Annual Student Learning Outcomes Review

District In-Service Day, August 13, 2009

This student learning outcomes review activity supports the accreditation requirement for faculty to develop measurable student learning outcomes, to assess student performance in achieving these outcomes, and to use the results of this assessment to improve instruction.

  1. Review the student learning outcomes for the courses in your subject discipline.
  1. For courses where there are multiple sections, agree on one or two student learning outcomes that you and your colleagues are willing to assess to a common standard during the fall 2009 and spring 2010 semesters.
  1. Work together to develop a common rubric to document the expected performance levels for this student learning outcome.

Here is a sample rubric for the student learning outcome: “Given an in-class assignment or examination, demonstrate the ability to recognize a well-known work of art and to describe the influence of other artists and the historical context that contributed to its creation.”

CATEGORY / A/Excellent / B/Good / C/Satisfactory / D/BelowSatisfactory
Recognition of work of art / Student can accurately name 4 works by this artist and describe them in some detail. / Student can accurately name 2 works by this artist. / Student can either accurately name or describe at least 2 works by this artist. / Student is not able to name or describe this artist's works.
Influence of other artists / Student is able to name at least 2 artists who influenced the artist being studied. He can also point out areas in this artist's paintings where one can see these influences. / Student is able to name at least 2 artists who influenced the artist being studied. / Student is able to name at least 1 artist who influenced the artist being studied. / Student does not know which other painters influenced the one being studied.
Influence of historical context / Student is able to give several detailed examples of how the time period(s) in which an artist lived influenced his/her work. / Student is able to give a couple of examples of how the time period(s) in which an artist lived influenced his/her work. / Student is able to give one example of how the time period(s) in which an artist lived influenced his/her work. / Student has difficulty describing how the time periods in which artists lived influenced their work.
  1. Submit a copy of the completed rubric, along with a copy of the student learning outcome it is designed to measure, to your Division Dean.
  1. In the remaining time, discuss the lectures, presentations, assignments and other techniques used in your classes to help students achieve the student learning outcome and the assessment strategies you use to determine their level of skill. Document this discussion in notes that you provide to your Division Dean to serve as a written record of the meeting.

Note: During the fall 2010 District In-Service Day, you will be asked to share with other members of your discipline how well your students achieved the desired student learning outcomes and what instructional and assessment techniques were found to be effective.