Assessment Committee Meeting Report for October 17, 2005
Attendees: Mike Allen, Tom Prendergast, Anne Vinson, Joe Badamy, Diane Hipsher, Lew Milner, Peg Moir, Terry Coleman, Janet Boeckman, Kate
Peresie
Anne called and conducted the meeting.
TOPIC
DISCUSSION
ACTION STEPS
Review Process
for
Program/Department Learning
Outcomes
Assessment
In light of the Committee’s role of serving in an advisory
capacity to academic departments and programs, the
Committee decided to conduct a review of 5-column
reports, providing feedback/recommendations to the
programs and departments and compiling a “state of
assessment” report. We will follow the “Institutional
Assessment Reporting/Accountability System” (circle
chart).
Ask Deans for most recent
reports. Put on future meeting
agendas.
Web-accessed
Database
Repository for
Program
Learning
Outcomes
Assessment
Reports
Assessment to
Job Descriptions
WAC
The Committee agreed that having a working webaccessed database and getting assessment responsibilities
added to job descriptions are important to improving
compliance in the area of learning outcomes assessment.
No progress was made on the database last year. (A beta
version was developed the year before last.) The
Committee decided to pursue this project.
The proposal to add the statement “be responsible in
implementing, coordinating, documenting, and advocating
assessment as it relates to this position” to all job
descriptions was sent to the Congress last spring. It is on
the Congress’ agenda for this fall.
The draft version of the ’05 WAC report will be modified
to eliminate the list of programs that did not participate and
to clarify the courses in which it was conducted (not just
PERSONS
RESPONSIBLE
Anne
TIME-LINE
Meet with Bob Matney and Brad
McCormack to plan further
development.
Tom
This week
Provide samples of 5-column
format to Tom.
Kate
This week
Edit report and send to everyone. Mike
This week
End of
October
capstone). The report will be sent out to everyone, once
modified.
For this year, the process will be modified to:
1. Be conducted during Winter and Spring Quarters.
2. Occur in some course in every program where it is
likely that most, if not all, students have completed
their writing course sequence.
3. Include collecting student IDs so the data can be
sorted as needed.
4. Identify the quarter and year of assessment.
SAC
Core Learning
Outcomes
CAAP Critical
Thinking
Speech assessment across the curriculum need to progress.
The Committee discussed the need to identify the
mandatory college-wide core learning outcomes – for all
AD students. These are outcomes that will be assessed
college-wide (like the writing and speech outcomes). The
Committee decided to approach the Curriculum Committee
to see if they would be willing to collaborate on this
project via an ad-hoc committee. The Ad-hoc
Committee’s charge would be to develop and implement a
plan to identify the mandatory core learning outcomes.
Anne, Mike and Kate volunteered to serve.
The results of the pilot testing last spring revealed that the
NCSC students who participated scored similarly to the
national comparison group. No cohorts identified within
the NCSC data stood out. There was limited participation
in the pilot. A report will be sent to everyone on the
Draft a WAC kick-off message
for VP of Learning to be
circulated to Deans. Include
information on process and a
request to identify courses in
which WAC will occur.
Mike
Mid
November
Modify WAC rubric reporting
process to reflect modifications
for this year.
Mike
Mid
November
Develop “tip sheet” and present
to Committee for review.
Mike
Mid
November
Schedule and conduct WAC
rubric training workshops.
Terry will talk with Phil.
Mike and
Kate
Terry
January and
April
This week
Further discussion next meeting
– place on agenda.
Contact Paul Sukys, Chair of the
Curriculum Committee with the
proposal.
Anne
Next week
Terry
This week
Follow up with Paul.
Anne
Next week
Draft a report, share it with the
Committee for review, send to
everyone.
Anne and
Kate
Next week
Revisit CAAP testing – add to
Anne
After Ad-
results.
New Members
Strengthening
Learning
Outcomes and
Assessment
Goals for This
Year
Next Meeting
later agenda.
The Committee decided:
1. That further assessment of critical thinking will be
put on hold until the mandatory core learning
outcomes are identified.
2. That, if CAAP critical thinking testing is conducted
(in 06/07?), pre and post testing would provide
more useful information on the effects of students
educational experience on their ability to think.
3. That careful planning will need to occur this year if
testing occurs next year.
4. To consider “assessment day(s)” on Friday of the
last week of the quarter (finals week) with testing
occurring in designated testing centers – for
increased participation and better control of the
testing environment.
Tom Prendergast has joined the Committee. Randy Storms Invite Randy Storms to join the
will be invited to join to represent the Engineering
Committee
Division.
The Curriculum Committee is renewing its focus on
quality learning outcomes in the revised and new courses
and curricula it reviews. The College has adopted the
change in the syllabus template change (recommended by
the Assessment Committee) that adds assessment of course
outcomes. These two efforts should improve learning
outcomes and assessment efforts.
The Committee agreed that the goals for this year are to:
1. Conduct a review of program/department learning
outcomes assessment, providing feedback and
recommendations.
2. Continue with WAC and SAC.
3. Work with the Curriculum Committee to identify
mandatory core learning outcomes.
4. Plan for CAAP testing if appropriate.
Next meeting is Friday, 10/29, 1-3:00. The alternate day
of the week is to allow other Committee members to attend
hoc report
on core
outcomes.
Anne
This week