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Teaching, Learning & Assessment

CSUMB Learning Outcomes

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The Academic Senate approved CSUMB's first institution-level learning outcomes in 2015. At that time, the need for additional institutional learning outcomes was identified. This page explains the next stage in the development of CSUMB's institution-level learning outcomes, a process that is occurring over the 2018/19 academic year. Under discussion is the following CSUMB Learning Outcomes framework and content.

CSUMB Learning Outcomes framework

Also see note below regarding general education learning outcomes (GELOs).

*Co-curricular is used in the broadest sense here and includes activities sometimes defined as "extra-curricular." Co-curricular activities range from joining course-specific tutoring sessions provided by the Cooperative Learning Center to attending open campus events such as speaking events or discussion groups organized by the Otter Cross Cultural Center to participating Student Engagement and Leadership Development clubs and activities.

CSUMB student learning goals (learning outcomes preamble)

The CSUMB Learning Outcomes state the knowledge, skills, and abilities that CSUMB students have acquired and demonstrate upon graduation. These outcomes are guided by the CSUMB founding vision, mission, core values, and academic goals, so CSUMB graduates can promote human rights, health and wellness, environmental integrity, and economic vitality to contribute to a just and sustainable world for present and future generations.

Ongoing assessment of the institutional student learning outcomes below will produce actionable evidence CSUMB educators* can use to better monitor and support student achievement of CSUMB’s educational goals ( learn about holistic alignment) while also demonstrating for external stakeholders the meaning, quality, and integrity of a CSUMB degree.

*CSUMB educators include faculty, student affairs professionals, staff, students, and community partners.

Co-curricular learning outcomes (CCLOs)

CCLOs function differently from ULOs and GLOs. Because students participate in co-curricular learning activities in different ways and to varying degrees, not all student are expected to achieve all CCLOs. Further, individual co-curricular programs are not expected to support all CCLOs and degree programs are not expected to assess any CCLOs, although they may choose to if they have developed their own co-curricular programs.

  • Development: CSUMB's initial draft of CCLOs were developed by a task force appointed by the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Vice President of Student Affairs. That draft has been circulated among relevant campus stakeholders and is currently undergoing revision.
  • Purpose: The CCLOs will...
    • Ensure co-curricular learning opportunities exist for helping students achieve any CCLO (i.e. they will provide a framework for identifying strengths and gaps in campus opportunities).
    • Help co-curricular programs improve their ability to support student achievement of the CCLO(s) on which those programs focus ( also see holistic wellness and integrative learning).
    • Create opportunities for student affairs professionals, staff, and faculty to collaborative facilitation of student learning.
  • Assessment: Every co-curricular program will not be expected to support every CCLO. Rather, each co-curricular program will focus on the one or more CCLOs most closely aligned to their program-level learning outcomes. However, it is expected that all co-curricular programs across the institution collectively will support all the CCLOs. Assessment of program-level co-curricular learning outcomes currently occurs on an as-needed basis determined by individual areas or programs.

Undergraduate learning outcomes (ULOs)

Every CSUMB degree program supports student achievement of every ULO and every CSUMB student is expected to demonstrate discipline-specific proficiency in every ULO in a manner and place determined by each degree program’s faculty.

  • Development: The Undergraduate Learning Outcomes (ULOs) were derived from CSUMB’s initial Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) approved by the Academic Senate in December, 2014. The most significant changes were the development of the above preamble and the revision of ULO2: Personal, Professional, and Social Responsibility . The ULOs were discussed at an open campus town hall, revised in respond to feedback, and approved by Academic Senate on December 10, 2018.
  • Purpose: The ULOs are general statements that degree programs contextualize in ways appropriate to their mission, program learning goals and outcomes, and curriculum. ULO assessment results help course instructors and programs improve their ability to help students develop and apply the discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to achieve the goals identified in the preamble. The faculty ULO Coordinators and Assessment Scholars have developed rubrics and assignment guides programs can use for that purpose.
  • Assessment: Assessment of the ULOs occurs at two levels.
    • At the program level, all degree programs assess the ULOs as part of outcomes assessment and program review. This work is integrated into the 5-year MLO assessment cycle since MLOs typically align with ULOs.
    • At the institutional level, assessment of each ULO occurs every other year either using student work produced at or near graduation that programs have identified as aligning to the ULOs or using student work from other parts of the curriculum relevant to key questions or concerns identified by faculty. Institution-level assessment work and closing-the-loop activities are facilitated by the faculty coordinator for each ULO for the purpose of generating data and strategies degree programs can use to better facilitate student learning.
    • Assessment reports: This link goes to past institution-level assessment reports (available to CSUMB community only).

Graduate learning outcomes (GLOs)

Like the ULOs, every CSUMB post-baccalaureate student is expected to demonstrate discipline-specific proficiency in each of the GLOs and all CSUMB graduate degree programs assess student achievement of each GLO.

  • Development: CSUMB's Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) were developed by the Academic Senate Post Graduate Student Committee (PGSC). They are intentionally aligned to the ULOs, but have higher standards for proficiency.
  • Purpose: The purpose of the GLOs is the same as the ULOs (see above), but for graduate degree programs.
  • Assessment: GLOs are assessed at the program-level in the same was as the ULOs. Currently there is no institution-level assessment of the GLOs, but it is expected that process will be similar to institution-level assessment of the ULOs.

General education learning outcomes (GELOs)

CSUMB has two general education learning outcomes (GELOs): Critical Thinking and Integrative Learning. Assessment plans are currently in development.