The Impact of Student Learning Outcomes Assessment on Technical and Professional Communication Programs

Because of accreditation, budget, and accountability pressures at the institutional and program levels, technical and professional communication faculty are more than ever involved in assessment-based activities. Using assessment to identify a program's strengths and weaknesses allows faculty to work toward continuous improvement based on their articulation of learning and behavioral goals and outcomes for their graduates. This article describes the processes of program assessment based on pedagogical goals, pointing out options and opportunities that will lead to a meaningful and manageable experience for technical communication faculty, and concludes with a view of how the larger academic body of technical communication programs can benefit from such work. As ATTW members take a careful look at the state of the profession from the academic perspective, we can use assessment to further direct our programs to meet professional expectations and, far more importantly, to help us meet the needs of the well-educated technical communicator.     

Measuring the Impact of Professional Accreditation on Student Experiences and Learning Outcomes

This research uses a conceptual model to examine the influence of a change in accreditation standards on a representative national sample of 203 engineering programs at 40 institutions. Based on data collected from more than 140 program chairs, 1,200 faculty, 4,300 graduates of 2004, and 5,400 graduates of 1994, the study investigates the differential impact of the change in accreditation standards on programs reviewed in different years during the period of transition. Despite significant variation across most of the measures and groups in 1994 (before the introduction of the new accreditation criteria), the 2004 evidence demonstrates a surprisingly uniform level of student experiences and outcomes. These findings suggest that engineering accreditation is beginning to accomplish its quality assurance goals. This is a revised version of a research paper presented at the meeting of the Association for Institutional Research, May 17, 2006, Chicago, IL.     

A Multi-Level Assessment of the Impact of Orientation Programs on Student Learning

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of orientation programs on student academic and social learning. Moving beyond previous studies, we examined how participation in orientation programming affected student learning and how the impact of these programs on learning varied by organizational characteristics (i.e., institutional control, size of undergraduate enrollment, sponsoring division, and whether the institution has an office designated for managing orientation programs), student entry characteristics (i.e., gender, race, transfer status), and student experiences (i.e., perceived quality of orientation program in helping student transition and in meeting students’ expectations, positive experiences with orientation staff, and perceptions of orientation programs and their efficacy in helping students navigate resources and in providing useful campus-based information). Hierarchical linear analysis was used to analyze these cross-level effects. Results demonstrated that having a designated office for orientation programs on campus was important for narrowing the academic learning gap between new-first year and transfer students. Implications for researchers and practitioners were discussed.     

Examining the Impact of Interdisciplinary Programs on Student Learning

We investigated how learning outcomes of students majoring in interdisciplinary fields differ from those of students in discipline-based majors. We found that students in interdisciplinary majors report less change in Critical Thinking and Need For Cognition than their peers in disciplinary majors, but no difference in change in Positive Attitude Toward Literacy. Students’ gains in Critical Thinking and Need For Cognition do not vary by the characteristics of the interdisciplinary major, but some program characteristics influence modest changes in Positive Attitudes Toward Literacy. Future research should address selection effects, develop measures of interdisciplinary learning, and further explore curricular and instructional patterns in interdisciplinary programs.     

The Impact of Taiwan's University Multiple-Channel Entrance Policy on Student Learning Outcomes

This research explores the impact of Taiwan's university multiple-channel entrance policy on student learning outcomes, using quantitative research to look for differences in the learning experiences of third-year students who were admitted via different methods (examination and placement, application for admission, recommendation and selection, and gifted aptitude selection) and who were at different types of institutions (public universities, public vocational/technical schools, private universities, and private vocational/technical schools). The source data for this research was a 2005 national survey of third-year university students by the National Taiwan Normal University Center for Educational Research and Evaluation. The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and found that among students at public universities and vocational/technical schools, those who applied for admission had a better learning experience, while those selected for gifted aptitude had a poorer learning experience. Among students at private schools, those admitted through examination and placement or application for admission had a significantly better learning experience than students admitted through selection. Overall, the learning experience of screened students was generally poor, so it is worth considering a review of this admission method.     

Articulating and Utilizing Communication Student Learning Outcomes in Community Colleges

Academia in the United States stands face-to-face with the constant call for greater levels of assessment and accountability. Academics question whether our students are learning what they’re taught? Are they able to secure employment upon completing their education? Are they prepared to be active, productive citizens in society? Community colleges provide education to those who may typically not have the opportunity to attend an institution of higher education. A foundation of any assessment process is the articulation of the core learning outcomes. It is from this foundation, then, that community college faculty can start assessing the effectiveness of teaching and curricular design. The present investigation details a project that focused on creating discipline-specific student learning outcomes and how these outcomes can be utilized to aligning learning outcomes and mapping to curriculum. Communication studies faculty can utilize the learning outcomes to strengthen and clarify curriculum, demonstrate the acquisition of competencies, and improve departmental offerings.     

A Case for Metic Intelligence in Technical and Professional Communication Programs

Metis is an underexplored rhetorical counterpart to phronesis that can be described as a flexible, innovative intelligence used in unexpected or unprecedented situations. This article explores metis in relation to techne, praxis, and phronesis, arguing that our programs should strive to cultivate students' metic intelligence through client projects and service-learning experiences. Adapting Agile project management strategies used in software development may offer one means of scaffolding this learning.     

Exploring the Dimensions of Medical Student Engagement with Technology-Enhanced Learning Resources and Assessing the Impact on Assessment Outcomes

Anatomy curricula are becoming increasingly populated with blended learning resources, which utilize the increasing availability of educational technology. The educational literature postulates that the use of technology can support students in achieving greater learning outcomes by increasing engagement. This study attempts to investigate the dimensions of student engagement with technology-enhanced learning (TEL) resources as part of a medical program’s anatomy curriculum using exploratory factor analysis. A 25-item five-point Likert-based survey was administered to 192 first-year medical students, with three emergent factors discerned: satisfaction, goal setting and planning, and physical interaction. The three factors closely aligned with the existing literature and therefore additional nonparametric analysis was conducted that explored the levels of engagement across three custom-made anatomy TEL resources, including: (1) anatomy drawing screencasts; (2) an eBook; and (3) a massive open online course (MOOC). Usage data indicated that the most popular resource to be accessed across the cohort was the anatomy drawing screencasts via YouTube, with the MOOC being used least. Moreover, some evidence suggests that those students who utilized the MOOC were more engaged. Generally, however, no correlations were observed between the levels of engagement and TEL resource usage or assessment outcomes. The results from this study provide a clear insight into how students engage with TEL resources, but do not reveal any relationship between levels of engagement, usage, and assessment outcomes.     

透视美国高等教育中的学生学习结课评价

学生学习结果评价是美国高等教育评价由关注资源输入到全面注重受教育者学习结果的一次转变。它侧重评价学生学习后所获得的各方面知识、能力和品质。该评价成为一场运动的主要原因是培养高技能劳动力的需求、政府问责的加强以及认证组织的推动。学生学习结果评价的实施在政府、高校以及专业、课堂等众多层面展开,并表现出以学生为中心的价值取向、评价参与者广泛以及评价方法灵活多样等特点。     

当今美国高等教育质量评估的焦点:学生学习成果评估

学生学习成果已经成为当今美国高等教育质量评估的核心内容。学生学习成果评估提供了能够显示每一所院校办学成效的最为重要的证据。高等教育的学习成果按类型可划分为认知性学习成果和情感性学习成果。学生学习成果评估的一个主要环节是运用定性或定量测量等方法获取学习成果的信息和证据。全国性的标准化测试和问卷调查被更多地用于测评一所高校总体的学生学习成果水平和办学成效。当前,学生学习成果评估在实践中面临着一些问题。美国高等教育质量认证要求的变化促使美国高校前所未有地重视学生学习成果的评估和改善。美国学生学习成果评估运动对中国的高等教育评估有一定的启示。     

Supporting Student Teachers' Professional Learning with Standards‐Referenced Assessment

Professional standards in teaching are developed in many education systems, with professional learning and quality assurance being the central purposes of these standards. This paper presents an initiative in developing a professional development progress map (hereafter, progress map) within a learning‐oriented field experience assessment (LOFEA) framework. The article examines the use of a progress map to support professional learning in teaching supervision in the field experience of a teacher education programme. Views of users, including 16 tertiary supervisors and 21 teacher participants of the in‐service programmes, were collected. Issues relating to supporting student teachers' professional learning with standards‐referenced assessment, are discussed around four themes, namely intention, instrumentation, interpretation and implementation.     

美国“学生学习成果评估”研究评析

1980年代评估运动以来,随着学生学习成果评估在美国高等教育领域的开展,学界对这一质量保障方式的理论研究也日益丰富。研究内容主要包括学生学习成果评估相关概念的界定、学生学习成果评估的历史演进、学生学习成果评估的运行机制、学生学习成果评估的理念之争等四个方面。美国现有的学生学习成果评估研究的成果可谓卷帙浩繁,但相关理论探讨和实践摸索依旧在路上。这一方面说明学生学习成果评估正走向专业化、科学化,另一方面也说明学生学习成果评估实践为理论研究提供了丰富的研究资源。     

学习产出视角下高等职业教育学生学习评估探析

高职学生学习产出是指学生经过学习后,其职业知识、职业技能、职业行为及职业道德等方面发生的变化。高职学生学习产出具有职业性、实践性和应用性等特点。以学习产出视角反思当前我国高职学生学习评估现状,需要树立系统化的学习评估理念;学校需要从被评者转变为评估主体和主导者;行业企业和学生需要共同参与以学习产出为核心的学习评估标准制定;学习信息的复杂性和多样性需要采用多元收集方法。     

大学生资助对学业发展的影响

多层次、多类型助学体系的推行提高了高等教育的入学机会和可负担性,促进了教育起点的公平.然而学者尚未系统地分析学生资助对个人学习行为、学业发展和成就的影响,因此很难确定资助政策是否也促进了教育过程和结果的公平.本文使用三省19个高校的学生调查数据,分析了学生资助对个人学业发展的影响.研究发现学生资助学习成绩正相关、与课程不及格负相关、与课外学习时间正相关,但是与学校满意度无显著相关关系.由此可见,学生资助在一定程度上促进了教育过程和结果公平.     

How Much is Enough? The Assessment of Student Work in Technical Communication Courses

This article reports the findings of a national survey of members of the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW). The survey focuses on practices of assessing student classroom work and specifically asked technical writing instructors what they assess, how they assess, and what they would like to do to assess their students optimally. In addition to reporting responses to these questions, the article concludes with recommendations for improving student assessment practices at the departmental, programmatic, and course levels.     

从学生数学学习的追踪研究看新课程改革的实施效果

采用追踪研究设计,以小学生数学学习为例,考察新课程改革的实施效果。研究从学生对数学的基本理解与计算能力、复杂问题解决能力、数学交流与应用意识以及对数学学习的兴趣与数学素养三个方面,实证分析参加新课程与原课程两组学生之间的差异。结果表明,使用新课程的学生对数学的基本理解与计算能力从整体上表现较好,但不如使用原课程学生在此方面的优势明显;与使用原课程学生相比,使用新课程的学生在高层次思维能力方面表现出明显优势,新课程比较明显地提高了学生的复杂问题解决能力、数学表达与交流及应用意识;新课程提高了学生学习数学的兴趣,学生也形成了良好的数学素养。     

Quality Assessment of Professional Degree Programs

Based on a completed study of alumni of a master's degree teacher education program at a large northeastern university, this article demonstrates how alumni research can be designed to focus assessment on student outcomes and be responsive to program goals, policy concerns of administrators, instructional values of the faculty, and standards of professional practice. The article presents a conceptual framework, a research design plan, identification of relevant issues, appropriate analytical techniques, and selected findings with substantial relevance to other professional degree programs. Results confirm the importance of satisfaction with courses, perception of professional growth, and level of intellectual challenge on graduates' overall evaluation of the program. The methodological approaches and substantive issues raised in this study potentially enhance researchers' ability to design future assessment studies that will impact the policy development and program planning of other professional degree programs.