CASSL
Center for the Advancement of Staff and
Student Learning
Inquiry - Research – Development - Student Success
Outcomes Assessment:
Context and Practice

How does the assessment of student
learning outcomes fit into the larger picture?
 The
broad context of teaching and learning
 What professors do in the classroom
 Activities outside of the classroom
 Accreditation
 The work of CASSL
“Assessment”

Assessment of student knowledge in order to place
students into specific courses. Diagnostic placement
assessment

Evaluating student learning in order to arrive at
grades for individual students. Summative grading
assessment

Evaluating student success on specific outcomes
across the class as a whole. Student outcomes
assessment
The Teaching and
Learning Context
At core, SLOs are about:
Furthering
dialogue about what is most
important for out students to learn.
Developing information about what
students are learning.
Sharing best practices for helping
students learn.
True or False
True or False
The Classroom context
Professors already formally measure the
success of individual students in order to
arrive at grades.
 Professors already informally measure
student success on individual outcomes.
 Professors decide how to assess course
outcomes in their classes. There are many
tools for outcomes assessment.

Assessing for a grade versus assessing
outcomes
Outcome 1
Outcome 2
Outcome 3
Student 1
A
C
B
F
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
Outcome
assessment
Grade
Poor success
Moderate
success
High success
Change
methods
Change
methods ??
Hurray!
Keep methods
We already do outcomes assessment in our classes in a relatively
informal and intuitive way. We will be doing it more formally.
Why take a more formal approach to
outcomes assessment in the classroom?
Opportunities
for dialogue
Clearer expectations by students
Development of both qualitative and
quantitative data is useful
Chance to show the need for resources
Another tool set to help increase student
success in the classroom
True or False
True or False
Activities outside of the classroom

Program activities may be courses, but
may also be other things.

Students have many learning experiences
that occur outside of the classroom.
 Counseling
 Matriculation
 Health
Services
 Library Services
 MESA, Puente, DIOPS, etc.
 RWC, Math Lab, Tutoring, etc.
True or False
How does CASSL fit in?

Overall purpose of CASSL: To support the
scholarship of teaching and learning at CRC.
 Supporting
inquiry and professional development.
 Disseminating information from scholarly work.
 Highlighting best practices.
 Facilitating dialogue about teaching and learning.

Helping CRC staff with outcomes development
is part of the work of CASSL.
CASSL will…





Host outcomes dialogue opportunities.
Provide consultations with programs.
Develop documents that provide information
about processes (e.g. SLO handbook).
Support the assessment task force.
Work to keep the focus on teaching and
learning.
True or False
The Accreditation Context
The new accreditation standards emphasize:
 Use of SLOs across the college: Course
outcomes/objectives are on the course outlines;
use these in your classes.
 Evidence of our dialogue about student learning
and outcomes: Help us help you join the
dialogue.
 Documentation of outcomes assessment: Every
year some professors will be asked to document
their assessment of student success on the
course outcomes.
We will be asked to do our outcomes assessment in a much
more formal way than we have been doing.
Sampling and
evidence

We will not need to report on the assessment of all
outcomes every semester every year. We will develop
processes for reporting assessments.

An assessment reporting cycle can be developed that is
aligned with the curriculum and PrOF cycles.

Both direct and indirect assessment of skills can be
used in the assessment process.

Both qualitative and quantitative evidence can be
provided as samples of our work on assessment.
WASC: Looking for evidence of the
dialogue, assessment and change






Records of college processes.
Documentation of the dialogue involved.
Reports of the results of outcomes assessment.
Evidence of what we have done in response to info
from outcomes assessment.
We have some ways of capturing this info already
(e.g. Course Outlines, PrOF, Unit Plans).
We have to develop ways to capture other aspects
of our outcomes dialogue, assessment, and
response.
What’s next?



Everyone will be encouraged to use the tools of
outcomes assessment on a regular basis.
Each year some programs will be asked to
provide results of their assessments.
A college-wide task force will work to:
 find
a simple way for us to gather a summary of our
assessment results on an ongoing basis.
 develop a cycle by which we take “snapshots” of our
ongoing assessment for reporting and broad analysis
purposes.
What will you be asked to do?
Develop ways to assess outcomes and use the
information from that assessment.
Participate in the dialogue with colleagues.
Remember that you may be asked to document the
dialogue and report your outcomes assessment.
Ask CASSL for help whenever you need it.
Help us all keep the focus of this work on teaching,
learning, and student success.
True or False
Teaching, Learning, and
Student Success