UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY PROGRAM ASSESSMENT PLAN Graduate School, Certificate in College Teaching and Learning Submitted by Linda Kraus Worley and Morris Grubbs, Co-directors 1. Introduction Graduate School, Teaching and Learning Certificate 1.1 Unit Mission Statement The College Teaching and Learning Certificate is somewhat of an anomaly in that it is housed in the Graduate School but is not part of an academic department. There are two co-directors, Dr. Morris Grubbs, Asst. Dean of the Graduate School and the certificate administrative director and Prof. Linda Kraus Worley, academic director. (Prof. Worley is housed in the Dept. of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Cultures in the College of Arts and Sciences.) The Graduate School as the academic unit does not, as such, have a mission statement that can readily be used for the Graduate Certificate in College Teaching and Learning. However, the Graduate Certificate in College Teaching and Learning mission underscores that the certificate seeks to provide a coherent, integrated approach to helping graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, current faculty, and others develop and document the skills needed as part of conscientious preparation for the full range of faculty responsibilities at a range of institutions of higher education. This 12-credit-hour Certificate, which includes a required 3-credit-hour supervised practicum experience, provides a rich integration of theory and practice and provides participants with tangible documentation of their expertise in college teaching and learning. The Certificate is flexible so as to be accessible to participants from a wide range of disciplines. It uses departmental courses related to college teaching and learning as well as centralized courses. The Certificate builds on the highly successful Preparing Future Faculty program, a collaborative effort between UK and Kentucky post-secondary institutions including Asbury College, Berea College, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Centre College, Eastern Kentucky University, Georgetown College, Kentucky State University, Lindsey Wilson College, Midway College, and Transylvania University. The Certificate aims to produce graduates who are highly competitive in the job market in higher education, are quick starters as faculty members, and can provide leadership in higher education. Participants who are also pursuing other graduate degrees are urged to apply for admission to the Certificate early in their course of graduate studies.
1.1. Basic Assessment Approach Curriculum Map and Artifact Map. The co-directors will choose one or two of the learning outcomes each academic year for assessment. The assessments may be in the form of written work, self-assessment questionnaires, etc. All of the SLOs will be assessed within a three-year cycle: ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE ASSESSMENT CYCLE ACADEMIC YEAR STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSED 1 2015-2016 1 & 2 1 2016-2017 3 1 2017-2018 4 1.2. Definition of Key Terms Assessment: A strategy for understanding, confirming, and improving student learning through a continuous, systematic process. Curriculum Map: A visual depiction of how learning outcomes and/or professional standards are translated into individual courses taught within a program Learning Outcomes: Statements of learning expectations. Indirect Evidence: Data from which you can make inferences about learning but do not demonstrate actual learning, such as perception or comparison data. Includes, but is not limited to: surveys, focus groups, exit interviews, grades, and institutional performance indicators. Direct Evidence: Students show achievement of learning goals through performance of knowledge and skills. Includes, but is not limited to: capstone experiences, score gains between entry and exit, portfolios, and substantial course assignments that require performance of learning. 2. Assessment Oversight, Resources Directors of Assessment: Dr. Morris Grubbs, Assst. Dean, Graduate School Prof. Linda Kraus Worley, Co-director, PFF program and faculty member in Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures 2.1. Unit Assessment Coordinator [if applicable] 2.2. Other Assessment Resources [if applicable] 3. Program-Level Learning Outcomes
3.1. Learning Outcomes by Program The Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) of the College Teaching and Learning Certificate require students to: SLO 1: understand through experiences the multiple roles of college and university faculty Assessment: The assessment will be based on the written report handed in by the participants in GS 650: Preparing Future Faculty that details insights from a shadowing assignment that allows the students to compare what they learn from the on-site visit with knowledge gained from articles on higher education in the United States, information from panels of faculty members at various types of post-secondary institutions, and in-class discussions. A rubric will be created that will cover various aspects of the outcome designed to demonstrate the students understanding of the various roles of professors. SLO 2. be able to compare and contrast the range of post-secondary institutions Assessment: The assessment will be based on the written report handed in by the participants in GS 650: Preparing Future Faculty that details insights from a shadowing assignment that allows the students to compare what they learn from the on-site visit with knowledge gained from articles on higher education in the United States, information from panels of faculty members at various types of post-secondary institutions, and in-class discussions. A rubric will be created that will cover various aspects of the outcome designed to demonstrate the students understanding of the breadth of the higher-education landscape in the United States. (SLO 1 concentrates on faculty life; SLO 2 concentrates on the different types of post-secondary institutions.) SLO 3. be able to create a new course including student learning outcomes, assessments, and rubrics. Assessment: One of the capstone assignments of GS 610: College Teaching is to create such a course. A rubric will be created to look at the various aspects of successful course creation. SLO 4. engage with the changing landscape and issues within higher education Assessment: Seminar paper in EPE 672. Rubric will be created.
4. Curriculum Map Since this certificate is flexible in terms of courses that can be taken to fulfill the various requirements, the assessment plan will be limited to the required courses. The required courses are: EPE 672 College Teaching and Learning (3 credit hours) [yearly, usually Fall and Summer I] GS 650 Preparing Future Faculty (2 credit hours) [fall and spring semesters] GS 699 Practicum in College Teaching (3 credit hours) [every semester including summer terms] GS 610: College Teaching. (1 credit hour) Required if a department-based teaching course is not available. [fall and spring semesters] I=introduce E = emphasize R = reinforce SLO 1 and 2: based on the written report for GS 650 I, E SLO 3: course syllabus created as a capstone feature of GS 610 I.E SLO 4: based on the semester paper required for EPE 672 E,R (Also: SLOs 1 and 2: E,R) SLO 1 SLO 2 SLO 3 SLO 4 GS610 I, E No, I, E GS650 I, E I, E GS699 No Outcome Alignment EPE672 E, R E, R No E, R E, R 5. Assessment Methods and Measures (Formative and Summative recommended) 5.1. Direct Methods Rubrics will be created for all of the SLOs. They are all direct methods in that they are based on student papers, lesson plans, analyses. 6. Data Collection and Review 6.1. Data Collection Process/Procedures 6.1.1. When will data be collected for each outcome? At the end of the semester in which each course is taught. If a course is taught in two semesters of the academic year, all pertinent written work will be saved for assessment.
6.1.2. How will data be collected for each outcome? The relevant written work will be saved. 6.1.3. What will be the benchmark/target for each outcome? A cycle of assessment and analyses of the assessments as well as the creation of the rubrics will give us our baselines. The benchmarks will be established before the end of fall semester, 2015. 6.1.4. What individuals/groups will be responsible for data collection? The individual instructors for the relevant courses. The assessment directors will do the analysis. 7. Assessment Cycle and Data Analysis 7.1 Assessment Cycle [1-3 years] 7.1.1. Includes measurement of all learning outcomes Year Assessment Data Collection 1 SLO 1: Students will understand through experiences the multiple roles of college and university faculty. Shadowing Report rubric Evaluated by Co-directors of certificate. Collected and evaluated every third year using SLO 2: Students will be able to compare and contrast the range of post-secondary institutions 2 SLO 3: Students are able to create a new course including student learning outcomes, assessments, and rubrics. 3 SLO 4: Students will be able to engage with the changing landscape and issues within higher education. rubric. Same cycle as SLO 2. Shadowing Report rubric Evaluated by Co-directors of certificate. Collected and evaluated every third year using rubric. Same cycle as SLO 1 The actual syllabus of the new course will be evaluated by the instructor of GS 610 using the rubric under development. The instructor of EPE 672 will use the rubric created for this SLO. *** The co-directors will analyze all data and create improvement plans 7.1.2 Identifies at a minimum an annual date for sharing results with faculty and planning improvement actions Data will be gathered at the end of the academic year and analyzed over the course of the summer. Results can be shared with faculty at the end of the summer/beginning of fall semester.
8.1. Data Analysis Process/Procedures 8.1.1. How and will the data and findings be shared with faculty? Orally in a regular faculty meeting 8.1.2 Who was involved in analyzing the results? The co-directors of the certificate. 8.1.3 How are results aligned to outcomes and benchmarks/targets given? The analysis will include discussion of targets and the results to be gleaned from the rubrics. 8.1.4. How will the data be used for making programmatic improvements? The codirectors will discuss the data and analyses as well as share with faculty and open the process up for discussion regarding any needed improvements. 9.1 Data Analysis Report Process/Procedures this report will go directly to the Dean of the Graduate School and the institutional review unit 10. Teaching Effectiveness 10.1 Identify measures of teaching effectiveness All instructors will use the University Teacher Course Evaluation (TCE) process to be evaluated by their students each semester. Each instructor will be asked to provide a self-reflection which will include areas of improvement. This reflection may take place orally. The co-directors will review the TCE results and the self-reflection with the instructors and provide feedback to the instructor. This will occur on an annual basis. 10.2 What efforts to improve teaching effectiveness will be pursued based on these measures? Revisions of the syllabi and curriculum have taken place due to this process and will continue to be reviewed as will the effectiveness of the instructors. 11. What are the plans to evaluate students post-graduate success? A survey is being created to ascertain what types of post-graduate careers students who have obtained the certificate are pursuing. 12. Appendices Required Curriculum Maps by Program, Assessment Tools (i.e. Rubrics, Surveys, Tests, etc.), Other important materials/documentation. The various rubrics will be attached as they are created as part of the assessment cycle. Submitted: August 15, 2015. Revised September 8, 2015 Prof. Linda Kraus Worley