Charting a Course with Learning Outcomes to Enhance Student Learning & Success Facilitated by: Ken Silvestri, CFE Instructional Designer Abbie Richards, Associate Professor, Chem & Bio Engineering Dean Adams, Associate Professor, School of Art KS

WORKSHOP OUTCOMES After completing this workshop, participants will be able to: (1.) Recognize and describe the role learning outcomes play in teaching and learning (2.) Align and connect course-level student learning outcomes with program-level student learning outcomes (3.) Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to write specific, measurable course-level student learning outcomes (4.) Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to identify and associate appropriate assessments with course-level student learning outcomes to measure progress (5.) Communicate connections between learning outcomes and course assessment strategies KS

OVERVIEW Learning Outcomes – What are they good for? Establishing and writing effective course-level student learning outcomes How to identify appropriate assessment strategies that support and measure learning outcomes Making connections between learning outcomes and assessments for students KS

WHY USE LEARNING OUTCOMES? THINK: Take 2 minutes to think about why we use learning outcomes? PAIR UP: Turn to the person next to you and discuss your ideas SHARE: Have one person share your thoughts with the larger group Image Source: Wikipedia Commons KS

ROAD MAP WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR? LEARNING OUTCOMES Direct learning Enable the monitoring of progress Framework for designing and redesigning instruction Maintain consistency across courses and program curriculum KS & DA

ALIGNMENT WITH INCREASING SPECFICTIY General, Broad UNIVERSITY-LEVEL LEARNING OUTCOMES (Knowledge, Skills, and Values) PROGRAM-LEVEL LEARNING OUTCOMES (Knowledge, Skills, and Values) ALIGNMENT WITH INCREASING SPECFICTIY COURSE-LEVEL LEARNING OUTCOMES (Knowledge, Skills, and Values) Narrow, Specific KS

EXAMPLE PROGRAM-LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES PLSLO 1 - Use appropriate technology to solve a given business problem. PLSLO 2 - Analyze business problems using appropriate mathematical theories and techniques. PLSLO 3 - Write clear, concise, and audience centered business documents. EXAMPLE PROGRAM-LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES CLSLO 1 - Students should be able to develop an Excel spreadsheet to analyze a data set (PLSLO 1 & PLSLO 2) CLSLO 2 - Based on their analysis, students should be able to recommend a sound solution to the problem in clear, concise writing (PLSLO 2 & PLSLO 3) EXAMPLE COURSE-LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

BACKWARDS or INTENTIONAL COURSE DESIGN STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES START HERE CONTENT TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES ASSESSMENTS * GOAL: All of these should be aligned with the learning outcomes and support students in achieving them AR

WRITING EFFECTIVE COURSE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES INEFFECTIVE LEARNING OUTCOMES EFFECTIVE LEARNING OUTCOMES Vague (understand, know, appreciate, familiar….) Specific action, product, or process Measurable/observable Can’t be measured/observed Student-centered Focus on the teacher VS Aligned with program outcomes Inconsistent with program outcomes Realistic and achievable Too many or unattainable AR

WRITING EFFECTIVE COURSE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES INEFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE Students will appreciate the benefits of exercise science Students will be able to explain how exercise reduces stress and increases heart health Students will be able to analyze and respond to arguments about social issues Students will understand the the importance of public policy AR

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY & STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES Higher-Order Thinking DEEPER LEARNING/ CRITICAL THINKING SURFACE LEARNING/ ROTE MEMORIZATION & RECALL Lower-Order Thinking KS

EXAMPLE PROGRAM-LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: ANIMAL & RANGE SCIENCE Our graduates will: (1.) design and evaluate animal management systems by synthesizing and applying knowledge of biological processes related to animals and the rangeland plants that support them (2.) identify and critically evaluate scientific or technical animal science content to make informed decisions providing a foundation for lifelong learning (4.) use scientific principles to formulate questions, explore solutions, and solve real-world problems and advocate based on science KS

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY ACTION VERBS ANIMAL SCIENCE PROGRAM OUTCOME #1: design and evaluate animal management systems by synthesizing and applying knowledge of biological processes related to animals and the rangeland plants that support them APPLYING KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIFIC BIOLOGICAL PROCESS KS

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY & STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES Mastery (Higher-Order Thinking) MASTERY (300/400 Level Courses) DEVELOP (100/200/300 Level Courses) INTRODUCE (100/200 Level Courses) Introduction (Lower-Order Thinking) KS

WRITING LEARNING OUTCOMES GROUP ACTIVITY PART I: Based on the guidelines and practices for writing effective course student learning outcomes, how would you rewrite the following outcome to be an effective student learning outcome. As a group, select and rewrite one outcome. Be sure to have one person write down and share the revised outcome on the white board with the larger group. (10 Minutes) (1.) Students will understand the process of DNA replication (300 level biology course) (2.) Students should know the historically important theories of psychology (200 level psychology course) (3.) Students will appreciate Art (100 level art course) (4.) Students will know the scientific process (100 level biology course) (5.) This course will introduce students to the major research methods of a field (300 level course from any discipline) (6.) Students will appreciate music from other cultures (300 level music course) (7.) Students will be exposed to contemporary practices in business management (300 level business course) KS

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY ACTION VERBS & ASSESSMENT LEVEL QUESTION Assessing Basic Knowledge: List the steps involved in locating an earthquake epicenter. Assessing Comprehension: Summarize the basic tenets of collaborative conservation. Assessing Application Skills: Calculate the rate of habitat fragmentation within the Colorado Front Range in the last decade. In the article read in class, distinguish between statements that are based on facts and which are based on assumptions? Assessing Analytical Abilities: Assessing Ability to Synthesize: How would you restructure a numerical model of salmonid migration to account for the effects of flow regulation? Assessing Ability to Evaluate: What data are used to support the conclusion of variable denitrification rates in alpine meadow soils? DA Bloom’s Taxonomy: Testing Beyond Rote-Memory by Sara Rathburn, Colorado State University

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY ACTION VERBS & ASSESSMENT ONLINE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS “Using the information from chapters 7 & 8 on emotional intelligence, give your own example that illustrates at least three of the author’s main concepts. You may use a personal experience or you may create an example. Then, assess at least two of your classmate’s examples in terms of how well they did or did not illustrate the concept.” (APPLICATION/EVALUATION) ASSIGNMENTS “Plan a six-month calendar of activities to present to your supervisor, including a variety of activities intended to help resident’s memory.” (SYNTHESIS) DA

ASSOCIATING ASSESSMENT ITEMS WITH LEARNING OUTCOMES Multiple and varied ways to assess each outcome DA

MEASURING STUDENT PROGRESS ASSESSMENT FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT (Ongoing Feedback on Learning) SUMMATIVE (Evaluation of Performance) One-Minute Papers/Reflections Exams Mid-Semester Surveys/Reflections Graded Quizzes Class Polling/iClickers Papers Concept Maps (In-Class Activities) Projects Research proposal for early feedback Presentations Class discussion KS

USING GRADING RUBRICS KS & DA

WRITING LEARNING OUTCOMES GROUP ACTIVITY Presentation Non-Graded Quizzes PART II: As a group, decide how you would assess your rewritten course student learning outcome. What types of formative and summative assessments would be appropriate for this outcome? Be prepared to have one group member to write down and share the results on the white board. (5 Minutes) Class Discussion Research Project Problem Set Case Study Class Polling Exam One-Minute Paper Paper

MAKING CONNECTIONS KS

MAKING CONNECTIONS KS

MAKING CONNECTIONS Taken from: Writing and Assessing Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes, Texas Tech University KS

EMBED THE OUTCOME AT THE POINT OF ASSESSMENT. MAKING CONNECTIONS ASSIGNMENT X BACKGROUND: Establish relevancy for the student, why are they doing this, how does it benefit them? CORRESPONDING LEARNING OUTCOME: The following assignment will provide the opportunity for you to achieve course learning outcome #4 “state the outcome.” DIRECTIONS: Should contain Bloom’s action verbs that correspond to each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy where the outcome is located. EMBED THE OUTCOME AT THE POINT OF ASSESSMENT. KS

MSU RESOURCES Ken Silvestri, Instructional Designer Center for Faculty Excellence kenneth.silvestri@montana.edu 406-994-7835 Dean Adams, Associate Prof. School of Art deanadams@montana.edu 406-994-5926 Abbie Richards, Associate Prof. Chemical & Biological Engineering arichards@montana.edu 406-994-5926 Office of the Provost Student Outcomes Assessment Course Assessment: https://www.montana.edu/provost/assessment/index.html AR & KS