behaviors

we want to cultivate and measure in our students.

Student Learning Objectives

Goals vs. Objectives

Goals are broad; objectives are narrow.

Goals are general intentions; objectives are precise.

Goals are intangible; objectives are tangible.

Goals are abstract; objectives are concrete.

Goals can't be validated as is; objectives can be validated.

Student Learning Objectives

Examples“After studying the processes of photosynthesis and respiration, the student should be able to trace the

carbon cycle in a given ecosystem.” (Academic)

“Students will recognize the purpose of this session is to raise their awareness of the question/issue at

hand (behaviors that reinforce safety) and strengthen their sense of self efficacy about

thinking critically and making informed decisions.” (PEACC)

SLOs in Student Affairs

In Student Affairs, we have goals related to:

• Effective Communication• Social Responsibility• Appreciating Diversity

A SLO lets you describe what this looks like.

The SLO Cycle

Plans for Improveme

nt

Learning Outcomes

Identify Evidence,

Measures, & Timeline

Observation/Evaluation

Results

Student learning via Student Affair programs is reflected by the SLO Cycle

Continuous learning process

Quality improvements will happen automatically

SLO Exercise

What is one way you want your students or student staff to be different at the end of this

year?

What will that look like, sound like?

How will you know it?

How will you foster that behavior and measure it?

How will you know you and your staff made a difference?

Write one goal and one objective focusing on a measurable skill or

specific behavior.

Wrap up

What are the top 10 things you learned

today?

For more information

Please visit:http://louisville.edu/

ideastoaction