The Learning-centered Institution: Pedagogy and Assessment for Student Success

1. The Learning-centered Institution:Pedagogy and Assessment for Student Success Amy Driscoll WASC EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR February 2008

2. Key Ideas • Hallmarks of a Learning-centered Education • Defining Student Success • A Learning-centered Assessment Process • Designing Learning-centered Courses, Programs, and Pedagogy • Cycle of Assessment for Improving Learning

3. Learner-Centered=Student Success WHY?

4. Hallmarks of Learning-centered Education • Curriculum • Pedagogy • Assessment

5. Learning-centered Curriculum • Synthesizes content • Builds on previous learning • Integrates education and experience • Communicates values for and connection to student lives • Attends to learning needs = RELEVANCE, LONG-TERM MEMORY, MOTIVATION, RESPONSIVE

6. Learning-centered Pedagogy • Students have clear expectations • Students are actively involved • Students apply knowledge to important issues and problems • Student find relevance and value • Students experience support and feedback for learning • Students are able to practice and take risks =CONFIDENCE, ENGAGEMENT, PERSONAL LEARNING, SECURE ENVIRONMENT

7. Learning-centered Assessment • Assessment is ongoing not episodic. • Students understand and value the criteria, standards, and methods by which they are assessed. • The purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. • Faculty consider student perspectives. • The assessment activity makes sense to students. • =OWNERSHIP, SECURITY, CLARITY

8. Processes for Developing Learner-centered Education • Reflect on purpose of assessment and define • Align pedagogy/assessment with mission and values of institution, department, faculty • Articulate goals, outcomes, evidence, criteria, and standards • Design curriculum and pedagogy to achieve learning outcomes • Conduct collaborative review of student evidence • Use review to improve learning

9. Developing Learning-centered Assessment • Describe educational culture - fit? • Engage in inquiry process-focus on student success • Study list of possible purpose(s) • Consider how assessment can support your intentions for student success • Define assessment with the inclusion of student success

10. Possible Purposes for Assessment:which purposes support student success? • Provide feedback to students • Classify or grade achievement • Enable students to correct errors and improve learning • Motivate students focusing on their sense of achievement • Consolidate and summarize student learning • Estimate students’ potential to progress to other courses • Help students apply learning to practical contexts • Give us feedback on how effective we are at promoting learning • Provide data for internal and external accountability

11. Possibilities:Purpose/Definition • “The purpose of assessment is to improve learning” (Angelo, 2000) • “Assessment is a dynamic pedagogy that extends, expands, enhances, and strengthens learning” (Driscoll, 2001)

12. Thinking about Assessment • Does assessment flow from the institution’s mission and reflect the educational values? from the department’s mission? • Does assessment address questions that people really care about? • Does assessment help faculty fulfill their responsibilities to students, to the public? • Does assessment promote student success?

13. Starting with Mission… Missions contribute meaning to our definition of student success with the uniqueness of the institution.

14. Aligning Mission with Educational Goals for Assessment • Our central mission is to develop life-long learning skills, impart society’s cultural heritage, and educate and prepare for both the professions and advanced study.

15. Aligning Values With Educational Goals • ESU has a commitment to academic and personal integrity. GOALS: Academic Integrity Personal Integrity

16. School/Departmental Missions • “respond effectively to issues of diversity, ambiguity, and conflict as natural parts of American politics” (Division of Political Science) • “work toward influencing health behaviors through modification of lifestyles and changes to the environment” (School of Community Health)

17. Assessment Protocols for Learning-centered Assessment OUTCOMES GOAL Evidence Criteria Standards: a) Exemplary Achievement b) Satisfactory Achievement c) Unsatisfactory Achievement

18. Goals • Broad descriptions • Categories of learning outcomes • End toward which efforts are directed

19. Examples of Goals • Critical Thinking • Citizenship in a Democracy (Grad. School of Education) • Team work and Collaboration (School of Community Health • Ethics

20. Impact of Goals on Student Learning & Success • Focuses student learning efforts for increased success • Translates mission and values to help make sense of learning • Provides rationale for and makes meaning of curriculum and pedagogy to motivate for success

21. Student Learning Outcomes • Refer to Results in Terms of Specific Student Learning, Development, and Performance (Braskamp and Braskamp, 1997) • Answer the Question – “What Do We Expect of Our Students?” (CSU Report 1989) • Describe Actual Skills, Understandings, Behaviors, Attitudes, Values Expected of Students

22. Examples of Outcomes Math: Use arithmetical, algebraic, geometric and statistical methods to solve problems. Ethics: Identify and analyze real world ethical problems or dilemmas and identify those affected by the dilemma. Culture and Equity: Analyze and describe the concepts of power relations, equity, and social justice and find examples of each concept in the U.S. society and other societies. Team work: Listens to, acknowledges, and builds on the ideas of others.

23. Impact of Outcomes on Student Learning & Success • Directs student learning efforts for greater success • Motivates student learning efforts for greater success • Promotes deep learning due to understanding of expectations which leads to greater success

24. Evidence • Student Work that Demonstrates Achievement of Outcomes (Assignments, Projects, Presentations, Papers, Responses to Questions, Etc.) • Designed for appropriate level of learning expectations (outcomes) • Opportunity for Different Ways of Demonstrating Learning

25. Examples of Evidence Teamwork Role play or case study Project or problem solving assignment Math Mathematical and statistical projects and papers Ethics A written account A multi-media presentation or display board An audio tape

26. Impact of Evidence on Student Learning & Success • Limit or expand the ways they demonstrate learning - success for all students? • Enrich and enhance learning and success • Provide opportunity to integrate experience with learning for enhanced success

27. Criteria • Qualities Desired in Student Work (Evidence) • Represent Powerful Professional Judgment of Faculty • Guide Student Learning Efforts • Promote Lifelong Learning • Support Faculty in Making Objective Evaluations

28. Examples of Criteria Math • Accuracy • Complexity • Clarity and Coherence Ethics • Complexity (broad, multifaceted, interconnected) • Conscious Awareness Culture and Equity • Range of Cultures • Reflectivity and Integration Teamwork • Respect • Flexibility

29. Impact of Criteria on Student Learning & Success • Promotes confidence in their learning efforts = success • Promotes qualities of life-long learning = life success • Promotes habits of self assessment = success • Promotes student’s sense of fairness of evaluation = increased effort = success

30. Standards/Rubrics • Describe Different Levels of Criteria • Describe Specific Indications of Criteria • Promote Understanding of Criteria • Support Faculty in Making Objective Evaluations

31. Examples of Standards/Rubrics Math (Accuracy) • Satisfactory: Contains few errors and those errors do not significantly undermine the quality of the work. Considers and uses data, models, tools or processes that reasonably and effectively address issues or problems. • Unsatisfactory: One or more errors that significantly undermine the quality of the work. Uses data, models, tools or processes in inappropriate or ineffective ways. Ethics (Complexity) • Standard for Excellent: Consistently views sophisticated and significant dilemmas and issues with a broad focus and from multiple perspectives. • Standard for Satisfactory: Usually views sophisticated and significant dilemmas and issues with a broad focus, but may sometimes use a more narrow focus and may use fewer perspectives. • Standard for Unsatisfactory: Mainly views issues and dilemmas in simple terms and usually does so with a limited focus and minimal perspectives.

32. Impact of Standards on Student Learning & Success • Guides level of student investment = focused success • Provides insight into the assessment process – understanding leads to success • Promotes confidence in how their work will be evaluated – security in learning

33. Assessing Student Learning: Course, Program and Institutional Levels • Preparation: Determine purpose(s) and definition of assessment; Examine mission and values 7. Revise outcomes and criteria, Improve pedagogy and curriculum for learner success 2. Design assessment: Articulate goals, Develop clear outcomes, evidence, criteria, and standards 6. Review and analyze student evidence 5. Collect evidence of student achievement 3. Alignment of curriculum and pedagogy with learning outcomes 4. Make outcomes, evidence, criteria, and standards “public and visible” (syllabi, programs, brochures)

34. Step 3: Aligning Curriculum and Pedagogy with Learning Outcomes • Outcomes and Criteria as Planning Focus • Faculty Alignment Grids • Learner Grids

35. Student Learning Outcome Example: Implications? Students describe and assume personal responsibility in collaborative endeavors, and respect and support the contributions of others. Students analyze ethical issues from a variety of cultural perspectives.

36. Standard:Multiple Perspectives • EXCELLENT The student examines his or her own thinking and experiences and those of others with consistent analysis of both for different perspectives on issues; he/she empathically considers those affected by the decisions and and weighs diverse possibilities from others’ perspectives before moving to action.

37. Step 4: Making Learning Outcomes ---Leads to Success • Public and Visible • Relevant and Meaningful • Motivating and Supportive of Learning

38. Step 5: Collect Evidence of Student Achievement Collect representative samples from each course Organize collaborative faculty teams for review Use outcomes, criteria, and directions for assignments or assessments

39. Step 5: Review and Analyze Evidence • Read holistically to determine whether outcomes are achieved (reliability). • Several readings to identify examples of criteria (validity). • Final reading for insights about pedagogy, class structure and environment, and learning supports.

40. Changes in Teaching, Assessment and Reflection on Pedagogy to Promote Student Success • Scaffolding • Iterative assessment • Assessment used as a teaching tool

41. Processes for Developing Learning-centered Education and Student Success • Develop purpose and definition • Review/analyze mission and values • Articulate goals, outcomes, evidence, criteria, and standards • Designing curriculum and pedagogy • Make assessment public and visible • Systematically collect student evidence • Conduct collaborative review of student evidence • Use review to improve learning

42. SUMMARY Outcomes-based assessment will intentionally focus your teaching, curriculum, and assessment on student learning in ways that are authentic, helpful to you and your students, provide accountability for you and others, and actually increase student success.

43. INSPIRATIONS: Let’s begin to think of students as scholars and teach accordingly. Let’s model how to learn from mistakes. Let’s work to elevate learning to the level of identity rather than level of accomplishment.