Peninsula College Updates: COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus)

More Information
  1. About PC
  2. Outcomes Assessment
  3. Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

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)

College Analytics and Institutional Research (CAIR) provides support for the assessment process at Peninsula College. This includes biennium planning and assessment of the Area of Study outcomes, programs, and ongoing program and service review.

CAIR conducts and coordinates a number of biannual and other surveys which are used to inform the college community about students, staff and faculty, both current and longitudinal. 

CAIR conducts institutional research studies and provides to the campus community student success data such as institutional effectiveness reports and the lagging and leading indicator dashboards.

Contact

Katie Marks
Director of College Analytics and Institutional Research
kmarks@pencol.edu
(360) 417-6276

Institutional 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.

  1. Communications
  2. Quantitative
  3. Information
  4. Critical Thinking
  5. 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

  1. Arts & Communications
  2. Business & Management
  3. Healthcare 
  4. Information Technology 
  5. Math & Science 
  6. Skilled Trades 
  7. 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

Contact

Dr. Mia Boster
Dean for Workforce Education
mboster@pencol.edu
(360) 417-6484

Katie Marks
Director of College Analytics and Institutional Research
kmarks@pencol.edu
(360) 417-6276