Student Services Learning
Outcomes
Handbook
Jim Haynes, De Anza College
SSLO Coordinator
March, 2011
Student Services Learning
Outcomes
(SSLO)
SSLO statements are related to the program
services (outside of the curriculum) consistent
with the program mission/purpose.
SSLO statements are directly related to
services provided to students
SSLO Statement
Student Services Learning Outcome (SSLO)
statements are overarching, clear, and
assessable statements that identify and define
what a student is able to know, do, or feel at
the successful completion of a specific
procedure, activity, or service.
Premises of Service Outcomes
• Learning take place every time a student comes in
contact with a service program.
• The focus is not on the services your program provide
but on the outcomes of those services for your
students.
• It’s not what you do - It’s what your students will be
able to do.
SSLO Assessment Cycle
Basics (SSLOAC)
PHASE 1: As a team, identify outcomes and write an SSLO
statement
PHASE 2: As a Team, assess the SSLO statement and collect the
data
PHASE 3: As a team, reflect on the assessment results and on the
SSLO process & decide how to enhance your services to achieve
better outcomes.
PHASE 1: How to Identify Outcomes
o
As a team, write down or list the services your
area provides.
o
Discuss the services with each other and
group them into common areas or themes.
o
Select groupings and draft a sentence that
describes the main outcome(s) for each one.
PHASE 1: How to Write an SSLO
Statement
Continue to dialogue and come to consensus on the
concrete things that you expect students to be able to
know, do, or feel after interacting with your process,
activity, or service.
Using active verbs that can be assessed - Write your
SSLO statement
Double Check: Is the outcome a fundamental result of
your service?
Some Criteria for Writing Good
SSLO Statements
Does the SSLO statement include active verbs?
(refer to Bloom’s Taxonomy)
Can the SSLO be assessed? Is the SSLO
measurable?
Is the SSLO consistent with the program
mission/purpose?
Will the students understand the SSLO
statement?
PHASE 2: How to Assess your SSLO
Statement - How Do You Know?
How will you assess your SSLO statement
in such a way that you will know that the
student has achieved or obtained the
desired outcome?
How will you know that they know?
How will you know that they can do it?
How will you know what they feel about it?
PHASE 2: ASSESSMENT
Evidence:



Quantitative or Qualitative
Representative sample (25% rule)
You need several pieces of evidence to point
to a conclusion
Document & retain your evidence!
Assessment Methods
Surveys
Locally developed or standardized
Attitudes and perceptions of students, staff,
employers
Pre and Post
Focus Groups

Use caution with confidentiality and privacy
Exit Interviews

In person, by Phone, E-mail, Texting
Assessment Methods
Database-Tracked Academic Behavior


Grades, graduation rates, service usage,
persistence, retention, etc.
Contact the Institutional Research Office at:
http://deanza.edu/ir
Cumulative

Portfolios, Capstone projects, Presentations
Assessment Tips
Collect data from a representative sample rather
than everyone in the target population (25% rule).
Have assessment stem from the activities you
already do. If you already conduct student
satisfaction surveys, embed questions related to
outcomes attainment.
Team up with other areas with similar outcome
statements to share assessment work.
Design activities and outcomes with assessment
in mind.
Remember:
Everyone is a learner when it
comes to assessment.
If you wait until you are an
assessment expert you’ll never
get started.
Embrace the attitude:
“Just Do It!”
Assessment Help
De Anza Institutional Research Office
http://deanza.edu/ir
Mallory Newell
newellmallory@deanza.edu
Ext 8777
SSLO Coordinator
Jim Haynes
haynesjim@deanza.edu
Ext 8954
PHASE 3: Reflection
In dialogue with colleagues, reflect on
the following:
Has your service outcome been met?
What else does the data tell you about your
services, programs, activities, or processes?
What does the data tell you about the SLOAC
process itself?
PHASE 3: Enhancement
In dialogue with colleagues:
Based on what was learned in the SSLOAC, what can be done within
your services, activities, or processes to enhance and improve
student outcomes?
Based on what was learned in the SSLOAC, what can be done to
enhance and improve your services, activities, or processes ?
Based on what was learned in the SSLOAC, are there any new
resources that will be needed for enhancement and improvement
initiatives?
Based on what was learned in the SSLOAC, are there any changes
you can make to the SSLOAC process itself? (Revise the SSLO
statement? Choose a different assessment tool? More time to meet as a team?,
etc.)
Now What?
There is always something to do related to SSLOAC
SSLOAC is an on-going process - not an end product.
Multi-Year plans should be developed to conduct SSLO
Assessment Cycles every year. The goal is to have all
SSLOAC complete and up-to-date by the Comprehensive
Program Review year (next date: 2013-14)
SSLOAC is the foundation of the Program Review process.
The Next Step
Program Level Outcomes (PLO)
•A PLO pulls together all of a program’s SSLO
statements into one comprehensive statement that
describe what the program is all about.
The Next Step
Program Level Outcomes (PLO)
Step #1: Review all of your SSLO statements and (if applicable) your
SLO statements
Step #2: Look for a major theme or themes
Step #3: Write a PLO statement that captures the essence of that
major theme or themes. (Write a PLO statement for each theme if
appropriate.)
Check: Does the PLO identify what a student will be able to KNOW,
DO and/or FEEL after successfully completing your program?
EXAMPLE from a
Tutorial Center
SSLO #1 - Students will express a more positive attitude
towards the subject they are studying.
SSLO #2 - Students will use effective learning skills
SSLO #3 - Students will improve their academic
performance.
EXAMPLE from a
Tutorial Center
SSLO #1 - Students will express a more positive attitude
towards the subject they are studying.
SSLO #2 - Students will use effective learning skills
SSLO #3 - Students will improve their academic
performance.
Tutorial Center PLO - After completing their participation
in the Tutorial Center, students will express a more
positive attitude towards the subject they are studying,
use effective learning skills, and improve their academic
performance.
Assessing your PLO
Methods to assess the PLO can be grouped into the
following types:
Assessment results from the SSLOAC. (Once you assess all your SSLOAC
you have assessed your PLO)
Pre/Post Surveys (compare what they knew, could do, or felt before they
completed your program with what they know, can do, or feel after completing
your program.)
Focus Groups of students that have completed a program
Thinking about the method of assessment while finalizing the Program Level Outcome statement ensures that you will generate
meaningful and assessable PLO statements.
SLO Evolution
Culture of Evidence
Culture of Inquiry
OK - So What?
Linking your Program Level
Outcome to the College’s Mission,
Institutional Core Competencies,
and/or Strategic Initiatives
If you can not do this you have a serious problem.
What Problem?
If your program does not directly (or at least indirectly)
contribute to the Mission, Core Competency, and/or
Strategic Initiatives, then why do we offer a program that
makes no contribution to the College’s purposes?
De Anza’s Mission
De Anza College provides an academically rich
multicultural learning environment that challenges
students of every background to develop their
intellect, character, and abilities; to realize their
goals; and to be socially responsible leaders in their
communities, the nation and the world.
De Anza College fulfills its mission by engaging
students in creative work that demonstrates the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes contained in the
college’s Institutional Core Competencies:
De Anza’s Core Competencies
Communication and Expression
Information Literacy
Physical/Mental Wellness and Personal
Responsibility
Global, Cultural, Social and Environmental
Awareness
Critical Thinking
De Anza’s Strategic Initiatives
• Outreach
• Individualized Attention to Students
• Cultural Competency
• Community Collaborations
Mapping Exercise
• Using the three grids (Mission, ICC, and
Strategic Initiatives).
• Check off the appropriate boxes to which
your PLO directly or indirectly contributes.
• Only check boxes that are assessed through
a SSLOAC.
Closing the Loop
• SSLOAC
PLO
Program Review
• Adoption of a six-year Outcomes based
Program Review Process supported by
annual updates
• Master Planning Calendar
Closing the Loop
• Current Program Review:
•
•
2008-09 Comprehensive Program Review
Updated by the 2009-10 Annual Program Review Update
• Recommendations on resource allocations by the
Planning and Budgeting Teams will be made using
Program Review information.
• Be sure your Program Review is updated and
includes SSLOAC results and PLO linkage to the
Mission, ICC’s, and Strategic Initiatives.
Closing the Loop
• Current Fiscal Environment: The Program Review
process is used to maintain resources to a program
– not just a means to obtain new resources.
• Be sure your Program Review is updated and
demonstrates how your program specifically
supports or contributes to statewide priorities:
•
•
•
Basic Skills
Transfer
Vocational
Closing the Loop
Annual Program Review Updates (APRU):
• Conducted in the years between CPR and due each spring
• Criteria is established by the planning and budgeting teams
• Criteria will always include a summary of SSLOACPLOAC
result.
Comprehensive Program Review (CPR):
• Next CPR is due in 2013-14
• Criteria is established by the planning and budgeting teams
• APRU will comprise a large portion of the CPR
What is coming?
• TracDat is a relational database that will be
up and running by Fall 2011
• TracDat will be used to collect SSLOAC and
PLO information and generate reports.
• TracDat will be used to build APRU and CPR
reports.
• The ECMS system will be used for SLO
De Anza College
Coordinator of Student Learning Outcomes for
Student Services
http://deanza.edu/slo
Jim Haynes
haynesjim@deanza.edu
408-864-8954