Student Services Learning Outcomes Handbook

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Student Services Learning OutcomesHandbook

• Jim Haynes, De Anza College
• SSLO Coordinator
• March, 2011

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Student Services Learning Outcomes(SSLO)

• SSLO statements are related to the program
  services (outside of the curriculum) consistent
  with the program mission/purpose.
• SSLO statements are directly related to services
  provided to students

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SSLO Statement

• Student Services Learning Outcome (SSLO)
  statements are overarching, clear, and assessable
  statements that identify and define what a
  student is able to know, do, or feel at the
  successful completion of a specific procedure,
  activity, or service.

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Premises of Service Outcomes

• Learning take place every time a student comes in
  contact with a service program.
• The focus is not on the services your program
  provide but on the outcomes of those services for
  your students.
• Its not what you do - Its what your students
  will be able to do.

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SSLO Assessment Cycle Basics (SSLOAC)

• PHASE 1 As a team, identify outcomes and write
  an SSLO statement
• PHASE 2 As a Team, assess the SSLO statement and
  collect the data
• PHASE 3 As a team, reflect on the assessment
  results and on the SSLO process decide how to
  enhance your services to achieve better outcomes.

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PHASE 1 How to Identify Outcomes

• As a team, write down or list the services your
  area provides.
• Discuss the services with each other and group
  them into common areas or themes.
• Select groupings and draft a sentence that
  describes the main outcome(s) for each one.

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PHASE 1 How to Write an SSLOStatement

• Continue to dialogue and come to consensus on the
  concrete things that you expect students to be
  able to know, do, or feel after interacting with
  your process, activity, or service.
• Using active verbs that can be assessed - Write
  your SSLO statement
• Double Check Is the outcome a fundamental result
  of your service?

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Some Criteria for Writing Good SSLO Statements

• Does the SSLO statement include active verbs?
  (refer to Blooms Taxonomy)
• Can the SSLO be assessed? Is the SSLO measurable?
• Is the SSLO consistent with the program
  mission/purpose?
• Will the students understand the SSLO statement?

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PHASE 2 How to Assess your SSLO Statement - How
Do You Know?

• How will you assess your SSLO statement in such a
  way that you will know that the student has
  achieved or obtained the desired outcome?
• How will you know that they know?
• How will you know that they can do it?
• How will you know what they feel about it?

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PHASE 2 ASSESSMENT

• Evidence
• Quantitative or Qualitative
• Representative sample (25 rule)
• You need several pieces of evidence to point to a
  conclusion
• Document retain your evidence!

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Assessment Methods

• Surveys
• Locally developed or standardized
• Attitudes and perceptions of students, staff,
  employers
• Pre and Post
• Focus Groups
• Use caution with confidentiality and privacy
• Exit Interviews
• In person, by Phone, E-mail, Texting

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Assessment Methods

• Database-Tracked Academic Behavior
• Grades, graduation rates, service usage,
  persistence, retention, etc.
• Contact the Institutional Research Office at
• http//deanza.edu/ir
• Cumulative
• Portfolios, Capstone projects, Presentations

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Assessment Tips

• Collect data from a representative sample rather
  than everyone in the target population (25
  rule).
• Have assessment stem from the activities you
  already do. If you already conduct student
  satisfaction surveys, embed questions related to
  outcomes attainment.
• Team up with other areas with similar outcome
  statements to share assessment work.
• Design activities and outcomes with assessment in
  mind.

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Remember

• Everyone is a learner when it comes to
  assessment.
• If you wait until you are an assessment expert
  youll never get started.
• Embrace the attitude
• Just Do It!

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Assessment Help

• De Anza Institutional Research Office
• http//deanza.edu/ir
• Mallory Newell
• newellmallory_at_deanza.edu
• Ext 8777
• SSLO Coordinator
• Jim Haynes
• haynesjim_at_deanza.edu
• Ext 8954

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PHASE 3 Reflection

• In dialogue with colleagues, reflect on the
  following
• Has your service outcome been met?
• What else does the data tell you about your
  services, programs, activities, or processes?
• What does the data tell you about the SLOAC
  process itself?

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PHASE 3 Enhancement

• In dialogue with colleagues
• Based on what was learned in the SSLOAC, what can
  be done within your services, activities, or
  processes to enhance and improve student
  outcomes?
• Based on what was learned in the SSLOAC, what can
  be done to enhance and improve your services,
  activities, or processes ?
• Based on what was learned in the SSLOAC, are
  there any new resources that will be needed for
  enhancement and improvement initiatives?
• Based on what was learned in the SSLOAC, are
  there any changes you can make to the SSLOAC
  process itself? (Revise the SSLO statement?
  Choose a different assessment tool? More time to
  meet as a team?, etc.)

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Now What?

• There is always something to do related to SSLOAC
• SSLOAC is an on-going process - not an end
  product. Multi-Year plans should be developed to
  conduct SSLO Assessment Cycles every year. The
  goal is to have all SSLOAC complete and
  up-to-date by the Comprehensive Program Review
  year (next date 2013-14)
• SSLOAC is the foundation of the Program Review
  process.

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The Next Step

• Program Level Outcomes (PLO)
• A PLO pulls together all of a programs SSLO
  statements into one comprehensive statement that
  describe what the program is all about.

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The Next Step

• Program Level Outcomes (PLO)
• Step 1 Review all of your SSLO statements and
  (if applicable) your SLO statements
• Step 2 Look for a major theme or themes
• Step 3 Write a PLO statement that captures the
  essence of that major theme or themes. (Write a
  PLO statement for each theme if appropriate.)
• Check Does the PLO identify what a student will
  be able to KNOW, DO and/or FEEL after
  successfully completing your program?

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EXAMPLE from a Tutorial Center

• SSLO 1 - Students will express a more positive
  attitude towards the subject they are studying.
• SSLO 2 - Students will use effective learning
  skills
• SSLO 3 - Students will improve their academic
  performance.

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EXAMPLE from a Tutorial Center

• SSLO 1 - Students will express a more positive
  attitude towards the subject they are studying.
• SSLO 2 - Students will use effective learning
  skills
• SSLO 3 - Students will improve their academic
  performance.
• Tutorial Center PLO - After completing their
  participation in the Tutorial Center, students
  will express a more positive attitude towards the
  subject they are studying, use effective learning
  skills, and improve their academic performance.

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Assessing your PLO

• Methods to assess the PLO can be grouped into the
  following types
• Assessment results from the SSLOAC. (Once you
  assess all your SSLOAC you have assessed your
  PLO)
• Pre/Post Surveys (compare what they knew, could
  do, or felt before they completed your program
  with what they know, can do, or feel after
  completing your program.)
• Focus Groups of students that have completed a
  program
• Thinking about the method of assessment while
  finalizing the Program Level Outcome statement
  ensures that you will generate meaningful and
  assessable PLO statements.

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SLO Evolution

• Culture of Evidence
• Culture of Inquiry

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OK - So What?

• Linking your Program Level Outcome to the
  Colleges Mission, Institutional Core
  Competencies, and/or Strategic Initiatives
• If you can not do this you have a serious problem.

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What Problem?

• If your program does not directly (or at least
  indirectly) contribute to the Mission, Core
  Competency, and/or Strategic Initiatives, then
  why do we offer a program that makes no
  contribution to the Colleges purposes?

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De Anzas Mission

• De Anza College provides an academically rich
  multicultural learning environment that
  challenges students of every background to
  develop their intellect, character, and
  abilities to realize their goals and to be
  socially responsible leaders in their
  communities, the nation and the world.
• De Anza College fulfills its mission by engaging
  students in creative work that demonstrates the
  knowledge, skills, and attitudes contained in the
  colleges Institutional Core Competencies

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De Anzas Core Competencies

• Communication and Expression
• Information Literacy
• Physical/Mental Wellness and Personal
  Responsibility
• Global, Cultural, Social and Environmental
  Awareness
• Critical Thinking

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De Anzas Strategic Initiatives

• Outreach
• Individualized Attention to Students
• Cultural Competency
• Community Collaborations

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Mapping Exercise

• Using the three grids (Mission, ICC, and
  Strategic Initiatives).
• Check off the appropriate boxes to which your PLO
  directly or indirectly contributes.
• Only check boxes that are assessed through a
  SSLOAC.

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Closing the Loop

• SSLOAC PLO Program Review
• Adoption of a six-year Outcomes based Program
  Review Process supported by annual updates
• Master Planning Calendar

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Closing the Loop

• Current Program Review
• 2008-09 Comprehensive Program Review
• Updated by the 2009-10 Annual Program Review
  Update
• Recommendations on resource allocations by the
  Planning and Budgeting Teams will be made using
  Program Review information.
• Be sure your Program Review is updated and
  includes SSLOAC results and PLO linkage to the
  Mission, ICCs, and Strategic Initiatives.

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Closing the Loop

• Current Fiscal Environment The Program Review
  process is used to maintain resources to a
  program not just a means to obtain new
  resources.
• Be sure your Program Review is updated and
  demonstrates how your program specifically
  supports or contributes to statewide priorities
• Basic Skills
• Transfer
• Vocational

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Closing the Loop

• Annual Program Review Updates (APRU)
• Conducted in the years between CPR and due each
  spring
• Criteria is established by the planning and
  budgeting teams
• Criteria will always include a summary of
  SSLOACPLOAC result.
• Comprehensive Program Review (CPR)
• Next CPR is due in 2013-14
• Criteria is established by the planning and
  budgeting teams
• APRU will comprise a large portion of the CPR

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What is coming?

• TracDat is a relational database that will be up
  and running by Fall 2011
• TracDat will be used to collect SSLOAC and PLO
  information and generate reports.
• TracDat will be used to build APRU and CPR
  reports.
• The ECMS system will be used for SLO

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De Anza CollegeCoordinator of Student Learning
Outcomes for Student Services

• http//deanza.edu/slo
• Jim Haynes
• haynesjim_at_deanza.edu
• 408-864-8954