changing focus from teaching to learning · changing the focus from teaching to learning: ud t di...

Changing the Focus from Teaching to Learning: U d t di th L C t d P di dUnderstanding the Learner-Centered Paradigm and the Philosophical Foundations for Program Student

Learning Outcomes AssessmentLearning Outcomes Assessment

Jeremy Penn, Ph.D.Di t U i it A t d T tiDirector, University Assessment and Testing

Faculty Certificate Program / Graduate Student Endorsement in Program Outcomes do se e t og a Outco es

Assessment

• Participate in 8 out of 10 workshopsParticipate in 8 out of 10 workshops– 8 offered this year

Some limited substitutions allowed– Some limited substitutions allowed• Create or modify an assessment plan for a

( b h th ti l)program (can be hypothetical)• Certificate and $500 (faculty) $100

(graduate student) award upon completion

University Assessment and Testing

History of AssessmentHistory of Assessment

• Evaluation ofEvaluation of educational achievement since at least 589-613 AD

• Landmark study in the U.S. in the late 1920s using multiple-choice tests (Learned &tests (Learned & Wood, 1938)


Learned & Wood (1938)Learned & Wood (1938)

• 45,000 high school45,000 high school and college students

• Learning gains of g g0.02 to 0.56 standard deviations at the school level

• Few ‘surprises’ in the l f llplacement of colleges


Identified concerns “with the extent to which the so-called comprehensive, p ,objective, or ‘new-type’ tests, less familiar ten years ago than now, would prove to y g , pjustify their use for the purposes in view”

(Learned & Wood, 1938)


Recent DevelopmentsRecent Developments

Assessment “as a means to provideAssessment as a means to provide information about the teaching and learning process and as feedback to helplearning process and as feedback to help improve the effectiveness with which students faculty and the institution carrystudents, faculty, and the institution carry out their work” (1984 Study Group on the Conditions of Excellence in American Higher Education, p. 53)


• In the late 80s regional accreditors begin requiring student learning outcomes assessment

• By 1987 55% of surveyed institutions had established an assessment program

98% b 1993– 98% by 1993• All regional and specialized accreditors

i t f t d tnow require assessment of student learning outcomes

Many Boards of Regents and Trustees also– Many Boards of Regents and Trustees also have assessment requirements


Spelling’s Commission (2005-2006)

“[M]easure student learning[M]easure student learning using quality-assessment data” using national measures

These data should be “made available to

d d d istudents and reported in the aggregate publicly”


Voluntary System of Accountability

• Engagement (NSSE)Engagement (NSSE)• Summary of student

learning outcomes gassessment– Standardized test and

local efforts• OSU is participating

http://www.collegeportraits.org/


TensionsTensions

• Improvement / accountabilityImprovement / accountability• Teacher-centered (or ‘inputs’) / learner-

centered (or ‘outputs’)centered (or outputs )


Two Assessment ParadigmsImprovement Paradigm Accountability Paradigm

Strategic Dimensions

Intent Formative (Improvement) Summative (Judgment)

Stance Internal External

Predominant Ethos Engagement Compliance

Application Choices

Instrumentation Multiple/Triangulation Standardization

N t f E id Q tit ti & Q lit ti Q tit tiNature of Evidence Quantitative & Qualitative Quantitative

Reference Points Over Time, Comparative, Established Goal

Comparative or Fixed Standard

Communication of Results Multiple Internal Channels & Media

Public Communication

Use of Results Multiple Feedback Loops Reporting


Use of Results Multiple Feedback Loops Reporting

Ewell, P. (2009, November). Assessment, accountability, and improvement: Revisiting the tension. (NILOA Occasional Paper No.1).

Why focus on Learning instead of on Teaching?

• Learning is the goal of educationLearning is the goal of education• The ultimate criterion of good teaching is

learningg• Reflects a new understanding of the nature of

knowledge (epistemology)• Want to improve learning (improved teaching

may be only one of many ways to get there)• Held accountable for learning


Teacher-Centered Learner-Centered• Knowledge transmitted

from professor to students

• Students construct knowledge through gathering andstudents gathering and synthesizing information, using communication, critical thinking, problem solving

• Students passively receive information

• Students are actively involved

From Huba and Freed (2000) Learner Centered Assessment on College


From Huba and Freed (2000) Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses: Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning

Teacher-centered Learner-centered• Emphasis is on

acquisition of knowledge outside the context in

• Emphasis is on using and communicating knowledge effectively tooutside the context in

which it will be usedknowledge effectively to address enduring and emerging issues and problems

• Professor’s role is to• Professor’s role is to be primary information giver and primary evaluator

• Professor s role is to coach and facilitate. Professor and students and primary evaluatorevaluate learning together




Teacher-centered Learner-centered• Teaching and assessing

are separateA t i d t

• Teaching and assessment are intertwined

• Assessment is used to• Assessment is used to monitor learning

• Emphasis on right

• Assessment is used to promote and diagnose learningE h i i tiEmphasis on right

answers • Emphasis is on generating better questions and learning from errors

• Desired learning is assessed through the use of objectively scored tests

• Desired learning is assessed through papers, projects, performances, of objectively scored tests p j , p ,portfolios, etc.




Teacher-centered Learner-centered• Focus is on a single

discipline• Approach is compatible

with interdisciplinary investigation [andinvestigation [and inclusion of general education outcomes like critical thinking]




Teacher-centered Learner-centered• Culture is competitive and

individualistic• Culture is cooperative,

collaborative, and supportive

• Only students are viewed

supportive

• Professor and students• Only students are viewed as learners

Professor and students learn together




Discussion questionsDiscussion questions

• Does the learner-centered paradigmDoes the learner centered paradigm undervalue the role of the professor (i.e., does good teaching still matter)? g g )

• What if students just don’t try? Do I take the blame for their lack of effort?

• Some students just don’t have the innate ability needed for [discipline X]. I’m doing y [ p ] gthem a favor by failing them.


Program outcomes assessment:Group of faculty membersGroup of faculty members assessing program-level student learning outcomes

Classroom assessment: Individual faculty member grading individual student


Who is assessing?

What is assessed?

For what purpose?assessing? assessed?

Course assessmentassessment

Course instructor

Individual student products

Course improvement

Program assessment

P f lt t Collection or sample ofProgram faculty team Collection or sample of student products from

across coursesProgram

improvement

College and Institution

tassessment

Faculty and administrationSummary of department activities and conclusions and college/institutional

measures

College/Institutional improvement and

accountability

OSU ExpectationsOSU Expectations

• Every degreeEvery degree program:– Will have a current

assessment plan (updated periodically)Will provide an Annual– Will provide an Annual Assessment Report

– Will use assessment data as an element of program improvement


Program Assessment at OSU in 2008-2009

• 439 assessment methods reported:p– Faculty or external review of student projects (72)– Standardized, licensure, certification, or local exams

(60)(60)– Faculty or external review of student papers (58)– Faculty or external review of oral presentations (38)y p ( )– Other methods:

• Portfolios, comprehensive exams, review of theses and dissertations, creative components, surveys of alumni anddissertations, creative components, surveys of alumni and employers, internship evaluation, other performance assessment


Use of Results in 2008-2009Use of Results in 2008 2009• 348 uses reported (some represented more than one

h d)method):– Monitor student achievement– Improvements to assessment (76)– Changes to courses (53)– Discussion and consideration of improvements (53)– Changes to the curriculum (35)g ( )– Creation of new courses (10)– Other uses:

• Changes to advising, hiring decisions, communication with f f f fstudents, modification of facilities and labs, examination of

program resources


Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

• How might (OSU / your degree program /How might (OSU / your degree program / your courses) look if the learner-centered paradigm were fully embraced?paradigm were fully embraced?

• How has your perception of assessment in higher education changed as a result ofhigher education changed as a result of this presentation?


Upcoming WorkshopsUpcoming WorkshopsSeptember 22: Developing and Writing p p g g

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes (ITLE Development Lab)

October 22: Developing a Program LevelOctober 22: Developing a Program-Level Commitment to Assessment: Engaging Faculty Members in Program Assessment y g(ITLE Development Lab)

November 10: Applying the Concepts of Validity Reliability and other Standards toValidity, Reliability, and other Standards to Program Assessment (108 Willard Hall)


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