Liberal Arts DegreeDevelopment of Program Outcomes

and Assessment Methods

Flex workshop presented by Joanne Benschop,Articulation Officer

and member of Student Learning Outcomes & Assessment Committee (SLO AC)

August 13, 2012MiraCosta College

Seven Areas of EmphasisApplied Health,

Nutrition and Kinesiology

Arts and HumanitiesBusiness and

TechnologyCreative and Applied

ArtsMathematics and

Sciences

Multicultural Studies

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Accreditation TaskDevelop program

outcomes that are specific to each area of emphasis and connected to MiraCosta’s ILO and GE outcomes

Develop an assessment method that captures program completers

Develop Program Outcomes

Liberal Arts degree-60 units; 18 units in Area of Emphasis; 27-40 units of GE

Five Program outcomes connected to MiraCosta’s ILOs and GE outcomes-All Emphasis

Two outcomes for each Area of Emphasis

No outcome tied to a specific course

Determine Assessment Method

No capstone course

No common course in each area of emphasis

Most courses for this program derive from the general education patterns

Students report their perception of how well a given learning outcome has been achieved

Survey method was chosen as most expedient and practical

Considerations Indirect measure of learning outcome

Mapping Program Outcomes/Assessment (Survey) with MiraCosta ILO and GE Outcomes

Liberal Arts degree Program outcome- (All Emphasis)

ILO/GE outcome/assessment question

Critically analyzing information

Defining and solving problems

Learning independentlyWorking cooperatively

in a groupReading for academic

purposes

Critical ThinkingCritical

Thinking/Effective Communication

Productive Work HabitsGlobal Awareness and

Responsible Citizenship

Effective Communication

Arts and HumanitiesProgram Outcomes The program will develop creative critical thinking skills.

Students will develop oral and written skills to effectively communicate the relationship between the individual, society, and the arts.

Average score to Liberal Arts PSLO Student Survey GELO Questions(n= 52 graduates participated in this indirect assessment)Not at all sat-isfied

VerySatisfied

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Average score to Liberal Arts PSLO Student Survey Questions

(n= 52 graduates from 2011)

Are you satisfied that this program assisted you with developing skills to:

satisfactionscore

(4 pt scale)

Evaluating the Process- SLO AC CommitteeWinter 2012

Assessment Evaluation SLOAC DiscussionsProgram has now been

assessed two timesAssessment survey

delivered electronically to degree petitioners

Obtained approximately 30% response rate

Seek method for a higher response rate

Modify assessment to incorporate both direct and indirect data

Develop some open ended questions for direct feedback

Possibly use focus groups/ interviews for assessment method

Evaluation and Analysis-Action TakenModified Program Outcome for Spring 2012

Revised Program Outcome-One Outcome that pertains to all Areas of Emphasis

Consistent Mapping to GE outcomes

Liberal Arts degree-All Emphasis

This multidisciplinary approach enables students to develop communication, critical thinking and intellectual skills that effectively prepare them for lifelong learning and for advanced study in a wide range of majors at the university level.

Effective communication Critical Thinking Global Awareness and

responsible citizenship Information Literacy Productive Work habits

Evaluation and Analysis-Action TakenModified Assessment Method for Spring 2012

SLOAC partnered with the Office of Institutional Research

Revised questions for Survey

Developed open ended questions for Survey

Developed additional Focus Group assessment

Developed questions for the focus group that related to the PSLO, the GELO’s and the ILO's.

Developed rubric for responses

Worked with Admissions to contact all Liberal Arts degree petitioners

criti

cally

ana

lyze

info

defin

e & sol

ve p

robl

ems

lear

n in

depe

nden

tly

work

coop

erat

ively

be an

effec

tive co

mm

unicat

or1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Average score to Liberal Arts PSLO Student Survey Questions

May 2012 (n= 73 confirmed and unconfirmed

graduates/171 surveys sent out)

Are you satisfied that this program assisted you with developing skills to:

satisfactionscore

(4 pt scale)

Very satisfied

Not at all satisfied

Next Steps for SLO ACAction Plan

Evaluate latest Survey data; relate to prior resultsPotentially revise Survey questions, method and

timelineEvaluate Focus Group AssessmentPotentially revise Focus Group recruitment,

method and timeline Potentially add Student Services assessment

component to Liberal Arts surveyPotentially survey all Program completers (topic

for future discussion with all departments offering AAs)