Helping students know what they know Involving students in assessment

Presenter Dr. Martha S.M. Robertson robertsonm@hutchcc.edu Director of Learning Outcomes and Assessment Hutchinson Community College Hutchinson, Kansas Dr. Martha S.M. Robertson robertsonm@hutchcc.edu

Objectives To describe Hutchinson Community College’s plan to integrate learning assessment to all units. To outline how HCC plans to increase awareness among all stakeholders, including students, of assessment as a means to strengthen learning and increase success. To identify ways to incorporate assessment into the culture of the institution.

Knowing What They Know The third circle from the inside is where learning takes place. Spending time on the inner circle is a waste of time. Spending more than a brief period on the second circle produces little benefit. Spending time on the fourth circle, other than trying to move students into the third circle is not productive. Don’t know they don’t know Know they don’t know Don’t know they know Know they know

Who should assess? Why should they assess? What should they assess? How should they assess? Who should use assessment? Why should they use assessment? What assessment should they use? How should they use assessment?

The assessment plan Is it good for students?

What percent of the upper-level administrators at your institution has each of the following attitudes about assessment to improve student learning and success? Fully committed Willing to comply Resistant Dead set against Completely ignorant

Demands for Assessment External Public Accrediting Agencies Internal Administrators Faculty Students

What percent of the faculty at your institution has each of the following attitudes about assessment to improve student learning and success? Fully committed Willing to comply Resistant Dead set against Completely ignorant

Assessment Requirements Public Easy to access and interpret. Accrediting agencies Specific student learning outcomes using reliable, valid sources that produce consistent data. Administrators Not time-consuming to administer and grade, that are easily collected and stored, and that are low in cost. Faculty Academic freedom, autonomy in the classroom, freedom from mandates that take time away from instruction. Students Not concerned other than how affects grade.

What percent of student affairs personnel at your institution has each of the following attitudes about assessment to improve student learning and success? Fully committed Willing to comply Resistant Dead set against Completely ignorant

Assessment Plan Goals Balanced Address diverse interests of various stakeholder groups Unobtrusive as possible Useful to all concerned.

What percent of students at your institution has each of the following attitudes about assessment to improve student learning and success? Fully committed Willing to comply Resistant Dead set against Completely ignorant

Assessment Options Course grades Not acceptable to government and accrediting agencies Nationally recognized, standardized test Not acceptable to administration because of cost Locally developed test Not acceptable to faculty because of the additional time required to administer and grade

Knowing What We Want them to Know and Do Keeping Students Informed

Student Learning Outcomes Institution-wide Critical Thinking Accessing Information Communicating Writing Speaking Demonstrating Interpersonal Skills Program Course Non-Academic

Before Assessment Outcomes Assessment methods Method of evaluating student performance Required level of achievement

Documenting Assessment Course Matrix Example Program Curriculum Map Institution-Wide Matrix Reporting Instrument

Knowing what they know After assessment After reflection Upload assessment and faculty and professional staff evaluation to electronic portfolio After reflection Reminder to review and reflect on portfolio artifacts by advisor each semester After graduation Review and reflection on program and/or institution-wide outcomes

Finding If They Know What They Know Metacognition

Students’ Role College can gather assessment information without students’ being aware that they are participating in a process to assess their achievement of learning outcomes Information is richer and more meaningful when students are active participants in the process.

Developing Awareness Placement Assessment College Orientation Reading Writing Mathematics College Orientation Learning Styles Study Skills Intrusive Advising

Involving Students Assess prior knowledge Identify learning outcomes Classroom Assessment Techniques Identify learning outcomes Syllabus Outline how outcomes will be assessed Relate how performance will be evaluated Key, Checklist, Rubric Encourage self reflection Portfolio

Discussing Assessment ED105 : Success Seminar/College Orientation Discussion of Assessment Introduction to electronic portfolio Individual Courses Syllabus Course Outcomes Matrix Reminder on electronic portfolio Program Advisors Review of portfolio

Metacognition Critically examining one’s strategies Evaluating the effectiveness of one’s work Revising one’s thinking or work when self-examination so warrants Putting together what one has learned into a coherent whole

Portfolios Course level Program level Institution-wide level Assessment instruments Instructor feedback on assessment Student response Program level Artifacts Reflection Institution-wide level

Electronic Portfolio ANGEL All courses Web supported A New Global Environment for Learning All courses Web supported Outcomes Assessment Assignments Grades Feedback Upload to ANGEL e-portfolio

ePortfolio Evaluation Random Sample Rubrics Thinking Critically Accessing Information Communicating Speaking Writing Demonstrating Interpersonal Skills Norming the raters

Results Common Language Consistency Flexibility Autonomy Improved Communication Academic Affairs Student Affairs Operational Affairs Students