Understanding SACS Accreditation Requirements Workshop

1. Assessing Student Learning Workshop for Department Chairs & Program Directors January 9, 2007

2. What is SACS? • The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is the recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states…for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees. • The Commission on Colleges is the representative body of the College Delegate Assembly and is charged with carrying out the accreditation process.

3. Compliance Certification • Self-assessment of compliance with 75 requirements and standards • Off-site SACS Review Nov. 6-9 • Report sent to us on Dec. 2nd • Our response is due in early February • On-site SACS Review March 27-29 2007 • SACS Review December 7-10 2007

4. Institutional Effectiveness • The institution identifies expected outcomes for its educational programs and its administrative and educational support services; • Assesses whether it achieves these outcomes; • And provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of those results. (Comprehensive Standard 3.3.1)

5. Institutional Effectiveness • The institution identifies expected outcomes for its educational programs and its administrative and educational support services; • Assesses whether it achieves these outcomes; • And provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of those results. (Comprehensive Standard 3.3.1)

6. Steps in Planning & Implementing Student Learning Outcomes

7. A Recursive Approach • Mission Statement – General purpose of the program • Learning Outcomes – Must be concrete and measurable • Assessment Methods – Direct and indirect assessments • Results – Tied to specific learning outcomes • Improvements– Relate back to the mission statement, the selected outcome, and the Results

8. A Recursive Approach:Periodic Review and Revision

9. Mission Statement A brief description of the purpose of the program that may include: • Major bodies of knowledge covered • Educational and domain values • Post graduation roles (preparation for graduate or professional study, specific careers, employment goals) • Elements of the university missionstatement

10. Intended Student Learning Outcomes (3-6 most important) Must be Specific Questions to ask: What should a student be able to know, think, do, or value after completing program? What does our disciplinary association or major authority in our discipline think is important for students to learn? How do we compare to peers in the preparation of our graduates? What makes our graduates successful and attractive to potential employers, graduate programs, etc.? What program goals reflect the goals of the University?

11. Potential Areas for Learning Outcomes • Knowledge Base – Students will identify and explain the primary domain specific concepts • Research Skills – Students will design and conduct basic studies using appropriate research methods, data analysis, and interpretation • Critical Thinking Skills – Students will use appropriate reasoning to recognize, develop, defend, and criticize arguments

12. Potential Areas for Learning Outcomes • Application/Problem Solving – Students will identify appropriate applications and engage in effective problem solving • Communication Skills – Students will communicate effectively in both written and oral forms • Values – Students will demonstrate the ability to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, etc. • Attainment – Students will gain entrance to high quality graduate/professional programs, receive multiple job offers, etc.

13. Assessment Methods Examples of Direct Evidence of Student Learning: • Faculty (other-than-instructor) ratings of student work samples – graduate student committee model • Qualitative and quantitative assessments of work samples • Capstone experiences such as research projects, presentations, theses, dissertations, oral defenses, exhibitions, or performances. • Employer ratings of recent graduates • Student reflections on their values, attitudes, and beliefs • Scores and pass rates on licensure exams • Ratings of student skills by their field experience supervisors An attempt is made to directly measure learning

14. Examples of Indirect Evidence of Student Learning: • Course grades • Admissions rates into graduate programs • Quality/reputation of graduate programs into which alumni are accepted • Placement rates of graduates into appropriate career positions and starting salaries • Questions on course evaluation forms that ask about the students’ own learning • Student/alumni satisfaction with their learning, collected through surveys, exit interviews, or focus groups • Student participation rates in faculty research, publications, and conference presentations • Honors, awards and scholarships earned by students and alumni An attempt is made to measure the results of having learned

15. Examine Results • Possible Reference Points • Benchmarking – successful performances rates • Trend – improvement over time • Master/Competency Criteria – targeted • attainment level

16. Improvements Based on Results: Implemented, Planned or Proposed Faculty Development • Teaching • Mentoring and Advising • Course and Curricular Design Curricular Changes • New or Revised Courses • Revised Course Sequence • Core Requirements Student Development • Research Participation • Placement (Graduate work, employment) Facilities, Classrooms, Labs, etc. Specific improvement not required for each outcome, but opportunities should be systematically evaluated

17. What do you need to provide and by when? • Must be completed by January 29th: • Mission statement that relates to student learning • 3-5 learning outcomes that follow from the mission and are measurable • Assessment method for each learning outcome • Must be completed by March 12th: • Final assessment plans • Preliminary results & suggested improvements • Please submit all materials to Tim McNamara (t.mcnamara@vanderbilt.edu)