Assessment and Student Learning: Direct and Indirect Measures of Assessment

1. Engaging Online Faculty and Administrators in the Assessment Process at the American Public University System Assessment and Student Learning: Direct and Indirect Measures of Assessment

2. Fundamental Questions • How are your stated student learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, degrees, and students? • What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes? • In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning? • How do you ensure shared responsibility for student learning and for assessment of student learning? • How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning? • In what ways do you inform the public and other stakeholders about what students are learning---and how well? AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

3. How are your stated student learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, degrees, and students? AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

4. Course Syllabus Outline By explicitly stating these expectations up front, you have defined what your students will learn and how you will assess their learning. AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

5. Curriculum Mapping AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

6. What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes? AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

7. Direct and Indirect Measures AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

8. Evidence • In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning? • What are the essential skills and knowledge I am trying to teach? • How can I find out whether students are learning them? • How can I help students learn better? AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

9. Example • Choose a student learning outcome to assess • Choose an assessment technique – direct or indirect measure • Administer the assessment to the student • Analyze the data • Use data for continuous improvement AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

10. Example • In a particular course, a faculty member chose to evaluate a student learning outcome relevant to information literacy. • The faculty member chose the quiz for week two which assesses student’s proficiency in information literacy. • After a thorough analysis of the data over a six month period, data demonstrated that students often missed a specific question on how to conduct basis research in an electronic environment. • Lead faculty members of the course met to discuss the data and how the curriculum could be reinforced to ensure that students gain proficient knowledge on how to conduct research in an electronic environment. • A new lesson (e.g., interactive simulation) that reinforces the content was added to the course. • Student quiz results were then monitored to evaluate whether the reinforced curriculum increased the quiz scores of the students, thus enhancing their learning. AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

11. How do you ensure shared responsibility for student learning and for assessment of student learning? AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

12. How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning? ASSESSMENT AT APUS AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

13. APUS Program Review Process AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

14. Data Collection and Analysis External Reviewer Feedback Library and Learning Resources Curriculum Assessment •Expert reviewer report •Industry Advisory Council report • Course books • Electronic resources • Learning strategies • Student learning outcomes •Instructional strategies •Evaluation procedures •Academic rigor AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

15. Data Collection and Analysis Faculty Students Learning Outcomes Assessment • Analysis of faculty credentials and expertise to ensure breadth and diversity •Student demographic information •Enrollment History •Growth trends • Curricular Mapping •Assessment measures •Fact book AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

16. Data Collection and Analysis Program Benchmarking Review and Findings Program Directory Summary •Dean’s observations •Meeting minutes • Program benchmarking with similar programs and institutions •Evaluation of findings •Program recommendations •Three year proposed strategic plan AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

17. In what ways do you inform the public and other stakeholders about what students are learning---and how well? Internal Communications Transparency by Design Initiative APUS Learning Outcomes Assessment Website •Meetings •Faculty, staff, and student newsletters •Faculty and student lounges • One of fourteen charter member institutions •College Choices for Adults website http://www.collegechoicesforadults.org/ http://www.apus.edu/community-scholars/learning-outcomes-assessment/index.htm AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

18. Things you do to contribute to assessment at APUS: • Be aware of the program and institutional level outcomes and how your course objectives contribute to them • If an assignment in your class measures learning in those areas particularly well, let the PD know • Use internal assessments (class assignments) to ensure your students are learning, and review them over time • Be aware of how students in your areas are performing on external assessments (MFT and EPP tests) • Participate in program review processes when they occur (every 3 years) AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE