Proposal to Develop a SCC Student Learning Assessment Team
Presented to Academic Senate – 3/19/02
by Alan Keys, Faculty Research Coordinator
What is a Student Learning Assessment Team?

A group of faculty and, possibly, representatives from other campus constituency
groups that focus on
1. Raising awareness of the importance of student learning and its assessment across
the disciplines.
2. Developing models of student learning outcome assessment that can be used by
faculty at the course and program level.
3. Collecting information on techniques/models used by other community colleges
to assess learning outcomes in order to improve SCC’s efforts
Why does SCC need a Student Learning Assessment Team?
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Student learning is the main goal of all our efforts here at SCC and understanding
how well we are achieving this goal is critical to our mission.
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Assessment of student learning outcomes leads to insights and improvements in our
teaching methods and service to students.
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Student learning outcomes can serve as effective key performance indicators (KPIs)
in the unit planning and program review processes.
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A nationwide focus on the importance of student learning assessment at the
community college level has made its way to California.

Future accreditation standards have greatly increased their focus on student learning
outcomes.
Possible role for Academic Senate:
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Begin the dialogue with colleagues on the need to focus on student learning
outcomes.
Identify faculty that are interested in these efforts and recruit them to become
involved in an ad hoc, interim team in collaboration with the faculty research
coordinator. (Did I mention the perk of expense-paid travel to conferences?)
Work with faculty research coordinator to develop a structural mechanism to “house”
the assessment team (?? Faculty advisory committee, academic senate subcommittee,
a new assessment committee??)
Student Learning Outcomes Assessment at Sacramento City College
Status and Objectives
May, 2003
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and SLO Assessment

Student learning outcomes: Student learning outcomes are generally defined as
measures of changes in students' knowledge, thinking processes, and ability to apply
their knowledge. SLOs are one of the most direct measures of the primary mission of
Sacramento City College and our core values.

Student learning outcome assessment: The degree to which our students are
achieving their goals, pursuing excellence and working together can be determined by
assessing the cognitive and behavioral changes that occur as a result of their
experiences at SCC. Of all the good practices for SLO assessment, the essential
elements include the following:

A primary role for faculty or staff in the development of course and/or
program level SLO assessment efforts.

A clear identification of and alignment between course or program
objectives, the activities designed to facilitate those objectives, and
associated learning outcome measures.
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An emphasis on direct measures of student learning.
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Utilization of SLOs for ongoing curricular or program enhancement (i.e.
Close the loop).
Purpose & Benefits of Student Learning Outcomes Assessment

Student success: Student success is the main goal of all our efforts here at SCC and
understanding how well our students are achieving their goals is critical to our
mission. SLO assessment provides critical feedback to students, faculty, staff and
administration that can be used to increase student success.

Curricular development: SLOA is an invaluable tool for curricular development in
that it can provide insight at the course level on pedagogical methods that have a
positive influence on the cognitive and affective development of our students.
Additionally, SLOA efforts can both uncover areas where course objectives are not
being achieved as effectively as they were designed to and provide direction for
curricular enhancement.
Program and service development: It is critical that we as faculty, staff, and
management engage in ongoing efforts to determine how our individual programs and
services impact our students and contribute to their ability to
Student Learning Outcome Advisory Group
Proposal to Academic Senate-10/5/2004
Prepared by Alan Keys, Faculty Research Coordinator
Proposal: Establish a faculty-driven Advisory Group focused on issues of Student
Learning Outcome Assessment (SLOA.)
Participation: It is recommended that this group be faculty-weighted but open to
interested individuals from any constituency group.
Preliminary Charge: The overall purpose of this group would be to support SLOA
efforts of faculty and staff across the college community. An important supportive role of
this group would be to facilitate communication and integrate efforts across divisions. It
is anticipated that the specific functions for the group would be determined
collaboratively by group members, but would most likely include involvement in the
following areas:

Research and review of current resources & models for SLOA, including
those coming from SCC efforts.

Dissemination of materials to promote dialogue on key issues of SLOA,
including its role in…
o the continuous improvement of student learning
o curriculum development
o accreditation
o unit planning
o education initiative efforts
o student services

Collaboration with staff development on facilitating SLO training,
workshop and conference opportunities.

Providing input, feedback and resources to Offices (e.g. Instruction,
Research), committees (Curriculum, Planning, Education initiative), or
other groups involved in SLO efforts.
Update to Academic Senate on SLO Advisory Group efforts
March 15, 2005
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Review group progress last term
Main focus now is development of an SCC Philosophy statement on SLO
assessment – “White Paper”
White Paper:What form should SLOA take and Why is it worth doing.
Recommended by State Academic Senate and only a couple of CCCs have
one (Bakersfield & Palomar)
Some key components that will be addressed:
o Emphasis on assessment being used for the improvement of teaching
and learning,
o Need to use multiple measures of assessment, and
o Primary role for faculty in the shaping of campus assessment efforts.
o Role of collaboration between faculty within and across depts. &
between student services and instruction
Next steps:
o Collect feedback on draft of white paper: Via SLOA liaisons, Division meetings
flex-type forums, e-news, and/or via Academic senate members.
o Conduct discussions at division and/or campus level with the white paper and
other resources as a guide to facilitate to discussion and collaboration on SLOA
development.
It was the consensus of the group that the white paper and open discussions will work to
increase understanding of this process, provide shared definitions and clarify intention of
SLO assessement.
SLO Advisory Group Update
Report to Curriculum Committee
2/8/06
Background: The SCC SLO advisory group of the Academic Senate is
starting its 4th term and is continuing to work on a number of
collaborative efforts to facilitate SLO development across the college.
The group is facilitated by SCC’s faculty research coordinator, Alan
Keys and has a membership that represents almost all divisions (see
attached member list.)
The main current efforts of the group include:
 Program learning outcome (ProLo) workshops
o College-wide workshops developed in conjunction w/
curriculum committee starting in Fall, ’05.
o Department-level training sessions started in Fall, ’05 and
expanded in Spring, ’06 to focus on programs scheduled for
program review next term.
 GE outcome development process
o Reviewed need and models (see attached) of GE outcome
development
o Developing plan for college-wide forums and development
process
o Making connections with Academic Senate, Curriculum,
Student Services
 SLO development in Student Services
o Facilitated “hands-on” workshop on SLOs in counseling at
Los Rios Counseling Association meeting, Fall, ’06.
o Planning SLO development workshop for SCC counseling
department.
 SCC SLO website
o SLO website designed and “rolled-out” Feb. ’06.
o http://web.scc.losrios.edu/slo
District Academic Senate Update on SCC SLO Efforts – 11/20/06
Student Learning Outcomes development in curriculum:
 All new and revised courses, degrees, and certificates that come through have
SLOs reviewed by Tech Review team and the SLO advisory group coordinator.
 Approved by SCC curriculum committee as of 11/8/06: 261 courses, 33 programs
Still to come to SCC Curriculum Committee this fall:
Technical Review - 153 courses, 40 programs
1st reading - 108 courses, 8 programs
2nd reading - 68 courses, 8 programs
 Programs also submit an SLO alignment matrix that indicts the degree to which
the courses of the program contribute to specific program learning outcomes.
General education learning outcome development
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Four college-wide forums on GE learning outcome development have been held
during the ’06 academic year by the SLO advisory group and the curriculum GE
subcommittee. A proposed model for GE areas and a “task group” process by
which to develop GELOs for these areas has been produced and is going to
Academic Senate for approval on December 5th.
GELO task group formation will begin in December and the process will
culminate with a set of GELOs by Spring, ’07.
Course and Program Learning Outcome Development
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
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Professional development resources and results of previous workshops and
projects are available for faculty and staff on SCC’s SLO website:
http://web.scc.losrios.edu/slo
Models for SLO assessment at course and program level have been developed and
discussed by SLO advisory group and faculty research coordinator. College-wide
and division-specific professional development activities on SLO assessment are
in the planning stages and are set to begin in early spring, ’07.
Accreditation timelines for SLO development and assessment have been
developed by SLO advisory group.
Student Services Learning Outcome Development
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Three forums on SLO development and assessment have been conducted this Fall
for Student Service faculty and staff. SLO themes and initial SLO statements
have been generated for several Student Service units as a result of these forums.
Follow-up workshops are planned for Student Service units to develop unitspecific SLO statements and assessment plans.
DSPS faculty and staff have been working together for several months and have
developed their SLO statements. Assessment plans are currently in progress.
SLO Status Report for Managers – 12/14/06
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Current status of SLO development: Awareness is up in Instruction and Student
Services.
SLOs in place for most courses, programs and GE (soon!)
Academic Senate and especially the SLO advisory group has assumed a
leadership role
Assessment plan:
Spring Assessment training
o Focus on course level SLO training in Spring.
o General primer workshop on Course SLO similar to previous workshops
o Recruit faculty for course projects: Spring to Fall (report on progress at
flex)
o Encourage cross collaboration between sections, courses, programs.
Vision for assessment process
Overall
 Faculty-driven
 Keep it an open, transparent process
 Limit workload ramifications (esp. on Chairs) – Shared responsibility
 Sample, sample, sample
 Encourage course-embedded approach
 Expand SLO advisory group’s support and coordination role
Course and Program
 Integrate efforts into department and/or division functions (meetings, etc.)
 Prioritize courses or programs that are ready for assessment efforts
 Support faculty projects and dissemination efforts
GE
 Utilize results from course and program efforts when applicable
 Develop tools and methods that can be shared
 Maintain process, results, & discussions in Academic Senate
 Present semi-annual results in a T & L colloquium-like setting
SLO Status Report, Assessment Plan and Timeline
Accreditation Task Group Training Session – Jan. 9th, 2007
Prepared by Alan Keys, Faculty Research Coordinator
Current status of SLO development
 Extensive dialogue, workshops, and coordinated efforts have occurred
over the past approximately two years and are building in both Instruction
and Student Services. (See SLO website for supporting documentation)
 SLOs are in place for a majority of courses & programs (See Socrates)
 A process for GE Learning Outcome development has recently begun.
This process has consent approval from the Academic Senate and has the
support of the Executive Council. (See Minutes from Senate and
Executive Council)
 Academic Senate, the curriculum committee and the SLO advisory group
has assumed a leadership role in the facilitation of faculty involvement in
SLO development at many levels. (See associated Minutes)
 Leadership and support from the President’s office, Office of Instruction,
Student Services, and Office of Research, Planning, and Institutional
Effectiveness is strong and growing.
 Professional development resources and results of previous workshops and
projects are available for faculty and staff on SCC’s SLO website:
http://web.scc.losrios.edu/slo
SLO Assessment Plan
General issues and considerations
 It must be faculty-driven
 All aspects of the process should be open and transparent
 Workload ramifications and shared responsibility need to be considered
 Sampling and course embedded approaches should be promoted
 SLO advisory group’s support and coordination role needs to be expanded
 Academic freedom and peer review process needs to remain protected
Course and Program Efforts
 New training efforts on course and program SLO assessment need to be
initiated
 Assessment efforts should be facilitated and integrated in ongoing
department and/or division functions.
 A prioritization should be conducted on those courses or programs that are
ready for assessment efforts
 Faculty project and dissemination efforts need to be supported
General Education
 Results from course and program efforts need to be utilized for GE
assessment whenever possible
 Tools and methods that can be shared need to be developed
 Academic Senate should play a lead role in the ongoing process
Update on SCC SLO Efforts – 2//20/07
Overview of Current status of SLO development
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Extensive dialogue, workshops, and coordinated efforts have occurred over the
past approximately two years and are building in both Instruction and Student
Services. (See SLO website for supporting documentation)
SLOs are in place for a majority of courses & programs (See below)
A process for GE Learning Outcome development is underway. This process has
consent approval from the Academic Senate and has the support of the Executive
Council. (See Minutes from Senate and Executive Council)
Academic Senate, the curriculum committee and the SLO advisory group has
assumed a leadership role in the facilitation of faculty involvement in SLO
development at many levels. (See associated Minutes)
Leadership and support from the President’s office, Office of Instruction,
Student Services, and Office of Research, Planning, and Institutional
Effectiveness is strong and growing.
Professional development resources and results of previous workshops and
projects are available for faculty and staff on SCC’s SLO website:
http://web.scc.losrios.edu/slo
SLO development in curriculum

All new and revised courses, degrees, and certificates that come through have
SLOs reviewed by Tech Review team and the SLO advisory group coordinator.

Approved by SCC curriculum committee in Fall, 2006
o 624 courses, 90 programs

Programs also submit an SLO alignment matrix that indicts the degree to which
the courses of the program contribute to specific program learning outcomes.
General education learning outcome development

Four college-wide forums on GE learning outcome development were held during
the ’06 academic year by the SLO advisory group and the curriculum GE
subcommittee. A proposed model for GE areas and a “task group” process by
which to develop GELOs for these areas has been produced and is now underway.

First drafts from GELO task groups are currently being reviewed.
Course and Program Learning Outcome Development



Professional development resources and results of previous workshops and
projects are available for faculty and staff on SCC’s SLO website:
http://web.scc.losrios.edu/slo
Models for SLO assessment at course and program level have been developed
and discussed by SLO advisory group and faculty research coordinator. Collegewide and division-specific professional development activities on SLO
assessment are in the planning stages and are set to begin in early spring, ’07.
Accreditation timelines for SLO development and assessment have been
developed by SLO advisory group.
Student Services Learning Outcome Development
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Three forums on SLO development and assessment have been conducted this Fall
for Student Service faculty and staff. SLO themes and initial SLO statements
have been generated for several Student Service units as a result of these forums.
Follow-up workshops are planned for Student Service units to develop unitspecific SLO statements and assessment plans.
DSPS faculty and staff have been working together for several months and have
developed their SLO statements and assessment plans.
SLO update posted in eNews – 2/15/08
SLO Assessment Efforts - The SLO advisory group is working on a number of initiatives
this term, with a specific focus on facilitating SLO assessment efforts at the
unit/department level. Please review the attached, documents that the advisory group has
developed to assist units in planning their SLO assessment efforts. Feedback on these
documents can be forwarded to Alan Keys at keysa@scc.losrios.edu. Also, more
information is available on SCC’s SLO website: http://web.scc.losrios.edu/slo.
SLO Initiatives – Spring, 2008
I.
Facilitate SLO assessment efforts in Instruction and Student Services
(Alan & Richard)
a. Conduct targeted SLO development meetings and workshops
b. Facilitate ongoing assessments
c. Document previous and ongoing assessments
d. Provide more online resources
e. Train departments on utilization of SLO assessment plan
II.
Prepare SLO assessment strategy (SLO advisory group)
a. Craft step-by-step SLO assessment strategy
b. Include cycle components
c. Present to DCC, Academic Senate and other key groups
III.
Continue dialogue and work on Institution level SLOs
(SLT-SLO advisory joint task group)
a. Summarize results of Flex
b. Present findings to SLO advisory group and joint task group
c. Craft a framework to encompass GELOs
d. Present to SLT and Academic Senate
IV.
Accreditation preparation (Alan & Richard)
a. Update documentation of SLO efforts
b. Prepare for standard committee requests
Academic Senate Update on SLO Efforts
(Same as update to Dept. Chairs Council – 9/18/08)
September 16, 2008
** Many sections of SCC’s SLO website have recently been updated,
including an ever-expanding collection of SLO assessment plans and results
from various departments across the college. Check it out at
http://web.scc.losrios.edu/slo
SLO Development
Course and Program level
 The curriculum committee and SLO advisory group continue to support efforts
for assisting faculty with course and program SLO development.
o As of September 15th, 2008, 98% of all courses had defined SLOs and
81% of all programs had defined program learning outcomes.

Student Services had their division-level SLOs approved by Academic Senate in
May, 2008 and are currently using those outcomes to assist in the development of
unit-level SLOs. Currently, at least 76% of student service units have developed
unit-level SLOs and several areas have begun SLO assessments.
GE level
 Discussions of how best to integrate SCC’s GE learning outcomes (GELOs) with
the curriculum process, SLO assessment, and institution-level SLOs are taking
place in curriculum committee and the SLO advisory group.
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An alignment of GELOs with Title V GE requirements was developed by the GE
subcommittee of curriculum and is currently being used to aid in review of GE
status requests. ( See GELO link on SLO website )
SLO Assessment
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The SLO Assessment Strategy and associated SLO assessment planning templates
were approved by Academic Senate in May, 2008 (Both are available on SCC’s
SLO website.)

At least 15 departments have used the SLO assessment plans to facilitate and
document their recent efforts in SLO assessment at the course level. Upcoming
workshops and individual department meetings will continue to focus on the
development of SLO assessment plans and interpretation of results.
SCC SLO Advisory Group
Membership and Initiatives 2008-2009
Current Year Initiatives
I.
Continue to support SLO assessment efforts in Instruction &
Student Services
II.
Assist departments in developing their SLO assessment plans
III.
Explore models for integrating SLO assessment in college
processes
IV.
Expand breadth of group and increase communication with
departments/units
( More SLO advisory group members and Department Liaisons
needed!)
Current SLO advisory group members
Beth Chape
Paul deGennaro
Richard Erlich
Paul Estabrook
Stuart Graybill
Julie Hawthorne
Celina Ing
Alan Keys
Karin Kunimura
Don Palm
Chris Tromborg
Rachel Spangler
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