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GENERAL EDUCATION
ASSESSMENT
Nathan Lindsay
January 22-23, 2013
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 What
is General Education Assessment at UMKC
 What
assessment would mean for you if you teach
a Gen Ed course
 How
to get a course approved as a Gen Ed course
(the Approval Form)
Goals for Revision
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General Education goals are:
a. To increase student engagement
b. To provide an opportunity to define student learning
outcomes for general education
c. To facilitate transfer from other higher education
institutions
d. To ensure alignment with state and national
guidelines
Which of the following is not a UMKC
Gen Ed learning outcome?
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5.
6.
Culture and Diversity
Civic Engagement
Communication Skills
Technology and
Information Literacy
Leadership
Scientific Reasoning and
Quantitative Analysis
C
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Great Eight
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General Education Learning Outcomes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Communication skills
Technology and information literacy
Scientific reasoning and quantitative analysis
Arts and humanities
Interdisciplinary and innovative thinking
Culture and diversity
Human values and ethical reasoning
Civic and community engagement
http://www.umkc.edu/provost/gen-ed/documents/studentlearning-outcomes.pdf
Bloom’s Taxonomy
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Measurement of student learning outcomes and
General Education assessment across the nation’s
higher learning institutions have focused on:
outcomes – Knowledge, Comprehension,
and Application
 Two Year
outcomes – Application, Analysis,
Synthesis, and Evaluation
 Four Year
Who is primarily responsible for
General Education Assessment?
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Fa
2.
Faculty
Department Chairs
Assistant Vice Provost
for Assessment
General Education
Committee
University Assessment
Committee
D
1.
Measurements
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There will be a combination of:
 Formative
 Direct
and Summative Assessments
and Indirect Assessments
Direct Assessments
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Course Embedded Assessments

Final papers from discourse, anchor, and platform classes,
which are graded with a rubric

Final projects from capstone courses, which are assessed
with an evaluation form

Final Exams in which test items are linked to learning
outcomes
Rubrics can be formulated and/or enhanced for these signature
assignment evaluations at www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/ .
Direct Assessment (cont.)
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Standardized Assessment

Educational Testing Service Proficiency Profile
(ETS-PP) is given to all students after they have
completed 70 credit hours. Completion is a
requirement of graduation. Assesses student skills in:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Reading
Writing
Critical Thinking, and
Mathematics
Indirect Assessment
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Office of Institutional Research & Planning


Each year, a survey is conducted of all graduating
seniors regarding their experiences at UMKC.
Questions solicit students’ perception of their
general learning that are based upon Gen Ed
learning outcomes.
Measurements
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Assessing General Education at UMKC will
focus on the eight learning outcomes and will
consist of:
1. Course embedded assessments
2. Standardized instruments
(ETS-Proficiency Profile)
3. Student surveys/reflections
(Senior Student Survey)
Curriculum Mapping
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Prerequisite: Discourse
I
Prerequisite:
Discourse I or II
Level determined by learning outcomes of
the course.
Prerequisite: Discourse
II;
Upper-level course
required by all transfer
students
Communication Skills
X
X
Technology & Information Literacy
X
X
Platform III (3)
Platform II (3)
Platform I (3)
Discourse II (3)
Anchor II (3)
Discourse I (3)
Anchor I (3)
UMKC General Education Student
Learning Outcomes
Co-Requisites
X
Interdisciplinary & Innovative
Thinking
Human Values & Ethical Reasoning
X
(X)
Culture & Diversity
X
(X)
X
Civic & Community Engagement
Scientific Reasoning & Quantitative
Analysis
Arts & Humanities
Discourse III (3)
Level III
Courses
Anchor III (3)
Platform Courses
Platform IV-Elective
(3)
Level II
Courses
X
(X)
X
X
(X)
(X)
Assessment
GEOC Model Proposed Courses
Level I Courses
•
As new General Education
courses gain approval during
2012–2013, a curriculum map
will be developed similar to the
one seen here.
•
It is important to notice that the
courses will be ordered in
relation to their specific
learning outcomes.
•
The Office of Assessment and
the General Education
Curriculum Committee will
work to ensure these outcomes
are properly assessed, and will
continue to tweak all outcomes
that need further development
moving forward.
Gen Ed Course Review
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

Initially, courses will be reviewed and/or
revised on a 1-3 year, rotating basis.
Determination in the review process will
primarily focus on the three W’s:
1. Whether and/or how learning outcomes are being
assessed
2. Whether students’ performance is meeting
expectations
3. Whether faculty are using assessment results to make
improvements in their pedagogy and curriculum
Reporting
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
Each year, instructors who are teaching a Gen Ed course will
submit the following details of their assessment plan in a
report to the Assistant Vice Provost for Assessment:







Learning outcomes
Measurements
Achievement targets
Findings, and
Action plans
Assessment findings are not required for each semester, but
should be collected at least once a year.
Based on the individual course reports, summaries of the
assessments for each of the 8 Learning Outcomes across
campus will be submitted in WEAVE each year by the
Assistant Vice Provost.
Course Approval Form
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
Question 1
Which of the General Education learning
outcomes does this course address?

You should mark no more than one, because
whatever is marked, must be assessed.
Course Approval Form
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
Question 2
How will the learning outcomes be addressed?





Looking for specifics about how the course meets
or is related to the learning outcome listed in the previous question.
How is the content of the course conceptually linked to the
learning outcome?
What content or activities are related to the learning outcome?
Refer to and reference the language from the Eight Learning
Outcomes http://www.umkc.edu/assessment/general-educationassessment.cfm, but make the description more specific for
your course.
Course-specific learning outcomes should be written for the
course, which are related to one of the Eight Learning
Outcomes.
Course Approval Form
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
Question 3
Will the course include any of the
following high-impact experiences?






Service Learning
Undergraduate Research
Learning Communities
Study Abroad
Internship
Other
Course Approval Form
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
Questions Specific to the Anchor
Courses
 How
will the course connect or interact with
the Discourse class?
 How will the course be interdisciplinary in
nature?
 How will instructors interact in this course
(what percentage of class time will be shared
and how) and how will team-teaching be
integrated into this course?
Course Approval Form
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
Question 4
How will the learning outcomes be assessed?

This answer requires a description of both the means and frequency of
assessment to be administered.

This might include essays, quizzes, exams, group projects, portfolios, etc.

Using the final test or paper in the course is the most typical means of
assessing the learning outcome.

A rubric or an evaluation form connected to your learning outcomes
is highly recommended.

If you are using a test, you should connect specific items on the test to
the learning outcomes.

Do NOT list course grades. The data you collect should give you insights
regarding where students are stronger and weaker (in terms of specific
sub-outcomes measured on your test or rubric).
Course Approval Form
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
Question 5
What is the achievement target for the
students’ learning outcomes?


Includes expectations of general performance and
percentage of students expected to perform at higher
levels.
The achievement target is usually between 70-90%,
and should be a goal to strive for.
Discuss
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What are the next steps for you and your
colleagues to address General Education
course design and assessment?
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Questions?