SLO Video
El Camino College
by
Kurt Hull and Chris Mello
February, 2012
SCENE I
INT. FACULTY LOUNGE
While getting tanked on caffeine, two faculty members discuss SLOs.
BAD COP
I hate this SLO stuff. What else do the Lords of El Camino
want from me? I show up on time, do my job,
help the students, give a gazillion assessments
during the semester, and yet they still
want more. When does it stop?
GOOD COP
I know. Sometimes I feel the same way, but you have to look at the
bigger picture. We need to make sure our students are getting from
the class what we intend to teach them.
BAD COP
I get that. It just seems like a waste of time. I know whether or not my
students understand the material. That’s what matters most.
GOOD COP
Right, but who else knows?
BAD COP
The school knows. I post my grades like everyone else.
GOOD COP
True, but those grades don’t come along with your reflections and comments,
which is part of the assessment process.
BAD COP
Whose side are you on?
GOOD COP
I’m not taking sides. All I am saying is that the whole process of writing and
assessing SLOs is about defining the takeaways,
measuring the success rate, reflecting on the results, and then
communicating that information to the world. And that world includes otherworldly
entities known as the administration and the accrediting bodies.
BAD COP
Sounds like a threat to me -
like if we all decided not to do this SLO stuff,
it could affect our accreditation.
GOOD COP
It is possible. It’s happened to many other community colleges.
BAD COP
Dude, you scare me.
GOOD COP
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
BAD COP
Okay, so let’s say I buy into all this SLO mumbo jumbo.
What do I have to do?
Or let me be more specific: what else do I have to do?
GOOD COP
First, you have to write a good SLO statement.
BAD COP
How do I do that?
GOOD COP
Define what you want students to take away from the class.
BAD COP
I want them to take away an A.
GOOD COP
How do they get an A?
BAD COP
They ace all the exams.
GOOD COP
What’s on the exams?
BAD COP
I teach Jump Rope 101. At the end of the course, they must
be able to jump rope continuously for one minute.
GOOD COP
There’s your statement.
BAD COP
Where?
GOOD COP
You just said it?
BAD COP
Said what?
GOOD COP
Your SLO statement.
BAD COP
I did?
GOOD COP
You said you want your students to be able to jump rope continuously
for one minute. That is your SLO statement. Now how do you assess that SLO?
BAD COP
I make them jump rope.
GOOD COP
And you hold a stopwatch?
BAD COP
Of course. How else will I know if they can do it for a minute?
GOOD COP
See?
BAD COP
See what?
GOOD COP
You already have your statement and know how to assess it.
All you need to do now is reflect on the results of your assessment,
and comment on the process.
BAD COP
That’s it?
GOOD COP
It’s so easy a caveman could do it.
BAD COP
What’s that supposed to mean?
GOOD COP
Haven’t you seen the Geico commercials?
BAD COP
I don’t have a TV.
GOOD COP
Dude…get a TV!
SCENE II: SLO ASSESSMENT REPORTS
(LOCATION: ECC CLASSROOM)
(Narrator Overdub: An SLO Assessment allows and instructor to make improvements to a course, a specific teaching style, or can help in targeting new needs of a course. We do this every semester as instructors. A good SLO Assessment specifically measures the Course SLO Statement in tangible form. The data collected from this assessment is invaluable in evaluating the effectiveness of what an instructor does)
a.)Good Cop is shown administering an SLO Assessment Exercise to students; students taking some type of quiz
b.)Good Cop is then seen going through the material and compiling the data
c.)Good Cop is seen inputting the SLO Assessment report into Curricunet
(BAD COP: is scene teaching a class full of students who are either bored, unengaged, or goofing off. Instructor could be using out-of-date techniques (an abacus for example) and “going through the motions”, throws the SLO REPORTS DUE notice into the trash)
(Narrator Overdub: As instructors, when we don’t do these types of assessments we can often miss when a style, tool, or method of instruction might not be as effective as we perceive from the perspective of instructors. Are our students really learning what we think they should be?)
SCENE III:OUTCOMES OF GETTING YOUR SLO’s DONE (Program Review)
(LOCATION: DEAN’s OFFICE)
(Narrator Overdub: Why does it matter if we complete our SLO Assessments? Well, SLO Assessment reports play a key role in Program Review. They provide a solid base for recommendations for any changes in our courses or curriculum. It also provides solid evidence that our faculty are constantly assessing courses and instruction methods in a continual effort to improve the quality of education here at ECC.)
(GOOD COP: IS shown meeting with a Dean and fellow faculty completing the Program Review Process.
DEAN: Great Program Review guys. You guys have done a lot of good work here! Seems like you have identified some key things we can do to improve the quality of our students’ instruction. With all the SLO Data you have here we’ve got a strong case to allocate funds for some new technology, media, and other learning tools to make the class more effective!)
(GOOD COP and FELLOW INSTRUCTORS SMILE and HIGH –FIVE)
(BAD COP: Is shown sitting with Dean and a bunch of blank pages and a silly look on his/her face.)
DEAN: So the Program Review Committee has asked again for another revision because they say you have no SLO Data in your Program Review?
(The two GOOD COP INSTRUCTORS walk in)
DEAN: Oh! Professor ______and ______, guys, by the way, I’ve gotten so many compliments on your Program Review, and those new IPads, IMacs, and Projectors will be on their by the end of the semester! Great Work!)
(BAD COP INSTRUCTOR puts head in hands)
SCENE IV:COLLEGE WIDE OUTCOMES of SLO COMPLIANCE
(LOCATION: OUTSIDE OF ECC CAMPUS ENTRANCE)
(Narrator:SLO’s are important to your Courses, your Program, and also the College itself! We have a responsibility to be SLO Compliant as an education institution through the Accreditation Process. You, as instructor, can help that process by completing the SLO Process from SLO Creation to SLO Assessment and Reporting. IF we can all work together as a team we can continue to preserve the stellar reputation El Camino College has as a quality institution that cares about both its students and the learning process. Through the process of SLO’s we grow as instructors, educators, and as a college as a whole.
Of course, some people may never learn …. Until its TOO LATE!)
BAD COP nonchalantly strolls onto ECC campus whistling and sees a sign “CLOSED” posted under the ECC College sign! He sits down on the curb and begins to sob)