The Occupational Training
Institute
Learning Outcomes and
Assessment
Veronica Acevedo Avila, De Anza College
March 6, 2015
Adapted from Jim Haynes, Spring 2010
National Political
Perspective
Who’s pushing this?
Bush era – “No Child Left Behind” and a Climate of Accountability
Obama appoints Arnie Duncan Secretary of Education
Sec. Duncan is a big advocate of accountability
Learning Outcomes Assessment and Planning remains the cornerstone
Accreditation
California Political
Perspective
Who’s pushing this?
Proponents of Accountability and the ACCJC
Where’s the push back?
CCC Academic Senate – then and now– 180 degree turn
Faculty Unions
Workload Issues
Mandates that infringe on Academic Freedom – Required to post SLO on Syllabus
Faculty Evaluations to include reference to SLO work (ACCJC Standard requirement)

OTI
Where are we? Where are you?
How many of you know what an SSLO is?
Do you have SSLO statements for all the OTI program?
Have you completed the SSLO Assessment Cycle?
Have you incorporated your SLOAC results into your program review process?
Do you have an OTI program level SSLO statement (PLO)?
Have you “mapped” to your PLO college’s: Mission? Core Competencies? Other?
How long have you been doing SSLO?
Accreditation - Did the ACCJC have anything to say about your SLOAC process?
Learning Outcomes - I
Student Service Learning Outcome statements
are related to the program (think about why you do
what you do, why your provide specific services. What would
you like students to know? How are students served by your
program? )
Student Service Learning
Outcomes
Student Service 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 (or affiliation) with
OTI.
Learning Outcomes - II
Student Service Learning Outcome statements
are related to the program services (outside of
the curriculum)
Service Learning Outcomes
Student Service 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
The focus of outcomes is not on what is taught - but
rather on what is learned. Not on what service is
provided - but rather how effective is that service for
the student, for example, the Food Pantry.
Teaching and learning take place every time a student
comes in contact with a program (through curriculum
or service)
Learning acquired through these contacts is
applicable to real world settings and situations
This learning is meaningful when the interventions
are thoughtful, intentional, and purposeful.
SSLO Assessment Cycle
The SLOAC Basics
Identify Outcomes and write an SSLO
statement
Assess the SSLO statement and collect
the data
Reflection & Enhancement
New ACCJC Standards:
Focus on Student Learning
SSLO Statement:
What will students be able to know, do, or
feel after an interaction with OTI?
SSLO Assessment:
How do you know they:
know
can do, or
what they feel?
How to Identify Outcomes
o
Write down the objectives in the list services
your area provides.
o
Dialogue and group the objectives or services
into common areas.
o
Select one of the groupings and draft a
statement that describes the main outcome of
that service (or course).
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 course or
service.
Use active verbs that can be assessed
Write your SLO statement
Some Criteria for Writing Good
SSLO Statements
Does the SSLO include active verbs (see Bloom’s
Taxonomy)?
Is the SSLO measurable?
Is the SSLO consistent with the program
mission?
Is it a fundamental result of your curriculum or
program service?
Will the students understand the SSLO?
Does it address student core competencies (more
?
later)
Example of Current SSLO
OTI SSLO: Student will learn, identify, and acquire
the skills to create a plan to achieve a
sustainable career.
Assessment Method:
Assessment Summary:
Enhancement and Reflection:
Assessment:
How Do You Know?
Evidence:



Quantitative or Qualitative
Representative sample (25% rule)
You need several pieces of evidence to point
to a conclusion
Document & retain your evidence!
ACCJC - “Show Me!!”
Assessment Methods
Tests
Locally developed or standardized
Pre and Post
Skill Demonstrations
Presentations
Surveys
Locally developed or standardized
Attitudes and perceptions of students, staff,
employers
Pre and Post
Assessment Methods
Database-Tracked Academic Behavior

Grades, graduation rates, service usage,
persistence, retention, etc.
Embedded Assessment

Staff and student journals, interviews, focus
groups
Cumulative

Portfolios, Capstone projects
Assessment Methods
Focus Groups

Use caution with confidentiality and privacy
Exit Interviews




In person
By Phone
E-mail
Texting
Assessment Tips
Collect data from a representative sample rather
than everyone in the population (Surveys - 25%).
Collect only a few well chosen pieces of data.
Have assessment stem from the activities you
already do, if possible.
Team up with others to share assessment work.
What are other Student Services doing?
Design activities and outcomes with assessment
in mind.
Remember:
Everyone is a learner when it
comes to assessment.
SSLO CYCLE
Outcome
Defined
(Redefined)
Plan methods
of
assessment
Enhancement
(current cycle)
Reflection
(current cycle)
Conduct
assessments
Summarizing
data
Remember:
It is valuable feedback when you check to see if
you are effectively doing what you say you are
doing.
Use feedback to make adjustments
/improvements.
SSLO help to create consistency within your OTI
program
SSLO help us focus on what students need to
learn. That should be our overall purpose.
What’s Next?
Reflection - As a group!
What does the data tell us about our APE courses,
programs, activities, or processes?
What does the SLOAC process tell us about the SLOAC
process itself?
What’s Next?
Enhancement - As a group!
Based on what we have learned in the SLOAC, what can we do in our
courses, programs, activities, or processes to enhance and
improve student learning and achievement?
Based on what we have learned in the SLOAC, are there any new
resources that will be needed to enhance and improve student
learning and achievement?
Now What?
Integrate your SLOAC
results into your Program
Review
I’m Glad That’s Over
Not so fast!
There is always something to do related to SLOAC.
SLOAC is an on-going process - not an end product.
Plans should be developed to continue SLO Assessment
Cycles every year.
SLOAC will be the foundation of the Program Review
process
SLO Evolution
Culture of Evidence
Culture of Inquiry
OK - What Now?
Program Level Outcomes (PLO)
Take all of your course level and service level SLO
statements and organize them into general themes.
Write an SLO statement that captures the essence of
those major themes.
Ask yourself: What are the major outcomes a student will
be able to KNOW, DO or FEEL after participating in your
APE Program.
OK - So What?
Mapping your Program Level SLO
statements to your college’s
Mission and Core Competencies
http://deanza.edu/about/icc.html
This is an important and necessary step.
What Are The
Problems?
If your OTI program does not directly (or at least indirectly)
contribute to your college’s Mission or Core Competency
statements, you leave your program wide open to the
question - Why do we even have an OTI program if it makes
no contribution to either?
Do you know your college Mission Statement?
Do you know your college’s Core Competency
Statement?
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 Competetncies:
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 Core Competencies
Communication and Expression
Information Literacy
Physical/Mental Wellness and Personal
Responsibility
Global, Cultural, Social and Environmental
Awareness
Critical Thinking
De Anza’s Core Competencies
Physical/Mental Wellness and Personal Responsibility
Students will:

Recognize lifestyles that promote:
Physical and
Mental well-being,




Engage in self- reflection and ethical decision-making,
Explore career choices and life goals,
Practice effective individual and collaborative work habits,
and
Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing learning.
De Anza College
SLO CORE TEAM
Tono Ramirez,Instructional
Coordinator
avilaveronica@fhda.edu
408-864-8582
Veronica Acevedo Avila,
Student Services and
Administrative Coordinator