Transcript Slide 1

General Education Student
Learning Assessment
Data
Analysis
GEO Training Series: 3 of 5
Spring 2012
February 13, 2012
INTERPRET RESULTS
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Use the resulting Institutional Planning and
Research Raw Data Report to further analyze
the student learning data.
Ask whether the scores achieved on the
General Education Outcome assessment
captured your students/program graduates’
knowledge/skill level.
If the scores match your expectation, explain
why.
If they don’t align with expectations, determine
the factors that impacted the results.
Ask yourself and your team…
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What are the implications of the research
studies?
What are the most significant findings?
What are the most significant changes
made?
How have we communicated the results?
Were there any experimental errors?
Were there any limitations or biases?
More Questions to Consider
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How may those factors be minimized or
eliminated to help improve student learning?
Focus on each learning outcome and
Standard.
Look for ways to make the data meaningful.
Look for answers to your assessment team’s
key questions posed about student learning.
Think about what the assessment data means
and identify suggestions for improving student
learning.
More Data Interpretation
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The Evaluation Team reviews the IPR generated
Data Report and may ask for further quantitative
analysis:
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Based on CRN: Modality, special term, previous credit
completed at CAC, prerequisite completed at CAC with
grade of “C” or higher, or other pertinent data.
CAC uses only whole number scores on the Raw Data
Submission form, however the Assessment Team may
wish to chart incremental student progress toward a GEO
competency, i.e. the percentage of students at “1.8” and
nearing competency of “2.”
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Your team may track incremental improvement over
time, i.e. pre- to post-test improvements or review
previous benchmark data to gauge improvement
over a longer period of time based on the quality
improvement measures implemented.
Consider
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Focusing on the aggregated, institutional student
seeking a degree or AGEC certificate provide an
honest and accurate look at where institutionally
our aggregated students:
1. fully meet our learning expectations (“2”)
2. need improvement, and
3. need strategies to help students learn better.
The professional judgment of faculty is essential to
interpreting the data.
There is no “right” answer.
All faculty should participate in the data
interpretation about student learning and determine
whether students have satisfactorily demonstrated
the GEO knowledge/skills/values.
Qualitative Data Questions
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Determine which factors may have contributed
to the findings or results you reported.
Provide a brief discussion of components of
the course/program which led to student
strengths or to student challenges in learning.
Were there pockets of students who seemed
more challenged?
What specific shared characteristics may have
contributed to this?
What does the data tell you about student
learning in this course/program?
More Qualitative Questions
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You may discuss a recent course change that
you believe helped to improve student learning
related to the GEO.
You may focus on aspects of the course which
are particularly strong and should be
highlighted.
You might also believe that the assessment
measure(s) and instrument(s) used were wellsuited to the GEO and provide high-quality
information.
Qualitative Data (Continued)
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Conversely, if you are dissatisfied with the
data results, i.e. the data seems disconnected
to accepted, standardized instructional
methods and support structures, explain that
weakness and provide a process solution.
Perhaps the performance criteria did not really
capture your students’ knowledge/skill.
Are there foundational concepts or theories
that students did not adequately apply near
the end of the course? If so, at what point in
the curriculum could that content have been
more strongly emphasized?
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Was a standardized test used as one of your
measures not sufficiently related to your
curriculum/MSLOs?
Was the rubric set at an unrealistically high
level?
Program faculty, as the experts on the
curriculum, are the best suited to judge why
student learning for the outcome did not meet
expectations.
Act on Results
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How will program faculty use the assessment results?
After the Evaluation Team reviews the assessment data
and identifies likely factors that led to the observed
results, this information should be used to make
curriculum assessment, or other program-related
decisions aimed at the improvement of student learning.
Share your results at Open Forums, with Divisions, and
others; discuss your suggestions for improvement and
solicit their ideas too.
Jointly, determine the changes to be implemented
during the coming year to improve student learning and
provide a rationale for those changes. If these changes
require budgetary restructuring, state those
requirements.
Action Steps
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If the assessment data indicates that course
completers possess the GEO
knowledge/skill/value expected, program faculty
may determine that they have nonetheless
identified opportunities for improvement in course
content, instructional methods, assessment
processes, or other program components that will
be implemented during the next assessment
cycle.
Or they may conclude that the target number of
students have achieved competency and no
further action is needed at this time. At that point,
they may decide to focus on a new assessment
area such as creation of a capstone course.
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If the data indicate that course completers do
not possess the knowledge/skills/values of
the GEO, program faculty should examine
the factors they believe contributed to this
result and identify any corrective measures
to be taken.
Finalize and Plan
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Additional course content; revise MSLOs
Addition of tutorials, assignments, or other
learning activities designed to reinforce learning
Change the course sequence, prerequisite,
and/or better align the program curriculum
Require more time on task or more feedback to
students
Others, as identified by the program faculty
Identify Best Improvement
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Include in your meeting minutes:
all changes implemented
the rational for implementing them
team’s expectations of improved student
learning as a result of this change
Timeline and specifics for implementing the
change in the curriculum
Submit Final Report by the due date to SLA
Director.
Use Excel to mine your data
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Help is available:
Beverly Demaline – overall statistics
Mary Menzel-Germanson – Excel and GEOrelated statistics
Bill Brown/Rachel/Gina – IPR: submit form to
request additional data mining:
Align to student ID number, credits
completed, previous course(s) completed
with “C” or better; overall course retention
rate; compare to Fact Book data…
Thank you!
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Questions? Contact:
Mary Menzel-Germanson
[email protected]
(520) 494-5215
Myna Frestedt
[email protected] (520) 494-5593
Jennie Lee Voyce
[email protected] (520) 494-5591