And now… another exciting episode of “Ask the Assessment Guy!”

Dear Assessment guy, I am a musician and movie producer who has decided that my passion lays in teaching. I’ve accepted a fulltime position at SCC in the Music and film department over in building J, behind the campus theater. My question: How do I develop learning outcomes effectively and plan in advance to assess these outcomes?

Sincerely, Robert Zombie

Well Rob, that is an excellent question! You, any other new faculty, and existing faculty can utilize the best tool available, which is the Online Assessment Training Tool (OATT), located in D2L under the heading “training”. This tool will help you to understand the concept of learning outcomes, including effective development and assessment of these outcomes. The OATT will also educate you on many other areas of assessment, including direct and indirect measures, rubric use and development, and a general overview of the approach to assessment at SCC. BTW… I loved your first movie!

Dear Assessment Guy, I am a new instructor in the Law Enforcement Program through CBI. Whilst enforcing the law is my calling, I believe I can be an excellent teacher. However, some old guy named Al Kleaver or Kluever mentioned “rubrics” and I thought they were talking about a new assault rifle. Boy, did I look like an idiot! And nobody makes Sheriff Buford T. Justice look like an idiot! So, what exactly is a rubric?

Sincerely, Sheriff Buford T Justice

Sheriff Justice, the best resources for rubrics, their development, and their use is the Online Assessment Training Tool (OATT). Go into D2L and look under “training” and link to this tool. When there, explore it; you cannot break it. It will provide you a plethora of information regarding rubrics and assessment. Another source is located in the Staffnet portal… once in the portal, roll your mouse over “resources” at the top. Click on assessment, which is the first resource you’ll see. You’ll see all kinds of great information here, including rubrics for you to modify and use as your own. It is a great tool to explore as well. BTW… loved your movies. Sorry the bandit escaped justice. And it’s a Ruger, not a rubric!

Dear Assessment Guy, I’m an external stakeholder in the college and want to see what the college is doing assessment-wise regarding the graduating students who are coming to my door to apply for jobs in non-linear thermonuclear car propulsion utilizing imaginary numbers with the force. Are your graduates qualified? Exactly what are you assessing? How are you assessing? Is there any way for me to find out? Help!

Sincerely, Obi Wan Kenobi

Great question this is, Mr. Kenobi! I believe the answers to all your questions can be answered by checking out our website on assessment (www.southcentral.edu/assessment)! It will not tell you who Luke’s father is, but I think we all know that by now. It will tell you many things, including why assessment is so important, the goals of assessment at SCC, quotes from our administrative team regarding assessment, and you can even view and review assessment plans from various programs. In the near future, even more cool stuff will be there, including copies of CCO’s, lists of committee members, info on technical-specific assessment and LAS-specific assessment, and a link to the new and improved Assessment Guide for SCC. Exciting stuff! Check it out, Obi.

Dear Assessment Guy, I used to work for the government, but now freelance. I’ve decided to move into technical education after a certain fiasco in Grosse Pointe. My question is this: my dean expects me to complete an assessment program. What the heck is that? How do I do it? How do I know if I’m doing it right?

Sincerely, Martin Blank

Mr, Blank, good questions! By the way, you got the girl, so everything turned out okay in Michigan. In brief, an assessment program is the assessment and operational plan packet you’ll need to fill out. For instructions on how to fill it out, you can seek out the assessment coordinator, a member of the student learning committee, a mentor through the student learning committee, or… you can check out the Online Assessment Training Tool (OATT) through D2L and located under tools. This can give you a walk-through of completing the form. You can also check out the new Assessment Guide for information as well. You can also go to the assessment website or into staffnet portal’s link to assessment and actually view completed assessment plans as an example to help guide you. The Student Learning Committee will be reviewing the plans and offering to provide feedback to you as a program to assist you in completing them properly.

Dear Assessment Guy, I used to run a video shop for my dad. My friend Jerry erased them all with his magnetic body, so we started filming them ourselves. This led me to my job at SCC in the music and film department over in building J. My question is this: I hear a lot about assessment at SCC, so I wonder what are the differing levels of assessment that occur at SCC? Where can I go to answer this question? I teach online, so the internet would be a good delivery method for me. Let me know soon!

Sincerely, Jerry Fletcher

Well Jerry, I heard about your dilemma up in Passaic, NJ. My answer to your question is for you to go online through D2L to Training and click on the Online Assessment Training Tool (OATT). This site should be easy to find, since you use D2L every day. Go to content and look in module 2 at the levels of assessment. You’ll find a cornucopia of information regarding the various levels of assessment at SCC, including elaborations on classroom assessment, program assessment, and program review. Other modules in the OATT will also help you with other facets of assessment, including formative, summative, direct, and indirect methods of assessment. BTW… I hope your dad has fun on his Fats Waller excursion!

This column is syndicated worldwide through Werling enterprises. Two things:

1. The first person to read this and correctly identify the movies referred to in the questions and answers will win a bookstore gift certificate. Submit your responses via email to Wayne.Whitmore@southcentral.edu utilizing punctuation and capitalization. Don't Bother! Someone has already won at this point!

2. The first person to read this, peruse the website, and tell me what the OATT refers to as the starting point for a coordinated and manageable approach to assessment will also win a bookstore gift certificate. Submit your responses via email to Wayne.Whitmore@southcentral.edu utilizing punctuation and capitalization. Don't Bother! Someone has already won at this point!