1P2 Program Learning Outcomes

• Aligning program learning outcomes to the mission, educational offerings, and degree levels of the institution (3.E.2)
• Determining program outcomes (4.B.4)
• Ensuring the outcomes remain relevant and aligned with student, workplace, and societal needs (3.B.4)
• Articulating the purposes, content, and level of achievement of the outcomes (4.B.1)
• Designing, aligning, and delivering co-curricular activities to support learning (3.E.1, 4.B.2)
• Selecting tools/methods/instruments used to assess attainment of program learning outcomes (4.B.2)
• Assessing program learning outcomes (4.B.1, 4.B.2, 4.B.4)

Program Learning Outcomes Process:  A Brief History

Since 1995, Southeast Tech has conducted assessments on program learning outcomes.  It is the Institute’s goal that every program conducts a program-level assessment on an annual basis.  Prior to the creation of the Celebrating Learning Team (CLT) (1P 1 ), Southeast Tech relied on an Assessment Coordinator and the Office of Institutional Research to assist faculty in developing, conducting and analyzing program assessments.  While this initial approach provided the Institute with the ability to begin its program assessment process, Southeast Tech recognized the need to broaden responsibility for assessment, resulting in the creation of the CLT. The CLT has now developed a full process for both common and program learning outcome assessments. 

Aligning Program Learning Outcomes to the Mission, Educational Offerings, and Degree Levels of the Institution AND Determining Program Outcomes

The formal process for determining and assuring alignment of Program Learning Outcomes (PLO’s) occurs after the alignment of the CLO’s to the new/revised Strategic Plan, mission, vision, and values.  Because PLO’s are categorized under the Institutional CLO’s, waiting for any CLO changes assures that CLO adjustments are accounted for during the alignment and revision of the PLO’s.  PLO revision and alignment, therefore, begins toward the end of the first year of the strategic plan and is completed prior to the end of the second plan year (1P 1  Figure 1P1.1). 

Program faculty are charged by administration with developing specific PLO’s for their particular programs.  External stakeholders are given the opportunity to provide input on PLO’s through the Employer Survey, which is disaggregated by program for program faculty review, and through the program’s Advisory Committee.  Programs with external accreditations specific to their field utilize these requirements/standards in the development of their PLO’s. Determining the methods for assessing student PLO attainment, and the assessment of attainment, is the responsibility of program faculty with support and guidance from the immediate supervisor and the CLT.  Assessment methods and results are provided in 1R 2 . (4.B.4)  

The CLT provides support to programs and assures that programs complete the alignment process by requiring notification of completion as well as a report of new/revised PLO’s.  The PLO’s are communicated through the Southeast Tech Catalog and are available on the Southeast Tech website for stakeholder viewing.  All PLO’s are approved by the Academic Administrator who oversees that program area.  Upon approval of the PLO’s, the Vice President of Student Affairs and Director of Students work with the departments to communicate the PLO’s to all Southeast Tech stakeholders. 

While Southeast Tech’s mission is to educate for employment, the Institute makes no explicit claim to students regarding job placement; however, Southeast Tech strongly believes that it fulfills its mission of educating for employment and meet any unspoken claims regarding contributions the Institute may provide to student’s educational experience based on high graduate placement rates (1R 2 ). (3.E.2)

Ensuring Program Learning Outcomes Remain Relevant and Aligned with Student, Workplace, and Societal Needs

Program faculty ensure that their learning outcomes are relevant and aligned to student, workplace, and societal needs in a number of ways: interactions with business and industry representatives, bi-annual Advisory Committee meetings, external accreditation reviews, internal inservice learning outcome work sessions, participation in professional organizations and conferences, analysis of Employer Survey results and graduate placement rates.  The use of external stakeholder input is essential in assuring an objective review of the relevance of program learning outcomes that meet industry and community needs. Review of the various inputs and revisions of PLO’s are reported in Advisory Committee meeting minutes and reviewed by an Academic Administrator to assure the review occurs and adjustments are completed. During program meetings with the Southeast Tech Academic Administrative Team, adjustments to PLO’s are made as needed.   If an entire course or program change is determined necessary, the change must go through the Institute’s Curriculum Committee process (1P 4 ).

Because the respect for diversity is one of Southeast Tech’s core values, awareness of the human and cultural diversity of a global society is incorporated into our Professionalism CLO and is included in instruction as learning outcomes within the general education Social Issues class, program coursework, and the Student Success Seminar course.  Diversity events, activities, and/or communications are provided annually. (3.B.4) 

Articulating the Purposes, Content, and Level of Achievement of Program Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes are articulated to all stakeholders on the program curriculum pages of the Southeast Tech Catalog, which is located on the Southeast Tech website.  PLO’s are also provided on standardized syllabi according to the outcomes associated with that particular course.  During JumpStart orientation days, program students review PLO’s with program faculty prior to beginning their program of study.  PLO’s are also frequently reviewed with students during Academic Advising. (4.B.1) 

Designing, Aligning, and Delivering Co-curricular Activities to Support Learning

As described in 1P 1  Common Learning Outcomes, Southeast Tech has a number of co-curricular activities directly linked to specific career areas.  These professional student organizations provide student exposure to their career field as well as opportunities to participate in state, regional and national conferences and competitions and to network with potential employers.  Currently, Southeast Tech has sixteen student program organizations.  The program associated with the organization is listed in parentheses.  (4.B.2) 

• AITP (IT programs)

• Animation Technology Artisans (Digital Media Production)

• Civil Engineering Technology Student Organizations (Civil Engineering Tech and Land Surveying)

• Construction Management Student Organization (Construction Management)

• Dakota Turf/Golf Course Superintendent Association of America (Sports Turf Management)

• Early Childhood Student Organization (Early Childhood)

• Electroneurodiagnostic Technology Student Organization (ENDT)

• Law Enforcement Student Organization (Law Enforcement)

• National Association of Landscape Professionals (Horticulture programs)

• Nuclear Medicine Student Organization (Nuclear Medicine)

• SkillsUSA (Automotive and various other programs)

• Society of Manufacturing Engineers (Mechanical Engineering Tech)

• South Dakota Advertising Federation (Media Design)

• Southeast Tech Student HVAC Association (HVAC)

• Student Chapter of the Sioux Falls Home Builder’s Association (Architectural Engineering)

• Student Practical Nurses Association (LPN/RN)

All student organizations (and Southeast Tech clubs) must meet specific requirements as defined in 1P 1 . (3.E.1)

Selecting Tools/Methods/Instruments Used to Assess Attainment of Program Learning Outcomes 

Faculty select various assessment tools and conduct assessments based on standards for their specialized fields. Because program faculty have worked in the professions they teach and continue to have direct ties to the industry through professional organizations, they are in the best position to know the needs of their industry and the type of assessment that works best in their field. Therefore, every program selects its own assessment tool and conducts its own assessments (1R 1  Proving Student Learning Chart).  

Program faculty then use the “Measuring Student Learning Cycle” to develop and implement their program assessments (Figure 2P1.1)

1. Capture/Develop/Decide:  Program faculty take inputs from Advisory Committees, stakeholder surveys (Employer, Graduate and Student), common learning outcome assessments, etc. and use the information to develop program outcome assessments and assessment targets.  The assessment tool and associated targets are then reviewed by the CLT and the program’s Academic Administrator.  

2. Deploy:  Program outcomes are then measured through an assessment tool chosen or developed by program faculty.  Common tools are certifications/licensures, program evaluations, portfolios, projects, etc.  Program faculty conduct the assessment and gather the results.

3. Evaluate:  Assessment analysis against the established targets is conducted by the program faculty with assistance as needed by the CLT and Office of Institutional Research.  Analysis includes the direct measures developed in step 1, but it may also include indirect measures such as employer surveys and graduate and retention data.  The analysis is documented in the Planning and Assessments database.

4. Plan:  From the assessment, plans for improvement are developed and documented in the Planning and Assessments database, including timelines for completion, which become part of the Annual Planning process (4P 2 ). (4.B.1, 4.B.3, 4.B.4)

5. Act:  The plans in Step 4 are then implemented and may result in modified curriculum, requests for more resources, adjustments in entrance or graduation requirements, etc.

6. Communicate/Publish:  Annual outcomes are documented in the Planning and Assessments database and may also become part of Advisory Committee minutes, the President’s report, State Program Review, etc.  The cycle then begins again at Step 1.     

To assure that faculty have the time to complete assessments and assessment reports, Southeast Tech utilizes faculty non-student contact days.  Faculty can use one or more of these days to complete assessment requirements and develop assessment and improvement plans. Training on assessment occurs during new faculty training, in-service and workshop sessions, and during monthly building meetings.  (4.B.1, 4.B.2, 4.B.3, 4.B.4)

Assessing Program Learning Outcomes

Southeast Tech measures program learning outcomes on an individual program level through the following direct measures:

Program Level Assessment:  Every program has developed a program-specific outcome assessment tool based on what faculty, with Advisory Committee input and Academic Administrative approval, believe to be the most appropriate assessment for their particular career field.  These may include project/presentation scores, certification/licensure pass rates, portfolios, pre/post-testing, etc. (Figure 1R2.1 Proving Student Learning).  

Licensures and Certifications:  Many Southeast Tech students take national licensure or certifications associated with their program areas, a direct measure of student academic achievement.

Indirect measures are also used to measure program learning outcomes:

• Southeast Tech’s employer survey is disaggregated by program with results available to program faculty for review and analysis.  Categories on the survey directly relate to learning outcomes and provide an employer assessment of graduate performance (1R 4 ).
• Though not as strong of an outcome indicator, employment rates also provide general information regarding graduate performance.  A low program employment rate may suggest that employers are not satisfied with the ability of the program graduates, indicating that the Institute needs to conduct further analysis of its curriculum and assessment processes (1R 4 ).

The results of all of these measures are analyzed at the program level and documented in the Planning and Assessments database.