Cal State LA LEARNING BY DESIGN: A FACULTY LEARNING COMMUNITY WASC ARC APRIL 23, 2014 Catherine Haras David Connors California State University, Los Angeles

Haras | Connors PROGRAM REVIEW A formal performance review procedure for all existing degree programs on campus in order to assess periodically both the quantitative and qualitative viability of each undergraduate and graduate program in the total context of offerings. - Cal State LA Faculty Handbook

Haras | Connors PROGRAM REVIEW

The process by which academic institutions evaluate student progress in learning and success in achieving educational goals. - Cal State LA Faculty Handbook Haras | Connors ASSESSMENT

Haras | Connors ASSESSMENT

Haras | Connors PROGRAM REVIEW What my friends think I do.

Haras | Connors PROGRAM REVIEW What the faculty think I do.

Haras | Connors PROGRAM REVIEW What I think I do.

Haras | Connors Some background The Director of Program Review and the Director of CETL were curious whether we could get faculty to “assess” a course holistically-- as part of a course structure. We tried not to use the word assessment.

Haras | Connors The Institute Pairs of faculty worked together to redesign a required course (N=15) We met three consecutive Fridays We originally used the Dee Fink taxonomy of significant learning as a model

Haras | Connors Our premise Assessment is a natural part of the teaching process.

 Jot down 3-5 words that describe your discipline.  Now name 3 things your discipline values.  Find a partner.  Jot down 3-5 words you feel describes their (your partner’s) discipline.  Name 3 things you think this discipline values.  SHARE with each other. Haras | Connors EXERCISE!

 What prior knowledge did you need to do this exercise?  How did you acquire that knowledge? Haras | Connors DEBRIEF

 What prior knowledge do you need to do program review?  How do you acquire that knowledge? Haras | Connors PROGRAM REVIEW

Haras | Connors OUR PREMISE Faculty who can articulate the values of their discipline—which in turn inform their course— will help their students care [learn].

Haras | Connors Course learning goals can (and should) set a standard of expectation of care for the class. Course goals that care may produce program outcomes that measure skills and attitudes. ‘ ’ Care’ in program context

Haras | Connors ‘CARE’ IN COURSE CONTEXT For students: Expressed as motivation, curiosity, concern or interest in learning in your course (Affect). For Faculty: Designing an intentional learning experience which fosters student motivation, curiosity, concern or interest.

Fink’s Significant Learning Matrix, 2003 Haras | Connors

Foundational knowledge Course content Disciplinary frameworks Expertise Haras | Bondad-Brown

Most course outcomes Most program review outcomes Haras | Bondad-Brown

Values Attitudes, habits, dispositions Whether the course matters Whether the major is a good fit Self-awareness Motivation Care Haras | Bondad-Brown

Haras | Connors Exercise! A year or two after my course is over, I want and hope that my students will be able to:

Two years from now you meet a former student on the street. What do you hope they will tell you they learned from your class? Haras | Connors LONGITUDINAL EFFECTS OF TEACHING

Haras | Connors CREATE A CARING GOAL Write a caring goal that you think represents the notion of “care” for your discipline.

Haras | Connors Faculty concerns about including caring outcomes “Uncomfortable” to deal with “Not a disciplinary value” “Doesn’t resonate with my discipline” “Impossible to assess”

Haras | Connors Why ‘care’? Sustained changes in behaviors and/or beliefs Increased self-awareness Positive attitudes Improved performance

Haras | Connors Chemistry Nursing Accounting Philosophy Usefulness Precision (measurement) Patient wellness How does your discipline ‘care’? Quality of argument Mechanical EngrConceptualization

Haras | Connors Biochemistry Nursing Accounting History Client memo Lab: measurement activities Pain management protocol Can you assess ‘care’? Source evaluation exercises

Our Redesign Model Haras | Bondad-Brown

Haras | Connors OUR OTHER PREMISE Faculty who can fully imagine |represent |analogize a course for their students will encourage their students to care [learn].

Haras | Connors Our Institute metaphor Origami

Haras | Connors Metaphors A cognitive tool that people routinely use to understand abstract concepts An influential framing device A guide to self-perception The power of metaphor: Examining Its influence on social life Landau, Robinson & Meier, 2013

EXERCISE! Haras | Connors This week, think about a song, a work of art, or a thing that personifies a course you currently teach. What’s your metaphor?

Haras | Connors ANECDOTAL OBSERVATIONS Designing caring outcomes helped reconciled course goals with assessment. The process was extensible to the program. The metaphor was effective at revealing course structure. The process allowed faculty to reflect upon their own attitudes and dispositions.

Haras | Connors STRUCTURE A COURSE FOR CARE Use an integrating question and graphics to illustrate your course. (Your metaphor comes alive here). Build course content on analogies and other representative devices, which tap into students’ prior knowledge and act as bridges to new knowledge. Allow students to reflect on their own processes-- self- awareness is the strongest motivator.

Haras | Connors STRUCTURE A COURSE THAT ANTICIPATES PROGRAM REVIEW Automated reflections can be used in the aggregate for program review. Evaluations are a form of feedback (assessment) --for students and instructors.

Haras | Connors TIPS FOR A GOOD INSTITUTE Pick strong people the first time PAIRS only: a Chair and someone enthusiastic (young) from the department Multiple disciplines work best Model the process ALL students are novices- don’t use PR jargon

Application Care Connection Principles of pedagogy Teaching frameworks Institute Model Using content to drive authentic goals/assessment Faculty attitudes towards teaching Metacognition Content Knowledge Institute Structure Haras | Bondad-Brown, 2014

Haras | Connors THANKS Catherine Haras Director, Center for Effective Teaching and Learning (CETL) California State University, Los Angeles David Connors Director, Program Review and Assessment California State University, Los Angeles