7 statistics to track student outcomes

Every academic program comes with an end goal. Often questions like “what the students will be able to do at the end of a study program” or “how will they show their knowledge gained during the program” are asked. For students and their parents, knowing such aspects is quintessential. Hence, faculties create statements in the form of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), which address the questions.

What are Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)?

Student learning outcomes (SLOs) define the information, skills, attitudes, behaviors, or values students must exhibit at the end of a study program. There are a variety of methods to measure student achievement of learning outcomes.

The process of assessing student learning outcomes starts with understanding individual students. It helps in identifying the path that will benefit the student the best.

In addition, if they understand the particular student experience, they can serve our whole population of students with integrated, efficient, and well-timed programming that promotes success.

Why is there a need to assess SLOs?

Assessing SLOs helps track individual students’ progress across various learning areas. Apart from this, there are many other reasons why there is a need for evaluating SLOs, such as –

1. It helps in knowing which activities are challenging to comprehend and where greater concentration may be necessary.
2. Assessing SLOs also measures their accomplishments throughout the academic term. This data can determine where a student stands regarding their educational objectives, other students in the class, or any other specific benchmarks.
3. Additionally, monitoring student growth also allows the instructor to analyze their performance.
4. It helps teachers enhance the quality of their instruction by making better educated instructional decisions.
5. SLO assessment helps assure that no kid falls between the cracks, leading to understanding if any student needs extensions or further help.

Characteristics of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Following are the characteristics of student learning outcomes –

1. Explain what students can exhibit, express, or generate after finishing a study program.
2. Students might be examined objectively and/or qualitatively during the study program.
3. SLOs should align with the institution’s curriculum and co-curricular goals.
4. You must author the SLOs collaboratively while ensuring their collective acceptance.
5. SLOs must include or adapt professional organizations’ outcome statements if they exist.

Two ways of assessing SLOs

Instructors can directly assess student learning outcomes by examining student-produced objects and performances; instructors can also indirectly evaluate student learning by depending on students’ perceptions of learning. The direct measure of assessment includes objective tests, essays, presentations, classroom assignments, and portfolios. The indirect assessment measures include self-assessment, peer feedback, end-of-course evaluations, questionnaires, focus groups, and exit interviews.

img-alt;student-learning-outcomes;Student learning outcomes define the information, skills, attitudes, behaviors, or values students must exhibit at the end of a study program.

Direct measures of achievement

Direct assessments of student learning need students to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities. They give students tangible, visible, and self-explanatory proof of what they have and have not learned. Direct measures include the following –

1. Objective tests
2. Essays
3. Presentations
4. Classroom assignments
5. Portfolios

To assess direct SLOs from psychology, an essay, case study, or presentation might help. Here, students will examine current research results in physiological psychology, perception, learning, abnormal psychology, and social psychology.

Indirect measures of achievement

Indirect student learning measures capture students’ impressions of their skills and understanding. They enhance objective measures of learning by giving information on how and why learning occurs. Indirect measures include the following –

1. Self-evaluation
2. Feedback from peers
3. Course assessments at the end
4. Questionnaires
5. Group discussions
6. Interviews with departing employees

Using the SLO example from above, an instructor may include questions in a final evaluation asking students to self-assess their abilities to interpret current research results in physiological psychology, perception, learning, abnormal, and social psychology. This would result in an indirect indicator of the very same SLO.

7 key metrics to track SLOs

There are seven critical variables universities may examine to have a better understanding of their students and how different programs are making – or not making – an influence.

1. Non-cognitive factor scores

• Although cognitive abilities are definitely vital, noncognitive elements are gaining increasing prominence and relevance in education owing to their ability to positively improve students’ academic achievement and adult success.
• There has lately been a great deal of research on non-cognitive talents in pupils.
• These qualities, such as resiliency, drive, and trust in academic potential or social contexts, present information that is particularly rich in possibility for a better understanding of what strengths a student has to draw on throughout their college experience.
• Consider first-year college students: we often don’t know much about them other than basic demographic information and past academic experience.
• However, if we have an idea of the non-cognitive factors, we can increase the chances of success of students and push the student learning outcomes in a positive direction.

2. Predictive Risk Scores

1. Predictive analytics is institutions’ second measure as part of the student achievement plan.
2. It identifies students based on their risk profile.
3. Predictive analytics also assist campuses in identifying at-risk students.
4. It is also a traceability measure to understand what enhances the students’ likelihood of a successful career.
5. Additionally, predictive analysis helps understand what may deter students along the way.
6. Institutions can be preemptive in their student initiatives by collecting and using data to forecast student outcomes.
7. It allows them to support the students while enhancing their yearly efforts.

3. Degree in Co-curricular Engagement

1. Co-curricular approaches to learning emphasize a holistic view of student learning, making connection an overarching goal.
2. It helps connect existing professional practices, network with other social groups, and so on.
3. In addition, co-curricular activities have a significant role in developing other areas of students’ personalities, such as emotional growth and social skill development.
4. As a result, co-curricular activities’ critical function and significance in holistic development need emphasis.

According to studies, students who are integrated into the fabric of society of an organization are considerably more likely to continue and succeed.

1. One of the most popular campus techniques to increase student achievement is encouraging and measuring participation outside the classroom.
2. Because of the benefits of co-curricular activities, many universities with a first-year experience program include obligations outside of the classroom.
3. Activities might range from a one-time volunteer to sustained volunteer obligations through participation in service-based fraternities.
4. It also includes leadership in a community service organization.
5. Students can engage in various ways, from direct service (working in and with communities) to philanthropy (raising funds for organizations to serve their clients better).

4. Level of Classroom Engagement and Academic Performance

1. It should be no surprise that monitoring class activities is an essential indicator when trying to understand the individual learner.
2. Many studies on student success in the classroom focus on course involvement and performance; however, most campuses emphasize measurements that occur too late in a student’s learning process.
3. When the first-year counseling or student achievement office receives final grades and discovers that a student is currently on probation, it is too late to intervene.

However, there are certain signals that, if followed, can allow the organization to be more active, such as –

Absence from class for a longer time

1. Faculty members should monitor student absences based on the scale and ethos of your school.
2. When a student is absent for a particular number of days, advising professionals can be alerted to follow up with the pupil.
3. It helps in understanding the student’s concerns like – health issues, financial issues, problems at home, and so on.

Assigning milestones

1. Generally, faculty members do not report marks until midterms or finals are due.
2. We deal with several campuses that have established a series of structured tasks in fundamental courses.
3. The courses are either in the general education program or the major programs; because these are frequently gateway courses to achievement.
4. By providing early grades, the counseling office could get a hold of students facing challenges much earlier, maybe even before midterms.

Mid-term results

1. When faculty members cannot incorporate early grades, mid-term marks are ideal for tracking across all courses.
2. The mid-term score is the bridge that allows faculty members to be constructive, which impacts the final grade.
3. Institutions can then complement their outreach with materials that assist students in understanding the sort of class performance required to improve their grades.

5. Campus Resource Usage

1. Campuses invest a lot of money in various resources around campus.
2. Therefore it might be beneficial to see how a student uses those resources to ensure they achieve the intended impact.
3. The university should consider the established areas to assist and support students.
4. These areas include – Academic Advising, Financial Aid, Registration, Student Engagement & Leadership, Learning, and Tutoring Centers.
5. Understanding who visits what places and when is a significant measure to grasp.
6. Tracking a student’s usage of resources may be done in several methods, from scanning IDs to mobile check-ins to check-in terminals in essential areas.
7. Evaluating this data will assist you in better understanding several things.
8. You can understand whether the students are using the tools as intended, the ideal usage time and whether it makes a difference, to name a few.

6. Assessment Responses

1. Besides the non-cognitive examinations, campuses conduct polls to evaluate their students in several fields.
2. Many schools we partner with conduct a six-week check-in poll from their first-year students to gauge their happiness.
3. Individual replies to these surveys can give a lot of valuable data to assist the universities in supporting individual students better.
4. In addition, it helps identify trends to improve the students’ actions.

Here is a list of some of the most popular questions that universities have found to be most helpful in detecting early potential barriers for students –

1. Are you thinking about leaving our university?
2. How certain are you about your major choice?
3. Do you worry about balancing your family commitments while attending school?
4. How many hours a week, on average, do you work if you have a job?
5. Do you expect to have problems affording your fees each semester?

7. Number and Type of Early Alerts

1. The final measure to evaluate for first-year students is the information other academics and campus staff provide to help students with their experiences, such as early warnings and encouragement.
2. Over a term, a student interacts with various teachers and staff personnel.
3. All of these exchanges have the potential to disclose significant information about a difficult student.
4. When faculty members provide information on a student’s behavior, institutions initiate a series of planned interventions to assist the student.
5. At the term’s conclusion, faculty can evaluate the influence of those interventions based on the data acquired.

Conclusion

1. With technological advances, students are more likely to rely on tactics to improve learning outcomes.
2. Regardless of how informed a student is, the recent surge is heavily driven by changes in educational quality.
3. Furthermore, modification in teaching and learning methods is quintessential for students to improve their grades and have a bright academic future.
4. Students typically fail to pay attention during lectures, preventing them from absorbing accurate information.
5. Implementing techniques for improving learning outcomes can assist in improving all learning elements.
6. When educational institutions track these seven indicators, they receive a far more strategic and inclusive perspective of the students’ individual experiences, allowing them to understand their particular student population better.
7. Campuses can help students on their journey, from admission through graduation, with strong knowledge at both levels.

WRITTEN BY

Abhishek

Sr. Content Writer

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