Assessing student learning in undergraduate research

Contact:David P. Aday, Jr.Professor of Sociology and American StudiesDirector of SACS Accreditation ReviewSpecial Assistant to the Provost

Slide presentation prepared by:Elizabeth DeerOffice of Strategic Planning and Assessment

Why We’re Here Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

(SACS), Core Requirement 2.12: institutions must develop a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that is “a carefully designed and focused course of action that addresses a well-defined issue or issues directly related to improving student learning”

The College selected a project that draws directly from the current general education curriculum: “there is wide consensus in the College community . . . that we aim to go further and cultivate our students' intellectual curiosity, flexibility, and depth. If our students are going to be equipped to play leadership roles in the arts and sciences, in public affairs, and in the business world, we must nurture the skills and habits of independent inquiry” (Final Report, April 15, 1993: p 6)

The Final Report concludes “Among the most important educational objectives enumerated in the Statement of Purpose and the Statement of General Education Objectives are the skills involved in the development, oral presentation, and rational defense of the student's ideas. . .”

Quality Enhancement Plan

More specifically, the College defines independent inquiry as a process:

undertaken by upper-level undergraduate students with guidance from more experienced investigators, researchers, scholars, or artists (typically faculty members).

intended to promote the development of independent skills, habits, and attitudes that are necessary to disciplined or enlightened investigation, research, scholarship, or creative activity.

that will include opportunities for students to develop their own ideas, findings, or creative works and to present and defend those results both orally and in writing.

Quality Enhancement PlanThe specific goals included in the approved QEP are to:

Increase the number of opportunities for students to engage in independent inquiry during the junior or senior year.

Improve the quality and variety of independent inquiry experiences for students during the junior and senior years.

Elaborate, refine, and articulate the relationships between independent inquiry experiences and the general education, major, and minor curricula.

Assessing Student Learning in the QEP

Components: Purpose of project/program

Expectations: What should students learn about independent inquiry/undergraduate research as a result of their engagement in the project?

Evaluations: What student work will be used as evidence of learning?

Examples from QEP/Mellon funded projects

Examples from Funded Projects

FPGA Chips and Student Research Projects for Physics 351

Learning ExpectationsStudents will:

Evaluations

Apply FPGA programming language skills to ensure complete circuit configuration.

Laboratory exercises using FPGA’s are graded.

Present their device and research findings through an oral presentation.

Scoring criteria based upon effective oral communication skills (content, structure, delivery) and demonstrated scope/depth of the research process.Peer review evaluations

Examples, cont.

Resource Center for the Principle of Separation of Church and State at the College of William and Mary in Virginia

Learning ExpectationsResearch fellows will:

Evaluations

Conduct research (using traditional library resources and the Internet) to locate materials, figures and events to be posted to the web repository.

Value of content added to web site and organization of materials.Self-reflection paper or journal focusing on how participation in project has contributed to personal growth.

Demonstrate proficiency in using web-based technology applications—HTML, Java, Garageband, Audacity, LogicPro.

Usefulness of web site. Scope and depth of applications.

Examples, cont.

La Pena: Cultural Studies Research Forum

Learning ExpectationsStudents will:

Evaluations

Develop and conduct a collaborative research project initiated in a concurrent Hispanic Studies course.

Appropriateness of contents of students’ e-portfolios posted on the forum’s web site.Research paper—prospectus, drafts, and final paper.Panel presentations reflecting the theme of the forum.

Present and deliver their research findings in literate and effective presentations and forum web site.

Oral communication skills (content, structure, delivery).Visual media criteria

Suggestions for Writing Student Learning Expectations

Make a logical connection with the program’s purpose.

Focus on critical aspects of the program.

Describe the knowledge, skills and dispositions that students are expected to gain

Example: “Students are able to…” vs. “The project provides students with…”.

Use action verbs such as explain or formulate rather than terms like “understand” or “become familiar.”

Source: Morningside College, Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Writing Student Learning Outcomes

Effectively Expressed Learning Expectations

Examples of “learning expectations”

STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

Write clearly, correctly, and coherently

Use voice, movement and understanding of dramatic character to affect an audience

Use gender as an analytical category to critique cultural and social institutions

Design an experiment to test a hypothesis

Suskie, L. (2004). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Company, Inc.

Developing Student Learning Evaluations

Questions to consider:

What knowledge or skills will students learn and use in the project?

How do the skills relate to research, scholarship, artistic or creative work?

Are there specific tasks associated with the development or use of the knowledge and skills?

What criteria should my students and I use in assessing project tasks/assignments?

For more information, see Huba, M. E. & Freed, J. E. (2000). Learner-centered assessment on college campuses: Shifting the focus from teaching to learning. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Evaluating Assessment

Valid: Measures the knowledge and skills as intended Authentic: Examines the value of the funded work for promoting

student engagement in independent inquiry Respectful: Allows students to reveal their uniqueness as learners Responsive: Provides evidence that leads to improvement

For more information, see Huba, M. E. & Freed, J. E. (2000). Learner-centered assessment on college campuses: Shifting the focus from teaching to learning. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Examples of Assessment Information Research paper/thesis Project—single, collaborative, community Development of a Product Performance Exhibition Poster Case Study/Critical Incident Oral Presentation Debate Interview Portfolio Reflection papers Journals Online discussion threads through BlackBoard, Blogs Creative Works—film, photography, poetry, prose, musical compositions, visual arts Web Sites Peer Evaluations Lab Reports Experimental Designs Mathematical Solutions with Narrative

Final Thoughts

Key Issues:

Focus on student learning through the research project

Consider the critical aspects of your program

Write clear learning expectations

Consider what you would regard as evidence of the intended learning

Don’t hesitate to call or write