How Do We Know What’s Working?

A Guided Dialogue on SLOs and Assessment

Lesley Kawaguchi Santa Monica CollegeChair, Committee on Student Learning Outcomes and Accreditation

Bob Pacheco Barstow College Member, Committee on Student Learning Outcomes and Accreditation

How Do We Know What’s Working?

A Guided Dialogue on SLOs and Assessment

The regional SLO Coordinator meetings in Spring 2008 gave us some rich information about current practices at California community colleges. Survey results have provided some common themes across the state. Faculty leaders play a critical role in empowering SLO Coordinators. Come learn what other colleges are doing and join the dialogue. If SLOs work, what does it look like in a classroom, in programs and departments, and at the college level. Come help us move to the next level.

Outcomes For Today• Report Some Preliminary Findings of What’s

Working in Student Learning Outcomes Assessment According to Those at the Heart of the Field.

• Dialogue about 1) the Successes and Setbacks of the Movement; 2) Concerns for Practice; and 3) the Role of Faculty Leaders.

• Examine Some New Directions.

Background of the StudyWhen?

Who Came?

• Spring 2008, 4 Regional Meetings • Northern and Southern California • SLO Coordinators, Committee

Members and Administrators

• 142 attended, 83 institutions represented• 53 institutions responded (64%)

How? • Survey questions (quantitative)• Opened Ended (qualitative)

Some Developing Themes

Increased Dialogue

Intradepartmental

Interdisciplinary

Cross- Campus

Pedagogy

Expectations+

CriteriaArticulation

Pre-Reqs

Student Services

Quality of Student

Experience

Some Developing Themes

Faculty Senate

Leadership

Generate Momentum

Curriculum Connection

Provide Direction and Leadership

Equity in Educational Outcomes

Some Developing Themes

Institutional Level

GEOs, ISLOs Core Competencies

Institutional Direction

Shared Responsibility

Institutional Purpose

Program ReviewStrategic

PlanningAccreditation

Some Developing Themes

Assessment Process

SLO’s IdentifiedHow to Get It

Done?

Individualized

Connection to Research

Training

Experts

Resistance

EmbeddedCommunication

Disconnect

Data

Some Developing Themes

Work LoadDemands

SLOACs

SLO Coordinator

Completion of the Cycle

Role and Authority

Some Developing Themes

Systematize the Process

Predictable and Reliable ;

No Regular Assessment

Adjunct Instructors

Common Use of Terms

Connection to BSI, Grants and Other

ProgramsNot

Institutionalized

System for Collecting, Storing and Reporting Data?

What Kind of System?

Dialogue

What Can Faculty Leaders Do to Help?

Conduct trainings that are thorough, broad scoped and institutionally and culturally appropriate

Encourage dialogue and program changes that faculty led;

Lead by example; model effective practices; Be open-minded

Implement valid and reliable assessment methods

Demonstrate concern over budget and workload demands

Focus on assessment that improves education

Source: Janet Fulks http://online.bakersfieldcollege.edu/courseassessment/Section_8_Implementation/Section8_1.htm

Next Steps for the Study