Using Assessment of General Education Outcomes to Bring an Out-of-Class Learning-Centered Model to Life Paul A. Dale Vice President, Learning Support Services Evaluating Institutional Learning Centeredness July 14, 2007

Learning Outcomes As a result of attending this session, participants will be able to:  Describe the elements of a learning-centered model for student affairs  Recognize the need for out-of-class assessment of general education learning outcomes  Understand assessment in a learning-centered context  Understand organizational strategies in implementing assessment plans in collaboration with faculty and college-wide assessment committees  Demonstrate how assessment findings are utilized for program improvement

National Context and External Drivers  Student Learning Imperative ACPA – 1994  Barr, R. B., Tagg, J. (1995). From teaching to learning—A new paradigm for undergraduate education. Change November/December.  Principles of Good Practice in Student Affairs (ACPA)  Powerful Partnerships: A Shared Responsibility for Learning (1998, AAHE, NASPA, ACPA)  Learning Reconsidered: A Campus-Wide Focus on the Student Experience (2004, NASPA, ACPA)  Learning Reconsidered II  Accrediting Agencies—Culture of Evidence

Why Learning-Centeredness? Learning occurs throughout the college environment Learning involves the whole person Learning silos can be broken down Active and engaged learners are most likely to be successful

 Assessment is “good practice” at all levels within the college  Assessment contributes significantly to the enhancement of learning  Assessment provides responses to two central questions and the evidence to support responses to the questions: What are our students learning? How do we know? College Assessment Culture

Learning and Assessment Questions Do students who use/participate in programs and services provided by student affairs change in ways that professionals intended them to change when they designed the program or service? Do these changes contribute in a meaningful way to the institution’s core mission? As a result of students participating in ____, they will learn _____.

Learning-Centered and Assessment Model Learning-Centered Connections Made to Student Persistence Factors Indicators of Learning-Centered Practice Student Learning and Success Outcomes

Assessment Process Learning outcomes were identified and made concrete Learning outcomes were assessed and used to improve learning and service productivity Student affairs policies and procedures were aligned to maximize student learning Assessment Team Assessment Plan Coaching/Consultation Reporting Faculty Partnerships—General Education Rubrics

Out of Class General Education Outcomes Matrix Learning Area Student Life and Leadership Center Students will: Com / Listening Com / Reading Com / Speaking Com / Writing Info Lit Prob Solv Tech Identify and develop: social, cultural, leadership skills, and values through club participation and leadership training. XXXXX Develop civic responsibility, leadership values, and skills with a specific emphasis on leadership for social change. XXXXX

Out of Class Assessment of General Education Outcomes  Media Services  Learning Support Center  Student Life and Leadership

Assessment Tools  Student Life—Grading Rubric, Pre/Post Surveys, Oral Presentation Rubric  Media Services—Pre/Post Survey, Presentation Rubric  Learning Support Center—Tutor Observations

LSC Learning Problem Solving Outcomes Students will be able to: –Identify opportunities for improvement –Identify strategies for improvement –Implement strategies for improvement

General Education Written Communication Dimensions Students will be able to: –Communicate in writing ideas in an organized manner using appropriate rhetorical strategy; –Communicate in writing ideas logically using appropriate language (word choice, voice, and tone), supporting materials, and transitions that meet the needs of the audience; and –Communicate in writing ideas using appropriate grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling, and format, and within a given word count

What Have We Learned … How Have We Improved? Media Services—Collaboration with Computer Commons (Solutions Lab) Learning Support Center—Improved tutor training Student Life—Development of leadership course

Lessons Learned Invest Up-Front Time Start Small Determine Top Down or Bottom Up Allow for Learning About Learning and Assessment Reward Best Practices Every Year Gets Better !

Contact Information Paul A. Dale Vice President, Learning Support Services Paradise Valley Community College North 32 nd Street Phoenix, AZ (602) ● (602) FAX