Retreat on Core Competencies: Quantitative Reasoning and Assessment in Majors October 2-3, 2014 Kellogg West Conference Center, Pomona, CA Resource Binder 2014-2015 WASC Senior College and University Commission is pleased to announce its educational programs for 2014-15. They cover topics of vital interest to all institutions but particularly to those in the WSCUC region. They have been developed by national and regional experts and are offered as a service to member institutions and others who wish to learn about good practices applicable to all institutions. They are entirely optional, but our hope is that member institutions will find them helpful. WSCUC staff will be present to answer questions related specifically to accreditation expectations. Assessment 101: The Assessment Cycle, Clear and Simple October 1, 2014. Kellogg West, Pomona, CA November 12, 2014. Kellogg West, Pomona, CA May 18, 2015. Chaminade University, Honolulu, HI Retreat on Core Competencies: Quantitative Reasoning and Assessment in Majors October 2-3, 2014. Kellogg West, Pomona, CA Retreat on Core Competencies: Critical Thinking and Information Literacy October 16-17, 2014. Hilton Oakland Airport, Oakland, CA Retreat on Core Competencies: Written and Oral Communications November 13-14, 2014. Kellogg West, Pomona, CA President/Trustee Retreats December 4, 2014. San José State University, San José, CA December 5, 2014. Woodbury University, Burbank, CA Workshop on the Meaning, Quality, and Integrity of Degrees January 30, 2015. Woodbury University, Burbank, CA Assessment 201: Advanced Topics in Assessment February 6, 2015. Mills College, Oakland, CA The Big Five: Addressing Core Competencies May 19-20, 2015. Chaminade University, Honolulu, Hawai’i For more information on these programs, visit www.wascsenior.org/seminars. For specific questions, contact Julie Kotovsky, Educational Events Manager, at [email protected] WASC Senior College and University Commission 985 Atlantic Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 • 510-748-9001 • www.wascsenior.org Table of Contents Agenda/Schedule 1 Hotel Floor Plans 5 Mentor Biographies 6 Attendee Directory 10 Introductory Essays on Quantitative Reasoning and Assessment in Majors 12 Quantitative Reasoning: The Final Frontier of Core Competencies [S. Elrod] 13 Developing a Campus Culture that Embraces Assessment of Learning in Majors [J. Lindholm] 24 Plenary: Look, It’s Math, It’s Statistics, It’s History and Psychology! It’s Quantitative Reasoning! [S. Elrod] 32 Breakout 1. Developing and Evaluating QR Courses [B. Madison] 41 Breakout 2. QR across the Curriculum: From Creating Assignments to Measuring Outcomes [E. Gaze] 83 Breakout 3. Why ePortfolios? Why Now? Documenting Learning with ePortfolios [H.Chen] 117 Plenary: Developing a Campus Culture that Embraces Outcomes Assessment [J. Lindholm] 132 Breakout 4. Student Learning Assessment and Academic Program Review [J. Lindholm] 140 Breakout 5. Designing a Mature Quantitative Reasoning Assessment Plan for the Major [D. Sundre] 146 Breakout 6. A Framework for Leading Campus-Wide Change Initiatives [S. Elrod] 162 Breakout 7. Expectations for Student Performance at Graduation: What, Why, and How [H. Chen, M. Maloney] 184 Additional Resources 199 Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) VALUE Rubrics 200 • Critical Thinking 201 • Problem Solving 203 • Inquiry and Analysis 205 • Quantitative Literacy 207 WASC Rubrics 209 List of Selected Readings 220 Assessment Leadership Academy 2014-2015 227 Inside LiveText – We’ll take that climb with you! Cover Back 2014 WASC Academic Resource Conference – SAVE THE DATE Cover Retreat on Core Competencies: Quantitative Reasoning and Assessment in Majors SCHEDULE Thursday, October 2, 2014 8:00 – 9:00 am Arrival, check-in, registration Registration Desk 9:00 – 9:15 Welcome [M. Maloney] Mountain Vista 9:15 – 10:00 What Do You Need? How Will You Get It? Team Strategy Session [M. Maloney] Mountain Vista 10:00 – 10:15 Snack break Exhibit Lounge 10:15 – 11:15 Plenary: Look, It’s Math, It’s Statistics, It’s History and Psychology! It’s Quantitative Reasoning! [S. Elrod] Mountain Vista 11:15 – 11:30 Introduction of mentors [M. Maloney, J. Lindholm, S. Elrod] Mountain Vista Jennifer Lindholm Mountain Vista Susan Elrod Auditorium Helen Chen Mountain Vista Bernie Madison Auditorium Eric Gaze Campus Vista Donna Sundre Poly Vista Maureen Maloney Exhibit Lounge 11:45 – 12:15 Meet in mentor groups to schedule appointments Designated rooms & areas 12:30 – 1:15 Lunch in teams Dining Room 1:30 – 2:30 Breakouts 1. Developing and Evaluating QR Courses [B. Madison] Mountain Vista 2. QR across the Curriculum: From Creating Assignments to Measuring Outcomes [E. Gaze] Campus Vista 3. Why ePortfolios? Why Now? Documenting Learning with ePortfolios [H. Chen] Poly Vista 2:45 – 3:55 Topical Reflection Sessions: Mentors facilitate discussions based on their topics of expertise; participants are free to move in round-robin fashion through the sessions. Helen Chen (Mountain Vista): Using technology to support learning and assessment Susan Elrod (Auditorium): Leading change Eric Gaze (Campus Vista): Managing faculty development and workload Jennifer Lindholm (Mountain Vista): Building a culture of assessment; capstones Bernie Madison (Auditorium): Using rubrics Donna Sundre (Poly Vista): Developing/using assessment instruments, approaches Maureen Maloney (Exhibit Lounge): What does WASC really want? 2:45 – 3:15 Each mentor hosts a discussion (see above for topic/room) 1 3:25 – 3:55 Each mentor hosts a discussion (see above for topic/room) 4:00 – 6:00 Work Session: Team Planning/ Appointments with Mentors Designated rooms & areas Three mentor slots: 4:00 – 4:40 4:45 – 5:25 5:30 – 6:10 6:15 Dinner Dining Room Friday, October 3, 2014 7:30 – 8:30 Breakfast Dining Room 8:45 – 9:45 Plenary: Developing a Campus Culture that Embraces Outcomes Assessment [J. Lindholm] Mountain Vista 10:00 – 11:15 Breakouts 4. Student Learning Assessment and Academic Program Review [J. Lindholm] Poly Vista 5. Designing a Mature Quantitative Reasoning Assessment Plan for the Major [D. Sundre] CampusVista 6. A Framework for Leading Campus-Wide Change Initiatives [S. Elrod] Mountain Vista 7. Expectations for Student Performance at Graduation: What, Why, and How [H. Chen, M. Maloney] Garden Vista 11:15 Snack Break – pick up and take a snack to your work session Exhibit Lounge 11:15 - 12:45 Work Session: Team planning/Appointments with Mentors Designated rooms & areas Two mentor slots: 11:15 – 11:55 12:00 – 12:40 12:45 – 1:30 Lunch and team time or networking with other teams Dining Room 1:30 – 2:30 What Have We Learned? What Have We Accomplished? Round Table Discussion [M. Maloney] Mountain Vista 2:30pm Retreat ends * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Sessions Descriptions * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Plenaries: Look, It’s Math, It’s Statistics, It’s History and Psychology! It’s Quantitative Reasoning! [S. Elrod] Quantitative reasoning (QR) isn’t just math. It is a way of looking at the world “through mathematical eyes” and “thinking quantitatively about commonplace issues, and to approach complex problems with confidence in the value of careful reasoning” (MAA, 2013). This sounds simple enough; however, many colleges and universities struggle with how to define QR as a learning outcome, how to assess it, and 2 how to incorporate it into the curriculum. There are implications for student learning, program implementation, and especially faculty development – because if this requirement is to be met primarily across programs and disciplines (i.e., not just in a math course), faculty teaching those courses will need help with assignments and assessments that properly measure students’ QR. Developing a Campus Culture That Embraces Outcomes Assessment [J. Lindholm] Our beliefs and assumptions about assessment programs and practices present one barrier to the effective use of assessment. However, an even bigger challenge is the cognitive shift that must take place, both within and across disciplines, in how we perceive assessment and how we respond to feedback. This session addresses issues that transcend institutional type or disciplinary context; the goal is to engage retreat attendees in considering how they can facilitate the long-term success of their assessment- and accreditation-related efforts within their own campus communities. Breakouts (in the order in which they appear in program): 1. Developing and Evaluating QR Courses [B. Madison] In the absence of widely accepted content for QR courses and recognizing the difficulty of measuring long term retention and transfer, how does one develop or evaluate QR courses? A research-based method, rooted in a decade of developing, teaching, and studying QR, courses will be presented and discussed. The ingredients of the method are widely applicable in undergraduate education. Ways to effectively assess student QR learning, although fraught with challenges, are beginning to emerge as more is learned about how students interact with the transformational learning that seems to be necessary. 2. QR Across the Curriculum: From Creating Assignments to Measuring Outcomes [E. Gaze] This workshop will introduce participants to what is meant by quantitative reasoning (QR), articulating the distinction between QR and traditional mathematics instruction. This will lead into a discussion of ways to create authentic QR assignments for courses across the curriculum. These assignments will be grounded in the mantra “sophisticated