Fall 2013 Flex Workshop

Presenter: Char Perlas

* Program Level Outcomes (PLO)Review, Revise, Revitalize!!

*PLO’s Purpose

There are many benefits to developing program-level Outcomes (PLOs):

* To clarify the vision, purpose and direction of the program

* To distinguish your program from those at peer institutions: how are you different? how are you the same?

* To demonstrate to students what they can expect to be able to know or do when they complete the program

* To help all faculty members see where their individual areas of specialty fit into the overall program curriculum.

*Developing PLOs

*Developing program level outcomes is similar to developing course level outcomes in that faculty will determine what they want students to “take away” from the program at its conclusion.

*Generally, programs will have 4-6 SLOs, although there may be more or less as program need’s warrant.

*Bloom’s Taxonomy can be very helpful in the construction of meaningful and measurable student learning outcomes.

* EXAMPLE: By the time a student graduates from our program, she/he will be able to apply major theories to contemporary social problems, using the major authors in the field.

*WASC PLO Rubric

*Assessing PLOs (AACU, 2005)

Typical assessment questions at this level:

*Do the program’s courses, individually and collectively, contribute to its outcomes as planned?

*How well does the program fulfill its purposes in the entire curriculum?

*How well do the program’s sub-categories (e.g., distributive requirements in general education) contribute to the overall purposes?

*Does the program’s design resonate with its expected outcomes?

*Are the courses organized in a coherent manner to allow for cumulative learning?

*Does the program advance institution-wide goals as planned?

*Example sources of evidence (AACU, 2005)

Program assessment may likely involve several sources of evidence gathered at the point of entry, a midpoint, and at the end of the program.

*Assignments from individual courses

*Student portfolios built over the program’s duration

*Entering student tests or assignments

*Results of common assignments, commercial tests

*Our ULTIMATE Goal

To map SLOs/SAOs, PLOs and ILOs to DQP in order to identify needs for improvement,

recognize gaps in the curriculum, and refine courses/programs/services.

Oh…and to remain compliant with Accreditation!

SAY WHAT?!!

*Sample DQP Mapping

*QUESTIONS?

The presentation can be accessed at:

http://slosao.wikispaces.com/

For further assistance, feel free to contact

Char Perlas at char.perlas@wvm.edu