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Kansas State University

Basic Elements of an
Assessment of Student Learning Plan

 

Basic Elements #1-6

 

1. University-wide Student Learning Outcomes

Within an ASL Plan, degree-level student learning outcomes are ultimately connected to the student learning outcomes for the entire university. In spring 2003, the K-State’s Undergraduate Educational Objectives were modified into student learning outcomes; as recommended by the Student Learning Outcomes Task Force. The recommended list of student learning outcomes will be considered this fall by Faculty Senate Academic Affairs, Student Senate, and the campus community. The proposed revised statements are listed as follows:

Undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes at Kansas State University

Kansas State University strives to create an atmosphere of intellectual curiosity and growth, one in which academic freedom, breadth of thought and action, and individual empowerment are valued and flourish. We endeavor to prepare citizens who will continue to learn and will contribute to the societies in which they live and work.

Students share in the responsibility for a successful university educational experience. Upon completion of their degree and regardless of disciplinary major, undergraduates are expected to demonstrate ability in at least six essential areas.

Knowledge. Students will demonstrate a depth of knowledge and apply the methods of inquiry in a discipline of their choosing, and they will demonstrate a breadth of knowledge across their choice of varied disciplines.

Critical Thinking. Students will be able to interpret information, respond and adapt to changing situations, make complex decisions, solve problems, and evaluate actions.

Communication. Students will be able to communicate clearly and effectively.

Diversity. Students will demonstrate the awareness, understanding, and skills necessary to live and work in a diverse world.

Ownership of Learning. Students will demonstrate the inclination to be life-long learners, a concern to become and remain well informed, the ability to retrieve and manage information appropriately, open-mindedness regarding divergent worldviews, and a willingness to reconsider and revise their own views when warranted.

Personal and Professional Development. Students will practice professional ethics, demonstrate personal and social responsibility, provide leadership in interactions with peers, and work effectively as team members.

2. College-level Student Learning Outcomes

Each college will determine the expected knowledge, skills, and dispositions (e.g., attributes, viewpoints, and attitudes) for students who earned degrees in their college. College-level student learning outcomes are connected to both the degree-level (more specific) and university-level (more broad) student learning outcomes.

 

3. Degree Program Student Learning Outcomes

Departments will determine the expected knowledge, skills, and dispositions for students who earned degrees in their programs. Separate student learning outcome statements will need to be developed for various levels of the degree (e.g., Certificate, Associate, Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral levels).

Definitions of Student Learning Outcomes

Student learning outcomes are statements of things that students will know, understand, or be able to do at the end of a course or degree program. Student learning outcomes:

  • Are the basis for assessment of student learning at the course, program, and institutional levels.

  • Provide direction and focus for all teaching and learning activity.

  • Inform students about what they are expected to learn in each course, degree program, or student service program.

 

Descriptions of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Effective statements of student learning outcomes:

  • are student-focused rather than professor-focused.

  • focus on the learning resulting from an activity rather than the activity itself.

  • reflect the institution’s mission and the values it represents.

  • are in alignment at the course, academic program, and institutional levels.

  • focus on important, non-trivial aspects of learning that are credible to the public.

  • focus on skills and abilities central to the discipline and based on professional standards of excellence.

  • are general enough to capture important learning but clear and specific enough to be measurable.

  • focus on aspects of learning that will develop and endure but that can be assessed in some form now.


Source: Huba, M.E., & Freed, J.E. (2000). Learner-centered assessment on college campuses: Shifting the focus from teaching to learning. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Instructions for Creating Student Learning Outcome Statements

K-State Examples of Student Learning Outcomes

4. Course-level Student Learning Outcomes

Similar to the college and degree program levels, student learning outcomes at the course level identify the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students are expected to acquire by the end of the course. Some of the learning outcomes should be connected to those for the degree program, while others may be very specific to the course such as learning a set of techniques for conducting an experiment.

  • AGECON 120 (.pdf)
  • ENGL 270 (.pdf)
  • SOCWK/SOCIO 510. (.pdf) The course-level student learning outcomes for any social work course are derived from the main list of learning outcomes for the degree program.
  • Additional examples posted as they become available.

5. Student Services Student Learning Outcomes

Each student service unit will determine the expected student learning outcomes for students who utilize their services, activities, or educational events. Some of these student learning outcomes will tie directly into the university-wide, college, and/or degree-level student learning outcomes.

6. Once the student learning outcomes have been developed for each of your degree programs, create a separate Matrix for each program – listing the degree program learning outcomes by the required major courses.

 

Social Work, B.S.+

Required Courses in the Major
Orientation
Intro
Social
Welfare
HBSE I
HBSE II
1
 
 
x
 
 
2
x
x
 
x
x
3
x
x
 
x
x
4
 
 
x
 
 
5
 
x
x
x
x
6
 
 
x
 
x
7
 
x
x
x
 
8
 
x
 
x
x
9
 
 
 
x
 
10
 
x
x
x
x
11
 
x
x
x
x
12
 
 
 
x
x
13
 
 
 
 
 
14
 
 
 
 
 
15
 
 
 
 
 
16
 
 
x
 
x
+Only a portion of the entire matrix is shown

 

Full list of the 16 student learning outcomes

 

Other Matrices at K-State Examples

Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design – uses Bloom’s Taxonomy levels  (.pdf)
Geology  (.pdf)
Social Work  (.pdf)