1 Three PVCC Assessment Projects: Good Ideas For You A learning Week Presentation of the Academic Assessment Team January 14, 2004 Lori Anonsen Lori Anonsen Dan Donahue Dan Donahue Beth Newman Beth Newman

2 What is Assessment? “Assessment is a systematic process for gathering information about student learning; it answers the question, ‘How do we know what students are learning, and how well they are learning it?’ ” “Assessment is a systematic process for gathering information about student learning; it answers the question, ‘How do we know what students are learning, and how well they are learning it?’ ” --Califormia State Long Beach ss

3 Evaluation vs. Assessment Evaluation vs. Assessment Purpose: primarily Formative.Purpose: primarily Formative. Focus on group performance.Focus on group performance. Helps instructors/ dept/ school know how they and students performed.Helps instructors/ dept/ school know how they and students performed. Results in a plan for improvement.Results in a plan for improvement. Always used for improvement of instruction/ learning.Always used for improvement of instruction/ learning. Purpose: primarily Summative.Purpose: primarily Summative. Focus on individual performance.Focus on individual performance. Helps individuals know how they performed.Helps individuals know how they performed. Results in a grade for the activity or course.Results in a grade for the activity or course. May or may not be used for improvement of instruction/ learning.May or may not be used for improvement of instruction/ learning.

4 Why do Assessment? Because good classroom and college-wide assessment improves student learning. Because good classroom and college-wide assessment improves student learning. …Is any other reason necessary? …Is any other reason necessary?

5 More specifically, Continuous assessment fosters the continuous improvement of students, departments, divisions, and the college as a whole. Continuous assessment fosters the continuous improvement of students, departments, divisions, and the college as a whole. It is NOT just for accreditation. It is NOT just for accreditation. Assessment is a process that documents success, makes good things better, and improves upon weaknesses. Assessment is a process that documents success, makes good things better, and improves upon weaknesses.

6 Underlying Assumptions: Assessment of student learning is a cornerstone of PVCC’s mission to become a more learning centered college. Assessment of student learning is a cornerstone of PVCC’s mission to become a more learning centered college. It is a shared responsibility of the faculty, staff and administration. It is a shared responsibility of the faculty, staff and administration. The purpose of assessment is to improve teaching and learning; it is not evaluative of faculty. The purpose of assessment is to improve teaching and learning; it is not evaluative of faculty.

7 PVCC Gen. Ed. Learning Outcomes 1. Communication:  Listening  Reading  Speaking  Writing The details are at: 2.Information Literacy 3.Problem Solving 4.Technology (Core Outcome: Critical Thinking)

8 The PVCC Assessment Initiative: What can you do? 1. Contact your division chair/academic supervisor to find out what assessment initiatives are occurring in your content area/course. 2. Determine if you can/should participate, or if you should initiate your own assessment activity.

9 The PVCC Assessment Initiative: What can you do? 3. Browse the PVCC Assessment website ( and become familiar with 1. PVCC Learning Outcomes 2. Methods and resources for assessment projects 3. Writing Good Outcome Statements. 4. “Recommended Process for an Individual Assessment Project.” “Recommended Process for an Individual Assessment Project.” “Recommended Process for an Individual Assessment Project.”

10 Academic Assessment Team, : Bob Bendotti: Dean of Learning Bob Bendotti: Dean of Learning Larry Burgess: Faculty, Math Div. Chair Larry Burgess: Faculty, Math Div. Chair Tom Butler: Faculty, English/Reading, AAT chair Tom Butler: Faculty, English/Reading, AAT chair Marilyn Cristiano: Com/Hum Div. Chair Marilyn Cristiano: Com/Hum Div. Chair Dan Donahue: Faculty, Health and Wellness Dan Donahue: Faculty, Health and Wellness Jane Marks, Faculty: Science Jane Marks, Faculty: Science Paul Marsh: Director of Institutional Research Paul Marsh: Director of Institutional Research Patri Mays: Faculty, Business & IT Patri Mays: Faculty, Business & IT Beth Newman: Faculty, Business & IT Beth Newman: Faculty, Business & IT Rick Vaughn: Faculty, Math Rick Vaughn: Faculty, Math Fred Wieck, Counseling & PD Fred Wieck, Counseling & PD Shelle Witten: Library Div. Chair Shelle Witten: Library Div. Chair