Learning reconsidered 2

Keeling, R. P., (2006) Learning Reconsidered 2.

This publication builds upon the previous post. The author points out that it is expanded in two ways. The first is to provide some practical examples of how student affairs professionals are completing assessment of student learning. The second is to provide a more in depth look at the concepts from the first publication.

Chapter 4 focuses on creating program outcomes. During the mid to late 90's there was a push for student affairs to conduct assessment. Prior to than most data that had been collected had been about student satisfaction and had not focused on student learning. The text talks of 5 groups of outcomes that students should complete by the time they graduate. They include, educated persons, skilled workers, democratic citizens, self aware, and life skills managers.

The author points out that there are some key considerations when creating student outcomes. The first is that they must align with the Mission. What outcomes are valued needs to be clear. this can be a political process and not all parties may agree that life skills and inter and intra personal development are the responsibility of the institution. The final consideration is how student learning will be assessed.

There is a great table that lists sample student learning outcomes. I think this is a great chapter. I wish it would have gone more into what tools can be used to conduct the assessment. That is an area that I struggle with. The other part of the text that could be improved is that there are not examples about admission specifically. I feel that measuring student learning for is difficult when working with prospective students.