Assessing General Education Programs

GE Fall Retreat 2010Kathleen Thatcher

GE PROGRAMS

Common General Education Models:

1. Distribution model

2. Core Liberal Arts model

3. Individual Student Development model

4. Mixed models

TEACHING & LEARNING

Assessment: GE Programs

• Assessment is an ongoing process designed to monitor and improve student learning by identifying:– What is working well– What requires improvement or changes

*Assessment Vocabulary (pg. 13)*

Assessment: GE Programs

Assessment Steps

1. Develop learning outcomes

2. Check for alignment between curriculum and the outcomes

3. Develop an assessment plan

4. Collect assessment data

5. Use results to improve the program

6. Routinely examine the assessment process

Accreditation

GE Programs

What do we want our students to learn (pg 25 – 33)?

• Greater expectations

• Other recommendations

• Preparation for the workplace

GE MISSION, GOALS, AND OUTCOMES*

Mission

Goals

Outcomes*

A description of the overall vision or purpose of general education within the institution.

Broad statements about the types of learning that are fostered within a program, such as communication and problem-solving skills.

Associated with each goal, they describe, in behavioral terms, how students can demonstrate that each goal has been met.

*Sometimes called objectives

GE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Outcomes Associated with each goal, they describe, in behavioral terms, how students can demonstrate that each goal has been met.

Examples: • Organize information coherently (written communication)

• Identify a problem or argument (critical thinking/problem solving)

• Differentiate facts from opinions or emotional responses (critical thinking/problem solving)

GE LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Define clear and measureable learning outcomes

• Be sure your outcomes are clear and measureable

• Outcomes should be aligned with: • curriculum• courses• institution

GE LEARNING OUTCOMES

DEFINE CLEAR AND MEASUREABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Students will be able to synthesize information from different disciplines or perspectives to solve problems, gain new experiences, or create new things.

• Students will understand how concepts of sustainability are connected to issues of social justice, the environment, and the economy.

GE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Examples found on pages 39 – 81

Additional Outcomes Resources pages 82 – 90

Course GE Outcome 1 GE Outcome 2 GE Outcome 3

Freshmen Basic Skills Course 1 I

Freshmen Basic Skills Course 2 I

Freshmen Basic Skills Course 3 I

Freshmen Basic Skills Course 4Sophomore-Level courses D D D

Capstone/Upper Division Course(s) M M M

I=Introduce—outcomes are introduced at the basic level.D=Develop—students are given opportunities to practice , learn more about, and receive feedback to develop more sophistication.M=Mastery—students demonstrate mastery at a level appropriate for graduation.

ALIGNMENT MATRIX EXAMPLE

ALIGNMENT MATRIX EXAMPLE

Course GE Outcome 1 GE Outcome 2 GE Outcome 3 GE Outcome 4 GE Outcome 5A I, D I,DB D DC D ID D,M D,M M

I=Introduce—outcomes are introduced at the basic level.D=Develop—students are given opportunities to practice , learn more about, and receive feedback to develop more sophistication.M=Mastery—students demonstrate mastery at a level appropriate for graduation.

*See also: pages 101 – 120 for the Grading Alignment Matrix and additional alignment resources*

LEVELS OF GE ASSESSMENTCourse Level: • Places power in the hands of the faculty.• Strong potential for course improvement.• Leadership and coordination is critical to assure

valid and reliable data.

Program Level: • Identifies connections between courses.• Promote multi-disciplinary conversations.• Efficient and cost effective .

Institutional Level: • Most likely to results in campus-wide multi-

disciplinary conversations.• Valid and reliable data.• Central coordination is critical.• Closing the loop can be a challenge.

*More detailed information on pages 125 – 132.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES

• Validity

• Reliability

• Actionable Results

• Efficiency and Cost Effectiveness

• Engaging Procedures

*See pages 121 – 125 for more specific information regarding the above list.*

WARNING:

Don’t let this happen to you GE program!!!

ALIGNED OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT PLAN

1. Where are they learned? a) Which courses?

2. How are they learned?a) By what types of activities?

3. How are they being assessed? a) Which techniques?b) Frequency? (timeline)

4. How is the assessment data being used?a) Improvementb) Proving

GE ASSESSMENT PLAN

GEN. ED. ASSESSMENT PLAN:WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE?

HOW?

• How will the outcomes be assessed?

• Who will collect and analyze the data?

• Where and how data will be collected?

• When and how often each outcome will be assessed?

• Who will reflect on the results and close the loop, when needed, by implementing appropriate changes?

• How will results and implications be documented?

GE ASSESSMENT PLAN

• Multiple Measures Direct measures Indirect measures

• Data triangulationIf results are consistent across multiple measures, they triangulate.

• Helpful tips: It is not necessary to assess every outcome every year. Plans should be flexible. Use appropriate sample sizes: do not try and assess all

students.

GE DIRECT MEASURES

Assessment Technique Advantages Disadvantages

Standardized Tests(CAAP)

Professionally developed; reliable; valid; allow for comparison groups

Alignment with outcomes; Student/faculty motivation

Locally Developed Tests Alignment with outcomes; Authentic assessment

Reliability and validity; Lack norm groups

Embedded AssessmentAuthentic assessment;Performance assessment;Faculty/student motivation;Data collection is fair

Reliability and validity;Faculty must agree; Safeguards for faculty

PortfoliosStudent responsibility;Metacognition;Advising uses

Time intensive;Student motivation

Rubrics Learning criteria are clear;Valid, reliable, and actionable

Inter-rater reliability; Establishing standards;

Pages 146 - 179

GE INDIRECT MEASURES

Assessment Technique Advantages Disadvantages

Surveys(CCSSE, Course Evals)

Flexible; Efficient and cost effective

Response rate; Valid responses; Motivation issues

Interviews Flexible; Interaction/follow-up questions

Scheduling issues;Small sample size; Validity

Focus Groups Collect in-depth perspectives; Extremely time intensive; Validity

Student self-assessment

Students develop metacognitive skills

Data can be difficult to interpret

Pages 180 - 207

Three Helpful Questions

Is the assessment: 1. Meaningful?

2. Manageable?

3. Sustainable?