Assessment Strategies for
Institutional and Undergraduate
Programs
UHM, July 2007
Dr. Harry Hubball,
Department of Curriculum Studies
University of British Columbia
Canada
Outline
UHM, June 28
• Global Context for Curricula Reform in Higher Education
• Theory-Practice Integration: Innovative Learning Strategies
• Critical Challenges, Stages, Curriculum/Faculty Support Initiatives
UHM, July 25th
• Program-level Assessment and Learning
Outcomes
• Action Research Methodology: Case Study
Findings in College, institutional and Provincial
Settings
• The Scholarship of Curriculum Practice and
Undergraduate Program Reform: Dissemination
(PAIMAP)
Stages of Curricular Reform
Practice Stage
Action Plan Stage
Mobilisation Stage
Initiative Stage
Awareness Stage
Pre-Awareness
Stage
Hubball & Burt, 2004
The WASC/Hawaii Department of Education
Criteria
1. Organization: Vision and Mission (Purpose);
School Culture; Governance, Leadership, and
Resources
2. Standards-based Student Learning: Curriculum
(What are students learning?)
3. Standards-based Student Learning: Instruction
(How are students learning?)
4. Standards-based Student Learning: Assessment
and Accountability (How is student assessment
used?)
5. Quality Student Support for Student Personal and
Academic Growth
http://www.acswasc.org/about_criteria.htm#hawaiicriteria
SoCP . . .An approach to undergraduate
program reform and curriculum development in
higher education that integrates research, teaching
and learning
1. Scholarly Approaches to Curriculum Practice
“On-going professional development, reflection and initiation
of positive changes to curricula practices”
….Taking this to the next level of rigour
2. The Scholarship of Curriculum Practice (SoCP)
“Dissemination of practice-driven curricula research in peerreview contexts”
(Hubball & Burt, 2007; Hubball & Gold, In press)
Action/Classroom Research Methodology: A
Scholarly Approach to Programming and
Curriculum Practice
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
systematic, intentional and reflective inquiry
Identify research problems/questions/hypothesis
Literature review and conceptual framework
Planning, action, observation and reflection
Research design, methodology, data analysis, conclusions
Theory-practice integration
Implementing change/dissemination
Individual and social contextual process
(Altrichter, Psch, & Somekh, 1993; Mills, 2000; Peterat & Smith, 2001;
Thompson, 1996; Winter, 1996)
Integrating Theoretical
Frameworks (SoCP)
•
•
•
•
Models of Context-based Learning
Models of Learning Communities
Models of Learning-centred Curricula and
Pedagogy in Higher Education
Models of Action Research and SoTL
(Cox & Richlin, 2004; Hansman, 2001; Green & Kreuter, 1999; Hubball & Burt, 2004, 2006; Hubball & Poole, 2004;
Lave & Wenger, 1991;Peterat & Smith, 2001; Pratt & Asociates, 2001)
Organisational Structure
Needs
Assessment
Resources
LEARNING
CONTEXT
SOCIAL CONTEXT
PLANNING
AR
Process - Impact - Follow-up
ASSESSMENT
PROGRAMMING
(Hubball & Burt, 2004)
A Learning-centred Framework for
Curriculum Development and Evaluation
Program
Completion
Program
Start
E-3
E-1
E-2
PROGRAM EVALUATION PHASES
CONTEXT CONSIDERATIONS: Audience, Objectives, Resources for Evaluation Projects
E-1: Learning Context Evaluations
E-2: Process Evaluations
E-3: Impact Evaluations
E-4: Follow-up Evaluations
(Green & Kreuter, 1999; Hubball & Burt, 2007;Priest, 2001)
E-4
Table 2. Implementation Analysis
______________________________________________
Q. 1
What are critical factors when developing programlevel learning outcomes?
Q. 2
To what extent are learning outcomes reflected in
program learning experiences?
Q. 3
When and how do students demonstrate learning
outcomes in this context?
Q. 4
What are the overall reflections for implementation
and alternative applications of learning outcomes
to other academic activities in this context?
Action Research Methodology: Data Collection &
Analysis Methods
(Quantitative and Qualitative)
•
•
•
•
Minutes of Curriculum meetings
Focus group meetings with curriculum stream leaders’
Review of course syllabi and samples of students’ work
Review of course evaluation, student and pharmacists’
survey data
• Review of faculty research activities related to SoTL
GRADUATION
External Clerkships
Integrated Case-based
Courses
Yr 4 Courses
CAPS
Yr 3 Courses
CAPS
Program Sub-Disciplines
Yr 2 Courses
CAPS
Pre-requisite courses from
Arts and Sciences
CAPS
Ability-based Outcomes
& Assessment Strategies
Yr 1 Courses
PETE 314/320: ASSESSMENT PROFILE
Methods
Start
Presentation
Formative
Summative
Learning O/C
End
1-2,4-8
Participation
2-3
Final/Review
1-2,5-8
Unit Project
1-2,5-8
File/Journal
1,2, 4,9
Research Outcomes & Key Lessons Learned:
SoCP and Implementation Analysis
• Accreditation was the single biggest factor to influence the
implementation of program-level learning outcomes
• Strong (and adequately supported) curriculum leadership and the
ability to engage the WHOLE learning community (including a
critical mass within the sub-disciplines), through open dialogue and
various communications and dissemination of SoCP
• Flexibility to align bottom-up and top-down LO processes
• Guest speakers and external consultants
• Substantial time, effort and varying degrees of contribution and
responsibility requires comprehensive Institutional and Faculty-level
support/structures - Surface & deep levels of SoCP
• Additional support required to target, champion and show-case best
practices (innovation-leadership-integration)
Hubball & Gold, 2007
SUPPORTING CURRICULAR & TEACHING
CONTRIBUTIONS IN ORDER TO REALISE
INSTITUTIONAL GOALS
INSTITUTIONAL AND FACULTY LEVELS
• Tenure and Promotion Process
• Curriculum Leadership Awards
• Innovative Course Design Awards
• SoCP Grant Funding Opportunities
• SoCP Excellence Awards
• Faculty Certificate Program: The Scholarship of
University Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
• Curriculum Development and Pedagogy Support Service
PROGRAM-LEVEL ASSESSMENT AND LEARNING
OUTCOMES
Thank you….DISCUSSION - Welcome!
* Questions?
* Challenges / Alternative Strategies?
* Comments/reflections?