1. 0 Examples of Self Assessment Tools Used in the College of Engineering Vern Johnson Measuring Success: Taking Responsibility for learning at the University of Arizona Tucson, AZ March 27-28, 2002

2. 1 Tools faculty can use to help students learn to assess progress General tools: Journals, portfolios, resumes, T charts, progress reports, learning style indicators, Perry intellectual maturity, PI chart of career attributes, etc. Specific tools to match the learning needs of the chosen career: Conflict management, team development, team member participation, career assessment, etc. Learning plan Personal purpose and values Intellectual vitality mentor Learning activities Progress assess- ment Competencies and gaps

3. 2 Journals are repositories of ideas:  personal statements of purpose, values, learning plans and aspirations  assessment results and windows of opportunity  personal analysis of the highlights of what is being learned  possible applications of what has been learned  exciting, meaningful, unusual or worthwhile ideas, concepts, understandings, quotations, applications, etc., experienced during the learning process Peter Drucker has found that those who keep journals of what they expect to accomplish, and then assess their accomplishments, are usually vastly surprised by their hidden talents.

4. 3 A portfolio is a set of evidences that growth is taking place Artifacts collected in a portfolio may include papers written, projects completed, design work, or any other products of student learning. The theory behind portfolios is that examining learning outcomes over a period of time provides a holistic assessment that demonstrates progress. Portfolios showcase abilities. Rather than saying, “I have a specific skill,” and hoping a prospective client/employer is impressed, students can demonstrate their use of the skill based on evidences contained in their portfolios.

5. 4 Resumes help students celebrate the competencies they develop Resumes list a student's knowledge and skills in terms that are related to prospective client/employer needs. Prospective employers are interested in the GPA, specialized courses and options, pre-career experiences, and experiences that demonstrate leadership, ability, and commitment. In addition, they look for maturity, initiative, enthusiasm, poise, appearance, and the ability to work on teams. The source of resume information can be the journal, the portfolio, and the mentor.

6. 5 T charts - also known as a (+/  ) evaluation After a learning activity has been completed students can reflect on what happened and try to learn from the experience. Charting should continue until the activity slows down. + What went well? What should be expanded?  What didn’t go so well? What should be changed or dropped?

7. 6 Progress reports (for mentor reports or journals) Highlights (+) Statements of what went well over the last period. Lowlights (  ) Statements of what didn't go well and changes that need to be made in the approach used. Issues Barriers that exceed the person’s ability or resources (assistance is needed). Plans Activities that will receive focus during the next period.

8. 7 Learning style indicators u Myers-Briggs Type Indicator See Keirsey Character and Temperament Sorter on the web: –http://www.keirsey.com u Kolb Learning Style Indicator See simplified version used in freshman engineering. u Richard Felder’s work –http://www.ncsu.edu/effective_teaching/ILSpage.html (learning styles) u Etc. (See attachment pages 4 - 5)

9. 8 Perry intellectual maturity During the ’50s William Perry at Harvard outlined levels of intellectual maturity that range from beginning student to mature independent learner. The advantage of students knowing their Perry levels is that they can then determine what to do to develop to the next higher level with the goal of becoming an independent learner. Dary Erwin, Professor of Psychology, James Madison University has developed a Scale of Intellectual Development questionnaire to measure the Perry levels. For a list of the questions visit the Virginia Military Academy web site. Attached is a simple self-assessment questionnaire. (See attachment page 6) (See attachment page 6)

10. 9 P-I chart of career attributes u An instrument used to help students identify needed knowledge, skill, and attitude attributes and assess performance and relative importance. u Helps students identify competencies and a window of opportunity for improvement (gaps). (See Assessing career gaps and competencies on pages 7-9)See Assessing career gaps and competencies on pages 7-9)

11. 10 Conflict management styles u Every student interacts with others. This instrument helps students assess the style they generally use to manage the conflicts that will occur during these interactions. u Students can change styles to optimize team productivity and morale. (See Conflict Management Questionnaire on pages 10 - 11)

12. 11 Reaching consensus These are actually tools used for group assessment; however, with minor adjustment they can be used by individual students to clarify thinking in situations where there are multiple choices to be assessed. u Straw voting u Nominal group technique u Decision matrix u Modified decision matrix (See Reaching Consensus on pages 12 - 13)

13. 12 Kolbe’s index for synergistic team membership The Kolbe A Index is an instrument that measures conation (what a person will or will not do given the freedom to act). This index is valuable method for putting together synergistic teams. Experience has demonstrated the benefits of assigning students to teams based on their conative talents (Commercial version ($50) available at: http://www.kolbe.com/homeFrame.cfm) http://www.kolbe.com/homeFrame.cfm

14. 13 Level of team development Teams develop through 4 stages as they mature: u Forming u Storming u Norming u Performing Students assess the level of development demonstrated by their teams to determine needed development activities. (See Team Development Questionnaire on pages 14 - 16)

15. 14 Team member participation Performance Feedback Form Date ______________ Name of Team Member being evaluated ______________________________________ Evaluator’s name ___________________________ Statement of assignment. (Team Member being evaluated provides a brief description of his/her team duties) Statement of evaluation. (Evaluator provides a brief summary of his/her perspective of the level of success this person has demonstrated while fulfilling job duties. For example: To what level was this person a team player? What was the level of quality and continuous improvement? What was the contribution to the team? Did this person’s skills and his/her commitment to the team’s purpose, performance goals, and approach meet the team’s needs? Specific results are requested. List areas of development that will assist this person in making continuous improvement. Individuals assess their performance on a team with input from their peers. (see forms on pages 17 - 20)

16. 15 “Career assessment” and “understanding star performers” u Expert opinion is used to develop statements that describe optimum performance. u Students/professionals score themselves against these definitions. The advantage of this type of instrument is that the person learns about the performance that experts value. (See Personal Career Assessment and Understanding Star Performers QuestionnairesPersonal Career Assessment Understanding Star Performers on pages 21 - 24)

17. 16 Making one’s own assessment instruments Assessment tools measure some attribute of the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by a vital professional in the career field of the student. Four approaches to creating assessment instruments are: u Create rubrics to describe each developmental level of an attribute and ask students to indicate which best describes their abilities. u Define the characteristics of the various developmental levels of the attribute and write numerous short descriptions describing each. Create a list and have students rate the descriptions so as to best describe themselves, or list the statements two or three at a time and have the students choose which best describes them. Score the results. u Use expert opinion of the attributes needed in an academic field. u Use assessment instruments from the literature, consulting firms, and the internet.

18. 17 Strategies for faculty u Help students understand why they should commit to personal learning plans. u Help students develop learning plans. u Teach assessment skills. u Use assessment instruments with students. u Mentor students majoring in your field.