Development implementation, and assessment of course learning outcomes: Working paper series--02-01

This paper describes a process for developing program learning outcomes for an undergraduate business major program and mapping more specific course-level learning outcomes to these program-level outcomes. Also described is a process for assessing the effectiveness with which the course-level learning outcomes have been achieved. The processes is designed to provide a mechanism for making broad program level outcomes meaningful to instructors in their ongoing delivery of the program

A Framework to Assess the Performance of The James Irvine Foundation

The Performance Assessment Framework is a best practice that enables foundations to monitor progress towards advancing their mission and organizational goals. The James Irvine Foundation's documentation of this framework can be used to create an individual measurement of a foundation's impact by establishing clear goals, examining relevant data and assessing progress against desired outcomes in two broad sections: 1) Program Impact, with specific measures and indicators for context, outcomes, and results, learning and refinement; and 2) Institutional Effectiveness, with specific measures and indicators for leadership, constituent feedback, and finance and organization

Assessing Outcomes Using Program Assessment Portfolio Approach

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology has developed and implemented new criteria for accrediting engineering technology programs in the United States. The new criteria, Technology Criteria 2000 (TC2K), have changed the way that engineering technology programs conduct their business. In order to survive in the future, each program has to develop a strategy to meet the new requirements specified in the TC2K. The Department of Engineering Technology at Texas Tech University has developed a program assessment portfolio (PAP) to assess the department performance toward the attainment of TC2K Criterion 1. This paper presents 12 assessment methods within the PAP. Particularly, it demonstrates how to develop and implement one of the assessment methods, pre- and postcourse assessment, to a senior-level course. Data collected from the implementation has been analyzed and results indicate that pre- and postcourse assessment provide valuable information regarding student learning. Furthermore, the information can be used to continue improving effectiveness of teaching

Put Illinois To Work Evaluation: An Early Look

Though the recession is technically over, the large gap between available jobs and people in need of work necessitates a further discussion about the role subsidized employment programs play in supporting disadvantaged workers and struggling businesses through the recovery. While rigorously assessing the impact of Illinois' subsidized job program, Put Illinois to Work, on individuals, businesses, and communities will take many months, this early look can be an important contribution to pending federal and state discussions about whether and how to continue funding and running subsidized jobs programs as a response to the economic crisis.The Social IMPACT Research Center was commissioned to document and evaluate PITW's program model, outcomes, and impacts. This early report gives a brief overview of the program, explores an initial round of outcome data, and presents feedback from PITW workers and employers. Subsequent reports will present a fuller picture of outcomes, explore the details of and lessons learned from PITW's development and implementation, and assess in much greater detail the impact of the program on the lives of the workers and on the stability and viability of Illinois businesses

Assessing and Developing Program Outcomes through Workplace Competencies

The College of Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU) partnered with constituents and assessment professionals to identify and validate 14 observable and measurable competencies necessary and sufficient to measure program outcomes. Constituents identified the engineering and experiential workplaces as settings most likely to develop and demonstrate the competencies, and the traditional classroom as least likely. Engineering students in the experiential workplace are assessed on the competencies by their supervisors, providing feedback for curricular change. These results confirm that we must re-examine how we use the classroom to educate engineers and our belief that experiential education is critical to students\u27 success

What\u27s in it for me? Perspectives from Community Participants in an Inter-professional Service Learning Program

Purpose: This study assessed Interdisciplinary Family Health (IFH) Program participants‘ perceived health outcomes associated with program participation at the University of Florida. Background: Service-learning has emerged as a dynamic way in which students derive practical skills to address the needs of their community. Research has probed student perspectives but has seldom explored community feedback. The Interdisciplinary Family Health Program (IFH) is a mandatory Interprofessional service learning experience designed to foster collaborative teamwork across first year health professions students at UF. Students are assigned in interprofessional teams of four to improve a local volunteer family’s health over the course of four visits in one academic year. Description of Research: Data from twenty-one semi-structured telephone interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed to assess participants’ perceived health outcomes using a grounded theory approach. Emergent themes were conceptualized via selective coding and peer-reviewing. Results: All program participants reported positive health outcomes within a social support construct. Responses fell into four social support domains within a greater framework of bridging student-participant generations: informational support, emotional support, companionship support, and tangible support. Trends in social support domains observed were associated with participant SES. Participants with lower SES levels reported greater needs for health information and access, whereas participants with higher SES levels desired building social relationships with students. Conclusions: Tailoring IPE training to address specific social support domains and SES associations is an opportunity for enhanced participant experiences and perceived health outcomes. Educational planning can utilize social support domain-SES association findings as a guide for students to attune their efforts at improving the overall health outcomes of their target population. Learning Objectives and Related Conference Objectives: Participants will be able to describe qualitative methods of evaluating perceived patient health outcomes in assessing the effectiveness of the Interdisciplinary Family Health Program (Conference Objective 1). Participants will be able to communicate research findings regarding social support domain-SES approaches for enhanced educational programming and perceived patient health outcomes (Conference Objective 3)

A Framework For MIS Student Outcome Assessment And Program Review

Business schools and programs are under increasing pressure from accrediting bodies to develop and implement a cohesive, documented, and theoretically sound method for assessing student outcomes (Michlitsch and Sidle, 2002).  For schools accredited by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, outcomes assessment and review is an integral component of the continuous improvement standard (AACSB, 2003).  This paper outlines the development of a systematic and practical methodology for assessing program effectiveness and monitoring student development in the undergraduate MIS program.  The model is a result of multiple needs identified during curriculum revitalization sessions and is responsive to additional issues relating to program assessment review, institutional effectiveness, and a student electronic portfolio project

Be Logical About Program Evaluation: Begin with Learning Assessment

In an effort to build program planning and evaluation capacity in Extension faculty, this article focuses on assessing the learning that takes place in an educational program. Using logic modeling as the basis for meaningful evaluation, specific steps are outlined for measuring learning outcomes. These steps include articulating outcomes, turning outcomes into knowledge statements, and constructing a tool to measure perceived changes in knowledge. Although Extension educators are concerned not just with learning, but with action and social change that also occur, focusing on learning assessment provides a perfect opportunity to build skills in program planning and evaluation

Putting the \u27Student\u27 in Student Learning Outcomes [poster]

The presentation will describe a practical, light-weight, and effective assessment approach to involving students in assessing their own progress toward meeting course and program level learning outcomes. Research into the level of student engagement represents a valuable addition to assessment activities already being conducted at the program level. Funded by RIT\u27s Student Learning and Outcomes Assessment Office, two faculty researchers surveyed students in three Computer Science classes to involve them in tracking their progress toward BS Computer Science program outcomes during these courses. This project and its preliminary results will be presented at this session

Assessing Civic Knowledge and Engagement

Civic engagement of college students is readily endorsed as an aspiration in higher education; however, defining and assessing civic learning outcomes is challenging. This chapter brings clarity to the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of civic-minded graduates and offers advice on program development and assessment strategies to reach civic outcomes