SLO Development in a Learning Center Environment

1. SLO Development in a Learning Center Environment

2. Presentation Overview • Why SLOs and Outcomes Based Assessment? • Developing Assessment Plans and the Assessment Planning Process • SLO Tips for Success

3. Why SLOs and Outcomes Based Assessment? • Intrinsic Reasons: • Student learning • Internal evaluation of different pedagogical approaches and/or learning activities • Designing and selecting of focused learning activities • Program planning • Extrinsic Reasons: • Articulation • Employer and community accountability • WASC Accreditation Mandate, “SCQI by 2010.”

4. The Assessment Planning Process Alignment • Chaffey College has adopted a Vertical Integrative Approach • Reasons for adopting this approach • Insures that all levels of assessment are aligned up to the college mission down to the course levels (SLOs) and program level (AUOs) • Reduces redundancy in assessment activities • Multiple assessments from program and courses • Multiple assessments tools • Multiple data sources • Multiple collection points for data • Makes data management and summarization manageable • Simplifies the planning process • Does not burden faculty and staff • Insures that the sample size validity

5. The Assessment Planning Process Outcome Statements • Type of Outcome Measured • Determine if your program should be using an AUO, SLO or in some cases both. • Outcomes Statement – answer the question: What does my program DO to increase student learning? • Brainstorm with all staff outcomes related to quality, quantity, efficiency, satisfaction, etc., • Make the outcomes manageable in number (3 to 5) • Be sure to use measurable verbs from Bloom’s Taxonomy. • Write S.M.A.R.T AUOs and/or SLOs

6. SMART AUOs and SLOs • SPECIFIC – be clear about what your students need to be able to accomplish, as well as when, where or how; use action or concrete verbs • MEASURABLE – write your outcomes so that it is quantifiable and a target can be set – so you will know when it has been reached! • ACHIEVABLE – Know the outcome is something that your students can accomplish. Remember your mission and that you are a two year college • REALISTIC - make sure the outcome is practical in that it can be achieved in a specific time frame or for a specific amount of money. • TIME-BOUND – when will the outcome be done? Identify a specific time frame.

7. The Assessment Planning Process Means of Assessment • How you will measure the outcome statement • The ways that you may use to assess your SLOs are infinite • One tool may support more than one outcome • Some ways you may assess your SLOs include: • Portfolios • Performances • Research Projects • Oral Presentations • Community Service Projects • Capstone Projects • Pre and Post Tests

8. The Assessment Planning Process Criteria for Success • A “criterion for success” answers how the program will KNOW the level of success or achievement with respect to the identified outcome • It should be agreed upon by your program • It should be realistic • It may need to be adjusted • Examples of Criteria for Success • Customer Satisfaction: • Customer satisfaction is equal to or higher than the pervious year • Quality: • Students scores will increase by 2 points based on the writing rubric • Quantity: • The number of students attending Bibliographic Instruction workshops will increase by 20% from the previous year. • Efficiency: • Increase in retention of students in the Open Doors program

9. The Assessment Planning Process • Summary of Data Collected • Record the results from the assessment tool(s). • Analyze the data and focus on where improvement may need to occur. • Work with institutional research to summarize your data

10. The Assessment Planning Process • Use of Results • Record how the results will be used • what changes will occur as a result of the information • Outcomes may occur in repeated years • Increase success criteria each year using incremental steps of improvement • Enhance programs based on results – be sure to look at individual results as the overall criteria may be met, however, a sub-item within a survey may need specific attention. • Create new outcomes as needed, just remember to keep the number of outcomes manageable

11. SLO Tips for Success • Adopt the “Keep it Simple” approach when working with outcomes based assessment • Develop a common SLO language and vocabulary • Consider your workload and use realistic and effective assessment plans • Map your assessment plans • Use student feedback to adjust SLOs, assignments, rubrics, and pedagogy • Determine a clear process and select a central location to manage your assessment data and information • Remember that the you and your program manage the assessment process • Be collaborative. You don’t have to be an expert in everything SLO • Do not forgot to Close the Loop