Fall SLO Dialogue – Example: Instructional Programs
Semester (e.g. Fall 2008) ___Fall 2008_
Program: ____Health Care for the Elderly__
1) What are the most critical student learning issues impacting the success of students in your
program? Such issues could include: student understanding of key program concepts, skills that are
essential to success following program completion, abilities that students struggle to master, skills
needed for subsequent courses in a pre-requisite sequence, etc.
 A revision of the certification exam for “Providers of Health Care for the Elderly” has resulted in a
need to revise curriculum in some classes.
 Dialogue among program faculty has indicated that students struggle with outcomes related to
conducting interviews to assess the health needs of frail elderly people.
2) Which of these would you like to focus on at a program level this fall? (You can choose more than
one). What program or course Student Learning Outcomes are related to the selected issue(s)?
o Curriculum revisions are in progress; assessment of outcomes for revised courses will occur next
fall, so we will focus on improving student success on the outcomes related to interviewing the
frail elderly in order to assess their health needs. These outcomes can be found in the course
outlines for HCE 100: Current Issues in Health Care for the Elderly, and HCE 130: Assessment of
Health Care Needs for the Frail Elderly.
3) What might be done to facilitate student success in this area? Include effective strategies currently
being utilized in department in this discussion.
o Increased use of problem-based learning assignments related to focal outcomes.
o Revision of materials for students related to the focal outcomes.
o Changes in labs during which interpersonal interview skills are practiced.
4) How might you assess the effectiveness of these strategies? Please mark all that apply
X
X
Direct observation of student actions or performance (e.g. student skills during theatre performances or
athletic events, structured practice or drills, student work in laboratory or studio classes, results of
“practical” exams, etc.)
Assessment of student products (e.g. review of semester projects, grades on inquiry projects, etc.)
X
Analysis of student creative work (e.g. art portfolios, creative projects in classes, student projects as
part of a campus cultural event, etc.)
Exams, quizzes, and/or problem sets in courses (items linked to specific outcomes)
□
□
□
X
X
□
□
Analysis of student work on problem sets, homework, etc.
Grading of assignments based on rubrics (essays, reports, case studies, etc.)
Student self-assessments (reflective journals, surveys, etc.)
Capstone projects or final summative assessment (e.g. final exams, capstone projects, etc.)
Guided discussion (group or individual)
Other (please describe)
Fall SLO Dialogue – Example
Instructional Programs
Semester (e.g. Fall 2008) ___Fall 2008____
Program: _Forensics - Speech and Debate
1. What are the most critical student learning issues impacting the success of students in your
program? Such issues could include: student understanding of key program concepts, skills that
are essential to success following program completion, abilities that students struggle to master,
skills needed for subsequent courses in a pre-requisite sequence, etc.



Students are lacking the ability to construct logical reasoning in their arguments for debate cases,
particularly in setting forth a criteria or key premises to uphold and support their case.
Students are lacking in the ability to document substantial evidence in their debate cases that has a
breadth or depth of research and/or support for arguments that are constructed and presented during a
debate.
Students new to the “Forensics” speech and debate team seem to need more time or exposure to
coaching to receive more training for the details and complexity of debate case construction.
2. Which of these would you like to focus on at a program level this fall? (You can choose more
than one). What program or course Student Learning Outcomes are related to the selected
issue(s)?


Students should be able to design and relate messages clearly for effective and appropriate oral
communication (Program SLO #1).
Students should be able to analyze and formulate critical thinking within the evidence and reasoning of
spoken and written messages (Program SLO #4).
3. What might be done to facilitate student success in this area? Include effective strategies currently
being utilized in department in this discussion.
Currently students are required to meet with an instructor, forensics team coach or experienced team
captain for a certain number of hours as part of the course assignments to earn credit for their courses.
Per our discussion today, in our class sessions of Communication 373 and in our team meetings (workshop
sessions), it will be useful to have more experienced debaters and presenters “pair off” with the newer or
more novice debaters and team members for more practice debates and as they work on researching for
evidence to build their debate cases. In classes, there needs to be more elaboration on how to develop a
criteria (weighing mechanism or set of standards) when presenting and arguing a case in a debate.
4. How might you assess the effectiveness of these strategies? Please mark all that apply
□
□
□
□
□
□
□
□
□
X Direct observation of student actions or performance (e.g. student skills during theatre performances
or athletic events, structured practice or drills, student work in laboratory or studio classes, results of
“practical” exams, etc.)
Assessment of student products (e.g. review of semester projects, grades on inquiry projects, etc.)
Analysis of student creative work (e.g. art portfolios, creative projects in classes, student projects as
part of a campus cultural event, etc.)
X Exams, quizzes, and/or problem sets in courses (items linked to specific outcomes)
X Grading of assignments based on rubrics (essays, reports, case studies, etc.)
Student self-assessments (reflective journals, surveys, etc.)
Capstone projects or final summative assessment (e.g. final exams, capstone projects, etc.)
X Guided discussion (group or individual)
Other (please describe)