1 Towards Assurance of Learning in Business Program: Components and Measurements 指導教授 陳明溥博士 研究生 余志鴻 中華民國九十四年七月十六日 Zhu, F. X. & McFarland, D. (2005). Towards Assurance of Learning in Business Program: Components and Measurements. Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, 7(2), 69-72

2 introduction  提出學習保證 (assurance of learning) 的概念 架構 (conceptual framework)  討論 the main components involved in the process.  Two key issues What learning needs to be assessed and to what degree How to measure and demonstrate achievement of learning goals

3 A conceptual framework 1

4 A conceptual framework 2 §The definitions of these goals guide the next step in the process of assurance of learning: l 課程的管理 (management) 、規劃 (planning) 、設計 (designing) 、 評量 (evaluating) 與修正 (revising) l The evaluation results are used at the program-level to redefine program learning goals and curricula, and at the individual-level to enhance the students’ learning experiences. l Under assurance of learning, these students will be required to repeat the related learning process before graduation until they reach the satisfactory level. l Assurance of learning is a closed-loop, systematic approach for demonstrating a program’s accountability and for continuous program improvement. l The emphasis is on the learning process, i.e., teaching, learning, and reinforcing.

5 Key components §Degree program learning goals §Measure of learning accomplishment §Assessing learning outcomes Degree program learning goals

6 Key components §Represent the capabilities and skills expectations for the graduates of the program. §The specifications of learning goals should be derived based on program mission, cultural circumstances, as well as the inputs from external and internal constituents. §External constituents: may be alumni & recent graduates, the business community, major employers of graduates, corporate advisory groups, etc. §Internal constituents: may include faculty from both business and non- business disciplines, staff, administrators, students, etc. §The learning goals for business programs specify expected knowledge and skill levels of graduates in two categories: l General knowledge/skills l Management-specific knowledge and goals Degree program learning goals

7 Key components §General knowledge/skills (AACSB,2004) l Communication abilities (written and oral) l Ethical understanding and reasoning abilities l Analytical skills l Use of information technology l Multicultural and diversity understanding l Reflective thinking skills §Management-specific knowledge and goals l Ethical and legal responsibilities in organizations and society l Financial theories, analysis, reporting, and markets l Creation of value throughout the integrated production and distribution of goods, services, and information l Groups and individual dynamics in organization l Statistical data analysis and management sciences as they support decision-making processes throughout an organization l Information technologies as they influence the structure and processes of organizations and economies, and as they influence the roles and techniques of management l Domestic and global economic environments of organizations l Other management-specific knowledge and abilities as identified by the school. Degree program learning goals

8 Key components §These learning expectation may be established at different learning levels, e.g., at a course level or at the program-level. §When taken together, they answer the question of what specific knowledge, skills, and values should graduates of the program be expected to achieve and to what level. §For assurance of learning, program learning goals must be defined opearationable and a set of valid and effective measures must be specified and developed. §Beyond the general degree program learning goals, the knowledge and skills necessary for individual specialization should also be identified and assessed. §Surveyed different professional groups in the field of information system to identify critical skills and knowledge requirement of future IS professional. §The survey data were then used to identify the gap between industrial needs and academic preparation and pinpointed the areas that universities need to place more emphasis on. Degree program learning goals

9 Key components §In assurance of learning, demonstrating learning achievement is integral ( 不可或缺 ) to the learning process. §Thus, choosing, creating, and innovating effective measures for assessing student accomplishment is at the core of the process. §The measures selected should fit with the goals of the degree programs, pedagogues in use, and the school’s circumstance. §Some challenges when assessing student learning (McLaughlin & McLaughlin, 1989) l Determining what data to gather l How to gather and score data l How to analyze data and produce information from it l How to present the information l How to determine the value of the information Measures of learning accomplishment

10 Key components §The assessment measures may be direct or indirect, process focused or outcome focused, and may be used at different stages of the learning process. §The direct methods for assessing student learning achievement include: l Course-embedded mandated measurements, e.g., group projects, tests, case studies computerized simulation, presentations, etc. l Specific stand-alone examination at some learning points or as a requirement for graduation l Testing in specific sontent areas at the end of a degree program l A thesis or senior project l A supervised internship program for a “reality check” of learning experiences l Standardized assessment tests used to measure general education outcomes, e.g., ETS Major Field Test in Business Measures of learning accomplishment

11 Key components §The reasons includes: l Demonstrate educational quality that is consistent with the stated learning goals l Satisfy the requirements of accreditation. Such an accreditation may lend prestige to a school, provide easier access to financial aids for students, and generate better job prospects for graduates (Kim et al., 1996) l 促使 continuous improvement and institutional decision making §The core of assurance of learning l demonstrate and ensure the accomplishment of the learning goals for each graduate. Assessing learning outcomes

12 summary §Assurance of learning l 調整我們的思考 (thinking) from an internal models( 課 程發展 ) to an external model( 學習效能 ) l It outlines a systematic approach where a degree program specifies student learning expectation based on the specified program-level learning goals and where outcome are assessed.

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