Assessment What is it? Why should we do it? Haven’t we been through this before? Why now? For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

What is it? A normal part of the activities of a teacherA normal part of the activities of a teacher A collection of information on student learningA collection of information on student learning The application of that information to answer the question “Did they learn it?”The application of that information to answer the question “Did they learn it?” An opportunity to tweak our system to ensure that, in the future, the answer to that question will be yes.An opportunity to tweak our system to ensure that, in the future, the answer to that question will be yes. For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

You already do it Did you ever enter a grade for an assignment turned in by a student? An end-of-semester grade?Did you ever enter a grade for an assignment turned in by a student? An end-of-semester grade? Then you are already familiar with assessment.Then you are already familiar with assessment. You had in mind a goal(s) the student should accomplish.You had in mind a goal(s) the student should accomplish. You determined whether that goal was met and selected an indicator (letter grade, number, etc.) to identify the degree to which that goal was metYou determined whether that goal was met and selected an indicator (letter grade, number, etc.) to identify the degree to which that goal was met For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

But you go much further… You look at that grade, and the grades of the other students (Information collection)You look at that grade, and the grades of the other students (Information collection) You decide whether, as a class, they achieved your goals for them (Digesting the information)You decide whether, as a class, they achieved your goals for them (Digesting the information) Then you decide what to do in the next class session, or the next semester, to maintain or improve those results (Document)Then you decide what to do in the next class session, or the next semester, to maintain or improve those results (Document) You then implement those changes (Action)You then implement those changes (Action) For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

And that is the Assessment process 1.Identify the goals 2.Collect and analyze information about how well those goals were met 3.Take some action to improve student learning Please note that steps 2 and 3 above are recursive. After we take an action we can measure again to see if there is improvement For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

Assessment at multiple levels The individual student (grading assignments, course grades)The individual student (grading assignments, course grades) A single classroom (evaluating our own performance in a class)A single classroom (evaluating our own performance in a class) All sections of a single course (e.g. all sections of MATH 1324)All sections of a single course (e.g. all sections of MATH 1324) A program (e.g. all writing courses: all sections of ENGL 1301, 1302, 2311 and BUSI 1304)A program (e.g. all writing courses: all sections of ENGL 1301, 1302, 2311 and BUSI 1304) Assessment can occur at several different levels: For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

Audiences for Assessment results Who?Needs to know what?Why? FacultyHow well do our strategies work? Make improvements Prospective studentsWill the institution help me reach my learning goals? Enrollment SACSDoes the institution meet our requirements for an assessment system? Accreditation review Board of Regents, Legislature How well are the institution’s students doing? Funding and regulation Who wants to know about the results of our assessment activities? For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

Why should we do it? We might do it because SACS wants itWe might do it because SACS wants it …or because the state legislature wants it…or because the state legislature wants it …or even because the administration wants it…or even because the administration wants it But let’s face it. The only reason it is worth doing is because it will help our students to learn better and help us to teach betterBut let’s face it. The only reason it is worth doing is because it will help our students to learn better and help us to teach better The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) affirms Lee College’s rights and privileges to award certificates and degrees. For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

Haven’t we been here before? Well, yes and no.Well, yes and no. At Lee College we have done assessment-like activities for our technical programs, QEP, and General Education coursesAt Lee College we have done assessment-like activities for our technical programs, QEP, and General Education courses Individual divisions have done limited assessment activitiesIndividual divisions have done limited assessment activities And we have had preliminary discussions, and a couple of limited tests of assessment methods, but we have never had a college-wide assessment plan at the program levelAnd we have had preliminary discussions, and a couple of limited tests of assessment methods, but we have never had a college-wide assessment plan at the program level For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

Why now? Faculty right now seem to be more committed than ever to excellence in teaching and the success of our studentsFaculty right now seem to be more committed than ever to excellence in teaching and the success of our students For every semester we go without an assessment program in place, we lose an entire group of students for whom we could have given a better learning experienceFor every semester we go without an assessment program in place, we lose an entire group of students for whom we could have given a better learning experience External pressures are indeed mounting. SACS and the state are insisting we do something for assessmentExternal pressures are indeed mounting. SACS and the state are insisting we do something for assessment If we wait, time pressures will be greater when mandates do comeIf we wait, time pressures will be greater when mandates do come For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos

And so… In the Fall semester of 2010, Lee College began work on an assessment plan that would tell us more about the work we doIn the Fall semester of 2010, Lee College began work on an assessment plan that would tell us more about the work we do A large committee of volunteers was trained in assessment methods to serve as consultants to divisions building programsA large committee of volunteers was trained in assessment methods to serve as consultants to divisions building programs Divisions identified “programs,” developed mission statements, identified goals, wrote student learning outcomes, and used those outcomes to choose assessment methods and instruments.Divisions identified “programs,” developed mission statements, identified goals, wrote student learning outcomes, and used those outcomes to choose assessment methods and instruments. Spring 2011 is devoted to documenting the outcomes, analyzing and reporting the results, and suggesting improvements for Fall 2011.Spring 2011 is devoted to documenting the outcomes, analyzing and reporting the results, and suggesting improvements for Fall For the Instructional Learning Outcomes Council (I-LOC)Created by Michael Gos