What Behaviors Indicate a Student is Meeting
Course Goals and Objectives?
“Indicators”
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“At the end of this course the student will be able
to……”
◦ Qualitative and Quantitative
 Direct Measures – exams, papers, projects,
appropriate use of formulas, etc
 Indirect Measures – asking students how well they
thought they learned; tracking their performance in
sequential courses
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Faculty need to agree on indicators
◦ Work sampling: indicators are not proof but they are
rich information that are signs of achieving an
outcome
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Assessment does not have to be complicated
Faculty work as colleagues to assess student
work using agreed upon criteria that are
respected in the field
Typically work with aggregate data
Make informed judgment about student work
using explicit criteria or common rubric
◦ Take the class average score or ask raters to discuss
ratings and come to consensus
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Functional Competencies
◦ Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning
◦ Critical Analysis and Reasoning
◦ Technological Competence
To systematically document student’s skills, knowledge,
behavior, and academic accomplishments
o
o
o
Small group in-class activities
Paper and pencil exam questions
Mastery of online simulations and scores from online
chapter exams
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The student learning outcomes related to
Scientific and Qualitative Reasoning address:
◦ 1) the understanding and use of mathematical and
scientific methods of inquiry, reasoning, processes
and strategies to investigate and solve problems
◦ 2) the ethical and social implications of scientific
inquiry and technological change
◦ 3) the ability to distinguish science from nonscience and pseudo science
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Results from an online 25 question multiple choice exam that
assesses student knowledge of statistical and methodological
concepts from Chapter 2: How Psychologists do Research
◦ Key Findings: 86% of the students passed the exam
Mastery of online simulations, as determined by students’ scores
on simulations entitled Distinguishing Independent and Dependent
Variables, Experimental Method, Observational Methods, and
Ethics in Psychological Research
◦ Key Findings: Students achieving mastery on the 4 simulations:
86%, 92%, 90%, and 83%, respectively
Results from 25% of the questions on the Unit 1 paper and pencil
exam that specifically assess application of research concepts
◦ Key Findings: 82% of the students responded correctly to these
questions
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The student learning outcomes related to Critical
Analysis and Reasoning address:
◦ 1) identifying and evaluating stated and unstated
assumptions, supporting evidence and data, and
alternative points of view
◦ 2) assessing implications and consequences of
particular courses of action
◦ 3) applying fundamental critical thinking skills to
the analysis and interpretation of a variety of
subjects, including ideas and issues, cultural
artifact, or aesthetic works
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Results from an online 25 question multiple choice
exam that assesses students’ critical thinking from
Chapter 1: Thinking Critically about Psychology.
◦ Key Findings: 66% students passed the exam
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Small group assignments conducted during class
that require students to identify how hypothetical
reasoning or situations may violate critical
thinking, and/or require the use of critical
thinking. These activities are analyzed using a
grading rubric that awards a point for
“demonstrates competence in content” (1) or “does
not demonstrate competence in content” (0).
◦ Key Findings: 77% demonstrated competence
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The student learning outcomes related to
Technological Competency are assessed by the
successful completion and scoring for online
chapter interactivities and assignments. This
online work presents and assesses core content
in Psychology. All of the online work constitutes
40% of the student’s final grade.
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Adherence to a designated deadline whereby
students are required to register for labs online,
download relevant software, test their computers
for program compatibility, and maintain
connectivity with appropriate browsers; and
successful login to online Psychology labs, linking
to the lab server, activating simulations and
interactivities related to each chapter’s content,
and submission of a short chapter exam for each
chapter.
◦ Key Findings: 93% of students demonstrated
competence
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Faculty across multiple sections score a
common research report on a likert scale to
determine “unacceptable” through “excellent”
across variables such as grammar, sentence
structure, etc
Scoring performance on SPSS use in group
assignments and individual assignments as
“incompetent” or “competent”
Capstone course survey of how well students’
believe they achieved targeted goals.
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Redesign is an opportune time to develop and
use SLOA.
◦ Assessment does not have to be complicated
◦ Faculty work as colleagues to assess student work
using agreed upon criteria that is respected in the
field
◦ Typically work with aggregate data
◦ Make informed judgment about student work using
explicit criteria or common rubric