Accountability, Assessment and Student Learning Outcomes at FSU

1
Accountability, Assessment and Student Learning
Outcomes at FSU

• New Faculty Presentation
• August 2008

2
Accountability As a Watchword

• The ability to demonstrate to key stakeholders
  that a program or organization works and that it
  uses its resources effectively to achieve and
  sustain project goals and outcomes

3
The Move to Increased Accountability Is Widespread

• At FSU, accountability is influenced, in part,
  by
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
  (SACS) Requirements for all Programs as part of
  the Effort to Establish Institutional
  Effectiveness
• The Requirement of Professional Disciplines

4
Additionally

• Florida Board of Governors Requirements for
  Undergraduate Programs State Mandated Academic
  Learning Compacts (SMALCs)
• Quality Enhancement Reviews (QERs)
• Voluntary System of Accountability

5
More Attempts to Ensure Accountability May Be in
the Offing

• The lingering ripples from the US Secretary of
  Education's Commission on the Future of Higher
  Education
• Bologna Accords are gaining interest in some
  quarters

6
New Forms of Accountability Such As Student
Learning Outcomes Are Now Requirements

• A Student Learning Outcome is the knowledge,
  skills, and abilities that a student has attained
  at the end (or as a result) of his or her
  engagement in a particular set of higher
  education experiences.

7
A Pedagogical Straitjacket

• LAURIE FENDRICH (Hofstra University)
• NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY PURPORT TO BE ABOUT
  "STANDARDS" OR STUDENT "NEEDS," THEY ARE IN FACT
  SCAMS RUN BY BLOODLESS BUREAUCRATS WHO, STEEPED
  IN JARGON LIKE "MAPPING LEARNING GOALS" AND
  "CLOSING THE LOOP," DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE
  HOLISTIC NATURE OF A GOOD COLLEGE EDUCATION...

8
Assessment Has a Long Tradition Within Higher
Education

• Assessment is at the Center of University Life
  e.g.
• Tenure Reviews,
• Qualifying Exams,
• Peer Review

9
But New Demands For Accountability Can Clash With
Traditional Means of Assessment Consider The
Formalization of Student Learning Outcomes

• A Student Learning Outcome is the knowledge,
  skills, and abilities that a student has attained
  at the end (or as a result) of his or her
  engagement in a particular set of higher
  education experiences.

10
Convincing Everyone of the Value of Such
Techniques Can Be a Challenge
No one is making you do anything you dont want.
Im just saying were all headed for Dodge City
and we think you should come along.
11
Much Is Familiar

• Faculty meet and determine what the curriculum is
  to contain
• Courses are established that contain various
  curriculum elements
• Syllabi are developed to those ends
• In class tests and on-going program reviews based
  on assessments
• Regular reviews of student performance and
  substantive changes occur
• Changes of curriculum are made as needed

12
But There Are New Elements in the New
Institutional Effectiveness

• More Systematic
• More Formal
• More Comprehensive
• More Frequent

13
These Elements Can Be ValuableThey Can Help
Improve Our Answers to Several Key Questions

• What are we trying to accomplish?
• How well are we doing we what have set out to do?
• Do we understand why we are doing well or poorly?
• Are we acting on our understanding to improve
  performance?

14
Institutional Effectiveness at FSU

• Annual assessments are collected and maintained
  in an Institutional Effectiveness Portal
  August-October
• Chairs are responsible for gathering, entering
  and checking entries into the Portal
• Curriculum committees must become involved By
  March 1st

15
Institutional Effectiveness at FSU

• Undergraduate Outcomes are listed in the State
  Mandated Academic Learning Compact for Each
  Program
• Each program undergoes a Quality Enhancement
  Review every 7 years

16
Faculty Curriculum or Assessment Committees Must
Be Involved
I dont think its a posse-it looks more like a
subcommittee.
17
If Faculty Are Not Involved, There Are Those With
Less Skill Willing to Step In
Shows you how much I know.