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Developing a Comprehensive Learning Outcomes Assessment Strategy for Adult Learners

Join Cindy MacMillan and Susan Davenport as they discuss the challenges of assessing learning in an adult environment and provide a step-by-step guide to developing a comprehensive assessment strategy. Topics covered include defining learning outcomes, operationalizing outcomes, implementing assessment, data collection and analysis, and making recommendations for improvement.

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Developing a Comprehensive Learning Outcomes Assessment Strategy for Adult Learners

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  1. Developing a Comprehensive Learning Outcomes Assessment Strategy for Adult Learners Cindy MacMillan& Susan Davenport

  2. Agenda • Introductions • Characteristics of Thomas Edison State College • Challenges in an adult learning environment

  3. Introductions • Susan Davenport, Dean of Heavin School of Arts and Sciences • Cynthia MacMillan, Director of Outcomes Assessment and Accreditation • Audience • Who’s here? • Where you are from? • Why this session?

  4. Why Learning Assessment? • Is it really all about accountability? • Accreditors • Students • Mission • You

  5. What are the challenges assessing learning in an adult environment? • Heterogeneous population with different needs and skills • Significant learning that the student brings to the learning environment • Access to students for assessment

  6. Where to Start • Phase One – Define Learning Outcomes at Institutional and Programmatic Levels • Phase Two-- Operationalize the learning outcomes • Phase Three – Implementation of assessment (finalize assessment matrix) • Phase Four – Data collection and Analysis • Phase Five -- Recommendations and transformations made in response to Phase Four data

  7. Where to start! (cont.)

  8. Phase One Define Learning Outcomes at Institutional and Programmatic Levels • Buy In • Strength in diversity • Define and Describe Goals and Process • Institutional, Programmatic, Course

  9. Thomas Edison State College Institutional Outcomes 1. Information Literacy The Information literate graduate will demonstrate the ability required to recognize when information is needed and has the ability to identify, locate, evaluate and use effectively and appropriately the information needed. 2. Technological Competency Graduates will be able to solve problems and perform tasks using appropriate technological tools. 3. Responsible Ethical Leadership Graduates will be able to articulate in their own words the ethical principles they have discovered and encountered in their academic discipline or profession. Graduates will recognize and articulate actual ethical dilemmas witnessed or experienced. 4. Scientific Reasoning Thomas Edison State College graduates will be able to analyze issues facing citizens by distinguishing scientific approaches from other ways to frame problems and issues. 5. Diversity/Global Literacy The Thomas Edison State College graduate will demonstrate an understanding of globally diverse perspectives, cultures, values, events, trends and issues.

  10. Thomas Edison State College Institutional Outcomes (contd.) 6. Quantitative Reasoning/Literacy Thomas Edison State College graduates will be quantitatively literate. They will be able to understand and apply mathematical concepts and skills to inform personal and professional decision-making. • Written and Oral Communication Thomas Edison State College Graduates will be able to write and speak with proficiency. 8. Critical Analysis & Reasoning Thomas Edison State College graduates will be able to demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills and are able to analyze content, discover meaning or significance, draw conclusions, and make assessments. 9. Life Long Learning Graduates will demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning.

  11. Phase Two Operationalize the Learning Outcomes • Indirect versus direct measures • Quantitative versus qualitative measures • Triangulation • Low versus High Stakes Assessment • Baselines and Benchmarks

  12. Phase Two Continued Methods we are using – • Standardized Assessment – ETS Proficiency Profile, SAILS • Graduate Survey, Adult Learner Inventory • Capstones • Embedded Analysis • Historical Data Review • Survey • ETS Major Field Test • E-Portfolios

  13. Example: Assessment Matrix for Program Level Learning Outcomes

  14. Phase Three Implementation of Assessment • Be realistic in scope • Not everything needs to be assessed each year • Be pragmatic in tying plan to funds • Benchmarking • Internal • External • Rubric elements

  15. Information Literacy Data Collection Sample

  16. Example: Data Collection for Human Services Degree

  17. Phase Four and Five– Analysis and recommendations

  18. Information Literacy - SAILS Recommendations • Continue to evaluate student learning outcomes in the area of Information Literacy using the SAILS. • Embedded SAILS in an upper level course for general populations. • Identify and implement additional methods to assess the outcome area not assessed by SAILS. • Include the SAILS in a few more courses to ensure that all degree programs of the College are included in this informational literacy assessment. • Target the SAILS administrations to 250-275 students per year in order to facilitate longitudinal analysis in the future.

  19. Information Literacy – ENC-102 Recommendations • Expand the rubric elements to include one on grammar and spelling. • Expand the data collection efforts in ENC-102 to include one section per semester. • Expand the roll of the lead mentor to include collecting reliability data. • Expand the use of Waypoint in other schools, courses and assignments. • Explore viable options to communicate details of Waypoint use with mentors. • Explore ways to minimize the use of instructional design resources. • Seek efficiencies such as sharing rubric elements across schools.

  20. Human Services – Analysis and recommendations Analysis of Human Services results led to the following curricular changes: 1. Modify the program description to more accurately describe the program and its objectives. 2. Modify the program outcomes to align with objectives in program by including diversity and theories of management. 3. Modify the general education requirements to 60 credits to align with the other degree offerings within the College. Require a three credit Ethics course under Humanities.

  21. Phase Four and Five– Analysis and recommendations (contd.) 4. Modify the Core Requirements. Based on guidelines from national accrediting bodies (i.e. The National Human Services Organization and the Council for Standards in Human Services Education), the core requirements were replaced with the following areas: Theoretical Foundation, Intervention, Client Populations, Research and Mgmt. This improves the quality of student learning outcomes and ensures that the program objectives are appropriate and measurable. • Modify the Practicum to a capstone course and objectives to make the practicum an effective instrument for assessing the degree outcomes. 6. Change the grading of the capstone from Credit/No Credit to a letter grade. This will ensure a more accurate assessment of the outcomes of the course. A benchmark of “B+” was recommended.

  22. Your best practices, lesson learned and questions Please share your feedback . . .

  23. Thank you for your time and interest!

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