Journey Toward Integrated Learning: How High Impact Educational Practices Have Transformed a Campus Culture Barbara Pennipede Assistant Vice President Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research Linda Anstendig Professor of English Co-Director of University e-Portfolio Program Dyson College of Arts and Sciences Adelia Williams Professor and Associate Dean Dyson College of Arts and Sciences Pace University, New York Association of American Colleges and Universities Conference On General Education and Its Assessment March 2011 Chicago, Illinois

Effective assessment of any program… requires a campus culture that values contributions to the improvement of student learning. Mary J. Allen, Assessing General Education Programs. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing, Print.

Main Points Signature features of our Core curriculum High Impact Educational Practices that best support student learning and reflection Data showing increased engagement in High Impact Educational Practices under the Core curriculum Challenges of maintaining faculty engagement, assessment, administrative resources and support, and student motivation E-Portfolio as a tool to document and integrate High Impact Educational Practices

Pace University: An Overview Urban/suburban university Size: 12,752 Students 10,341 FTE Major metro area: NYC 11.7 million Carnegie Class: Doctoral Research University US News Ranking: 1 st Tier National based upon new ranking system Three Campuses and seven sites in NY metropolitan region Sixty-four percent undergraduate Thirty-six percent graduate/ professional Four Schools/Two Colleges Arts and Sciences Business Computer Science/ Information Systems Health Professions Education Law

Learning Outcomes of the Pace Core Curriculum Communication Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning Intellectual Depth and Breadth Aesthetic Response Effective Citizenship Social Interaction Analysis Problem solving Global, National and International Perspectives Information Literacy and Research Technological Fluency Valuing

High Impact Practices: Many Embedded in Design for the Pace Core Curriculum First Year Seminars and Experiences Common Intellectual Experiences Learning Communities Writing Intensive Courses Collaborative Assignments and Projects Undergraduate Research Diversity/Global Learning Service Learning, Community-Based Learning Internships Capstone Courses and Projects

Signature Required Features of Pace Core Curriculum Learning Community Writing Enhanced Courses Community-based Learning Experience in a Civic Engagement and Public Values course

Signature Features of Pace Core Curriculum : A Community-based Learning Experience in a Civic Engagement and Public Values course: Web-Design for Non-Profit Organizations, The Road to the White House, Understanding Computers for Human Empowerment, Introduction to Women s Studies, The 9/11 Oral History Project, Women, Communication & the United Nations, Developing a Historic Heritage Center in Lower Manhattan, Service and Study in Latin America, Children in Urban Society, Intro to Peace and Justice Studies, Maternal Child Health Nursing Practice. Two Writing-Enhanced Courses: Management Science in CRJ; Power, Negotiation and Effective Communication; Biological Sciences Capstone Course; Gender, Race, and Class; Elementary Statistics; Computer Security and Identity Learning Community: 2 types: 1.Two paired integrated and coordinated courses, each taught by a different professor in a different discipline. 2.An interdisciplinary (INT) course taught by a team of two professors from different disciplines and focused on a particular theme.

Learning Community Examples The Struggle for Human Rights Writing through Drama War and Peace Movements The Sacred and Secular in East Asia New York City: The History and Architecture of a Modern Metropolis The Economics of Sex Film and Computing: Real and Virtual Identities Scandal in the Boardroom: Business, Ethics, and IT La Dolce Vita – Italian Culture and Conversation

Positive Learning Community Outcomes Student and faculty satisfaction Initiated and driven by faculty Increased use of campus services and level of participation in campus activities Friendships/bonding Student/faculty interaction Increased persistence rates

Comprehensive Array of Learning Communities 1200 students participate in over 100 learning communities each year Expanding Learning Communities Community-based Learning and Civic Engagement Writing Across the Curriculum Developmental Learning Communities Travel and International Field Experiences

Travel Learning Communities & the Core Curriculum: Learning communities, link courses and disciplines so that students and professors together experience a coherent and enriched learning environment. Global and international perspectives: intended to help students become familiar with traditions that shape our world and to understand the cultural, economic, social, and biological interdependence of global life.

Assessment Meets the New Core: Initial Efforts Mid-term and End-term Student and Faculty Surveys Student and Faculty Focus Groups Rubrics Syllabus Review Learning Outcomes Questionnaire for Faculty Graduating Senior Survey

Educating the Faculty Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology Annual Faculty Institute; Faculty Exchange Luncheons University Assessment Committee Faculty Workshops and Provosts Colloquia Dyson College of Arts and Sciences Teaching Circles; Incentives; Annual Faculty Conference

Sustaining Assessment to Enhance a Culture of Learning Bringing Theory to Practice ePortfolio Initiative Teaching Circle Initiatives

Strategies to Sustain Assessment Bringing Theory to Practice providing successful models of actively engaging students in learning and evaluating their success in doing so Creation of Assessment News e-newsletter Extending the use of High Impact Practices to a broader group of faculty Fall 2010 Conference – Bringing Theory to Practice Dr. Jillian Kinzie, Keynote Speaker Faculty and Student Panels on High Impact Practices Faculty Mentors to provide group facilitation Stipends for Faculty Mentors Stipends for Faculty who pilot a high impact practice

Why are high impact educational practices important? …demand that students devote considerable time and effort to purposeful tasks. …puts students in circumstances that essentially demand they interact with faculty and peers about substantive matters. …increases the likelihood that students will experience diversity with people who are different from themselves. …students typically get frequent feedback about their performance …provides opportunities for students to see how what they are learning works in different settings. …can be life changing to study abroad, participate in service learning, conduct research with a faculty member, or complete an internship. Source: High-Impact Educational Practices (George Kuh, 2008)

Learning Communities NSSE item: Participate in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes together. Student response: Done* FreshmenSeniors *2002 response was Done or plan to do

Writing-Intensive Courses NSSE item: Institutional contribution to writing clearly and effectively. Student response: Quite a Bit or Very Much Seniors

Writing-Intensive Courses NSSE item: Prepared two or more drafts of a paper before turning it in. Student response: Often or Very Often Seniors

Collaborative Assignments and Projects NSSE item: Worked with other students on projects during class. Student response: Often or Very Often SeniorsFreshmen

Collaborative Assignments and Projects NSSE item: Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments. Student response: Often or Very Often SeniorsFreshmen

Undergraduate Research NSSE item: Worked with a faculty member on a research project. Student response: Done* Seniors *2002 response was Done or plan to do Freshmen

Diversity/Global Learning NSSE item: Included diverse perspectives (different races, religions, genders, political beliefs, etc.) in class discussions or writing assignments. Student response: Often or Very Often SeniorsFreshmen

Study Abroad NSSE item: Study abroad Student response: Done* Seniors *2002 response was Done or plan to do Freshmen

Service Learning, Community-Based Learning NSSE item: Participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course. Student response: Often or Very Often Seniors Freshmen

Service Learning, Community-Based Learning NSSE item: Community service/volunteer work. Student response: Done* Seniors *2002 response was Done or plan to do Freshmen

Internships NSSE item: Practicum, internships, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment. Student response: Done* Seniors *2002 response was Done or plan to do Freshmen

Capstone Courses and Projects NSSE item: Culminating senior experience. Student response: Done Seniors

Paces Integrated Approach to ePortfolio Teaching and Learning Assessment Career

Getting Students to Make Connections Help them see ePortfolios as an educational passport for their journey through Higher Ed Help them to begin to think reflectively through ePortfolio blogs

Student Sample

Summer/ Fall 2010 Trained Orientation Leaders, Career Service staff and Library staff ePortfolios introduced to all incoming 1 st year students Introduced ePortfolios to major stakeholders – including Making Connections summer workshop Upgraded and maintaining Mahara Established ePortfolio Teaching Circle with 17 faculty members Reached out to UNV101 classes

ePortfolio User Growth: January-November 2010

Spring 2011 Timeline December January February March April May Create Rubrics Student Showcase Start 2 nd cycle of Teaching Circles Begin Student Life Pilot Hire 4 neweTerns Begin Career Services Pilot Begin Assessment Pilot

Spring Pilots Student Leadership Pilot: The Student Life Office is teaming up with ePortfolio to create a leadership certificate program for student leaders. Students will create a robust Extracurricular/co-curricular activities page, and will blog about their development as a leader. After successfully completing the pilot, students will be the first recipients of SDCAs leadership certificate.

Spring Pilots (Contd) ePortfolio Assessment Pilot: We are using ePortfolios to evaluate evidence of students learning. Starting with selected courses that are requiring ePortfolios, we will gather a few teams of faculty reviewers to read a sampling of course ePortfolios for evidence of student learning outcomes, focusing on Communication, Analysis, and Information Literacy and Research Skills.

Style Sentences are clear, varied and well constructed. Word choices are precise, vivid, and appropriate to the writing task. Most sentences are clear and well constructed. Word choice is generally appropriate. Sentences may be choppy, or repetitive, with some structural errors. Word choice may be imprecise, and some language may be inappropriate. Sentence structure is inaccurate, confusing, or awkward. Word choice errors are frequent, with inadequate control of diction. MechanicsRelevant outside sources, if required, are clearly introduced, accurately documented, and effectively integrated. Excellent grammar, spelling and usage are used. Outside sources, if required, are generally relevant but not always accurately documented or effectively integrated Occasional errors in grammar, spelling and usage may be distracting. Outside sources, if required, may not be appropriately documented or effectively integrated. Errors in grammar, spelling and usage may get in way of meaning. Outside sources, if required, are poorly documented and ineffectively used. Many errors in grammar, spelling and usage get in way of meaning.

Spring Pilots (Contd) Career Services Pilot: A select group of students participating in internships this semester are using ePortfolios to blog about their experience and to post artifacts from their position. Faculty advisors are using the blog instead of the traditional internship log to review students progress and grant them credit.

New Grants Connect to Learning: a national, three year grant funded by FISPE, which focuses on connecting ePortfolios with student learning Thinkfinity Grant: will expand the progress of the Thinkfinity Grant to further develop an effective ePortfolio program for students, faculty and staff

The buzz on ePortfolios ePortfolios [have] become an assessment tool and can be used in lieu of a final exam or as a Capstone experience… – Opportunitas April10 The final result [of an ePortfolio] is a comprehensive online showcase of a students academic experience. -Pace Magazine Spring 10

Thank You All the time and effort that goes into assessment is worthwhile only if that work eventually leads to improved teaching and learning. Suskie, Linda. Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Print. Barbara Pennipede Linda Anstendig Adelia Williams