- Within the next 2-3 years, Virginia Tech plans to continue using LEAP essential learning outcomes and authentic assessment while also shifting to more qualitative measures and balancing quantitative measures.
- Looking further out, Virginia Tech will explore emerging trends like learning analytics and degree qualifications profiles, keeping an eye on transparency frameworks and calls to redefine higher education and assessment.
- In the long term, Virginia Tech may see assessment transformed by advances like artificial intelligence, augmented intelligence, and a possible social network for networked, personalized assessment across departments and institutions.
8. Transparency Framework National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/TransparencyFrameworkIntro.htm
In the year 2020….predicting the future after it happens.
As you are watching this…think about a university. What if these technologies were available at a university? What if we could do these things with our data?
Internal: (1) VP’s and the President’s commitment to assessment; (2) Deans’ perception of value in student learning outcomes; (3) linking assessment with budget and resource allocation decisions; and, (4) faculty’s willingness to participate in the assessment. How will budget reductions impact these? External: Expectations of students/parents, Fed, and accreditation agencies (professional and regional) with regard to student learning assessment will likely not lessen. Focus will move toward institutional assessment to improve graduation (i.e., retention) and demonstrate quality and value.
Defining “excellence” and paths to excellence. Searching for ways to measure student learning.
Idea of transparency…move towards being more public with results of our assessments.
This is somewhat getting away from assessment…but it further shows the need to define learning in conjunction with figuring out ways to measure it.
Leads us to analytics. We know these companies operate on empirical data not hunches. They are very sophisticated and can “predict” and guide behavior.
Retention of our students will be critical without lowering standards of quality. Data can help us better understand the student experience.
An ontology describes the concepts and relationships that are important in a particular domain, providing a vocabulary for that domain as well as a computerized specification of the meaning of terms used in the vocabulary.
Students already sit in class and Google everything we say to make sure it is “correct” (according to Wikipedia).
An interdisciplinary “meeting of the minds”: instructional design, learning technologies, brain science, education, psychology, computer science, systems engineering, OAA, CIDER, others…
