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Closing the Loop: Identifying Program Goals, Assessing Learning Outcomes, and Re-Examining Practices—
KU Intercampus Program in Communicative Disorders

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Background

The University of Kansas Intercampus Program in Communicative Disorders (ICPD) provides graduate education to students in speech-language pathology and audiology. Spurred by changes to certification requirements in 2005, our program has worked to identify learning outcomes and conduct assessments of how well our students were achieving those outcomes. In particular, this portfolio focuses on the master’s in speech-language-hearing pathology program, and our assessment and documentation of learning goal achievements in that program.

| Implementation

Implementation

The documentation of learning outcomes was fully embraced by our faculty. During the 2003-2004 academic year, the department outlined five global program goals and developed a standard syllabus format to assist in the alignment of program and more-specific course goals. While the identification of these program goals was helpful, levels of performance were not initially identified; the classification of performance levels was needed in order to assess student growth across their two years in the program. Thus, a smaller group of faculty members developed two rubrics, one highlighting students’ diagnostic skills and the other addressing their treatment skill set. These rubrics are being used by instructors as templates for course- or clinic-specific skills. They are also being used in our pilot portfolio project for evaluation of a student’s progress through the program.

| Student Performance

Student Performance

Beginning in 2004, a formative assessment was implemented to evaluate student strengths and weaknesses at the half-way point of the program, when there was still potential for remediation. Review of these initial data indicated that while most students were meeting expectations, there was a dearth of exceptional work; another observation was the lack of consequences for poor performance. Thus, three documents were created: a formative exam review summary, an action plan form, and a list of potential suggested consequences for specific weaknesses. After evaluation of three years of student performance using the modified formative assessment measure, the department feels that the assessment is appropriately identifying weaknesses in student performance and providing means of addressing these weaknesses before graduation. In addition, levels of performance on the program goals were also identified in order to provide more specific feedback and allow for better tracking of student performance.

Beginning in the 2007-08 academic year, a pilot portfolio project was implemented; students archive a portion of their course and clinical work and conduct self-assessments using the program rubrics. These portfolios are used in the formative assessment project, as advisors evaluate the portfolio materials to develop an action plan towards the improvement of weaknesses. The pilot portfolio project is also being used to determine the optimum guidelines for future portfolios, as well as the best way to aggregate this information in order to use it for program assessment.

| Reflections

Reflections

There are benefits to creating transparency between program learning goals and course/specific learning goals, including the alignment of focus between faculty and students, and the fact that clearly identified goals lend themselves to program-wide assessment. This assessment has allowed for informed formative assessments to occur, and individual weaknesses to be identified and addressed before program completion. Ultimately, the cyclical practice of identifying, assessing, and re-examining program practices will lead to a stronger program for all students.

| Summary

Project Summary

This portfolio describes the KU Intercampus Program in Communicative Disorders’ process of identifying and assessing student learning goals in their master’s program. The project involved the development of program goal rubrics, a plan for formative assessment and remediation of student skills, and the documentation of student learning through collecting artifacts in an electronic portfolio.

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