Minutes: September 12 2006

In attendance: Barbara Stephens, Don Huskey, Stan Webb, David Byrd, Carly Womack, Karen Hill, and Rob Gingras.

Barbara called the meeting to order. The committee considered the following items:

General Education Subcommittee Reports

Barbara reported that Scientific Reasoning is one of the USG’s common student learning outcomes for the Core Curriculum. After some discussion, David moved that we re-instate Scientific Inquiry as one of our general education outcomes. Don seconded the motion, which was passed unanimously. Joe Flanagin is the liaison to the subcommittee. Barbara will ask Joe to work with his committee to prepare for the testing of this outcome.

Abe Ojo was approved as the new chair for the Multicultural Awareness outcome.

Transfer Degree and Career Program Outcomes

Karen reported that her Division faculty are making good progress on developing outcomes for their programs. Some faculty are able to use and modify outcomes that were developed years ago. Other faculty are developing new outcomes for recently approved programs. Karen submitted a timeline (attached below) which shows that faculty will have outcomes and assessment plans developed by October 31^st. The outcomes will be field tested later in the fall semester. The final plans will be submitted to SLOAC by January 15^th.

Stan reported on Arts and Sciences. Discussion centered on whether we are assessing Areas A – E or just Area F. It was agreed that we are assessing Areas A- E, the Core Curriculum for AA students. We acknowledged that there is some overlap in assessing general education and transfer program outcomes, particularly in math and written communication. We agreed that the AA students’ transfer learning outcomes assess knowledge that is particular to the AA program.

We also discussed the transfer degree outcomes that were developed and assessed in the past. David suggested that we ask faculty to start fresh and develop new outcomes for the AA program. It was agreed that Stan would ask faculty to review areas A – E, to develop new outcomes, and to use the old outcomes as a starting point for their work. The faculty will have their outcomes, assessment methods (but not the assessment instruments) ready by October 31^st.

Minutes for May 2, 2006 Meeting

The minutes from the May 2^nd meeting were unanimously approved.

Projected Calendar for Assessing Outcomes

In reviewing Barbara’s green sheet which summarizes the status of our assessment of our six gen. ed. outcomes, we agreed that Written Communication should be assessed this fall if it has not already been assessed in the spring. (Barbara will check with Carol Sinclair.)

Discussion focused on how many gen. ed. outcomes we should assess each semester. It was suggested that we could assess two each fall and spring semesters. Barbara, David, and Rob agreed to work on a projected calendar for all our outcomes: gen. ed., transfer degree, and career program.

Subcommittee Members

The committee made the following additions/deletions to the subcommittee membership:

David Maxwell replaces Ann Brannen on Written Communication

Marina von Hirsch replaces Greg Loyd on Oral Communications

Craig Burnside replaces Elizabeth Mihalcik on Scientific Inquiry

Betty Huskey is added to Scientific Inquiry

Abe Ojo replaces Stan Webb as chair of Multicultural Awareness

Abhi Dutta is added to Multicultural Awareness

Ann Brannen replaces Barry Reynolds on Mathematical Skills

Linda Brown replaces Jerry McNease on Critical Thinking

Faith Garrett is added to Critical Thinking

Barbara will ask the subcommittee liaisons to contact the chairs of the subcommittees regarding their new members.

Barbara, David, and I will meet shortly with the liaisons and the chairs of those subcommittees who will be doing assessments this semester.

Next Meeting Date: November 6^th,2005 3 p.m., President’s Conference Room

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:30 pm.

Rob Gingras, Recording Secretary

Student Learning Outcomes for Technical Studies Division

Timeline for Development

Evaluate what was done in 1999 (or start from scratch if this is a new program of study).

Update cover sheet for how your programs (all levels) should be evaluated; and revise testing instruments. Submit your revised cover sheet and tests to Dr. Hill no later than October 31, 2006.

Evaluation materials will be edited and returned to you by mid-November for you to “field test” with your students in your program area no later than the end of Fall Semester.

January 15, 2007, is the submission date for all of your finalized cover sheets and learning outcome testing instruments.

2007-until: Implement the testing instruments each term to all students at the defined testing points. Submit all testing results to Adria Belk for her to maintain a Division spreadsheet

April 28, 2005

Present: Dr. Ojo, Dr. Burnside, Dr. Byrd, Dr. Stinson, Dr. Dubay, Dr. Webb, Dr. Sinclair, Ms. Miley, Ms. Kuhn-Hancock, Ms. Pashnyak, Ms. Widener, Ms. Stephens, Mr. Huskey

Multicultural Committee

The committee opened the meeting by reviewing the notes from the last meeting and showed SLOAC’s comments and concerns about the Multicultural Assessment Instrument (MAI) to the present members of the Multicultural committee.

After reviewing the three measurable outcomes, it was determined that the questions on the instrument must be simplified in order to meet the average reading and comprehension level of all (not just A&S) Bainbridge College students.

It was also determined that there exists a need to implement multicultural teaching across the curriculum, in a manner similar to writing across the curriculum.

The result of the intense discussion was that the MC would revisit the instrument and make it more accessible for the general education student at BC. This would be accomplished through email and the result would be passed on to SLOAC on Monday, May 2. Fall semester would be the time to administer the revised instrument.

Writing Committee

The SLOAC committee then addressed the Writing Committee’s request to use the Regent’s test as the instrument to assess their measurable outcomes. It was determined that since the Regent’s test was not required of all degree-seeking students, this would not be a valid measure.

Dr. Sinclair suggested that the Regent’s essay model be taught in Communication Skills, English 1102, and English 99 and used as the assessment instrument. SLOAC determined that this would be a valid measurement for all outcomes except #4, which was the required research component.

Dr. Byrd then suggested that the writing committee meet and strike #4 from their list of measurable outcomes. If the WC chooses to do so, then the Regent’s model can be used as the assessment instrument.

SLOAC Determinations

The committees are responsible for analyzing the data gathered from the assessment instruments, determining the results, indicating what changes should be made and compiling this information in a report for Dr. Byrd. He then shares the report with SLOAC. SLOAC will then share with the campus.

SLOAC will determine the semesters for assessments and the rotation schedule for assessments.

Dr. Burnside suggested that when the committees get to Step 5 – Compare the assessment outcomes to the measurable outcomes – that the people (He & Dr. Byrd) who actually understand how to generate accurate statistical data, be involved. The committee must be able to tell SLOAC how they are going to analyze the data.

SLOAC determined that the process of revising and updating the instruments would be ongoing.

SLOAC determined that there needs to be a meeting with Dr. Karen Hill to address the lack of continuity in the Communication Skills course. Also, the Communication Skills students are not being taught persuasive speaking in preparation for the Oral Communication assessment.

Email Approval of April 28, 2005 minutes: 10 possible responses (Not counting Stephens)

Approved: 8

Disapproved: 0

No response: 2

Minutes March 8, 2005

Submitted by Lori Kuhn-Hancock

Present were: Stan Webb, Bob Stinson, Don Huskey, Rob Gingras, Lori Kuhn-Hancock, Karen Hill, David Byrd, Nita Widener, Barbara Stephens

The purpose of the meeting was to approve the submitted measurable outcomes and assessment instruments and to determine a time line for administering the assessment instruments.

The committee approved the Outcomes for Mathematical Skills last year and that approval stands. The committee also approved the assessment instrument and determined that it should be administered on or before April 15, 2005. The instrument should be administered to 4 classes: Tech Math 1110, Business Math 1120, and College Algebra 1111 (2 sections).

The committee approved the measurable outcomes for Multicultural Awareness.

The assessment instrument is in the development stage.

The Scientific Inquiry committee chair has been reassigned to Peter Lee and they are in the process of generating the measurable outcomes.

The committee approved the Oral Communication outcomes and determined that the assessment instrument would be a public speaking presentation. The SLOAC committee charged the Oral Communication committee with recruiting two evaluators for each of the four speech classes that will be assessed the week of March 14^th, 2005. The four classes will include a morning, noon and two night classes on the Bainbridge Campus.

The committee approved the Written Communication outcomes. The committee determined that in the Communication Skills classes, an essay as the culmination of the course would be a necessary curriculum change.

The committee retained the acceptance from last year of the outcomes for Critical Thinking. Mary Glenn Grimes spoke with the committee and stated that the requested revisions of the Critical Thinking assessment instrument were currently being completed.

In each of the assessment situations, the committee determined that it would be advisable to request that the sample be as statistically balanced in terms of gender and race, as possible.

Minutes February 10, 2005

Attending: David Byrd, Rob Gingras, Craig Burnside, Bob Stinson, Nita Widener, Carol Sinclair, Wynton Hall, Mary Glenn Grimes, and Lori Hancock.

David reviewed the SLOAC web page and summarized the actions of the committee last year. After discussion of our progress thus far, the committee agreed on the following:

Notification of all faculty of their membership on various subcommittees.

A timeline for the remainder of the semester:

February 28^th – All subcommittees will have defined measurable outcomes that will serve as evidence of how well each objective has been met (Step #2).
March 31^st – All subcommittees will have their assessment instruments designed and submitted to SLOAC.
April 15^th or earlier – At least two or more general education learning outcomes will be assessed (possibly oral communication, critical inquiry, and mathematical skills.)

The committee then took the following actions:

§ Approved the oral communication objectives and assessment instrument (Wynton’s subcommittee). Bob will contact Wynton. Wynton has some dates already planned for the assessment in his classes.

§ Determined that the Critical Inquiry subcommittee should reduce the number of questions on the assessment instrument by half and keep the proportion of short and long questions, approximately 5 short and 5 long questions. Carol will report to Mary Glenn’s subcommittee.

§ Determined that the math subcommittee needs to clarify a few of the items on the assessment instrument. David will work with the subcommittee.

The committee also agreed that Communication Skills instructors need to be consulted about the administration of the oral communication assessment this semester. The test may not be given in April if the students will not be ready to deliver a speech. Rob will assure that all Communication Skills instructors have a copy of the guidelines for the course.

The committee asked Barbara Stephens to consider meeting individually with subcommittee chairs who are unable to attend our meetings because of class conflicts. Chairs would then be appraised of their duties.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:30.

Minutes: January 23 2004

The Student Learning Assessment Outcomes Committee met on Friday, January 23, and finalized the General Education Outcomes. Subcommittees were appointed for each of the outcomes. The Committees listed on bottom of the Student Learning Outcomes Home Page The Students Learning Outcomes Committee (SLOC) met and were given handouts with outcomes for General Education and Transfer. The committee decided to: 1) have a web site. Dr. Byrd will work with the webmaster to get the site up and Dr. Byrd will see to getting items on the site. 2) Committee members requested the learning outcomes and the expected results be placed on the web site so faculty can provide feedback. 3) Ms. Stephens is to request an email account for the Students Learning Outcomes Committee (already requested). 4) Dr. Gingras is to write philosophy statement. 5) December 15 is the deadline for feedback from campus on adding/deleting outcome statements. 6) NEXT MEETING of SLOC is Thursday, January 8, at 8:30. The agenda for the next meeting will be to finalize outcomes and determine committee structures.

Minutes: November 13 2003

The Students Learning Outcomes Committee (SLOC) met and were given handouts with outcomes for General Education and Transfer. The committee decided to: 1) have a web site. Dr. Byrd will work with the webmaster to get the site up and Dr. Byrd will see to getting items on the site. 2) Committee members requested the learning outcomes and the expected results be placed on the web site so faculty can provide feedback. 3) Ms. Stephens is to request an email account for the Students Learning Outcomes Committee (already requested). 4) Dr. Gingras is to write philosophy statement. 5) December 15 is the deadline for feedback from campus on adding/deleting outcome statements. 6) NEXT MEETING of SLOC is Thursday, January 8, at 8:30. The agenda for the next meeting will be to finalize outcomes and determine committee structures.