making assessment meaningful: using assessment results to improve student learning dr. elizabeth...
TRANSCRIPT
Making Assessment
Meaningful: Using Assessment
Results to Improve Student Learning
Dr. Elizabeth Wemlinger4.7.15
Assessment / Evaluation
• Purpose of evaluating program through student learning outcomes
1. Demonstrate 2. Provide feedback 3. Improve
Improve• How can student learning outcomes
help improve program
1. Identify gaps in learning2. Identify gaps in curriculum3. Identify gaps in instruction
Identify Gaps in Learning
• Are there learning gaps in the program?
Identify Gaps in Curriculum
• Are there curriculum gaps within the program?
Identify Gaps in Instruction
• Are there instruction gaps within the program?
What is Curriculum Mapping?
• Curriculum mapping is the process indexing or diagraming a curriculum to identify and address academic gaps, redundancies, and misalignments for purposes of improving the overall coherence of a course of study and, by extension, its effectiveness
Source: The Glossary of Education Reform
Example
Source: Florida International University
Example
Adapted from University of Hawaii example: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/assessment/howto/mapping.htm
Requirements: Track 1
Requirements: Track 2
Requirements: Track 3
SLO 1 SLO 2 SLO 3 SLO 4 SLO 5
Core: CRS 255 (3 credits) I I I I I
Core: Three theory courses (9 credits) I I
Core: Writing (3 credits) I I I
CRS 310, 312, 350
R R
CRS 325 R R
CRS 355 R R
CRS 405 R R
CRS 410 A A A A A
CRS 215, 315
R R R
CRS 316 R R
CRS 318 R R R
CRS 320, 415
R R
CRS 495 A A A A A
Developing a Curriculum Map
• Essential Elements
1. Student learning outcomes 2. Level of proficiency expected for each
outcome, for each class3. Syllabi (with learning objectives)
Course Objectives• Should identify the skill, knowledge
or ability that the student will learn in this class
• Identify the level of competency that will be expected for this skill
Syllabi Objectives: You will learn:2. The basic techniques of social science research. These include hypothesis formation, measurement, hypothesis testing, and data analysis.
SLO 1: Students will be able to apply basic research methods including research design, data analysis and interpretation.
Steps to Starting your Curriculum Map
Insert SLOs in
the Columns
Insert Classes in the Rows
Connect knowledge, skill, ability
and level
Starting your Mapping Process
• Need to construct the curriculum map with the student learning outcomes that the program had identified
Class SLO 1 SLO 2
POLI 101 Introduced Introduced
POLI 203 Reinforced
POLI 320 Reinforced Mastered
POLI 400 Mastered
Class SLO 1: “Students analyze governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations”
SLO 2 : “Students will effectively develop, interpret and express ideas through written, oral and visual communication”
POLI 101 Introduced Introduced
POLI 203 Introduced Reinforced
POLI 320 Reinforced Reinforced
POLI 400 Mastered Mastered
What Next?Identify gaps
Assess learning at multiple levels of competency
Evaluate whether progressive levels of skill development are in the curriculum
Evaluate whether students are taking classes in appropriate order
Assess Learning at Multiple Levels
• Students analyze governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations
1. Introduction to American Government (Introduced)
2. Congress (Reinforced)3. Campaigns and Elections (Reinforced)4. Capstone (Mastered)
How Can this Improve Program
governmental institutions + political behavior + civic engagement + political/
philosophical foundations
governmental institutions + political behavior
governmental institutions
political/ philosophical foundations
political/ philosophical foundations
political behavior
Identifying Gapsgovernmental institutions + political
behavior + civic engagement + political/ philosophical foundations
governmental institutions + political behavior
governmental institutions
political/ philosophical foundations
political/ philosophical foundations
political behavior
Gaps in LearningWriting in the discipline
Spelling and Grammar (I,M)
Organization and Flow (M)
Discipline Specific Writing (M)
Class SLO 1: “Students analyze governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations”
SLO 2 : “Students will effectively develop, interpret and express ideas through written, oral and visual communication”
POLI 101 Introduced (not assessed)
Introduced (not assessed)
POLI 203 Introduced (not assessed)
Reinforced (not assessed)
POLI 320 Reinforced (not assessed)
Reinforced (not assessed)
POLI 400 Mastered Mastered
Gaps in LearningYou do not have the ability to identify why
SLOs might not be met at the capstone level because you do not evaluate them at the lower level
There might be learning or instruction problems and the lower introduction that are negatively influencing students ability to succeed in program – hence the SLO success at the higher level might be a false representation.
Gaps in Curriculum: The Way Students are
Expected to Take Classes
POLI 101
Introduced
POLI 203
Reinforced
POLI 320
Mastered
Gaps in Curriculum: The Way Students
Actually Take Classes
POLI 101
Introduced
POLI 320
Mastered
POLI 230
Reinforced
Gaps in Instruction• Early identification of areas of
improvement can increase student success
Introduced
Reinforced Mastered
How to Start the Mapping Process
1. Identify Student Learning Outcomes2. Identify where students should be
learning this knowledge, skill, or ability
3. Identify at what level of competency is expected for each class
4. Consider how to assess this at each point in the process.
Best Practices1. Build in practice and multiple learning trials for
students: introduce, reinforce, master. Students will perform best if they are introduced to the learning outcome early in the curriculum and then given sufficient practice and reinforcement before evaluation of their level of mastery takes place.
2. Use the curriculum map to identify the learning opportunities (e.g., assignments, activities) that produce the program's outcomes.
3. Allow faculty members to teach to their strengths (note: each person need not cover all outcomes in a single course). "Hand off" particular outcomes to those best suited for the task.
Source: University of Hawaii, Manoa
Best Practices4. Ask if the department/program is trying to
do too much. Eliminate outcomes that are not highly-valued and then focus on highly-valued outcomes by including them in multiple courses. (The eliminated outcomes can still be course-level outcomes. They need not disappear completely from the curriculum.)
5. Set priorities as a department/program. Everyone working together toward common outcomes can increase the likelihood that students will meet or exceed expectations. Source: University of Hawaii,
Manoa
Best Practices6. Communicate: Publish the curriculum
map and distribute to students and faculty.7. Communicate: Each faculty member can
make explicit connections across courses for the students. For example, at the beginning of the course or unit, a faculty member can remind students what they were introduced to in another course and explain how the current course will have them practice or expand their knowledge. Do not expect students to be able to make those connections by themselves. Source: University of Hawaii,
Manoa
Additional Resources• https://
manoa.hawaii.edu/assessment/howto/mapping.htm (University of Hawaii, Manoa)
• https://manoa.hawaii.edu/assessment/workshops/pdf/SLOs_curriculummaps2008-10.pdf (University of Hawaii, Manoa)
• http://www.nyu.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-assessment/guidance-for-academic-programs/student-learning-outcomes/Curriculum-Mapping.html (New York University)
Curriculum Map for Your
Program?