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ePIC 2023

Vienna, Austria

6 December, 2023

What Do We Want to Cherish?

Re-examining Assessment in the Collective World

Nan Travers, SUNY Empire State University, USA

nantravers@sunyempire.edu

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We measure what we cherish!

What do we cherish?

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Issues of subjectivity and bias

Recognition of what someone knows and can do is subjective and biased

What is accepted as what is to be learned is subjective and biased

Validation of learning is subjective and biased

Mis-Recognition & Non-Recognition

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Some thoughts about assessing learning

What is learned within a learning experience is

>, <, =, or ≠ what is taught

Not everyone learns the same within a learning experience

How and what one learns and the context of learning is important – but how learners connect learning is essential

Different levels of learning can be assessed regardless of the source

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We Only Measure Evidence of Learning��Not Actual Learning

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What Is IT?

When a learner gets it – what is IT?

When a learner doesn’t get it – what is IT?

Assessment of Learning

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Classical Assessment Measures

Better at measuring what IS NOT known

Than what IS known

Assessments are a proxy!

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Learning Oriented / Evidence-Based

Evidence

Learning

Descriptors

Student Prompts

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Direct Assessment

Assessment of distinct behaviors or products that can be directly observed and/or measured

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Global Learning Qualifications Framework

Framework to assess college-level learning:

  • Knowledge, Engagement and Integration
  • Eight learning domains
  • Two levels: Associate & Bachelor’s

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Global Learning Qualifications Framework

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A. Lower Level Learning - Learning experiences provide opportunities to:

No Evidence

Partial

Evidence

Full

Evidence

Build a foundational knowledge-base using broad and specific knowledge, skills, and competencies as applied to relevant theories, methodologies, practices and quantitative applications.

 

 

 

Gather, review, analyze, evaluate and respond to defined or routine problems drawing on relevant theoretical, practical, and prior knowledge and experiences.

 

 

 

Apply relevant concepts, theories, and technical and professional knowledge in the analysis and resolution of practical issues within particular contexts.

 

 

 

Research and collect information and relevant data from a wide range of resources to answer questions and/or solve problems; evaluate the quality, relevance, currency and accuracy of that information; and select and interpret appropriate information for the situation, problem or question.

 

 

 

Engage in decision-making according to the standards of practice and ethics of the field.

 

 

 

Communicate knowledge and demonstrate skills in content areas accurately, coherently and clearly that are informed by key concepts, techniques, developments and ethical standards in the field through the use of appropriate techniques, including: written, oral, visual and/or technology-facilitated methods.

 

 

 

Engage in active listening, relevant discussions, and respectful discourse with individuals and/or groups with varying viewpoints and diverse backgrounds.

 

 

 

Participate in and accept accountability and responsibility for own learning and work.

 

 

 

Reflect upon one's own actions and implications in situations and take responsibility for these actions while working with others and/or solving problems.

 

 

 

Self-identify and evaluate gaps in own knowledge, skills and abilities; use feedback to develop learning and professional goals; and engage strategies for improvement and to reach those goals.

 

 

 

Demonstrate insight into one’s identity and biases and the influence they have on understanding, interacting and working effectively with others.

 

 

 

College-Level Learning Worksheet

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PLA Portfolio Competencies

Competency 1:

Identify Your Learning

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Competency 2:

Use Your Learning

2

Competency 3:

Position Your Learning

3

Competency 4:

Communicate Your Learning

4

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What is needed in the 21st century?

  • Soft Skills
  • Durable Skills
  • Essential Skills
  • Transferable Skills
  • Power Skills
  • Evergreen Skills

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Engages self-assessment and inquiry to transfer and apply learning throughout life. 

Engages interpersonal, cross-cultural and empathy competencies to communicate effectively.

Collaborates and works in teams with a customer focus.

Uses critical thinking, reflective learning and creativity to plan, organize, and solve problems.

Has initiative to be a catalyst and resilient, while also being adaptive and flexible. 

Approaches work and learning with quality and integrity. 

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EMPLOYMENT & EDUCATIONAL COMPETENCY CLUSTERS

Knows the basic principles and concepts, mathematics, and tools and technologies of the field.

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Competencies are a universal translator

Competencies

Course Learning Outcomes

Experiential Learning Outcomes

Lived experience language

Academic language

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Knowledge Definition

Institutional Perspective

Program Perspective

Assessor Perspective

College Level Learning

Valuing

Lens

Personal Knowledge

Work Knowledge

Community Knowledge

Program Integration

Credential

What is knowledge?

Who defines knowledge?

Who gets to be recognized for their knowledge?

What knowledge is recognized?

What gets to be college knowledge?

Academic Knowledge

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Learning is embedded within experiences

Community

Learning

Academic Learning

Workplace Learning

Personal

Learning

Prior

Learning

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Learner �orchestrates own life, work & school

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Learner responsibility

Work/ School/ Life/ Community

Segmented Learning Experiences

Individual Meaning Making

Collated Learning Experiences

Learners must make sense of their experiences on their own

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All learning is experiential�Learning is lifelong and life-wide

Future

Learning

Prior

Learning

Emergent Learning

Convergent Learning

Relational

Learning

Experiences from work, education, and life.

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Learning Processes

Self-Assessment

Inquiry

Transfer

Future

Learning

Convergent Learning

Relational

Learning

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Assessment Processes

Self-Assessment

Inquiry

Transfer

Future

Learning

Convergent Learning

Relational

Learning

How does the learner …

What does the learner …

What do I know?

What do I not know?

What questions do I need to ask?

How do I answer those questions?

How do different pieces fit together?

How do different parts relate to other areas?

How does it fit with novel situations?

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Challenge:

Develop scalable assessments that capture individualized learning.

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Collective World

  • Not one person owns knowledge - it has a history – it has a future
  • Knowledge can be preserved – it also evolves
  • We build upon previous knowledge, personally and collectively
  • Knowledge is sharable - one person to another - across clusters of people
  • Knowledge shapes societies, societies shape knowledge

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When we assess someone’s knowledge, we are also assessing collective knowledge.

We are determining how someone’s knowledge fits into and/or adds to the collective knowledge.

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Nomological Network

Related Constructs

Further Related Constructs

VisualThesaurus.com

Chronbach & Meehl, 1955

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NOMOLOGICAL NETWORK

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Nomological Network

http://cmap.ihmc.us

A pre-conceived assessment only targets a small portion of the nomological network

What we cherish

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Concept Map - Creativity

Business

Psychology

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Nomological Network

http://cmap.ihmc.us

A pre-conceived assessment only targets a small portion of the nomological network

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Collective Nomological Network

http://cmap.ihmc.us

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Challenge:

Develop scalable assessments that capture individualized learning

Places learning within a collective knowledge scheme

Recognizes & credentials individual learning

Allows for the collective knowledge to expand