Transcript Course and Program Evaluation: What constitutes success

Program Goals Just Aren’t Enough:
Strategies for Putting Learning Outcomes
into Words
Dr. Jill L. Lane
Research Associate/Program Manager
Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence
Dr. Barbara Wiens-Tuers
Associate Professor of Economics
Penn State Altoona
Workshop Goals
To guide you through the process of:
 Identifying your program goals
 Developing measurable learning outcomes
 Identifying which courses in your program
are producing the desired learning outcomes.
Why Conduct a Program
Assessment?
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To determine whether the intended goals and
learning outcomes are being met
To keep the curriculum current
To bring to the surface ways in which the
course or program might be improved
To assess for accreditation
Steps in the Program Assessment
Process
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Identify program goals
Identify learning outcomes for each goal
Determine which courses are helping students
achieve the desired learning outcomes
Select appropriate evaluation methods
Conduct evaluations
Interpret results
Provide feedback to inform and/or improve
Identify Program Goals
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Goals specify what the program intends to
accomplish
Goals are written broadly and do not
necessarily specify exactly what the student
will know or be able to do
Sample Program Goal:
The program will produce graduates who can think
critically, solve problems, and make decisions
Health and Human Development
Program Goal
Graduates of the Physical Therapy Assistant
Program will be prepared to understand and
implement the interventions that are prescribed
by the physical therapist.
Physics Program Goal
Graduates will acquire the theoretical and
experimental background for work in areas such
as acoustics, astrophysics, biophysics, chemical
physics, computer science, mathematical
physics, and engineering.
Comparative Literature Program
Goal
Students will obtain a global awareness through
a wide range of international literary and
language experiences that are critical in today's
world.
Psychology Program Goal
Students will understand and generate
applications of psychology to individual, social
and organizational issues.
Engineering Program Goal
Students will have the ability to design and
conduct experiments, as well as analyze and
interpret data.
Communications Program Goal
Graduates will demonstrate an understanding
of the diversity of groups in a global society in
relationship to communications
Activity 1: Goal Development
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List at least 3 goals for your program.
Trigger Questions:
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Program Level:
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Are there specific accreditation or certification
requirements for your curricular area?
What are the needs of the potential student
population upon graduation?
Steps in the Program Assessment
Process
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Identify program or goals
Identify learning outcomes for each goal
Determine which courses are helping students
achieve the desired learning outcomes
Select appropriate evaluation methods
Conduct evaluations
Interpret results
Provide feedback to inform and/or improve
Identifying Learning Outcomes
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Outcomes describe what the students must know or
do upon completing the program or course.
Outcomes help produce evidence that your program
or course is meeting its intended goals.
Outcomes are measurable.
Outcomes statements contain verbs
If applicable, program outcomes should incorporate
appropriate accreditation standards.
Developing Learning Outcomes
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There are different types of outcomes:
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Knowledge
Skills
Attitudes
Knowledge Outcomes
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Synthesis and integration of information
Learn new techniques and methods
Evaluating research methods
Skill Outcomes
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Analytical
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Communication
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Communicates effectively when writing and/or speaking
Research
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Analyze problems from multiple perspectives
Designs appropriate experiment to answer question
Teamwork
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Shares information with others
Attitude Outcomes
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Identifies beliefs about the nature of the field
Indicates perceptions about interdisciplinary
connections
Health and Human Development
Program Goal:
Graduates of the Physical Therapy Assistant Program will be prepared
to understand and implement the interventions that are prescribed by
the physical therapist.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
 Distinguish between different types of aerobic conditioning
exercises
 Correctly measure standard vital signs
 Recognize and monitor responses to positional changes and
activities
Physics
Program Goal:
Graduates will acquire the theoretical and experimental background for
work in areas such as acoustics, astrophysics, biophysics, chemical
physics, computer science, mathematical physics, and engineering.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
 Evaluate an article from a discipline-specific text and write a critique
using theoretical principles.
 Employ the correct procedure for a given experiment.
Comparative Literature
Program Goal:
Students will obtain a global awareness through a wide range
of international literary and language experiences that are
critical in today's world.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
 Analyze a text who setting is outside of the U.S. and infer
the social and economic conditions based on the author’s
descriptions.
 Compare a non-U.S. publication with a U.S. publication
and show the similarities and differences between the two
settings.
Psychology
Program Goal:
Students will understand and generate applications of
psychology to individual, social and organizational issues
Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
 Distinguish between several different psychological issues
 Recommend a course of treatment for an individual based
on the issues presented.
Engineering
Program Goal:
Students will have the ability to design and conduct
experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
 Choose the appropriate method for testing the strength of
materials.
 Create a hypothesis and the methods necessary to test
their hypothesis
Communications
Program Goal:
Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of the diversity
of groups in a global society in relationship to
communications.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
 Analyze a film for its inclusion or exclusion of certain
diverse groups.
 Write an unbiased news article about a two-sided issue.
Activity 2: Outcome Development
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Choose one of the goals from Activity 1 and
develop learning outcomes for that goal.
Trigger Questions:
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What should students know upon successfully completing
the program or course?
What skills should students possess upon successfully
completing the program or course?
Think: If I am a student in your course or program what
do I have to do to demonstrate that I have completed the
course or program successfully?
Steps in the Program Assessment
Process
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Identify program or course goals
Identify learning outcomes for each goal
Determine which courses are helping students
achieve the desired learning outcomes
Select appropriate evaluation methods
Conduct evaluations
Interpret results
Provide feedback to inform and/or improve
Determining Course Contribution to
Program Outcomes
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Use a mapping matrix to determine which
courses are contributing to the attainment of
specific program outcomes and goals
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Helps to identify gaps or incorrect sequencing of
courses.
Helps to determine where internal evaluations
should take place.
Activity 3: Mapping Outcomes to
Courses
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Using the list of outcomes you developed in
Activity 2:
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List courses in the program across the top of the
worksheet
Place a check mark in each box to indicate the
courses in your program where the outcome is
covered.
Steps in the Program Assessment
Process
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Identify program goals
Identify learning outcomes for each goal
Determine which courses are helping students
achieve the desired learning outcomes
Select evaluation methods and tools
Conduct evaluations
Interpret results
Provide feedback to inform and/or improve