resources
Using Student Learning Outcomes Assessment in Language Program Evaluation
This resource list is intended for college foreign language educators who are undertaking student learning outcomes (SLO) assessment as part of their program evaluation activities.
I. Articles and books on SLO (assessment) in general
Astin, A., Banta, T., Cross, P., El-Khawas, E., Ewell, P., Hutchings, P., Marchese, T., McClenney, K., Mentkowski, M., Miller, M., Moran, E., and Wright, B. (1992). Principles of good practice for assessing student learning. AAHE Bulletin, 45(4).
Barker, J., & Folger, J. (1996). Assessing student achievement in the
major: Assessment for program improvement. In T. Banta , et al., Assessment
in practice: Putting principles to work on college campuses. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Hernon, P., & Dugan, R. (Eds.). (2004). Outcomes assessment in higher
education: Views and perspectives. Westport, CN: Libraries Unlimited.
Hernon, P., Dugan, R., & Schwartz, C. (2006). Revisiting outcomes
assessment in higher education. Westport, CN: Libraries Unlimited.
Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation. (1994). The program
evaluation standards: How to assess evaluations of edcational programs
(2nd Ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Loacker, G., & Palola, E. (1981). Clarifying learning outcomes in the
liberal arts. New Directions for Experiential Learning, no. 12. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (2003). Student learning
assessment: Options and resources. Philadelphia, PA: Author.
Nichols, J. O. (1991). Institutional effectiveness and outcomes assessment
implementation on campus: A practitioner's handbook. New York: Agathon
Press.
Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative assessment: Designing assessments to inform
and improve student performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Find many more key readings at: The Teagle Foundation web-page on “Outcomes
and assessment” http://www.teaglefoundation.org/learning/resources.aspx#assessment
This page provides an excellent set of articles on student
learning outcomes and assessment in higher education (note that most of the
articles are electronically available).
II. Articles on SLO assessment in language programs
Bachman, L. F. (1989). The development and use of criterion-referenced tests of language ability in language program evaluation. In R. K. Johnson (Ed.), The second language curriculum (pp. 242-258). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bernhardt, E. (2006). Student learning outcomes as professional development
and public relations. Modern Language Journal, 90(4), 602-604.
Brindley, G. (1998). Outcomes-based assessment and reporting in language programs:
A review of the issues. Language Testing, 15(1), 45-85.
Brindley, G. (2001). Outcomes-based assessment in practice: Some examples
and emerging insights. Language Testing, 18(4), 393-407.
Hudson, T. D. (1989). Mastery decisions in program evaluation. In R. K. Johnson
(Ed.), The second language curriculum (pp. 259-269). Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Liskin-Gasparro, J. E. (1995). Practical approaches to outcomes assessment:
The undergraduate major in foreign languages and literatures. ADFL Bulletin,
26(2), 21-27.
Mathews, T., J., & Hansen, C., M. (2004). Ongoing assessment of a university
foreign language program. Foreign Language Annals, 37(4), 630-640.
Morris, M. (2006). Addressing the challenges of program evaluation: One department’s
experience after two years. Modern Language Journal, 90(4), 599-602.
Norris, J. M. (2000). Purposeful language assessment. English Teaching
Forum, 38(1), 18-23.
Norris, J. M. (2006). Assessing foreign language learning and learners: From
measurement constructs to educational uses. In H. Byrnes, H. Weger-Guntharp,
& K. Sprang (Eds.), GURT 2005: Educating for Advanced Foreign Language
Capacities: Constructs, Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment (pp. 167-187).
Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.
Norris, J. M. (2006). The why (and how) of student learning outcomes assessment
in college FL education. Modern Language Journal, 90(4), 590-597.
Norris, J. M., & Pfeiffer, P. (2003). Exploring the use and usefulness
of ACTFL Guidelines oral proficiency ratings in college foreign language departments.
Foreign Language Annals, 36(4), 572-581.
Pennington, M. C., & Brown, J. D. (1991). Unifying curriculum process
and curriculum outcomes: The key to excellence in language education. In M.
C. Pennington (Ed.), Building better English language programs: Perspectives
on evaluation in ESL (pp. 57-74). Washington, DC: NAFSA.
Phillips, J. (2006). Assessment now and into the future. In A. Heining-Boynton
(Ed.), 2005-2015: Realizing our vision of languages for all (pp.
75-103). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Ross, S. (2003). A diachoronic coherence model for language programme evaluation.
Language Learning, 53(1), 1-33.
III. Comprehensive websites on SLO assessment
North Carolina State University
Internet resources for higher education outcomes assessment
http://www2.acs.ncsu.edu/UPA/assmt/resource.htm
An exhaustive list of resources on assessment in higher education. The list
includes web links to assessment handbooks, assessment of specific skills/content,
institutional assessment plans, and assessment of educational effectiveness.
Central Michigan University
“CMU Assessment Toolkit”
http://academicaffairs.cmich.edu/caa/assessment/resources/toolkit.shtml
Excellent set of focused resources, examples, and recommendations on assessments
for use in college programs.
Assessment in higher education
http://ahe.cqu.edu.au/online_articles.htm
A comprehensive resource list of online and offline articles, books, professional
organizations, discussion lists, and conferences on student assessment in
higher education.
American Psychological Association
The assessment cyberguide for learning goals and outcomes in the undergraduate
psychology major. http://www.apa.org/ed/guide_outline.html
The website contains many resources that guide assessment planning and process.
Their guiding questions and principles are particularly useful.
IV. Definitions of SLO assessment
Frye, R. (1999). Assessment, accountability, and student learning
[Electronic version]. Dialogue, 2, 1-11. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from
http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~dialogue/issue2.pdf
A good starting point for understanding assessment, accountability, and student
learning outcomes.
San Diego State University
Definitions of assessment of student learning outcomes.
http://dus.sdsu.edu/assessment/index.shtml?definitions
V. How-to sites/resources on SLO assessment
Bresciani, M. J., & Schuh, J. H.
“Supporting student learning: Assessing the effectiveness of our work.”
http://www.ncsu.edu/assessment/presentations/assess_process/supporting_student_learning.pdf
A comprehensive module on SLO assessment explaining (a) the purposes of assessment, (b) how to write mission statement, goals, and learning outcomes, and (c) assessment strategies and tools.
Cabrillo College
“Student learning outcomes: Assessment & accreditation”
http://pro.cabrillo.edu/slos/index.html
This site includes informative workbooks on writing student learning outcomes.
California Polytechnic State University, Academic Programs
“Learning outcomes assessment planning guide”
http://www.academicprograms.calpoly.edu/assessment/assessplanguide.htm#defining
This is a how-to guide on stating mission, goal, objectives, and learning
outcomes.
Northern Arizona University, Office of Academic Assessment
- Faculty development workshops on various assessment topics (e.g., “Using
assessment for the improvement of student learning”) can be found here.
Some workshops have power point slides and handouts. http://www4.nau.edu/assessment/oaalibrary/workshops.htm
- Degree program assessment plan template: http://www4.nau.edu/assessment/documents/Plan_Template.doc
- Criteria for reviewing degree program assessment plans: http://www4.nau.edu/assessment/documents/DegreeProgramRubric_July06.doc
San Diego State University
“Writing assessable goals and objectives”
http://dus.sdsu.edu/assessment/writingassessablegoals.pdf
Skidmore University
“How to write learning objectives”
http://www.skidmore.edu/administration/assessment/How_to_Write_Learning_Objectives.htm
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Commission on Colleges)
Presentation handouts and slides of the 2006 SACS-COC Institute on Quality
Enhancement and Accreditation, Orlando, FL.
http://www.sacscoc.org/2006SIpresentations.asp
Below are some of the many presentations related to SLO:
- Jones, B. H. “Defining, assessing & documenting quality outcomes
in community colleges”
- Hoey, J. J. “Defining, assessing and documenting student learning
outcomes”
- Nilson, L. B. “Linking teaching methods with student learning outcomes”
- Mince, R. “Using the results of assessment to improve student learning”
- Eck, J. C. “Using multiple measures of student learning outcomes”
St. Ambrose University
“Five fundamental questions on student learning”
http://web.sau.edu/assessment/The%20Five%20Fundamental%20Questions.htm
The website includes (a) five guiding questions for planning SLO assessment,
(b) how-to guide for developing departmental assessment plan, and (c) a sample
assessment rubric.
University of Colorado at Boulder
“Outcomes Assessment”
http://www.colorado.edu/pba/outcomes/
Particularly useful is the section on “Historical and ongoing assessment
activities.” There are concrete examples of methods, the use of assessment
results, etc.
University of Hawai'i at Manoa
“A utilization-focused approach to stating and evaluating student learning outcomes”
A how-to guide/manual for stating and assessing language learning outcomes. The manual emphasizes making outcomes assessment as useful a process as possible for program stakeholders (the guide can be accessed here).
VI. Assessment in college accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education. (2005). Assessing
student learning and institutional effectiveness: Understanding Middle States
expectations. Philadelphia, PA: Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Retrieved March 9, 2007, from http://www.msche.org/publications/Assessment_Expectations051222081842.pdf
This document clarifies expectations on assessing institutional effectiveness
and student learning outcomes. The guiding questions at the end of the document
help faculty members create better institutional assessment plans.
New England Association of Schools and Colleges. (2005).
Standards for accreditation. Retrieved March 9, 2007, from http://www.neasc.org/cihe/standards2005.htm
Standard 4.4 states approach to assessment of student learning.
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Higher Learning
Commission. (2003). Handbook of accreditation. Retrieved March 5,
2007, from http://www.ncahlc.org/download/Handbook03.pdf
Criterion three (Student learning and effective teaching, p. 3.14) in the
handbook provides standards for demonstrating educational effectiveness through
SLO assessment. The website also has resources on SLO assessment. Check out
the power point handouts and pdfs on SLO assessment from Higher Learning Commission
assessment workshop here.
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges: Commission on Colleges and Universities. (n.d.). Accreditation standards. Retrieved March 7, 2007, from http://www.nwccu.org/Standards%20and%20Policies/Accreditation%20Standards/Accreditation%20Standards.htm Policy 2.2 under Standard Two (Educational program and its effectiveness) provides examples of self-guiding questions for SLO assessment.
Southern Association of Schools and Colleges: Commission on Colleges
(2001). Principles of accreditation: Foundations for quality enhancement.
Retrieved March 5, 2007, from http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/PrinciplesOfAccreditation.PDF
Section 3.3. (Institutional Effectiveness) and 3.4 (Educational Programs)
of the accreditation standards addresses learning outcomes.
Western Association of Schools & Colleges (2002). A
guide to using evidence in the accreditation process: A resource to support
institutions and evaluation teams. Retrieved March 9, 2007, from http://www.wascsenior.org/wasc/Doc_Lib/Evidence_Guide.pdf
The guide introduces the notion and principles of what constitutes good evidence
in educational program reviews. Many examples of evidentiary sources that
respond to WASC standards are illustrated.
The Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions developed
multiple documents on principles of student learning in 2004.
- Regional accreditation and student learning: A guide for institutions and
evaluators
- Regional accreditation and student learning: Improving institutional practice
- Regional accreditation and student learning: Preparing teams for effective
deliberation
Council for Higher Education Accreditation. (2002). Student
learning outcomes workshop. The CHEA Chronicle, 5(2). Retrieved March 5, 2007,
from http://www.chea.org/Chronicle/vol5/no2/Chron-vol5-no2.pdf
The document is a short list of key considerations for the accreditation body
when judging institutional effectiveness and quality of education. A power
point file of the workshop (“CHEA workshop on accreditation and student
learning outcomes”) by Peter Ewell can be accessed here.
American Association for Higher Education. 9 principles of good practice for assessing student learning. http://ultibase.rmit.edu.au/Articles/june97/ameri1.htm
VII. Examples related to language programs
1. FL degree outcomes and assessment
Brigham Young University, College of Humanities
-Student learning outcomes assessment summaries for multiple language programs
(and other units) at BYU; includes outcomes statements and examples of the
variety of assessments used:
http://humassessment.byu.edu/
University of Arizona, College of Humanities
-UA Outcomes Assessment for language programs (and other units); includes
outcomes statements and extensive examples of assessments used in a variety
of languages:
http://outcomes.web.arizona.edu/data.php?uid=14
Montana State University, Modern Languages and Literatures:
- SLOs for French, German, and Spanish majors and minors, and Japanese entry
level program: http://www.montana.edu/wwwprov/assessment/modern%20languages--plan.pdf
- A summary assessment plan for undergraduate FL majors: http://www.montana.edu/wwwprov/assessment/documents/ModernLanguagesPlan-2007.pdf
- A summary of assessment results:
http://www.montana.edu/wwwprov/assessment/documents/ModernLanguagesUpdate-2007.pdf
The Russian and East European Center at the University of Illinois
http://www.cte.uiuc.edu/assessment/plans/russian_and_east_european_center.htm
They have a detailed report on the SLO assessment plan they have been implementing
since 1999.
San Diego State University
European Studies, and Linguistics & Oriental Languages:
http://dus.sdsu.edu/assessment/department_learning_goals.pdf
State University of New York, Buffalo:
http://www.buffalostate.edu/offices/assessment/gened.htm#
The website has a link to the SLO assessment for general education foreign
language requirement program (101/201, entry level program). Example assessment
activities are also given.
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department of Foreign Languages &
Literatures:
http://www.uaf.edu/provost/outcomes/PlansPDFFormat/flba.pdf
This is a summary of a student learning outcomes assessment plan for their
Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages program. They provide a map of intended
learning outcomes, assessment criteria, and implementation procedures.
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Spanish 101: http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/uhh/genedfac/objectives.php
Example of course-level student learning outcomes and assessment.
Stanford University, Language Center
First-year language objectives: http://language.stanford.edu/requirement/first_year.html
Examples of student learning outcomes for language requirement (in 11 languages).
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2. Study Abroad outcomes and assessment
Forum on Education Abroad
Very useful position papers, guides, etc. on major issues in outcomes assessment
of study abroad can be viewed here:
http://www.forumea.org/research-position_papers.cfm
3. Outcomes assessment in general education programs
Mesa Community College, Office of Research & Planning
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/about/orp/assessment/
The web page contains information about (a) their assessment plan and results,
(b) SLOs for general education, workplace skill, and developmental education
programs, and (c) student orientations to the assessment activities.
- SLOs: http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/about/orp/assessment/outcomes.pdf
- Student orientation to SLO assessment (flash presentation):
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/about/orp/assessment/main_web.swf
Montana State University
http://www.montana.edu/wwwprov/assessment/assessmentplans.htm
Assessment plans, results, and suggested improvements for all undergraduate
degrees are listed, including department of Modern Languages and Literatures.
Northern Arizona University, Office of Academic Assessment
http://www4.nau.edu/assessment/assessment/liberal/definitions.htm
SLO assessment of the Liberal Studies program at NAU.
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
http://www.oir.uiuc.edu/assessment/plans.html
UIUC has SLO assessment plans for each department, stating department level
SLO, methods, and timelines.
University of Maryland
http://www.umuc.edu/outcomes/pdfs/inst_plan_2007.pdf
This detailed report is an institutional assessment plan for the School for
Undergraduate Studies and Graduate School of Management and Technology. Students’
expected learning outcomes are listed in Appendix A from p.30 to p.35.
University of Wisconsin Madison
http://www.provost.wisc.edu/assessment/manual/manual2.html#a4
The Office of Provost provides assessment plans and introduces various direct
and indirect SLO assessment tools.