and all related learning objectives.
Important note: Details regarding assessment of and other related information pertaining to each type of SLO listed above can be accessed by selecting the Course, Gen Ed, or Program tab on the green menu bar on this website.
Several brief videos of faculty members discussing various aspects of SLO assessment are available as follows:
- Click here to see Professor Alvin Williams (Mathematics & Physics Division, Mathematics) summarize what SLO assessment is and the various assessment methods that may be used, as well as describe how conducting ongoing SLO assessment has enriched both his teaching and his students’ learning.
- Click here to see Professor Mary Ellen Carpenter (Nursing & Allied Health Division, Radiography) describe her professional growth related to conducting SLO assessment at ECC and explain the value of ensuring college-wide participation in this initiative.
- Click here to see Professor Richard Bogart (Humanities Division, English) discuss specifics of how he incorporated computer-aided instruction related to grammar/mechanics in ENG 101 to address student underperformance that was discovered as the result of his continuing SLO assessment of this composition course.
- Click here to see Professor Barbara Pogue (Humanities Division, English) discuss specifics of how she is using student learning outcomes (SLO) to improve instruction.
Thorough assessment of any of these SLOs (i.e., CGs, GEGs, and/or PGs), involves completing the 3 stages of the assessment cycle depicted in the diagram below. Click here to see the combined SLO assessment schedule, which is organized by Academic Division.
- Planning Stage — clear, measurable SLOs (Course/General Education/Program goals & related learning objectives = knowledge, skills, behaviors, etc.) that students will have once they successfully complete a course/general education core curriculum/program are initially established; areas of concern from previously conducted assessment studies are shared collegially and action plans, or interventions, to address student underperformance on various SLOs (if any are discovered) are formulated and prioritized.
- Implementation Stage — plans to accomplish these SLOs are enacted – students are given frequent opportunities to master related content, skills, and behaviors in their courses and programs; learning and assessment materials, resources, and activities are developed and implemented at the course level; SLO data is collected on a regular basis to determine the current level of student mastery of various goals and related objectives.
- Reflection Stage — collected SLO data is analyzed and underperformance (if any if found to exist) is identified and discussed with colleagues; established SLOs are reviewed an edited as necessary. You should now move back to step one (Planning Stage) to implement improvements. It's a continual process.
SLO Assessment Data Collection
Outcomes data collected during the implementation stage of the assessment cycle should ideally include both direct and indirect evidence of student learning. Click here to see a list of examples of direct and indirect measures of student learning. Furthermore, the evidence of student learning should preferably consist of a mixture of qualitative and/or quantitative, objective and/or subjective, formative and/or summative information. For more information on assessment including information on various assessment methods and clarification of assessment terminology, click here or for detailed information on and examples of specific best-practice classroom assessment techniques, click here.
To make SLO data collection and analysis easy, comprehensive, and efficient, the Faculty Assessment Center (FAC), located in Room 2176 in the Blue Area, has been established at ECC. FAC equipment includes two internet-connected computers that have scannable form design software (click here for sample forms that ECC faculty created) and Remark Office OMR® scanning and data analysis software installed on them; 2 high-speed iNSIGHT™ 30 Scantron® machines; and a laser printer. FAC print resources include examples of program assessment reports, assessment-related ECC documents, and many reference books that cover a wide variety of assessment topics such as classroom assessment techniques, program assessment studies, and instruments and methods. Click here for a list of all print resources available in the FAC. Note: To access the FAC, faculty must get a code from their Division Chairperson for the punch lock on the door.
