Using WIDS to Document How Colleges Assess Learning Outcomes

Overview  What is assessment?  What are the drivers?  How does curriculum fit in?  How does WIDS help?

“Assessment of student learning is a participatory, iterative process that:  Provides data/information you need on your students’ learning  Engages you and others in analyzing and using this data/information to confirm and improve teaching and learning  Produces evidence that students are learning the outcomes you intended  Guides you in making educational and institutional improvements  Evaluates whether changes made improve/impact student learning, and documents the learning and your efforts.” NCA Higher Learning Commission From “Student Learning, Assessment and Accreditation: Criteria and Contexts”, presented at Making a Difference in Student Learning: Assessment as a Core Strategy, a workshop from the Higher Learning Commission, July 26-28, Assessment of Learning

 Informed judgments about achievement of intended learning outcomes Based on evidence of what students can do and their capacity to apply what they know (data) at the completion of the learning experience (course, certificate, program, or other credential) Valid, reliable, and fair Built into the plan for teaching  Data-driven evaluation that is actively used for continual improvement of teaching and learning Assessment of Learning

Sound Assessment Fair Reliable ValidValid Outcomes based on standards (industry) Measures intended outcomes Measures application and critical thinking Reliable Performance assessment based on consistent rubrics, scoring guides, and rating scales Consistent process - each learner is assessed in same way as other learners Fair Valid Reliable Learners informed of expectations up front! Feedback to learners

Summative/Formative Assessment Program Level or End of Course Program Quality Student Credentials Course Level Feedback to student Improvement of Learning/Teaching Continuous Improvement

What are the drivers? 1.Learning & continuous improvement of teaching and learning 2.Accreditation (NCA, AQIP, Industry) 3.Carl Perkins IV

HLC/AQIP asks 5 fundamental questions:  How are your stated learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, students and degrees?  How do you ensure shared responsibility for student learning & assessment of student learning?  What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes?  In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning?  How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning? NCA Higher Learning Commission From “Student Learning, Assessment and Accreditation: Criteria and Contexts”, presented at Making a Difference in Student Learning: Assessment as a Core Strategy, a workshop from the Higher Learning Commission, July 26-28, 2006.

The What: Both secondary and postsecondary must develop a process for measuring technical skills that lead to an industry-recognized credential, or state-recognized credential, or locally-developed credential The Why: Both secondary and postsecondary education systems must provide, as a separate measure of accountability, the extent of skill development in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs The How: Both secondary and postsecondary education must develop valid and reliable assessments Carl Perkins IV – The New Law

Postsecondary Indicators  Technical Skill Attainment  Credential, Certificate, or Diploma  Student Retention or Transfer  Student Placement  Nontraditional Participation  Nontraditional Completion Carl Perkins IV – The New Law

B RONZE S ILVER G OLD WTCS will move toward a balance of silver and gold assessment of learning outcomes.

 Gold Standard (ex. NCLEX, ASE, Barber/Cosmetology) External, third-party assessment that objectively measures student attainment of industry recognized skills upon graduation.  Silver Standard WTCS approved assessment that objectively measures student attainment of industry recognized skills upon graduation. May be developed and/or implemented by the state system. May be developed and/or implemented locally according to system guidelines and with industry (advisory committee) approval. Must be valid and reliable.  Bronze Non-assessment related indicators such as indirect measures. GPA and/or Course Completion Program Completion – Graduation Teacher-developed exams that do not meet silver standard (not externally approved ). Carl Perkins IV – The New Law Summary of Standards for Assessment of Technical Skill Attainment

Plan Establish outcomes Build assessments Design learning DO Deliver Assess Document CHECK Analyze assessment data Propose improvements ACT Adjust design Adjust delivery Adjust assessment Assessment Process and Curriculum

The Learning Assessment Design Technology Tool Kit TracDat Blackboard iWebfolio eFolio Questionmark People Soft Banner Datatel

Assessment Mgt Software (ex. TracDat) Describe Outcomes (Learning/Org) Build Assessment Plans Track Continual Improvement Activities Document/Report Results Assessment Mgt Software (ex. TracDat) Describe Outcomes (Learning/Org) Build Assessment Plans Track Continual Improvement Activities Document/Report Results WIDS Establish Learning Outcomes Build Assessments Design and Plan LearningWIDS Establish Learning Outcomes Build Assessments Design and Plan Learning Enterprise System (ex. PeopleSoft DataTel or Banner) Manage Student Records Manage Enrollment/Scheduling Manage Budget Etc. Enterprise System (ex. PeopleSoft DataTel or Banner) Manage Student Records Manage Enrollment/Scheduling Manage Budget Etc. Assessment Software (ex. Questionmark) Author Q & A Assessments and Surveys Deliver Assessments/Surveys Record Learners Performance (In terms of outcomes) Assessment Software (ex. Questionmark) Author Q & A Assessments and Surveys Deliver Assessments/Surveys Record Learners Performance (In terms of outcomes) Electronic Portfolio (ex. iWebfolio/MSNCU eFolio) Present evidence of individual learning/professional experience Document connection between artifacts and outcomes Owned by the student Electronic Portfolio (ex. iWebfolio/MSNCU eFolio) Present evidence of individual learning/professional experience Document connection between artifacts and outcomes Owned by the student WIDS Learning Design System populates assessment, electronic portfolio, enterprise, and assessment systems with learning outcomes and performance standards. Assessment Management Software provides feedback loop for continual improvement of learning design using WIDS. Web-based Electronic Portfolio System presents evidence of individual’s learning and professional experience. Learning Outcomes Curriculum Documents Learning Outcomes Rubrics Student Learning Documentation Continuous Improvement Feedback Student Data

 What do they need to be able to achieve?  Who are the learners?  How will we know and show when they’ve achieved it?  How will they get there? 3 of 4 components answer assessment questions WHO WHATWHENHOW WIDS Model

Linked Competencies (performance assessments) Exit Learning Outcomes Program Outcomes (summative assessment) Core Abilities (summative assessment) Gen Ed Outcomes (summative assessment) Job Task Analysis (DACUM) (DACUM) External Standards (Research-based) (Research-based) Drives Learning Design Assesses Learning Results Integrating the Outcomes Linked Competencies (performance assessments) Linked Competencies (performance assessments) Formative assessment of program outcome Summative assessment of learning outcomes External Program-Level Course-Level

Drives Learning Design Assesses Learning Results External Program-Level Course-Level Dental Hygiene Example Graduates are competent in applying ethical, legal and regulatory concepts to the provision and/or support of oral health care services. Incorporate into dental hygiene practice professional laws, regulations and policies established by the licensing state and regulatory agencies Respond to a request to perform a task that is not legally permitted to be delegated to a dental hygienist. ADA Dental Hygiene Education Standard Dental Hygiene Program Outcome Dental Hygiene Competency Formative assessment of program outcome Summative assessment of Learning outcomes

Challenges  How do we communicate WTCS long-standing commitment to industry input and standards?  How do we continue WTCS commitment to performance assessment whenever possible (versus testing?)  How do we ensure that we use quality assessments? (That we don’t regress to testing regurgitation of information?)  How do we ensure that we are doing what our model and assessment plans imply?

1.Create Program Design files for all programs 2.Develop Exit Learning Outcomes  Core Abilities (mission level)  Program Outcomes (discipline level)  General Education Outcomes (Optional) 3.Determine summative assessments 4.Define criteria for summative assessments 5.Link courses to exit learning outcomes Using WIDS Program Design Design. Document. Align

6.Create Performance Assessment Tasks (with scoring guides and rubrics) to support summative assessment  Embed in program courses, using the program file as the master file  Create a separate Summative Assessment course file for program Using WIDS Learning Design Design. Document. Align

7.Generate Analyzer reports  Learning Outcomes Matrix  Program Course List Matrix  Assessment Task Outcomes Matrix Using WIDS Analyzer Design. Document. Align

Learning Outcomes Matrix Outcomes Courses Documents where outcomes are addressed Summative Assessments

Assessment Task Outcomes Matrix Performance Assessment Tasks By Course Shows the assessment and the link/target

Maximize the potential of WIDS to support assessment planning: Create/maintain Program Outcome Summaries for all new and existing programs. Develop/maintain Course Outcome Summaries for all courses. Design Performance Assessment Tasks for course level (formative) and beyond-the-course (summative) assessments. Use WIDS Analyzer to build Learning Outcome Matrices that document how outcomes are linked with programs and courses. Present WIDS documentation as a central feature in accreditation.