Student Learning Outcomes: Institution to Course

Candace TimpteJuliana Lancaster

Georgia Gwinnett College

• 4-year, State College in the University System of Georgia

• Authorized by GA Legislature in May 2005• President hired in September 2005• Campus opened with 118 students and 10

faculty in August 2006• Home of the Grizzlies!

Origins

• Students:– Fall 2006 Enrollment: 118– Fall 2007 Enrollment: 787– Fall 2010 Enrollment: 5380

• Faculty– Fall 2006 Total: 11 – all FT– Fall 2010 Total: 333 (196FT; 137PT)

• Degree Programs– Fall 2006: BBA Business; BS Biology, Psychology– Fall 2007: BBA Business; BS Biology, Psychology, Information

Technology– Fall 2010: BBA Business; BS Biology, Psychology, Information

Technology, Mathematics; BA English, History, Political Science; BSEd: Early Childhood Ed, Special Ed

Current Status

Advantages of starting from scratch Strong executive level support for and understanding of IE Limited number of programs and offices at start-up Absence of legacy or standing processes and structures

Disadvantages to starting from scratch Absence of legacy or standing processes and structures Each individual brings a different set of assumptions and

expectations Rapid growth and hiring leads to continuous need for

explanation/education

Institutional EffectivenessStarting Conditions

• In order to get “…ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes…[SACS]” for we needed:– Structure and resources – Broad buy-in, consensus and agreement

• Working “ground rules”– Institution-wide and pervasive– Integrated with institution’s mission & strategic plan– Faculty/staff participation and basic control– Interdisciplinary and developmental assessment of student

learning

Institutional Effectiveness Initial Design (2006-07)

• Program level student learning outcomes and assessment plans• General Education curriculum designed around learning outcomes• Agreement to develop and assess for institutional learning outcomes• Agreement to integrate curricular and co-curricular learning efforts

• Leading to: Integrated Educational Experience (IEE) Student Learning Outcome Goals for GGC

Institutional Effectiveness Initial Design (2007-07)

Integrated Educational Experience SLO Goals

Institutional Goals

Program of Study Goals

Course Goals

Lesson Objectives

Student Affairs Goals

Student Affairs Activity Goals

Conceptual Relationships Among Outcome Goals and Objectives

Institutional Effectiveness Continuing Design

Our Terminology

Lesson Objectives

• Define learning expectations for each unit in the course.

• Each course has defined LO shared among all sections.

• LOs ‘standardize’ multiple section courses• Students use LO as a study guide.

Course Goals

• Defined as the critical educational components of the course– “At the end of this course, you will be able to…”

• Content related goals• Skill related goals• Higher-order goals• All must be assessable!

Course Goals

• At GGC, listed as course description in course catalog.

• Faculty determined.• All faculty teaching a course must buy-in

to teaching these CG.• Living list, revise as needed.

Program Outcome Goals

• Hallmarks of student achievement in a program of study.

• Tripartite: content, skills, higher order goals• Majors with tracks have common POG +

track specific POG.– Biology tracks in Biochemistry, General Biology

and Secondary education– Share 6 general POG + 3 track specific POG

Integrated Educational Experience (IEE) Student

Learning Outcomes

• State the overarching knowledge, skills and attitudes that all GGC students are expected to achieve– In other words, the outcomes that the College

as a whole endeavors to develop in graduates– In SACS terms: “College level Competencies”

Our IEE Outcomes

1. Clearly communicate ideas in written and oral form2. Demonstrate creativity and critical thinking in inter- and

multidisciplinary contexts3. Demonstrate effective use of information technology4. Demonstrate an understanding of diversity and global

perspectives leading to collaboration in diverse and global contexts

5. Demonstrate an understanding of human and institutional decision making from multiple perspectives

6. Demonstrate an understanding of moral and ethical principles7. Demonstrate and apply leadership principles8. Demonstrate effective quantitative reasoning

Building the Connections

Mapping outcomes across levels creates a coherent educational plan

• Course Goals to Program Goals• Program Goals to IEE Goals• Not all major-specific courses and not all

program goals will map to an IEE• Some IEE Goals satisfied by General

Education Courses

Exercise 1

• Take 5 minutes to think of a course you have taught and the program it was part of– List your learning goals for the course– Match them to the learning outcomes for the

program• Share with two people near you.

6. Know the structures and functions of biomolecules (DNA, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates).

1. Describe the structure, function, and metabolism of macromolecules.

6. Apply Biological knowledge to real world problems.

4. Describe the molecular mechanisms that regulate gene expression from DNA to RNA to protein.

Common BiologyProgram Goal

Biol1107 Course Goals

Exercise 2

• Take five minutes and think now about the program outcomes you used in Exercise 1– Which of your institution’s overall learning

outcomes would those program outcomes support?

– Map your program outcomes to institutional outcomes

• Share

Map to IEE GoalsIEE 2: Demonstrate creativity and critical thinking in inter- and multi-disciplinary contexts.

6. Know the structures and functions of biomolecules (DNA, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates).

1. Describe the structure, function, and metabolism of macromolecules.

6. Apply Biological knowledge to real world problems.

4. Describe the molecular mechanisms that regulate gene expression from DNA to RNA to protein.

Gathering and Aggregating Data

Course Assessment Report

• Summary: overall grades, number of students and sections

• Highlights: teaching or activity highlights• Assessments:

– % achieved a C or better on assessment exercises

– % of total points earned • Action plans: what didn’t work, what needs

improvement, equipment or supplies

Course Assessment Report

• Every semester, every course• Multi-section courses pooled• Standardized format essential

– Courses used by several programs• Pass off to next instructor, alerts them to

quirks of course• Use to support requests for equipment,

infrastructure, improve program

Program Assessment Report

• Annually compile all course reports• Are students meeting Program Outcome

Goals?• What are faculty doing to enhance

learning?• What needs are apparent?

Program Assessment Report

Institutional ReportMeasures Program or Unit Outcomes:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

COMMON

1 Met

2 Met

3 Met

4 Met

5 Met

6 Met

7 Met

8 Met

Gen Bio

1 Met Met Met

2 Met

3

4 Met

5 Met

Cell Bio

1 Met Met

2 Met Met

3

4 UM

5 Not Met

Summary Judgment

Met Met Met Met Met Met Met Met Met

Institutional ReportPrg/Unit Outcomes

IEE Goals

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 Met

2 Met

3 Met

4 Met Met

5 Met

6 Met

7GB Met Met

8GB

9GB Met Met Met Met Met

7CB Met Met

8CB Met Met Met Met

9CB Met Met Met Met Met

Summary Judgment

Met Met Met Met Met Met

Institutional ReportIEE Goals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Program / Unit

Business

Biology

Information Tech

Psychology

SS Math

SS English

SS Reading

SS EAP

Advantages:

• Students have a defined list of educational accomplishments for each course, program and general education plan

• Coordinated content – multi-section courses– semester to semester with different faculty

• Pass-off courses more informative• Faculty goal: educating students!• Supports formative evaluation of

INSTITUTIONAL effectiveness

Pitfalls:

• Faculty view assessment as indicator of their teaching– Inflated assessment scores– 100% success in all areas is not informative

• Standardized format critical• Timely submission• Assessment format

– Standardized or faculty optional? Theme coursesFaculty Buy-in