Put the Action in Your Action Plans:

Using Assessment to Drive Collaborative, Meaningful Change at Your College

The Old English/ESL Sequence

The Old Program Writing Focus by Level

ESL
Writing 3: paragraphs short essays Writing 4: essays in different rhetorical modes Writing 5: summary/response quoting/paraphrasing Writing 6: persuasive essays research paper

English
English 269A and 269B: short essays narratives
English 201A and 201B: essays in different rhetorical modes research paper in some sections

Spring 2011: Common Portfolio Assessment

Main Features
All Reading & Comp classes Pieces scored together:
Short (3-5pp) research paper using Academically Acceptable Sources, including databases 2 hour in-class essay: summary/response to a short, college-level essay or excerpt

Dead Week Scoring sessions with extensive norming

Scoring
Common, analytic rubric Students receive feedback on 10 skill areas Sliding-scale course grade, some choice Possible for students in pre-1A courses to earn Competency-Based English 1A credit

Assessment Action through the Teaching and Learning Center:

Focused Inquiry Groups Action Plan Projects Resources and Effective Practices Sharing Peer Observation Pool

First Portfolio Assessment Results

Noteworthy, Unexpected Results of First Portfolio Assessment (Spring 2011)

90% of students in 2-below transfer would have earned a C in 1-below transfer; 40% would have earned an A or B. English 201 students outperformed English 1A students in reading Low scores in research techniques, including English 1A!

Changing the Writing Program: First Steps

Change curriculum for English 1A:
scaffolded assignments in reading two short research papers instead of one long one

Develop experimental class to encourage students placing 2 levels below transfer to move directly into English 1A; embed additional support

Noteworthy Results a Year Later (Spring 2012) Students in accelerated class significantly outperformed students in traditional 2below transfer class, AND they also outperformed 1-below transfer class students in most skills In English 1A, scores in reading and research techniques increased significantly.

The New English Program Structure (for Fall 2013)

English 204A

English 204B

English 1A

The English Program Course Curricula

English 1A:
writing persuasive, college-level essays at least two research papers reading of college-level essays, 2+ books

English 204A: same curriculum as English 1A, 4 lecture hours/week, but also
3 hours of lab/week trained instructional assistants

% of students scoring Acceptable-Excellent on the English/ESL Common Portfolio Assessment Spring 11 vs. Spring 13

ENGL 1A (transfer-level) spring 11 vs. spring 13

top level of ESL (1-below transfer) spring 11 vs. spring 13

students placing 2-below transfer spring 11 vs. same placement score, but accelerated class spring 13

Our Interventions: process

Identify specific reasons for SLO findings:

Faculty inquiry groups

Student surveys Faculty and student focus groups

Secondary research
Re-examine findings every semester with common assessment (all Composition classes) to provide direction for changes

Developed group of representative faculty leaders

Our Interventions: program level

Changing the program curriculum

Changing the program sequencing

Adding imbedded tutoring Developing common syllabus elements and sequencing

Adding assignments to give students more practice in key areas

Our Interventions: course level

Changing the course curriculum

Developing common syllabus elements and sequencing

Developing common materials to address SLOs Adding assignments to give students more practice in key areas

Creating a website for teachers to share materials, such as handouts and lesson plans

Other Possible Interventions

Changing textbooks

Changing delivery modes

Changing types of assignments and/or language of prompts Linked classes, learning communities, etc.

What makes a good action plan?

Not simply more of what teachers are already doing In real life:
Process of developing action plan needs buy-in from critical mass of faculty, decisions not topdown Decisions informed by data: secondary research on effective practices, focused inquiry, direct student input

Your Turn part 1: A Possible Finding

The Mathematics Program has assessed all of the courses in the Math Department and found that, across all courses and all levels, students have more difficulty with word problems than with anything else.
What should we do?

Identify reasons for finding

Write Develop collaborative list (small group) Make common list (all) Rank items

Identify possible action plans

Write Develop collaborative list (small group) Make common list (all) Rank items

Your Turn part 2: a finding at your institution