Implementing Outcomes Assessment: An Approach Based on Competencies

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Implementing Outcomes AssessmentAn
ApproachBased on Competencies

• Steve Mickelson
• Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

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Agricultural Biosystems Engineering (ABE)

• Two undergraduate majors
• Agricultural Engineering (150 students)
• Agricultural Systems Technology (150 students)
• Industrial Technology (220 students)
• Two graduate majors (90)
• In two colleges Engineering and Agriculture
• 33 faculty
• 22 involved in undergraduate teaching
• Faculty are academic advisors
• No teaching assistants

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Presentation Road Map

• Our path to competencies
• Our outcomes assessment plan
• Implications and implementation
• Now what?

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The Path to Competencies
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The Buzz Outcomes Assessment!

• ISU university-wide accreditation in 2005
• Evidence of active outcomes assessment programs
  is required.
• ISU College of Engineering
• ABET in 2000 2006
• ABE has been thinking and
• working a lot on this with
• mostly good faculty buy-in

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Our Outcomes via ABET

1. an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics,
   science, engineering and technology
2. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as
   well as to analyze and interpret data
3. an ability to design a system, component, or
   process to meet desired needs
4. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary
   teams
5. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve
   engineering problems
6. an understanding of professional and ethical
   responsibility
7. an ability to communicate effectively
8. the broad education necessary to understand the
   impact of engineering solutions in a global and
   societal context
9. a recognition of the need for, and an ability to
   engage in life-long learning
10. a knowledge of contemporary issues
11. an ability to use the techniques, skills, and
    modern engineering tools necessary for
    engineering and technology practice

We dont know how to measure an ability.
Alverno ABET Outcomes
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Outcomes?Abilities?Competencies

• A complex ability cannot be observed directly
  it must be inferred from performance.
• Abilities are complex combinations of
  competencies.
• Competencies are the application of behavior and
  motivation to knowledge, understanding and skill.
• Key actions that demonstrate workplace
  competencies can be measured.

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Identifying Workplace Competencies

• Cooperative effort with Development Dimensions
  International, Inc. (DDI)
• Stakeholder dialogue, faculty analysis
• Critical incident stories of workplace success
• Stories identified and validated 14 competencies
  mapped back to outcomes
• Each competency has Key Actions that are
  definable and measurable

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ISU Engineering Competencies
Engineering Knowledge Innovation Teamwork
General Knowledge Cultural Adaptability Integrity
Continuous Learning Analysis Judgment Professional Impact
Quality Orientation Planning Customer Focus
Initiative Communication Leadership and Safety?
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ABET Outcomes ISU Competency Matrix
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Competencies Have Meaning

• Transparent to all participants
• A great match with
• employers goals
• student and faculty understanding
• Provides a map and tools for students to achieve
  their goals in a meaningful way

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Our Outcomes Assessment Plan
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How Should We Assess Outcomes?

• Actual student work is the primary evidence.
• Exit interviews, post-graduate surveys, etc. are
  opinions and are only supporting evidence
• ABE will use
• ePortfolios
• Internship evaluations
• Employer evaluations of alumni
• FE exam

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What are ePortfolios?

• Collection of artifacts for certain purposes
  displayed on the web
• Our purpose developing and demonstrating student
  competencies
• Its all about learning!
• Reflection
• Demonstration

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Why ePortfolios? (Students)

• Student learning
• Building an ePortfolio requires reflection
• Reflection ? Learning!
• Faculty can have access to student work for
  comment, review
• Adds depth to resume for career search success
• Highlight skills in ways not
• previously possible
• Potential employers are interested

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Why ePortfolios? (Faculty)

• Outcomes assessment
• A tool to better manage, review, reflect, and
  comment on student work (class advising)
• Faculty learning
• Building an ePortfolio requires reflection
• Reflection ? Learning!
• Adding access to student work to document
  teaching excellence

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On-line Competency Assessment

• OPAL? by DDI, Inc.
• On-line Performance and Learning
• Web-based assessment and learning tool built on
  competencies
• Multiple uses for us
• Internship evaluations by employers
• Alumni evaluations by employers
• Classroom (self and 360º)

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ABE Outcomes Assessment Map
Stakeholders
Mission, Goals Objectives
Ind Advisory Board

• Co-op internship evaluations
• ePortfolios
• Employer evaluation of 5- year grads
• FE exam

• Senior exit surveys
• SEI
• 5 year post grad survey
• CSREES review
• Advisor evaluations
• Placement statistics

6 years
Faculty
Outcomes Competencies
ABET / ASAE
Classes mapped to outcomes competencies
Annually
Key Assignments
ePortfolios
Co-op Internships
Extra-curricular activities
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TTYP Turn to Your Partner

• What are the barriers to implementing an outcomes
  assessment plan?

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Our Barriers

• Faculty and administrative buy-in
• Financial resources
• Expertise
• Clear vision
• Time
• Faculty development
• Competing demands
• Rewards
• Champion(s)

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Implications and Implementation
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Stakeholders View of the Probability of
Developing and Demonstrating the Communication
Competency
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Competency-based Learning (CBL)

• Learning outcomes in terms of competencies
• curricula focus on competency development
• Transparent to all participants
• Great match with employers goals and student
  understanding
• Provides a map and tools for students to achieve
  their goals in a meaningful way

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CBL demands change

• Faculty must think, teach and assess in terms of
  competencies.
• Our curriculum must evolve.
• It can no longer be a series of requirements (or
  hurdles).
• Opportunity to integrate previously disparate
  parts of the undergraduate experience.

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A CBL Model
Voorhees et al, U.S. Dept. of Education, 2001
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Implementing CBL

• Avoid extra work for faculty
• Classes already mapped to outcomes
• Map competencies to classes
• Identify key assignments for student portfolios
• Help faculty learn the language of competencies
• Provide common rubrics

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Implementing CBL with Technology

• ePortfolios to develop and demonstrate
  competencies
• On-line case simulations to simulate the
  workplace
• On-line assessment for internships, alumni and in
  the classroom

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ePortfolio Implementation

• Freshman Learning Community
• introduce competencies
• start collecting and reflecting on artifacts
• Sophomore and Juniors seminars
• Start ePortfolios
• Feedback from instructor and advisor
• Senior seminar
• Final ePortfolio required for graduation
• Assessed by faculty and professionals

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ABE ePortfolio System

• Database for holding multi-modal artifacts,
  reflections, and assessments
• Student-designed, student-owned interface to
  display artifacts

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On-line Case Simulations

• Case Studies
• Promotes competencies and reflection
• English 314 (Technical Writing)
• Communication - the weakest competency

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One Instance Omega Molecular

• Students are employees of consulting firm
• Client Omega Molecular
• Engagement with virtual biotech organization
• Analyzing and producing recommendations and
  communications

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On-line Case Simulation
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Now What?

• Our status today
• Students are collecting artifacts.
• Pilot group is creating ePortfolios.
• Faculty are designating key assignments and
  learning about CBL.
• Were assessing internships alumni.
• Just Completed
• Implement seminar classes (S06)
• Do a complete cycle (S06)
• Conducted ABET visit (F06)

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