Transcript Slide 1

Implementing a Student
Employee Learning Outcomes
plan (SELO)
Marianna Savoca, Director
Urszula Zalewski, Sr. Career Associate
Career Center, Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University Career Center
Session Goals
As a result of this program, participants will know:
• How to begin developing your assessment plan
• How to write basic learning outcomes for student
employees & assess them
• Ways to use the results
Stony Brook University Career Center
Why assessment?
Assessment –
“Any effort to gather, analyze, and interpret evidence
which describes institutional, departmental, divisional, or
agency effectiveness.” (Schuh & Upcraft, 2001)
Benefits • Proves that our programs accomplish what we intend
• Or NOT - allows us to drop / change things that don’t
work
• Naturally creates more intentionality in planning
• Meet accreditation or other standards
• Ties to university outcomes
Stony Brook University Career Center
Assessment is cyclical
Outcomes
Intervention
- Practice
- Program
- Training
Assessment
Intervention
- Practice
- Program
- Training
Assessment
Outcomes
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Why learning?
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Accountability
Alignment with academic mission
Consistent with language of the Academy
Quality improvement
Better defined and more effective planning and
strategy development
Stony Brook University Career Center
Why SELO?
SA/ERM values learning
“Learning happens always & everywhere” (Keeling)
• Para-professional development already taking place
(eg. Resident Assistants, Career Counseling Interns)
As a division…
• Can we be more intentional about SE learning?
• Can we impact student learning through work?
Stony Brook University Career Center
Why SELO?
Student Employment
Stony Brook University Career Center
How SELO?
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Discovery process – survey of research
Enlisted an expert – Keeling & Associates
Sought good models – University of Rhode Island
Selected knowledge domains that are
• industry standards (AAC&U)
• tailored to Stony Brook
Stony Brook University Career Center
Knowledge Domains
THE ESSENTIAL LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Liberal Education & America’s Promise, AAC&U 2007
• Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and
natural world
• Intellectual & practical skills
• Personal & social responsibility
• Integrative learning
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Theory-based
AAC&U
knowledge
domains
Desired
SELO
Supporting
theories
“Outcomes usually identify growth in some dimension of
knowing, being or doing.”
Susan Komives & Sarah Schoper, “Developing Learning Outcomes,”
Learning Reconsidered 2 (2006)
Stony Brook University Career Center
Defining Outcomes
KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN: Intellectual & Practical Skills
OUTCOME: The student employee will be able to gather,
evaluate, and apply information to solve work related
problems.
OBSERVABLE BEHAVIORS:
• Anticipates needs & takes appropriate action to gather
information.
• Seeks information from various sources.
• Responds to inquiries with multiple resources.
Stony Brook University Career Center
Defining Outcomes
KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN: Intellectual & Practical Skills
OUTCOME: The student employee demonstrates an
ability to work collaboratively with others.
OBSERVABLE BEHAVIORS:
• Demonstrates skill for appropriately expressing
thoughts and emotions.
• Takes initiative to reach out to new team members.
• Demonstrates ability to confront others and resolve
disagreements.
Stony Brook University Career Center
Implementation
Career Center Internship Program (N=19)
Four Teams
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Marketing & Communications
Career Counseling
Employer Relations/Human Resources
Tech Team
Stony Brook University Career Center
SELO in Action
OUTCOME: The student
employee is able to gather,
evaluate, and apply information
to solve work-related problems.
OUTCOME: The student
employee demonstrates an
ability to work collaboratively
with others.
Student Statement:
“I try to research all the time from
various sources.”
Student Statement:
“I’m always welcoming and
helpful.”
Supervisor Statement:
“When it comes to providing various
resources, John often refers only to
some resources, but not all. This has
more to do with him becoming more
familiar with multiple resources.”
Supervisor Statement:
“Hasn’t exercised this ability.
Jennifer is still learning how to
reach out to others.”
Stony Brook University Career Center
SELO in Action
BEHAVIOR: Demonstrates skill
for appropriately expressing
thoughts & emotions.
BEHAVIOR: Demonstrates skill
for appropriately expressing
thoughts & emotions.
Student Statement:
Student Statement:
“I have difficulties with expressing my
thoughts with people that I don't know
well.”
“Over the past year I feel I have improved
immensely on my overall expression of
thoughts and emotions.”
Supervisor Statement:
Supervisor Statement:
“Karen understands the importance
of expressing her emotions
appropriately. She's learning to do
this more regularly.
“Daphney needs to learn how to articulate
her thoughts & emotions in a professional
environment. She has a not-enthusiastic
approach that makes other students and
staff uncomfortable.”
Stony Brook University Career Center
Results – SELO 1
OBSERVABLE BEHAVIOR: The student employee is able to gather, evaluate, and apply
information to solve work related problems
March '09 Student Employee Assessment
May '09 Student Employee Assessment
10
12 12
10
12
10
9
8
8
7
6 6
6
LO #6
4
LO #7
1 1
2
0 0
Student Emplyee
Student Emplyees
9
10
8
6
5
LO #6
4
LO #7
3
2
1
1
0
3
2
1
Assessment Outcomes
N/A
0
0
0
0
3
2
1
Assessment Outcomes
#6: Seeks information from various sources
#7: Demonstrates ability to respond to inquiries with multiple resources
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N/A
Results – SELO 2
OBSERVABLE BEHAVIOR: The student employee demonstrates an ability to work
collaboratively with others.
March '09 Student Employee Assessment
May '09 Student Emplyee Assessment
12
15
16
9
LO #1
8
6
LO #2
6
4
3
3
1
2
9
10
11
12
2 2
2
3
LO #4
Student Employees
Student Employees
14
10
11
12
8
8
7
LO #1
5
6
LO #2
3
4
2
2
0 0 0
0
0
0
0
3
2
1
Assessment Outcomes
N/A
3
2
1
Assessment Outcomes
#1: Demonstrates skill for appropriately expressing thoughts and emotions
#2: Takes initiatives to reach out to new team members
#4: Ability to confront others and resolve disagreements
Stony Brook University Career Center
N/A
LO #4
What WE Learned
Students DID LEARN and DID IMPROVE!
• Captured through self report & observable behavior
However…
• Timeframe too small
• Tension between assessment & evaluation
• Ambition!
• Differentiation – interns v. employees
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Divisional experiences
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Starting small is good for all
Being intentional about learning isn’t difficult
Many of us shared similar AHA moments!
Brought staffs of different offices together around a
common effort (dare I say “building community?”)
• Moving towards a culture of assessment in
everything we do!
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Beyond campus…
“I just wanted to take this time to tell you how much I miss the career
center, but more importantly how much it has helped me in my
professional development….I started my internship in Manhattan at a
online marketing firm. Within the first couple of hours I was asked to
research websites, find out how many users are on certain websites,
express my thoughts in meetings, and evaluate given projects to see
the best way of completing them. Due to the same experiences I had
at the career center, I was able to handle all my tasks efficiently and
before the expected deadline. The career center has taught me how
to react to given tasks almost like a born instinct. SO thank you for
giving me the opportunity for being at the career center. This past year
was worth more then I could have imagined.”
-John M.
Stony Brook University Career Center
Draft your own SELO
“Outcomes usually identify growth in some dimension of knowing,
being or doing.”
Susan Komives & Sarah Schoper, “Developing Learning Outcomes,”
Learning Reconsidered 2 (2006)
Exercise:
• Identify one outcomes you would like your student
employees to Know - Be - Do as a result of
working in your office.
Stony Brook University Career Center
Measuring Outcomes
Exercise:
• How will you know if the student learned what
you hoped?
• What evidence could help?
 Self survey?
 Direct observation?
 Other?
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Using Results
• Did they learn what we wanted them to?
• What can be modified to improve?
• Selection, training, recruitment, mentoring,
communication, supervision?
• Can we leverage experiences within the division
to improve our process?
• Can students better articulate their learning to
potential employers?
• What other implications can you suggest?
Stony Brook University Career Center
Special thanks to …
 Patricia Carretta, University Life, George Mason University
 Jeff Barnett, Office of the Dean of Students, Stony Brook University
Thank you & good luck!
Stony Brook University Career Center