Consistent with the mission and core themes, faculty routinely assess SLOs and core competencies such as effective communication, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, personal and interpersonal relations, and information literacy for all courses and programs. Learning outcomes are embedded throughout the curriculum.
Faculty utilize examples of direct evidence of SLOs to qualify the grades used in course success rates. Course completion and success rates are used to measure leading indicators and inform lagging indicators which then identify our Area of Study (institutional) outcomes. Each of these steps builds on information gathered and ultimately measures the fulfillment of our mission.
Mission
Peninsula College educates diverse populations of learners through community-engaged programs and services that advance student equity and success.
Core Themes
- Advancing Student Success
- Achieving Academic Excellence
- Fostering Equity and Inclusion
- Strengthening Communities
Indicators
Lagging Indicators are high level mission fulfillment goals such as degree completion, transfer rates, fall to fall retention, and job placement rates. Lagging indicators are not actionable at the course level, they are benchmarks against which progress can be assessed. (Phillips & Horowitz, 2018)
Leading Indicators inform the lagging indicators. They are actionable measures such as class success rate, persistence, college credits earned, college level Math and English earned. What sets them apart from lagging indicators is they can be monitored for a student, group of students, or cohort of students such as course success rate, persistence from quarter to quarter. They help faculty who are assessing student learning ask ‘What do I need to do well in order to improve my outcome measure or my goal?” (Phillips & Horowitz, 2018)
Student Achievement Initiative (SAI)
The SBCTC Student Achievement Initiative dashboard summarizes SAI momentum for Basic Skills students.
Institutional (General Education) Core Competencies
Institutional outcomes include five core competencies expected of all Peninsula College graduates. Students achieve these competencies as they move through their required courses.
- Communications
- Quantitative
- Information
- Critical Thinking
- Personal & Interpersonal
Institutional core competencies are identified and assessed in Course SLO Reports and Academic Unit Program-Reviews (AUP-R).
Area of Study SLOs
Area of Study outcomes align with requirements for success in a related field or further education. Utilizing the guided pathway model, the 7 Areas of Study are mapped to the 5 institutional outcomes (Communications, Quantitative, Information, Critical Thinking, and Personal & Interpersonal). Click on an Area of Study to view outcomes
- Arts & Communications
- Business & Management
- Healthcare
- Information Technology
- Math & Science
- Skilled Trades
- Social Sciences & Education
Program Level SLOs
Program specific learning outcomes include the Area of Study outcomes and specialized outcomes that align with requirements for success in a related field or further education. Program level learning outcomes are clearly stated on program (degree) maps and curriculum maps that bridge course SLOs and outcomes within specific program outcomes from introduction to mastery. Program outcomes are assessed in annual AUP-Rs.
Course Level SLOs
Faculty with teaching responsibilities develop, assess, and revise course level learning outcomes. The faculty curriculum committee reviews and provides feedback for the revision of course outcomes. Course level learning outcomes are assessed in quarterly course SLO reports. Data from course SLO reports inform program improvements in AUP-Rs.
Click here to view course level SLOs https://catalog.pencol.edu/classes