Assessing Student Learning in General Education รองศาสตราจารย์สุภาพ ณ นคร ผู้อำนวยการสำนักวิชาศึกษาทั่วไป มหาวิทยาลัยขอนแก่น

Assessment, according to Baehr Z2004X is a process used for improving quality. Assessment leads to improvement for both the Assessor and The Assessed. Assessment is critical for growing life long learning skills and elevating performance in diverse educational contexts.

In teaching and learning, assessment could be defined as a systematic process to determine how for the teaching and learning have achieved its stated learning outcomes so that decision and further action could be made to improve the teaching and learning process. As an educational programme is delivered through courses and lessons it is ultimately imperative to assess the courses and its lessons.

Outcomes-Based- Learning Definitions : Describe in measureable terms what the learner will know, think. And be able to do as a result of engaging in a specific program of study or at the culmination of their educational experience Outco mes Are statements of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that graduates should demonstrate to effectively perform the activities of a given occupation and function independently in professional practice Compete ncies Focus on ways of learning and directions for learning the content Object ives

 Competency implies an emphasis on the integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes in performance rather than on acquisition of knowledge and theory as an end to itself  The core of a competency-based, outcomes focused curriculum is ensure that students will be able to demonstrate their learned capabilities after they have acquired a necessary combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities What is a Competency Based Outcomes focused curriculum?

The competency-based approach requires :  Functional analysis of occupational roles  Translation of these roles into knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to fulfill the roles and responsibilities of the field  Assessment of learner’s progress on the basis of their demonstrated performance of these outcomes for the field of practice

Curriculum Architecture Program Outcom es/ Compet encies Course Outcom es Course Compete nces Assessm ent Strategie s Learner-Centered Design: Active engagement Real world applications Continuous feedback Authentic assessments

Active Engagement  Move from passive learning to active learning  From knowledge outcomes : describe discuss, identify, list, explain  To active engagement : apply, integrate, implement, differentiate, or formulate

Active Engagement Engages students in the learning process by :  Allowing students to use a variety of resources to actively engage in the content  Allowing students to experience the application of concepts and models through hands on experiences or observational activities  Encourages reflective thinking through dialogue with other students and self

Real World Applications Real World Applications  Applications should reflect real world practice  Because most practice involves working with other people, there should be opportunities to practice skills collaboratively  Type of applications can include case studies, simulations, real world projects, etc.

Authentic Assessments  Requires in-depth understanding vs. memorization of facts  Influenced by prior knowledge, experience, and values  Must have relevance to real world challenges  Focus’ on outcomes  Relies on multiple sources of evidence collected over time and in diverse contexts  Are evaluated using professional standards of practice

Discipline-Based VS. Outcome-Based Discipline-BasedOutcomes-Based ContentOutcomes ObjectivesCompetencies Knowledge/theory focusSkills/performance focus Teacher centeredLearner centered Passive learningActive learning Summative FeedbackFormative (continuous) Feedback Paper and pencil assessments Authentic Assessments

Competencies, Instructional Strategies, & Assessments Program Outcome Description Competenc y Descriptio ns Instructio nal Strategies Assessmen t Criteria Outcome 1 Competenc y 1 Competenc y 2 Outcome 2

Expected Learning Outcomes An expected learning outcome is a formal statement of what students are expected to learn in a course. Expected learning outcome statements refer to specific knowledge, practical skills, areas of professional development, attitudes, higher- order thinking skills, etc. that faculty members expect students to develop, learn, or master during a course (Suskie, 2004)

Outcomes Should Align to Course Assessments  Foundation for backwards design of assessments  At the level of application and synthesis  Integration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes into practice  The integration of knowledge into practice is an essential competence that is confirmed through performance assessment  Based on various types of situations likely to be encountered in practice.

Course Learning Outcomes They specify an action by the students that is observable They specify an action by the students that is measurable They specify an action that is done by the students in the real world

Verbs to Avoid  There are some verbs that are unclear in the context of an expected learning outcome statement :  Know, be aware of, appreciate, learn. Understand, comprehend, become familiar with  These words are often vague, have multiple interpretations, or are simply difficult to observe or measure

Course level Assessments From summative to formative assessments From terminal to continuous assessment Move away from psychometrics to authentic assessments

Assessing Student Learning in General Education Good Practice Case Studies

Alverno College : General Education Case Study  Ability-based curriculum Assessment  Performance assessment across the curriculum and it’s focus on self assessment in class  Students’ general education is also assessed through external assessments taken at particular points in the student’s program

Public community college The College believed that the six intellectual competency of reading, writing, speaking listening, critical thinking and computer literacy were expected to be developed by the end of students core curriculum experience at the institution. Blinn College : General Education Case Study

Reading : ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials. Writing : ability to produce clear correct and coherent prose-adapted to purpose, occasion, and audience. Speaking : ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion and audience. Listening : ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication. Critical Thinking : Critical thinking embraces method for applying both qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and creatively to subject matter in order to evaluate arguments and to construct alternative strategies. Computer literacy : ability to use computer-based technology in communicating solving problems and acquiring information.

Coker College : General Education Case Study General Education Program ขณะนี้เรียก ชื่อใหม่ว่า Liberal Arts Studies Program (LASP) LASP = general skills และ Specific Knowledge ซึ่งเรียกรวมกันว่า “baskets”

General skills ประกอบด้วย Writing, Public speaking, Mathematic/computer science, Non native language, และ Physical education Knowledge in the arts Knowledge in the behavioral sciences Knowledge in the humanities Knowledge in the natural sciences Knowledge in the United Stakes Knowledge in the wider world

LASP assessment program is the result of a process : Academic Profile, an instrument from the Educational Testing Service such as critical thinking.

LASP assessment program is the result of a process : Academic Profile, an instrument from the Educational Testing Service such as critical thinking. James Madison University : General Education Case Study The General Education Program called The Human Community. Its overall purpose is : promoting “the cultivation of habits of the mind and heart that are essential to informed citizens in a democracy and world community.”

LASP assessment program is the result of a process : Academic Profile, an instrument from the Educational Testing Service such as critical thinking. Five general education areas were termed clusters. The five clusters are organizational categories that generally reflect standard categories within higher Education in the US.

Cluster One : skills for the 21 st Century includes courses in freshman composition, oral communication, and critical thinking, and competency tests in basic technology skills and information literacy. Completion of Cluster On is required of all students by the end of their freshman year. Cluster Two : Arts and Humanities includes courses in historical and philosophical foundations, appreciation of the fine arts, and appreciation and analysis of literature. ถัดไป

Cluster Three : The Natural World includes one course addressing mathematics and at least two courses Representing different approaches to science, and incorporate a laboratory component. Cluster Four : Social and Cultural Processes includes two courses based in those aspects of social science that address groups and institutions, one focused on the United States and one focused on global content.

Cluster Five : Individuals in the Human Community includes two courses, one based in social science focused on the individual and one addressing college-level health and wellness.

LASP assessment program is the result of a process : Academic Profile, an instrument from the Educational Testing Service such as critical thinking. The goal of assessment of the General Education Program is to provide results that can inform our faculty about the growth and development of JMU students all areas of the program. JMU has designed analytic strategies to be employed with general education assessment data, Four important educational research questions frame the of our analytical strategies. These research questions focus on the following :

Differences. Do students learn or develop more if they have successfully completed courses when compared to students who have not (i.e., no coursework completed compared to those that have completed one course or two courses)? Relationships. What is the relationship between assessment out-comes and relevant program indicators (i.e., course grades)? Change. Do students change over time? Competency. Do students meet our expectations?