Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: An Update

Board of Higher Education — March 21, 2017

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Learning

Outcomes

Assessment

matters to…

Students Faculty

State Government /

BHE

Taxpayers

Federal Government /

Accreditors

Employers

Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Update

Why Assess Learning Outcomes?

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BHE Goals for 2016–17

1. Fostering a more integrated system of

public higher education capable of responding

to local & statewide needs

2. Elevating performance of public higher education

3. Developing better integration with P–12 &

workforce sectors

4. Enhancing appreciation of higher education as a

central asset & competitive advantage for state

5. Incubating innovation to ensure higher quality,

better access, more affordability & alignment to

needs of learners throughout life

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Major Milestones to Date

FY2010:

DHE develops

Vision Project

including

Student

Learning focus

January 2013:

Task Force

begins MA

assessment

pilot

April 2011–

present:

Amcoa Team

develops &

strengthens

campus-level

assessment

• Funded by Davis

Educational

Foundation thru

FY2013, then

by campuses

March 2012: AAC&U accepts MA proposal for

multi-state assessment model (MSC)

December 2012: MSC launches (9 states)

• Led by AAC&U & SHEEO, funded by Gates

January 2014: MSC begins piloting MA model

FY2015: MSC “Pilot Year” (9 states)

• Report released September 2015

FY2016: MSC “Demonstration Year” (12 states)

• Report released February 2017

FY2017: MSC “Refinement Year” (13 states)

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From Campus to State to National Level of Assessment

Amcoa

Team

Task Force on

Statewide

Assessment

Multi-State

Collaborative

(MSC)

CAMPUS LEVEL STATE LEVEL NATIONAL LEVEL

Advances assessment of

student learning on

public campuses;

strengthens campus

assessment capabilities

Provides broad

oversight for statewide

assessment in

Massachusetts

A steering committee

represents Massachusetts

in Multi-State

Collaborative

to develop multi-state

program of assessment

Need to

build upon

campus-level

assessment

Need for

common

framework &

inclusive, shared

leadership

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Scoring of authentic student work

by faculty peers Tool: LEAP VALUE Rubrics from Association of

American Colleges & Universities

Assessing essential learning outcomes

that all students need for success in

work, citizenship, and life Critical & Creative Thinking

Quantitative Literacy

Written & Oral Communication


Common Framework

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Culture change across campuses

Building collaboration and equity

Minimizing duplication of effort

Supporting accreditation processes

Advancing institutional effectiveness

Co-creating knowledge


Achievements to Date

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Integration with MassTransfer

English

Sociology

Still to be

initiated for

Spring 2017:

Psychology

In Progress:

Chemistry

(Organic)

History

Political

Science

Faculty

Review:

Biology

Chemistry

(General)

Economics

Completed:

Faculty developing

shared learning outcomes

for MassTransfer “A2B

Mapped” disciplines

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13 States as of 2016-17Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia


Multi-State Collaborative

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2015-16 Demonstration YearFaculty scored 840 pieces of work from students who had completed 45+ credit hours at 2-year institutions;

2,056 pieces of work from students who had completed 90+ credit hours at 4-year institutions


Multi-State Collaborative Sample Results

Distribution of Scores in

“Evidence” Dimension of

Critical Thinking Outcome

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Future Goals

• Institutional /

program / course

learning outcomes

• Institutionalized

assessment practices

• Faculty professional

development

• Institutional

effectiveness (e.g.,

accreditation)

• Statewide data

release

• Integration with new

Performance

Measurement System

• Continued

MassTransfer

Pathways integration

• Regional professional

development

• Development of

information resource

hub

• Expansion of Multi-

State Collaborative

Discussion