Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee

SLOA Charter

• Dr. Douglas Berry - VP ELT membership level (non-voting)
• Dr. Marylou Mercado - VP ELT membership level (non-voting)
• Dr. Bambi Pish-Derr - Chair (faculty) & Academic Division II representative
• Allen Magarrell (GUN) Academic Division I representative
• Bob Moon (AUT) Academic Division I representative
• Megan VanDermeer (NSG) Academic Division II representative
• Vacant - Academic Division III representative
• Jennifer Jacobson (SOC) Academic Division IV representative
• Aderemi Adedokun (BUS) Academic Division V representative
• Steven Sparks (BIO) Academic Division V representative
• Vacant - Academic Division V representative
• Vacant – Adjunct Faculty representative (faculty)
• Stacey Hilton – Dean of Instructional Support
• Sarah Southwick – Curriculum and Assessment Manager
• Tom Hughes - IER representative (as needed)
• Cal Peterson – Student Development
• Mike Byrnes – Student Support – Library
• Ellen Blair - Student, CHP representative

Location: Zoom

Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am

Information about the College’s SLOA Committee and Assessment Cycle and Processes along with direction on creating course outcomes and curriculum maps are available in the Student Learning Outcomes Assessment (SLOA) Handbook.

Program/Department Assessment Processes

The academic student learning assessment process at Yavapai College consist of three key components: a 3-Year Assessment Plan created with an updated Curriculum Map followed by three annual Assessment Reports.

At the beginning of an assessment cycle, each program or department will review, and, if needed, update the Curriculum Map. The Curriculum Map visually aligns the course-level learning outcomes with the program or department-level learning outcomes. Starting in 21-22, programs and departments also began align courses to one of the three institutional-level learning outcomes: Communication, Critical Thinking, and Social Responsibility.

Curriculum Map Template

Using the C-Map, the program/department creates a 3-Year Assessment Plan. The plan has three parts:

• Program-level Learning Outcomes (PLO): Faculty identify the PLO to be measured.  All program-level learning outcomes should be measured over the three-year cycle.
• Institutional-level Learning Outcome (ILO)/General Education Competency (if applicable): The program/department identifies which courses align with particular ILOs or have been identified as assessing General Education Competencies. Programs with only certificates do not need to assess ILOs. All other programs should align with at least one ILO.
• Course-level Learning Outcomes (CLO): Faculty align a course and CLO to the PLO and then identify assessment methodology, scoring methods and benchmarks, and faculty and staff to be used. All core courses are to be assessed within the three-year cycle. 

3-Year Assessment Plan Template

The final part of the process is the completion of three annual Assessment Reports. The annual assessment report is based on the Assessment Plan and has the following sections for each program/department to complete:

• Student Learning Outcome Results (Student performance on that particular outcome and tool used to gather results);
• Strengths and Weaknesses based on student performance;
• Next steps.  

Finally, the assessment report's “Actions for Improvement" section is then incorporated into the annual program review process.

Annual Assessment Report Template

General Education Assessment Process

The General Education Committee will be conducting General Education Assessment on a three-year cycle of the five General Education Competencies:

• Written Communications
• Quantitative Literacy
• Scientific Literacy
• Diversity Awareness
• Critical Thinking

General Education courses have been identified and are aligned to particular General Education Competencies by faculty. General Education courses participate in the General Education three-year assessment cycle in which one or two General Education Competencies are identified and have selected aligned courses submit student work products. Then the same faculty are asked to score the student work products using a faculty-developed rubric. Fall of 2021, the committee gathered student artifacts and assessed Written Communications and Quantitative Literacy.

General Education Assessment Reports

While details about the General Education Assessment process can be found on the website, four reports were created from the data gathered from AY21-22 until AY23-24:

• GE Written Communication Results Infographic
• GE Quantitative Literacy Results Infographic
• GE Scientific Literacy Results Infographic 
• GE Diversity Awareness Results Infographic 

More details about the process can be found on the General Education Assessment website.

Co-curricular Assessment Processes and Support

At Yavapai College, co-curricular activities are defined using a broad definition provided by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC):

Co-Curricular activities are “learning activities, programs and experiences that reinforce the institution’s mission and values and complement the formal curriculum. Examples: Student-faculty research experiences, tutoring, academic advising, professional clubs and organizations, athletics, honor societies, library services, etc” (HLC Criteria for Accreditation Revisions adopted Feb. 2019, effective Sept. 2020).

In other word, co-curricular activities,

1. are tied to the curriculum through YC’s Institutional Level Outcomes (ILOs),
2. align with YC’s mission, vision, and values,
3. are experiences outside of but compliment the curricular instruction,
4. designed to enhance and support learning and engagement,
5. are continually assessed for program/activity improvement.

(Source: Abras, C., Nailos, J., Lauka, B., Hoshaw, J.P., & Taylor, J.N. (2022). Defining co-curricular assessment and charting a path forward. Intersection: A journal at the intersection of assessment and learning, 4(1).

Institutional Learning Outcomes

There are three Institutional Learning Outcomes:

COMMUNICATION is the ability to effectively develop, express, and support ideas in a variety of mediums.

CRITICAL THINKING includes both the skills and the habit of thinking in a clear, disciplined, open-minded way informed by evidence and observation.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY encompasses diversity awareness, civic and community engagement.

ILO Guidelines

Co-curricular Assessment Process

During the fall, areas with co-curricular opportunities will complete the Co-Curricular Assessment Plan and Results document which has three sections:

• Section I - Overview: Basic information about the co-curricular area
• Section II – Co-Curricular Assessment Action Plan: An outline of the assessment plan with a rationale, the co-curricular activity, the ILO to be measured, audience, data collection tool,benchmark, and timeframe.
• Section III – Results Reporting and Analysis: Analysis of the learning data gathered by the cocurricular area and action plans for the future.

Handbook and Forms

Cocurricular Handbook

Cocuricular Assessment Plan Template

Cocurricular Assessment Report Template

External Resources

• NASPA Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• Student Affairs Assessment Leaders
• Association of College & Research Libraries Proficiencies

Each year, the SLOA Committee uses a rubric to review any of the three components (Assessment Reports, Curriculum Maps, and 3-Year Assessment Plans) completed within that academic year. The information from the rubrics is compiled:

• AY23-24 A-Reports Infographic 
• AY23-24 C-Maps Infographic
• AY23-24 3-Year A-Plans Infographic 

• AY22-23 A-Reports Infographic 
• AY22-23 C-Maps Infographic
• AY22-23 3-Year A-Plans Infographic 

• AY21-22 A-Reports Infographic
• AY21-22 C-Maps Infographic
• AY21-22 3-Year A-Plans Infographic

SLOA Committee Chair End-of-Year Summary

As part of the faculty SLOA Committee Chair duties, the chair writes an end-of-year summary about their work and the work of the committee:

• 2022-23 SLOA Report
• 2020-21 SLOA Report
• 2019-20 SLOA Report
• 2018-19 SLOA Report
• 2017-18 SLOA Report

Assessment Director (AD) & Program Review Manager (APRM) End-of-Year Summary

As part of the Assessment and Program Review Manager duties, the manager writes an end-of-year summary about their work in assessment and program review:

• 2022-23 APRM Report
• 2021-22 APRM Report
• 2020-21 Position Vacant
• 2019-20 AD Report
• 2018-19 AD Report
• 2017-18 AD Report
• 2016-17 AD Report

Internal Resources and Committees

• Academic Program Review
• Curriculum Committee
• General Education Assessment
• School Canvas Shells (Located in Canvas)
• SLOA Handbook

College Contacts

• Sarah Southwick
  Curriculum and Assessment Manager
  (928) 776-2015
  Sarah.Southwick@yc.edu

Guiding Best Practices Resources

• 9 Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning
• James Madison University’s Assessment Skills Framework
• Barkley, E. F., & Major, C. H. (2016). Learning assessment techniques: a handbook for college faculty . Jossey-Bass.
• Fulcher, K. H., Good, M. R., Coleman, C. M., & Smith, K. L. (2014, December). A simple model for learning improvement: Weigh pig, feed pig, weigh pig. (Occasional Paper No. 23). Urbana, Il: University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA).
• Fulcher, K.H., & Prendergast, C.O. (2021). Improving student learning at scale: a how-to guide for higher education. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
• Maki, P. (2017). Real-time student assessment: meeting the imperative for improved time to degree, closing the opportunity gap, and assuring student competencies for 21st century needs (First edition.). Stylus Publishing, LLC.
• Souza, J.M., & Rose, T.A. (2021). Exemplars of assessment in higher education: diverse approaches to addressing accreditation standards. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
• Suskie, L. A., & Ikenberry, S. O. 1. (2015). Five dimensions of quality: a common sense guide to accreditation and accountability. Jossey-Bass.
• Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing student learning: a common sense guide. Jossey-Bass.
• Walvoord, B. E. F. (2010). Assessment clear and simple: a practical guide for institutions, departments, and general education. Jossey-Bass.

External Resources

• Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE)
• Association of General and Liberal Studies (AGLS)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• NASPA Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA)
• Student Affairs Assessment Leaders