Assessment of General Education:
Who/What/When/Why/How?
Gail G. Evans
Dean, Undergraduate Studies
San Francisco State University
CSU Summer Institute,
GE Assessment Tools for Student Learning of GE Outcomes:
What are our Students Learning?
June 25, 2012
Introduction
• “American students already know they want
a degree. The challenge is to help students
become highly intentional about the forms of
learning and accomplishment that the
degree should represent.” -- 2007 LEAP
Report
• How can we as educators implement General
Education to help achieve this goal? And how will
we know when we get there?
• How do we effect a change in culture on our
campuses to sustain implementation?
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June 25, 2012
Steps to Campus Change
• Get campus involvement from all
constituencies.
• Link your proposed changes to
other campus initiatives or plans.
• Ensure the support of your
administration.
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Steps to Campus Change
• Develop a “road map” or timeline for
implementation.
• Determine the effect of and on existing
policies and procedures.
• Commit resources.
• Develop an assessment plan for your work.
• Recognize that the work in which you are
engaged is inherently political…….
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Steps to Campus Change
So how have these steps
worked (or not), in “reallife” situations?
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General Education in the California
State University System
• Executive Order approved in June 2008:
(amended in 2011 by EO 1065)
3.2 CSU Student Learning Outcomes: Each
CSU campus shall define its GE student
learning outcomes, to fit within the
framework of the four “Essential Learning
Outcomes” drawn from the Liberal
Education and America’s Promise (LEAP)
campaign, an initiative of the Association of
American Colleges and Universities.
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LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes
Framework
•
Knowledge of Human Cultures and the
Physical and Natural World
•
Intellectual and Practical Skills
•
Personal and Social Responsibility
•
Integrative Learning
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The San José Story of GE Reform and
Assessment (thru 2008)
• Fall 1998: Implemented new GE Guidelines that
were predicated on course-embedded assessment,
as well as a diversity requirement across the
curriculum
• 1998-2001: Approximately 280 courses were
submitted for re-certification. Course proposals
required a plan to assess student learning based
on evaluation of Student Learning Objectives
http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/ge/
http://www.aacu.org/aacu_news/aacunews07/february07/feature.cfm
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Certification & Continuing
Certification Processes
• 2004: Eliminated a “check the box”
format in relaying GE requirements to
students and faculty
• 2001-2008: Course coordinators
submitted assessment summaries and
course syllabi indicating how students
were assessed, the results of those
assessments, and appropriate course
modifications based on the
assessments
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SJSU Studies
Integrated Knowledge of an
Educated Person
• Earth and Environment (R) (3 units)
• Self, Society & Equality in the U.S. (S) (3
units)
• Culture, Civilization & Global Understanding
(V) (3 units)
• Written Communication II (Z) (3 units)
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SLOs for One Area of SJSU Studies:
Culture, Civilization, & Global
Understanding
• Students shall be able to:
compare systematically … people from
more than one culture outside the U.S.;
O identify the historical context of ideas and
cultural traditions outside the U.S. and
how they have influenced American
culture; and
O explain how a culture outside the U.S. has
changed in response to internal and
external pressures.
O
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Content Objectives
O
O
O
O
O
Diversity. Issues of diversity shall be incorporated in an
appropriate manner.
Writing
Civic Learning. Courses shall address the civic relevance
of the topic in an appropriate manner.
Values Clarification. Students should demonstrate their
ability to articulate and discuss their values and engage in
civil discourse.
Courses will address significant achievements of the
human intellect and imagination in a comparative context
to understand and appreciate different ideas, cultures,
values, religions, institutions, languages, and peoples of
the world.
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Assessment
Assessment

Writing shall be assessed for
grammar, clarity, conciseness
and coherence.
http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/ge/assessment/
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Course Continuing Certification
Philosophy
• Assessment as pathway to success vs.
gateway
• Mentoring of faculty
O
GE Faculty in Residence
• No decisions until the decision is “YES”
• Education of faculty regarding GE
objectives and assessment
• Sharing of best practices
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June 25, 2012
General Education Revision at SF State
• Graduation Requirements Task Force was charged
in 2006 with reviewing and revising baccalaureate
degree requirements, including GE
• Spring 2008 adopted baccalaureate goals
• November 2009 submitted final report to the
Academic Senate
• Spring 2010 new Baccalaureate Degree Policy
approved by Academic Senate
http://www.sfsu.edu/~ugs/GE_Policy.html
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San Francisco State’s Baccalaureate Goals
Goal 1
Goal 2
Goal 3
Goal 4
Goal 5
Goal 6
• Competencies for Lifelong Intellectual Endeavors L=2
• Intellectual Attainments
L=1
• Appreciation for Diversity
L=3
• Ethical Engagement
L=3
• Integration & Application of Knowledge
L=4
• Qualities of Mind and Spirit
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L=1,2,3 & 4
June 25, 2012
Physical Science Learning Outcomes
After completion of a lower division course in physical science, students will be
able to:
describe methods of inquiry and analysis characteristic • Lifelong Intellectual
of the physical sciences;
Endeavor
evaluate scientific information from a variety of sources and
use that information to articulate well-reasoned responses
to scientific concerns;
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• Intellectual Attainment
identify alternative points of view regarding major
scientific theories, research, and applications;
• Appreciation for Diversity
describe ethical dilemmas arising out of contemporary
scientific research and applications
• Ethical Engagement
use scientific theories to explain phenomena observed
in laboratory or field settings; and
• Integration & Application
of Knowledge
discuss the relevance of major scientific theories and
research
to their
CSU Institute:
GElives.
& Assessment
• Qualities of Mind & Spirit
June 25, 2012
Mapping Artifacts to Institutional Goals
LEAP
CUSP
II
BAC
Electronic Portfolio
DEPT/
PROGRAM
Course
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Video
Reflection
Texts & Resources
SF State Course
Instructor:
Rachel Poulain
Students:
•Cinema
•Health Education
•Sociology
•Urban, Ethnic, and Women's Studies
Course Student Learning Outcome:
Students will be able to shoot and produce a documentary
on a Health & Social Justice issue.
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June 25, 2012
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Testimonials to Student Learning
“Co-creating “Empowering the Yard” has
made a lasting impact in my life. With 1 in
100 Americans incarcerated and the
growing rate of HIV/AIDS among young
women, it is imperative that we listen and
learn from one another…
Emily Kirsch
Since the film's initial screening at SF State
in May 2008, Empowering the Yard has been
entered and accepted to film festivals across
the country and is going global.”
Videos available at:
http://www.healthequity.sfsu.edu/doc/title/empowering.html
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Mapping Institutional Goals to Artifacts
LEAP
CUSP
II
BAC
DEPT/
PROGRAM
Course
ARIFACTS
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• Personal & Social Responsibility
• Social Justice & Equity
• Appreciation for Diversity
• Ethical Engagement
• Identify the connection between social justice, health equity,
and personal & community health
• Shoot & produce a documentary on a health & social justice
issue
•
Video
Reflection
Texts & Resources
Thank You
Thanks to Maggie Beers, Linda Buckley, Ruth Cox, and Kevin Kelly for
their contributions to this presentation