Assessing Student Learning in Student Workers

1. Assessing Student Learning in Student Workers • Of your institution’s Student Learning Outcomes, which are – or could be considered – employment related generalizable skills? • What is the difference between a student worker and a temporary part-time employee? • Of the employment related generalizable skills in your outcomes, which might student workers be expected to demonstrate or master?

2. Georgia Gwinnett College Assessing student learning in student employees Jim Fatzinger, Associate Vice President, Student Affairs Juliana Lancaster, Director, Institutional Effectiveness

3. A Little Background • 4-year, State College in the University System of Georgia • Authorized by GA Legislature in May 2005 • President hired in September 2005 • Campus opened with 118 students and 10 faculty in August 2006 • Home of the Grizzlies!

4. Current Status • Student: • Fall 2008 Enrollment: Headcount 1563 Full-time equivalent 1374 • Fall 2009 Enrollment: Headcount approximately 3000 • Faculty: • Instructional full-time faculty: 125 Instructional part-time faculty: 30 • Facilities Information: • 6 Buildings: A, B, C, D (Student Services Center), E, F (Fitness Center) • Library, Student Center, Dormitory (1200 beds) under construction • Total acreage: 200 • Degree Programs • Currently offered: BBA Business; BS Biology; BS Information Technology; BS Psychology • Beginning in January 2009 (pending SACS approval): BA English; BA History; BA Political Science; BS Mathematics; BS Criminal Justice/Criminology; BS Exercise Science; BSEd Early Childhood Education; BSEd Special Education

5. Reimagining Higher Education for the 21st Century • Commitment at every level to student learning and effectiveness • Institutional focus on interdisciplinary/ integrated education • Openness to going “outside the box” – provided there is a plan for assessment • Created the opportunity for a ground-up design of an INSTITUTIONAL assessment plan and framework • Allowed focus on collaboration across boundaries to articulate and assess what is important

6. Institutional Goals As a charter 21st Century Institution GGC will: • Produce graduates who can anticipate and respond effectively to the changing world • Inspire graduates to be contributing citizens and community leaders • Achieve significant levels of student success in retention, progression and graduation • Innovatively design and deliver educational programs and support services • Engage with Gwinnett and surrounding communities to support student development and community needs • Create a culture devoted to the holistic development of students • Acquire the resource base needed to accomplish its mission and vision • Serve as a resource for innovation for the broader educational community

7. Institutional Effectiveness: Starting Conditions • Advantages of starting from scratch • Strong executive level support for and understanding of IE • Limited number of programs and offices at start-up • Absence of legacy or standing processes and structures • Disadvantages to starting from scratch • Absence of legacy or standing processes and structures • Each individual brings a different set of assumptions and expectations • Rapid growth and hiring leads to continuous need for explanation/education

8. Institutional Effectiveness: First Principles • In order to get “…ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes…[SACS]” for we needed: • Structure and resources • Broad buy-in, consensus and agreement • Working “ground rules” • Institution-wide and pervasive • Integrated with institution’s mission & strategic plan • Faculty/staff participation and basic control • Interdisciplinary and developmental assessment of student learning

9. Institutional Effectiveness: Starting Points • Program level student learning outcomes and assessment plans • General Education curriculum designed around student learning outcomes • Agreement to develop and assess for institutional student learning outcomes • Leading to: Integrated Educational Experience (IEE) Student Learning Outcome Goals for GG • Agreement to integrate curricular and co-curricular student learning efforts • This triggered substantial and productive discussions with Student Affairs, Educational Technology, and other areas of the College

10. Institutional Student Learning Outcomes (IEE) • GGC graduates will: 1) Clearly communicate ideas in written and oral form. 2) Demonstrate creativity and critical thinking in inter- and multidisciplinary contexts. 3) Demonstrate effective use of information technology. 4) Demonstrate an ability to collaborate in diverse and global contexts. 5) Demonstrate an understanding of human and institutional decision making from multiple perspectives. 6) Demonstrate an understanding of moral and ethical principles. 7) Demonstrate and apply leadership principles.

11. Student Affairs Response to IEE Goals • Student Affairs Vision & Mission • Focus on Holistic Student Development • Six dimensions of wellness • Physical Spiritual • Emotional Intellectual • Occupational Social • Role of Student Employment in Development/ Learning • Occupational Wellness = becoming a competent employee • communication, team work, time management, leadership

12. Fitness Center as Pilot • Initial employer of student workers • Student Learning Outcomes : Student staff at the GGC Fitness Center will: • Demonstrate leadership skills in an ever-changing environment • Demonstrate teamwork skills in an ever-changing environment • Demonstrate good communication skills with a variety of people • Utilize good time management and planning skills

13. Fitness Center as Pilot • Definitions of terms in SLOs • Leadership: the ability to motivate people to work together to reach a common goal; to lead by example and with authority and respect • Teamwork: the ability to work together and compromise to reach a solution; being able to count on others to be responsible • Communication: the ability to convey your intentions and ideas effectively; being able to respectfully listen to others problems

14. Connection between IEE SLOs and Fitness SLOs

15. Fitness Center Staff Performance Evaluation Attitude Does this person enjoy their job, have fun, and work hard? Do people enjoy working with this person? Are they optimistic and happy? Do they gossip and create problems among co-workers? Punctuality Is this person on time for shifts, meetings, and other events? Attire Does this person wear the proper staff uniform? Concern for Cleanliness Does this person maintain a clean environment and complete the cleaning duties as assigned? Is every piece cleaned as well as it needs to be? Interaction with Participants Does this person make an effort to meet new people? Is customer service important to this employee? Does this person get along well with participants, while still enforcing rules?

16. Fitness Center Staff Performance Evaluation Work Schedule Does this person work their shifts, or continually seek subs? Are they available to pick up shifts? Do they balance work, school, and personal life? Responsibility Do they do what they say they are going to do, when they say they are going to do it? Can you count on this person? Professionalism Are they respectful? Are they able to separate work and personal life? Do they behave in a mature and professional manner? Do they avoid profanity at work? Do they take pride in all they do? Are they accountable? How are his/her communication skills? Shift Presence Is this person aware of what is going on? Do they fulfill all work duties, and get the job done well? Do they make routine rounds of their assigned area? Do they avoid watching TV? Does their mind seem elsewhere?

17. Fitness Center Staff Performance Evaluation Fitness Center Facility Rules Does this person abide by and enforce all Fitness Center rules, especially those concerning entrance requirements (IDs), attire, slamming dumbbells, towels, chewing gum, and power lifts? Concern for Safety (Fitness Attendant Specific) Does this person “spot” participants, correct participant’s form, pick-up idle weights, ensure proper spacing of benches, check equipment for malfunctions, settle disputes and care for any injuries? Exercise Knowledge (Fitness Attendant Specific) Does this person offer correct advice to participants? Does he/ she understand how to use all of the equipment/ machines? Does this person seek continuing education opportunities? Do they workout?

18. Connection between Fitness SLOs and Evaluation • Outcome 1: Leadership • Concern for Cleanliness, Responsibility, FC Rules • Outcome 2: Teamwork • Concern for Cleanliness, Work Schedule, Professionalism, FC Rules, Concern for Safety • Outcome 3: Communication • Attitude, Interaction with Participants, FC Rules, Concern for Safety • Outcome 4: Time Management • Punctuality, Work Schedule, Shift Presence

19. Pilot cycle findings & response • Target performance level: 75% of student employees meet expected criterion. • For 3 of 4 outcomes, this target was met. • For the remaining outcome (communication), 73% of student employees met the expected criterion • Response: • Initiated monthly student staff meetings with communication-focused professional development component. • Currently conducting evaluations for current year.

20. Beyond the Pilot • Developing core set of outcomes for workers • Discussing common evaluation across areas • Discussing student’s path to & through employment to enhance occupational development / wellness • Committee Membership: • Institutional Effectiveness Educational Technology • Human ResourcesLibrary • Financial AidStudent Affairs