Co-Curricular Learning
Assessment
Academy for Student Centered Learning
Fall 2013
Co-Curricular Learning
Includes both formal and informal out-of-class
learning opportunities that contribute to the
professional and personal growth of students.
Two Guiding Assumptions
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“We should focus on student learning rather than teaching
in order to improve students’ college experiences.”
(Huba & Freed, 2000, p. 3)
•
“Learning is a complex, holistic, multi-centric activity that
occurs throughout and across the college experience.”
(Learning Reconsidered, 2004, p. 5)
Traditional Assessment
• Learning outcomes need to be aligned at
course, program, and institutional levels
• But where are many general education goals,
like “leadership” and “teamwork” and “the
ability to function in an increasingly diverse
world” taught and assessed?
• Can you “teach” this?
Shifting Perspectives
• What happens when we shift our emphasis from
teaching to learning?
– Responsibility for learning can be understood and
shared.
– Emphasis on student demonstration, not topiccovering.
– Ability to “do” or “apply” supersedes knowing.
– Sites of learning become less specific, and boundaries
become more flexible.
– All interactions and activities can be conceived as
learning experiences related to institutional or
program outcomes.
Integrated Learning Environment
Students learn across all domains of their lives
and do not make distinctions about their
learning based on their setting.
Integrated learning speaks to the
whole student
(discipline, general education, co-curricular)
(academic content, student development, identity formation)
Integrated Points of Learning
• Civic Responsibility
• AA: Service learning
• SA: Student government, voter registration, student
judicial boards
• Think and Engage as a Global Citizen
• AA: Business, Psychology, Sociology
• SA: International experiences, diversity programs,
residence halls
IDENTIFY POINTS OF
LEARNING
Gathering Evidence
• Challenging as students are often “one-stop
shoppers” in co-curricular activities
• Not serving a consistent group of students
• How to assess transient student population
for anything but satisfaction of services?
Assessment Plan
• Identifying student learning outcomes, helps
professionals see how functions contribute in
curriculum development
• LGBT Center wants to move from offering a
variety of workshops and speakers on several
topics to a curriculum-driven model that
focuses on particular LGBT identity
development outcomes.
Recasting Services
• Assessment plan helps program staff reflect
on what it is they want to accomplish and the
best way to achieve outcomes.
• Repackaging or recasting services moves from
focusing on satisfaction to student learning
and development.
CAS Standards
• Standards for 40 functional areas
• Thirteen component parts:
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Mission
Program
Leadership
Organization and management
Human resources
Financial resources
Facilities, technology, and equipment
Legal responsibilities
Equity and access
Campus and community relations
Diversity
Ethics
Assessment and evaluation