Cabrillo College began experimenting with assessing student learning outcomes in transfer, basic skills and occupational courses in 1999 with its summer Learner Outcomes Institute. When the new accreditation standards were approved, the Cabrillo Faculty Senate (composed of many summer Institute alumnae) took the lead in creating a process to assess student learning in all courses at Cabrillo. The Senate sought to create an assessment process that:
- built on both the informal assessment that most Cabrillo faculty undertook of their own courses and the research and practical experiences of the Summer Institute.
- provided opportunities for faculty to dialogue about the results.
After much research and debate, the Senate, in conjunction with the Vice President of Instruction, the Council on Instructional Planning, the Occupational Educational Council and the college Curriculum Committee, made four other key decisions that have shaped the assessment of occupational programs at Cabrillo:
Assessment Method
All occupational programs must define and assess student learning outcomes for every course, certificate and degree that they offer.
Many occupational degrees are composed of the classes that are required for a certificate, plus the associate degree general education requirements. Occupational programs are responsible for assessing the SLOs for their certificates and courses. The SLOs for the general educational curriculum are the four college competencies and are specifically defined and assessed in general education courses (see Assessment of Transfer and Basic Skills Programs). It is unnecessary for occupational programs to develop and assess SLOs for associate degree GE requirements.
The on-going Instructional Planning process is used as the vehicle for the development and implementation of this assessment process. Approximately twelve occupational, transfer and basic skills embark on Instructional Planning each year. Departments link their plans for improvement and budgetary requests to their assessment results.
Though occupational programs are not responsible for assessing the GE courses that fulfill their degree requirements, while undergoing Instructional Planning, they must carefully examine those courses and dialogue with department that is offering them.
Individual occupational programs must design an assessment process that suits their field. Assessment methods will vary. For some, analyzing board exam results or other outside assessments makes the most sense. For others, the course-embedded approach used by transfer and basic skills is more appropriate. The Occupational Program Workbook guides programs through this assessment design process. No matter what method is chosen by the department:
The Revolving Wheel of Assessment
It must be embedded in the Instructional Planning cycle, reoccurring throughout the five year period.
The assessment method must involve departmental meetings during which 1) the assessment results are discussed, 2) student needs and issues are identified, and 3) plans are made for the improvement of student learning.
Record the issues and plans that arise during the departmental meetings on an Assessment Analysis form . In keeping with the Cabrillo's assessment philosophy that assessment is not "a means to evaluate individual faculty or staff," no individual instructor's name or results are recorded on the form. Instead the overall departmental results are summarized and its plans to improve teaching and learning are the main focus. These plans then form the basis for any funding requests and are attached to the department’s Instructional Plan and, after review by the Council for Instructional Planning, are forwarded to the SLO Assessment Review Committee.
The Faculty Senate and the Committee for Instruction Planning decided that this new assessment method would be implemented gradually and tied it to the Instructional Planning schedule.
The departments scheduled for Instructional Planning in 2004 piloted the process by defining SLOs for their degrees and certificates and designed an assessment process, which is recorded on an Assessment Plan form.
The 2005 group defined SLOs for their degrees and certificates, designed an assessment process, recorded on the Assessment Plan form, and revised all departmental course outlines to include SLOs.
The 2006 group and all groups thereafter will complete all the tasks of the 2005 group, plus begin to dialogue with departments that offer the GE courses that compose their degree.
The Council on Instructional Planning recognizes that occupational programs are asked to do more than transfer and basic skills programs during their initial assessment experience. Programs can apply for a one-time one-year extension if its needed during October of their Instructional Planning year.
After their initial assessment experience, all occupational programs will implement the assessment process that they designed. The Learning Outcomes Assessment Coordinator will provide training to entire departments and/or assist individual faculty with this process.