1. Assessing Student Learning in Student Workers
Of your institution’s Student Learning Outcomes, which are – or could be considered – employment related generalizable skills?
What is the difference between a student worker and a temporary part-time employee?
Of the employment related generalizable skills in your outcomes, which might student workers be expected to demonstrate or master?

2. Assessing student learning in student employees
Georgia Gwinnett College
Assessing student learning in student employees
Jim Fatzinger, Associate Vice President, Student Affairs
Juliana Lancaster, Director, Institutional Effectiveness

3. A Little Background
4-year, State College in the University System of Georgia
Authorized by GA Legislature in May 2005
President hired in September 2005
Campus opened with 118 students and 10 faculty in August 2006
Home of the Grizzlies!

4. Current Status Student: Faculty: Facilities Information:
Fall 2008 Enrollment: Headcount Full-time equivalent 1374
Fall 2009 Enrollment: Headcount approximately 3000
Faculty:
Instructional full-time faculty: 125 Instructional part-time faculty: 30
Facilities Information:
6 Buildings: A, B, C, D (Student Services Center), E, F (Fitness Center)
Library, Student Center, Dormitory (1200 beds) under construction
Total acreage: 200
Degree Programs
Currently offered: BBA Business; BS Biology; BS Information Technology; BS Psychology
Beginning in January 2009 (pending SACS approval): BA English; BA History; BA Political Science; BS Mathematics; BS Criminal Justice/Criminology; BS Exercise Science; BSEd Early Childhood Education; BSEd Special Education

5. Reimagining Higher Education for the 21st Century
Commitment at every level to student learning and effectiveness
Institutional focus on interdisciplinary/ integrated education
Openness to going “outside the box” – provided there is a plan for assessment
Created the opportunity for a ground-up design of an INSTITUTIONAL assessment plan and framework
Allowed focus on collaboration across boundaries to articulate and assess what is important

6. Institutional Goals As a charter 21st Century Institution GGC will:
Produce graduates who can anticipate and respond effectively to the changing world
Inspire graduates to be contributing citizens and community leaders
Achieve significant levels of student success in retention, progression and graduation
Innovatively design and deliver educational programs and support services
Engage with Gwinnett and surrounding communities to support student development and community needs
Create a culture devoted to the holistic development of students
Acquire the resource base needed to accomplish its mission and vision
Serve as a resource for innovation for the broader educational community

7. Institutional Effectiveness: Starting Conditions
Advantages of starting from scratch
Strong executive level support for and understanding of IE
Limited number of programs and offices at start-up
Absence of legacy or standing processes and structures
Disadvantages to starting from scratch
Each individual brings a different set of assumptions and expectations
Rapid growth and hiring leads to continuous need for explanation/education

8. Institutional Effectiveness: First Principles
In order to get “…ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes…[SACS]” for we needed:
Structure and resources
Broad buy-in, consensus and agreement
Working “ground rules”
Institution-wide and pervasive
Integrated with institution’s mission & strategic plan
Faculty/staff participation and basic control
Interdisciplinary and developmental assessment of student learning

9. Institutional Effectiveness: Starting Points
Program level student learning outcomes and assessment plans
General Education curriculum designed around student learning outcomes
Agreement to develop and assess for institutional student learning outcomes
Leading to: Integrated Educational Experience (IEE) Student Learning Outcome Goals for GG
Agreement to integrate curricular and co-curricular student learning efforts
This triggered substantial and productive discussions with Student Affairs, Educational Technology, and other areas of the College

10. Institutional Student Learning Outcomes (IEE)
GGC graduates will:
1) Clearly communicate ideas in written and oral form.
2) Demonstrate creativity and critical thinking in inter- and multidisciplinary contexts.
3) Demonstrate effective use of information technology.
4) Demonstrate an ability to collaborate in diverse and global contexts.
5) Demonstrate an understanding of human and institutional decision making from multiple perspectives.
6) Demonstrate an understanding of moral and ethical principles.
7) Demonstrate and apply leadership principles.

11. Student Affairs Response to IEE Goals
Student Affairs Vision & Mission
Focus on Holistic Student Development
Six dimensions of wellness
Physical Spiritual
Emotional Intellectual
Occupational Social
Role of Student Employment in Development/ Learning
Occupational Wellness = becoming a competent employee
communication, team work, time management, leadership
SA vision & mission in handout

12. Fitness Center as Pilot
Initial employer of student workers
Student Learning Outcomes : Student staff at the GGC Fitness Center will:
Demonstrate leadership skills in an ever-changing environment
Demonstrate teamwork skills in an ever-changing environment
Demonstrate good communication skills with a variety of people
Utilize good time management and planning skills

13. Fitness Center as Pilot
Definitions of terms in SLOs
Leadership: the ability to motivate people to work together to reach a common goal; to lead by example and with authority and respect
Teamwork: the ability to work together and compromise to reach a solution; being able to count on others to be responsible
Communication: the ability to convey your intentions and ideas effectively; being able to respectfully listen to others problems

14. Connection between IEE SLOs and Fitness SLOs
FC 1: Leadership
FC 2: Teamwork
FC 3: Communication
FC 4: Time Management
IEE 1: Communication √
IEE 2: Critical & Creative Thinking
IEE 3: Information Technology
IEE 4: Collaboration
IEE 5: Decision Making
IEE 6: Moral & Ethical Principles
IEE 7: Leadership Principles

15. Fitness Center Staff Performance Evaluation
Attitude Does this person enjoy their job, have fun, and work hard? Do people enjoy working with this person? Are they optimistic and happy? Do they gossip and create problems among co-workers? Punctuality Is this person on time for shifts, meetings, and other events? Attire Does this person wear the proper staff uniform? Concern for Cleanliness Does this person maintain a clean environment and complete the cleaning duties as assigned? Is every piece cleaned as well as it needs to be? Interaction with Participants Does this person make an effort to meet new people? Is customer service important to this employee? Does this person get along well with participants, while still enforcing rules?

16. Fitness Center Staff Performance Evaluation
Work Schedule Does this person work their shifts, or continually seek subs? Are they available to pick up shifts? Do they balance work, school, and personal life? Responsibility Do they do what they say they are going to do, when they say they are going to do it? Can you count on this person? Professionalism Are they respectful? Are they able to separate work and personal life? Do they behave in a mature and professional manner? Do they avoid profanity at work? Do they take pride in all they do? Are they accountable? How are his/her communication skills? Shift Presence Is this person aware of what is going on? Do they fulfill all work duties, and get the job done well? Do they make routine rounds of their assigned area? Do they avoid watching TV? Does their mind seem elsewhere?

17. Fitness Center Staff Performance Evaluation
Fitness Center Facility Rules Does this person abide by and enforce all Fitness Center rules, especially those concerning entrance requirements (IDs), attire, slamming dumbbells, towels, chewing gum, and power lifts? Concern for Safety (Fitness Attendant Specific) Does this person “spot” participants, correct participant’s form, pick-up idle weights, ensure proper spacing of benches, check equipment for malfunctions, settle disputes and care for any injuries? Exercise Knowledge (Fitness Attendant Specific) Does this person offer correct advice to participants? Does he/ she understand how to use all of the equipment/ machines? Does this person seek continuing education opportunities? Do they workout?

18. Connection between Fitness SLOs and Evaluation
Outcome 1: Leadership
Concern for Cleanliness, Responsibility, FC Rules
Outcome 2: Teamwork
Concern for Cleanliness, Work Schedule, Professionalism, FC Rules, Concern for Safety
Outcome 3: Communication
Attitude, Interaction with Participants, FC Rules, Concern for Safety
Outcome 4: Time Management
Punctuality, Work Schedule, Shift Presence

19. Pilot cycle findings & response
Target performance level: 75% of student employees meet expected criterion.
For 3 of 4 outcomes, this target was met.
For the remaining outcome (communication), 73% of student employees met the expected criterion
Response:
Initiated monthly student staff meetings with communication-focused professional development component.
Currently conducting evaluations for current year.

20. Beyond the Pilot Developing core set of outcomes for workers
Discussing common evaluation across areas
Discussing student’s path to & through employment to enhance occupational development / wellness
Committee Membership:
Institutional Effectiveness Educational Technology
Human Resources Library
Financial Aid Student Affairs