MWCC and FSU Quality Collaborative Summer Institute May 16, 2014

Welcome and Introductions Campus Assessment Leaders: Dr. Ruth Slotnick, Director of Assessment, Mount Wachusett Community College Dr. Christopher Cratsley, Director of Assessment, Fitchburg State University Campus Faculty Leaders/Team Leaders: Fitchburg State University Joe Moser, Associate Professor of English, Chair LA&S Council, (Campus/Team Lead: Written Communication) Kisha Tracy, Director for the Center of Teaching Learning, (Assessment/Team Lead: Information Literacy) MWCC Susan Taylor, Professor & Chair of Computer Information Systems, (Campus/Team Lead: Quantitative Reasoning) Candace Shivers, Professor Sociology and Human Services (Team Lead: Civic Engagement) Assessment Scholars: Fitchburg State: Laura Baker, Jenn Berg, Bill Cummings, Lisa Grimm, Megan Krell, Frank Mabee, Joe Moser, Ian Murray, Audrey Pereira, Kisha Tracy, Amy Wehe. Danielle Wigmore, Liz Gordon, Anna Consalvo MWCC: Aldo Bianco, Fagan Forhan, Christine Greenwood, Meghan Koslowski, Heather March, Tom Moser, David Patterson, Ellen Pratt, Maureen Provost, Molly Ruble, Stephanie Page, Brenda Schelling-Biggs, Candace Shivers, Dan Soucy, Susan Taylor. Curriculum Assessment Scholars: Fitchburg State: Lisa Grimm, Megan Krell, Renee Scapparone, Elise Takehana, Kisha Tracy, Heather Urbanski, Kevin Wall, Amy Wehe, Jiang Yu. MWCC: Meghan Koslowski, Bob Mayer, Peter Olzak, David Patterson, Ellen Pratt, Matt (Doc) Sheehan, Ken Roy, Candace Shivers, Dan Soucy, Michelle Smith, Susan Taylor,

Purpose of Today 9:00-9:20am Final Meeting of the Assessment Scholars Guest Speaker, Dr. Linder on Backward Design Curriculum Assessment Scholars Workshop Revisiting of DQP Importance of our Working Lunch Thank you’s, fair well, and carry on!

Assessment Workshop Preparation 9:20-9:50am Form dyad teams (IL, WC, QR, CE) Rehearse/discuss 30-minute workshop Appointment note taker(s)/facilitators for each group

Workshops 10-12pm Civic Engagement (30 minutes) Quantitative Reasoning (30 minutes) Information Literacy (30 minutes) Written Communication (30 minutes)

Civic Learning At the associate level, the student Describes his or her own civic and cultural background, including its origins and development, assumptions and predispositions. Describes diverse positions, historical and contemporary, on selected democratic values or practices, and presents his or her own position on a specific problem where one or more of these values or practices are involved. Takes an active role in a community context (work, service, co-curricular activities, etc.), and examines the civic issues encountered and the insights gained from the community experience. At the bachelor’s level, the student Explains diverse positions, including those of different cultural, economic and geographic interests, on a contested issue, and evaluates the issue in light of both those interests and evidence drawn from journalism and scholarship. Develops and justifies a position on a public issue and relates the position taken to alternative views within the community/policy environment. Collaborates with others in developing and implementing an approach to a civic issue, evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the process and, where applicable, the result. Source: Lumina Foundation, Inc. (January, 2011) 6

Quantitative Fluency At the associate level, the student Presents accurate calculations and symbolic operations, and explains how such calculations and operations are used in either his or her specific field of study or in interpreting social and economic trends. At the bachelor’s level, the student Translates verbal problems into mathematical algorithms and constructs valid mathematical arguments using the accepted symbolic system of mathematical reasoning. Constructs, as appropriate to his or her major field (or another field), accurate and relevant calculations, estimates, risk analyses or quantitative evaluations of public information and presents them in papers, projects or multi-media events. Source: Lumina Foundation, Inc. (January, 2011) 7

Use of information resources At the associate level, the student Identifies, categorizes, evaluates and cites multiple information resources necessary to engage in projects, papers or performance in his or her program. At the bachelor’s level, the student Incorporates multiple information resources presented in different media and/or different languages, in projects, papers or performances, with citations in forms appropriate to those resources, and evaluates the reliability and comparative worth of competing information resources. Explicates the ideal characteristics of current information resources for the execution of projects, papers or performances; accesses those resources with appropriate delimiting terms and syntax; and describes the strategies by which he/she identified and searched for those resources. Source: Lumina Foundation, Inc. (January, 2011) 8

Communication Fluency At the associate level, the student Presents substantially error-free prose in both argumentative and narrative forms to general and specialized audiences. At the bachelor’s level, the student Constructs sustained, coherent arguments and/or narratives and/or explications of technical issues and processes, in two media, to general and specific audiences. In a language other than English, and either orally or in writing, conducts an inquiry with a non-English-language source concerning information, conditions, technologies and/or practices in his or her major field. With one or more oral interlocutors or collaborators, advances an argument or designs an approach to resolving a social, personal or ethical dilemma. Source: Lumina Foundation, Inc. (January, 2011) 9

Working Lunch Please discuss with partner each of following questions: [Student Assessment]: BLUE Post-it. What was the greatest challenge and accomplishment related to assessment? What were you not able to overcome and why? What recommendations do you have to strengthen the assessment of student learning on our campuses? [Faculty Development]: GREEN Post-it. What was the greatest challenge and accomplishment as result of the QC work? What were you not able to overcome and why? What aspects (goals, functions, culture) of faculty development work do you expect will continue beyond the end of the scope of the grant and why? What structures and outreach efforts will lead faculty leadership, development, and engagement? Staff leadership? [Transfer Policy]: PINK Post-it. What was the greatest challenge and accomplishment related to transfer policy? What polices are there for facilitating the demonstration of broad learning outcomes that can be used as basis for transfer? By 12:25pm: Individually complete “one” post-it note for each category and place on the large poster paper. By 12:35pm: Place a dot next to the five most important post-it’s on each poster paper.

Backward Design for Student- Centered Learning: Creating Effective Assignments Guest Speaker Dr. Katie Linder, Suffolk University 1:00-3:00pm

Adjourn! Thank you for joining us today

Curriculum Assessment Scholars Workshop Dr. Christopher Cratsley Dr. Ruth Slotnick Dr. Kisha Tracy

Curriculum Scholars Work Groups Is this assignment designed to assess learning related to one of the DQP proficiencies? Within the course itself, what purpose does the assignment serve and how is it designed to meet the goals and level of the course as well as the needs of the students? What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the course in terms of enhancing and assessing student learning? How will the student work from this assignment be assessed in a way that measures learning? How clear are the instructions, particularly in terms of the student product and criteria for success?

See you Tuesday, May 20! Please be sure to read assigned article. Please bring revised assignment and syllabus. Assignment name: DQP proficiencies the assignment is intended to assess: Background and context--the rationale and purpose for the assignment, and information about the course context, level, and characteristics of students. Reflections on how the assignment has worked: e.g. in what ways does it support and enhance student learning (as well as assess it), where do students have difficulties, how has the assignment evolved over time, what are you satisfied/dissatisfied with, and so forth...? Rubric or grading guidelines for judging student performance The assignment itself--as it is given to students, which should meet the following guidelines: – Does it clarify the central task the student is to perform? – Does it specify how the task should be undertaken and how the results are to be communicated? – Does it indicate how extensive or evidential the response should be?

MWCC and FSU Quality Collaborative Summer Institute May 20, 2014

Welcome and Introductions

Assignment Design Invited Guest Speaker