Understanding Teaching Effectiveness and Assessment Projects

Learning Objectives for this Session After completing this session you should be able to… 1.Articulate the requirements for projects to improve teaching effectiveness and projects to assess student learning 2.Differentiate between projects to improve teaching effectiveness and projects to assess student learning 3.Identify examples of both types of projects 4.Complete the necessary documentation for your projects

Requirements & Reporting Projects are discussed on Pages 2 and 4 of the Memo of Understanding One project to assess student learning is required each year, regardless of whether you are doing Satisfactory Standards of Employment or Yearly Distribution Requirements One project to improve teaching effectiveness is required each year, but ONLY if you are following the Yearly Distribution Requirements A title, purpose, brief description, and timeline must be submitted as part of your FPE Plan A comprehensive reflection with achievements, concrete examples, and any modifications must be submitted as part of your FPE Report

Definitions A Project to Assess Student Learning… …is an individual-level or department-level project …focuses on a Student Learning Outcome …includes all the steps of the assessment cycle, including the documentation of the process and the data and the results A Project to Improve Teaching Effectiveness… …is an individual-level project …involves research and implementation of a teaching strategy …involves reflection on the impact of the strategy on teaching and learning

Understanding Assessment Projects

Overview Information  Improve student learning of…  Institutional Learning Outcomes  Program Learning Outcomes  Course Learning Outcomes  Meet external accreditation requirements  Two Options: Department Project or Individual Project

Department Assessment Project  Institutional, Program, Course Student Learning Outcomes  Faculty member is taking part in an assessment project that has been identified by the department  Results are reported institutionally (to Curriculum Office)  Improves student learning for all students who will take the class or elect the program  Focuses on improving curriculum and/or pedagogy  May lead to systematic changes in courses or programs  Meets HLC and program accreditation (when applicable) requirements

Department Assessment Project General Process 1. Decide on the learning outcome to be assessed. (Optional) 2. Participate in the creation of the assessment tool. (Optional) 3. Perform the assessment in your classroom. 4. Submit data. 5. Participate in the analysis of the data. 6. Participate in the development of an improvement plan. 7. Make the improvement change(s) in your classroom. 8. Repeat the assessment in your classroom. 9. Submit data, participate in the analysis and evaluation of the improvement(s).

Department Assessment Project Example  Occupational Therapy department decides to assess a Program Learning Outcomes at the end of a program  Outcome: Evaluate the individual/group to determine needs and priorities for occupation-based interventions.  Measures: Fieldwork Evaluation, NBCOT examination  Measurement Instruments already exist- no development necessary 1.Faculty teaching the Fieldwork courses compile data from all students in that course for the academic year and create a data summary 2.Faculty come together to discuss the results for both measures and to identify strengths and areas for improvement related to the outcome 3.Faculty identify and implement a common curricular or pedagogical change within the program 4.Repeat steps 1-2

Individual Assessment Project  Institutional, Course Student Learning Outcomes  Faculty member identifies the assessment project  Improves student learning for students who will take your class  Greater focus on individual faculty pedagogy which leads to improved learning

Individual Assessment Project Process 1. Decide on the Course Learning Outcome to be assessed. 2. Find or create an appropriate assessment tool. 3. Perform the assessment in your classroom. 4. Collect and analyze the data. 5. Develop an improvement plan. 6. Make the improvement changes in your classroom. 7. Repeat the assessment in your classroom. 8. Collect and analyze the data to come to a decision on the effectiveness of the improvements.

Individual Assessment Project Example  You teach GE 132 Physical Geography  Course Learning Outcome: Demonstrate understanding of the workings of the atmosphere on local, regional, and global scales with particular reference to weather and climate  Measure: Lab Assignment  Measurement Instruments already exist- no development necessary 1.Compile data from all students in your sections and create a data summary 2.Identify strengths and areas for improvement related to the outcome 3.Identify and implement a common curricular or pedagogical change that you expect to increase performance of your students 4.Repeat steps 1-2

Understanding Projects to Improve Teaching Effectiveness

Process for Teaching Effectiveness Projects Projects to improve teaching effectiveness always occur at the individual level. The basic process involves the following: 1.Choose an instructional strategy to focus on for the project. 2.Collect information on best practices for that strategy. 3.Reflect on your current practice related to the strategy. 4.Develop a plan for employing the strategy. 5.Implement the planned change(s) in your classroom. 6.Reflect on the results of the change(s). 7.Summarize your next step(s).

Examples of Teaching Effectiveness Projects There are a myriad of projects that could be developed, but some examples might include: Implementing Case Study Analysis in a course Using Twitter in class for “backchanneling” Using “flipped classroom” ideas in one section Developing an Academic Service Learning component in one of your classes Et cetera…

For more information… …please visit the Faculty Evaluation System Training Resources website at There you will find PowerPoint presentations, forms, copies of the signed agreements, links to recordings of the trainings, and other helpful information.

Learning Summary 1.Articulate the requirements for projects to improve teaching effectiveness and projects to assess student learning 2.Differentiate between projects to improve teaching effectiveness and projects to assess student learning 3.Identify examples of both types of projects 4.Complete the necessary documentation for your projects

Questions?