1. SLO’s and Assessment: Simple, Quick, and Meaningful Julian Kearns SLO/PLO Liaison Gavilan College

2. Why we write and assess SLO’s There are two main reasons: 1)For instructional improvement. We want to be the best instructors we can be, and the assessment process allows us to incorporate data into our efforts. 2) Assessment of SLO’s is required for accreditation. 2) Assessment of SLO’s is required for accreditation. “In God we trust; all others bring data.” –W.E. Deming

3. 6 Steps in the Assessment Process 1.Define learning outcomes 2.Check for alignment between curriculum and outcomes 3.Develop a meaningful, manageable, and sustainable assessment plan 4.Assess the outcomes; collect and record assessment data 5.Close the loop –collective reflection and action 6.Routinely examine the assessment process

4. 1. Define learning outcomes 1.Identify the most important concepts in your course 2.Write the SLO’s so that they can be “assessed” a)Make SLO’s clear and measurable b)Use Bloom’s taxonomy verbs (see handout) c)As you write the SLO’s, consider your assessment strategy –i.e. how you will determine if students have met the outcome

5. Examples of SLO’s Poorly written SLO:Poorly written SLO: “Upon completion of this course, students should understand the supply and demand model.” Well written SLO: “Upon completion of this course, students should be able to use the supply and demand model to predict changes in market outcomes.”

6. 2. Check for alignment between curriculum and outcomes Just make sure that the outcomes are reasonable based on the course contentJust make sure that the outcomes are reasonable based on the course content

7. 3. Develop a meaningful, manageable, and sustainable assessment plan The expert (instructor) decides how best to assess whether the SLO has been “attained”The expert (instructor) decides how best to assess whether the SLO has been “attained” The assessment must be based on student performance, i.e. not simply the instructor’s “feeling” about student learningThe assessment must be based on student performance, i.e. not simply the instructor’s “feeling” about student learning Subjective assessments are fineSubjective assessments are fine Courses must be assessed every 5 yearsCourses must be assessed every 5 years Roughly 3 outcomes must be assessed per courseRoughly 3 outcomes must be assessed per course

8. 4. Collect and Record Assessment Data Calculate the percent of students who met the outcome, and record the data on the SLO assessment reporting site (on the intranet)Calculate the percent of students who met the outcome, and record the data on the SLO assessment reporting site (on the intranet) To locate the SLO assessment reporting site, log in to your MyGav account, then enter the following in your browser:To locate the SLO assessment reporting site, log in to your MyGav account, then enter the following in your browser: https://mail1.gavilan.edu/slo/relay.php?mode=course Otherwise, just go to the intranet and click the link near the top of the middle columnOtherwise, just go to the intranet and click the link near the top of the middle column

9. 5. Close the loop –collective reflection and action The whole point of the assessment process is to improve instructionThe whole point of the assessment process is to improve instruction What does the data you gathered reveal?What does the data you gathered reveal? If students met the outcome at an acceptable rate, maybe no changes are necessaryIf students met the outcome at an acceptable rate, maybe no changes are necessary If fewer students met the outcome than you hoped, is there anything you can do to improve your pedagogy?If fewer students met the outcome than you hoped, is there anything you can do to improve your pedagogy? Briefly summarize how (and if) you will use the data in the “use of results” cell on the assessment reporting siteBriefly summarize how (and if) you will use the data in the “use of results” cell on the assessment reporting site

10. 6. Routinely examine the assessment process Do the SLO’s for your course still reflect what you think are the most important concepts?Do the SLO’s for your course still reflect what you think are the most important concepts? Do your assessment techniques optimally measure student attainment of the outcomes?Do your assessment techniques optimally measure student attainment of the outcomes?

11. Questions/comments For more assistance or if you have any questions, please contact me:For more assistance or if you have any questions, please contact me: Julian Kearns SLO/PLO Liaison jkearns@gavilan.edu 408-852-2868