Memo
To: Faculty, Department Chairs and Deans
From: Assessment and Curriculum Committees
Subject: Conversion to Newly Defined Core Learning Outcomes
Date: May 1, 2012
Background
Over the last three years, the Assessment Committee has worked on new definitions for three of our five Core Learning Outcomes (CLOs). The three CLOs, in
both their old and new forms as well as the rationale for the change are documented in the table below.
Old Version
Computer Literacy -- To be computer
literate, graduates of the College will know
basic information technology concepts and
will be able to use a computer to manage
files, perform word processing, and use the
Internet and e-mail.
New Version
Information Literacy is a student’s ability to locate, evaluate,
and use electronic and print materials to meet a particular
information need in an ethical and legal manner.
The information literate student:
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Determines the nature and extent of the information
needed.
Defines and articulates the need for information.
Accesses needed information effectively and
efficiently.
Constructs and implements effectively-designed
search strategies.
Refines the search strategy if necessary.
Evaluates information and its sources critically and
incorporates selected information into his or her
knowledge base and value system.
Summarizes the main ideas to be extracted from the
information gathered.
Articulates and applies initial criteria for evaluating
both the information and its sources.
Compares new knowledge with prior knowledge to
determine the value added, contradictions, or other
unique characteristics of the information.
Uses information effectively to accomplish a specific
purpose.
Applies new and prior information to the planning
and creation of a particular product or performance.
Rationale
With the explosion of both quantity and
accessibility of information (and misinformation)
of recent years, the college faculty recognized
that students need to be not just computer
literate, but information literate. The new
version of the outcome addresses this need and
is based on information provided by the
Association of College and Research Libraries.
NOTE: The Assessment Committee has provided
an Information Literacy rubric as a resource for
faculty, available at
http://www.ncstatecollege.edu/committees/ass
essment/default.htm
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Understands many of the economic, legal, and social
issues surrounding the use of information and
accesses and uses information ethically and legally.
Understands many of the ethical, legal, and socioeconomic issues surrounding information and
information technology.
Follows laws, regulations, institutional policies, and
etiquette related to the access and use of
information resources.
Acknowledges the use of information sources in
communicating the product or performance.
Computation Proficiency is the ability to
perform mathematical computations found
in life situations. Students will be able to
recognize and analyze math situations and
solve problems using basic mathematical
and algebraic computations.
Computation Proficiency is the ability to perform the
college-level mathematical computations found within the
student’s chosen academic discipline or degree. Upon
graduation, North Central State College students will be able
to recognize, analyze, and solve math problems.
The original outcome was based on the college’s
previous minimum math requirement of MTH
103 -- Introduction to Algebra, a developmental
math course. The college raised the minimum
requirement to a college-level math course to be
incorporated in the new semester curricula. The
new CLO definition recognizes that change while
allowing the various disciplines/degrees to
determine where and how the outcome will be
attained and assessed.
Culture & Community – The goal of the
College, especially of general education, is
to enable students to become articulate,
literate, and culturally aware citizens.
Students graduating will demonstrate an
awareness of culture and community
issues, values, resources and diversity.
Intercultural Knowledge and Competence is "a set of
cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics
that support effective and appropriate interaction in a
variety of cultural contexts.” (Bennett, J. M. 2008.
Transformative training: Designing programs for culture
learning. In Contemporary leadership and intercultural
competence: Understanding and utilizing cultural diversity to
build successful organizations, ed. M. A. Moodian, 95-110.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.) Students graduating from the
College with an associate degree will demonstrate:
The Assessment Committee struggled for years
to gain traction with the original version of this
outcome. Problems included measurability and
the emphasis on general education. As a result,
the Committee “started over.” The new version
relies heavily on the expertise provided through
the Association of American Colleges and
Universities VALUE project.
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Intercultural Knowledge -- through cultural selfawareness, knowledge of cultural worldview
frameworks
Intercultural Skills -- through empathy, verbal and
nonverbal communication
Attitudes -- through curiosity and openness
NOTE: The Assessment Committee has provided
an Intercultural Knowledge and Competence
rubric as a resource for faculty, available at
http://www.ncstatecollege.edu/committees/ass
essment/default.htm
Changeover Plan
1. All Master Syllabi will be updated with the new CLO definitions in Fall 2012 by the Curriculum Committee.
2. Course Coordinators will need to consider whether the new CLO definitions necessitate either a change in assessment methods or the removal of the
CLO from their course.
a. If the current assessment method is still appropriate under the new CLO definition, then the Course Coordinator will not need to pursue this
further except to update Student Syllabi.
b. If an assessment method is changed or a CLO is removed from a course as a result of a new CLO definition, then the Course Coordinator will
need to submit the revised Master Syllabus to the Curriculum Committee for approval via an abbreviated review process. The expedited process
will be posted on the Curriculum Committee’s web site and be included in the new Curriculum Handbook.
Assessment Resources
The college’s Core Learning Outcomes. including definitions and assessment results, as well as program/department level learning outcomes and Program
Assessment Reports are provided on our Student Success Plan . On the Assessment Committee’s web site are the Core Learning Outcomes Assessment Schedule
and Learning Outcomes Assessment Tools (CLO rubrics, templates for the Program Assessment Report and the Course Assessment Report).
The following table, an excerpt from the Course Assessment Report template, suggests possible assessment methods:
*Legend for Column II: Evaluation Methods -- A List of Possibilities
Direct Measures
Indirect Measures (Do not rely solely on
indirect measures)
Score gains between entry and exit on published or
local tests or writing samples
Research projects, presentations, oral defenses,
exhibitions, performances – scored using a rubric
Written documents/essays – scored using a rubric
Juried reviews of presentations or performances
Performance on licensure, certification, or
professional exams
Portfolio assessments
Scores on quizzes and tests that link to learning
outcomes
Observations of student behaviors with systematic
recording of notes
Systematic analyses of electronic discussion
threads, “think alouds,” or knowledge maps
Skills-based assessments using checklists, etc.
Ratings of student skills by field experience
supervisors
Performance on standardized exams
Performance on practical exams
Employer rating of graduate skills via survey,
interviews or focus groups
Scores from classroom response systems (clickers)
Feedback from computer simulations
Graduate follow-up rating of skills via survey,
interviews or focus groups
Student ratings of the knowledge or skills gained
Systematic analysis of student reflections on the
knowledge or skills gained
Students’ reflections on their values, attitudes,
beliefs
Other Resources:
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For writing learning outcomes
o University of Central Florida’s guidelines for writing student learning outcomes that are SMART and MATURE
o Bloom’s Taxonomy Matrix with verbs, materials/situations, and potential activities/products
o More on Bloom’s Taxonomy including why and how to use it
o ThinkWell- LearnWell ™ diagram with learning goals, outcomes and thinking skills
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For assessing learning outcomes
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The State University of New York rubrics: SUNY Critical Thinking Rubric
SUNY Writing Rubric
SUNY Math Rubric
The Association of American Colleges and Universities Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) project
Examples of Core Learning Outcomes Assessment Plans for Master (and Student) Syllabi
This following table includes the newly defined CLOs as they will be updated in all Master Syllabi. Examples of assessment plans are provided strictly AS
EXAMPLES.
Core Learning Objectives
Assessment - - How it is met & When it is met
All Listed Assignments are graded.
EXAMPLES
Communication – Written
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Communication – Speech
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The student will explore strategies to evaluate computer products and define product standards for
an organization via research and written report in conjunction with Ch. 7; assessed using Writing
Across the Curriculum rubric.
The student will write a research paper on successful web based companies; due end of term;
assessed using Writing Across the Curriculum rubric.
The student will write analytic essays in weeks 5 and 10; response essays in weeks 3 and 7; evaluated
by rubric.
The student will find and present a summary of a professional journal article that identifies physical,
mental and cognitive impairments and addresses the etiology and impact; assessed using the Speech
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Intercultural Knowledge &
Competence
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Critical Thinking
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Information Literacy
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Checklist; weeks 8 and 9.
The student will function as an engineering team member in an academic environment to work on a
project and present it; assessed via Speech Rubric; mid-term.
The student will do an oral presentation on informational interviewing, due at the end of the
semester, as well as mock interviews throughout the semester; assessed using the Speech rubric.
The student will discuss and explore their own personal attitude toward disability and mental illness
and how that impacts their interactions with clients; assessed in Personal Attitude Reflection
assignment (rubric); week 14.
The student will identify the influence of cultural practices on an individual's adaptation of stressors
and level of wellness; assessed in critical thinking exam questions (exam key) and identified in care
plans of clients related to health practices followed (care plan rubric); weeks 2-16.
The student will produce a technical marketing brochure that addresses multicultural audience issues;
evaluated by brochure rubric; week 9.
The student will increase his/her intercultural knowledge/skills/attitudes through small group
projects/presentations; evaluated by pre and post self-assessment using the intercultural
knowledge/competence rubric; mid-term with self-assessment repeated at end-of-term after clinical
experiences.
The student will plan, assemble, order, and produce a Portfolio Project that will require the student to
prioritize artwork, sequence and group the artwork, and trouble shoot problems that come up along
the way; throughout the semester; assessed using Portfolio Project rubric.
The student will evaluate a patient scenario (to include patient assessment), select an appropriate
therapy, and explain the rationale for the selection; cases in exams 1, 2, and 3; assessed via exam key.
Student will study and analyze historical engineering disasters and while working in teams, develop
practical Engineering Preventative Management Solutions to these scenarios throughout the
semester; evaluated using Solutions rubric.
The student will evaluate the effect of ethical considerations and social responsibility given local and
global business scenarios; exams/quizzes throughout the semester but primarily assessed on exam
during 1st 4 weeks.
The student will respond appropriately to a complex “What would you do?” scenario that requires
analysis, evaluation, inference, and explanation; scenario provided week 1 and finals week for a pre
and post assessment using the critical thinking rubric.
The student will find and present a summary of a professional journal article that identifies physical,
mental and cognitive impairments and addresses the etiology and impact; assessed using the
Information Literacy rubric; weeks 8 and 9.
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Computation
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The student will explore strategies to evaluate computer products and define product standards for
an organization via research and written report in conjunction with Ch. 7; assessed using Information
Literacy rubric.
The student will complete a research paper assessed via the research writing rubric; 8th week of the
semester.
The student will solve homework problems in solar conversions, fuel efficiencies, and power loss
(EIEO) using Excel, and temperature conversions using BASIC throughout the semester; assessed with
problem answer key.
The student will convert numbers among the decimal, binary, and hexadecimal number systems in
problems in the midterm and final exams; assessed via answer key.
The student will perform clinical medication calculations; Weekly and Final Exams (answer key).