Evaluation Process - Psychology of Learning and Success
Competency One: A reflective practitioner and learner, who self-assesses each learning performance to improve future learning performance, which means they:
· With conviction, implements a monthly self-growth plan to attain a growth goal
· Can produce meaningful SIIs, using criteria with precise observations in valuable contexts
· Desires feedback by anyone who they feel can help them improve
· Uses a comprehensive reflective tool set to step back from performance to make sense of cognitive, social or emotional perplexities
· Desires to know more of how the mind and emotions work and investigates them often to increase understanding of how and why
· Seeks others who will push them outside their comfort zone for the growth it produces
· Will respond favorably to challenges even though they know that they may well fail
· Believes they will be successful when repeating similar performances where they have had previous successes
Assessment tool: Learning Assessment Journal
The students will be given a list of all the forms they need to submit sequenced by Learning Experience (On my Own, In My Class, My Learning and Growth). They are provided with a set of the different forms or prompts for filling out and they will post all results in one location called their Learning Assessment Journal.
Evaluation of the portfolio:
Comprehensive (40% of the assessment): This means that the students completed all of the reflective and self-assessment writing assignments. The student's success plan learning kit that they will develop is greatly impacted by their choosing to use a significant number of these tools in the future, thus they need to experience responding to 30 different forms (some multiple times for a total of 40 forms). For each form completely filled out they will get a point (2 minutes).
Honesty (10% of the weight): This criteria is very important in both reflection and self-assessment - a sample of 10 random responses from the forms will be used to determine this criteria's quality: for each entry that has either high frequency or important filtering, bias, or misrepresentations it will not earn any points (0 points) otherwise each form will contribute 1 point for a maximum of 10 points. (2 minutes to calculate)
Thoughtfulness (40% of the weight): This criteria is bringing in the role of critical thinking in reflective practice and meta-cognition. A sample of ten important Critical Thinking components of different forms will be judged: 1) Action plan from SII; 2) Inquiry questions from reading log; 3) Why it is true in Learning Journal; 4) Identifying Key Issues in Problem Solving; 5) Performance Analysis - Knowledge needed; 6) Turning Evaluation into Assessment - mindset condition rationale; 7) Managing Stress report - mechanism to relieve stress; 8) Plan in Personal Development Worksheet; 9) Reaction Report - how to suppress; and 10) Elevating my Knowledge Worksheet - step 9 (1 point for informational discussion, 2 points for at least one important understanding, 3 points for rationale behind the understanding (evidence), 4 points for complete justification of idea with meaning and examples/context (4 minutes)
Non-judgmental (10% of the total weight): A sample of 10 targeted forms will be review to count the number of judgmental words, for every 5 judgmental words the students lose 1 point (2 minutes). If they are spotless in the last 5 forms filled out they will earn the full 10 points.
The student must achieve at least a score of 80 to meet the base competency and 90 for distinction.
SSTB Form / Comprehensive40 / Honesty/Openness
10 / Thoughtfulness
40 / Non-judgmental
10 / Total
(100)
3 performance analysis worksheets / /3 / /4
LPM Assessment ( 2 pages) / /1 / /1
Documentation of the use of LPM (2 pages) / /1 / /1
Learning Journal / /1 / /4
My Past: Strengths and Opportunities Worksheet / /1 / /1
2 Learning and then Moving on worksheets / /2 / /1
2 Turning Evaluation into Assessment / /2 / /4 / /2
Calendar / /1
Methodology Worksheet / /1
3 Problem Solving Methodology Worksheets (2 pages) / /3 / /4
Role Model Interview / /1 / /1
Major Requirements Worksheet / /1
General Education Worksheet / /1
SII Community Assessment / /1 / /1
SII Team Assessment Worksheet / /1 / /1
Thinking About my Performances (affect analysis) / /1 / /1
2 Preparation Methodology Worksheet (2 pages) / /2 / /1
Managing Stress Report / /1 / /1 / /4
2 reading logs (2 pages) / /2 / /4
SII Reading Log Assessment Worksheet / /1 / /1
SII - Self-assessment / /5 / /1 / /4 / /3
Elevating Knowledge Level 1 to Level 3 / /1 / /1 / /4
Personal Development Methodology / /1 / /4
Reaction Report / /1 / /4
Total Points
Competency Two: A master learner that is self-directed and can produce generalized knowledge efficiently and effectively, who also:
· Knows how, when, how much and at what quality to obtain specific information
· Identifies when additional resources are needed and gains some value from their use
· Uses reading logs to strengthen pre-reading techniques and quick reads to learn better
· Uses several key steps of the Learning Process Methodology to construct knowledge
· Owns their own explicit learning process for constructing new meaning and transferability
· Values how their thinking can bring clarity to new ideas by using specific cognitive skills
· Uses problem solving as a process that needs initial work before exploring alternatives
· Has develop a few mechanisms to know when they know and if a solution is correct
· Produces significant theses with supporting evidence and meaningful contexts in writing
Assessment tool: Writing Responses to 100 Critical Thinking Questions
The students will post answers to 100 Critical Thinking Questions, activity by activity, and these will be used to evaluate their ability to construct meaning, contextualize and generalize their knowledge.
Evaluation of the portfolio:
Students will have to meet two criteria:
1. Elevating the Level of Learning
Students will identify 5 questions that best illustrate their best work - In 4 of the 5 answers, students must provide all of the following to meet the competency (distinction is all 5):
· A full answer has been given that addresses the complete question
· Three supporting pieces of evidence that help to justify their answer
· An example of how this knowledge is applied to produce value
· Four meaningful situations where you can apply this knowledge appropriately
· Three tips for applying this knowledge effectively
2. Comprehensive Knowledge
Students must have created the required knowledge in the course: 80 percent of the responses must have level 2 knowledge responses illustrating meaning and understanding and not just plugging information from the book.
L2L / Q1 / Q2 / Q3 / Q4 / Q5 / Q6 / Q7 / Q81. Performing Like a Star / X
2. Learning Process Methodology / X / X
3. Your Past Doesn't Define your Future
4. Self-assessment / X
5. Time, Planning and Productivity
6. Methodologies
7. Analyzing a Course Syllabus (1.2) Attached to back cover
8. Teamwork / X / X
9. Performing when Being Evaluated / X / X / X
10. Reading Methodology / X
11. Meta-cognition
12. Leveraging Failure
13. Mentors
14. Your Turn to Shine
15. Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic
Number of CTQ satisfies level two ____/100 must have at least 80 for satisfactory and 90 for distinction
List of Five CTQ Selected for Exemplars
Chapter/CTQ# / Full Answer / 3 evidence / Apply it / Situations / 3 tips / SatisfactoryNumber of Satisfactory out of ____/5 must have at least 4 for satisfactory and 5 for distinction
Competency Three: Has developed a plan for continual success at WGU, a career, and a lifetime, which includes the ability to:
· Even when they are not completely convinced of future success, with student mentor support they will commit to achieve success
· Values failure to advance successes because they are emotionally able to deal with failures
· Uses reflection and self-assessment after a failure to strengthen areas that will lead to future success
· Elevates effort when challenges require it or being publicly reviewed
· Analyzes the course to access the specifications and criteria for every assignment and assessment
· Values time and allocate its use effectively to meet requirements, challenges and a balanced life
· Continues to make progress even when things get tough and uncertainty increases
· Puts first things first, taking care of critically important things to meet deadlines
· Delays fun activities that might prevent fulfilling obligations or collaborations
· Sees "Asking for help" as a strength (vs. a weakness) without taking advantage of others
Assessment tool: Success Plan
The Student Success Plan Portfolio has Five Components that they will submit:
1) An assessment and analysis of past performances that clarifies at least 10 reasons for lack of success and the allocation of 100 points across this set of reasons. The allocation will provide a ranking of each reason's contribution to the lack of success helping to identify their five most important growth goals for the course.
2) An analysis of the evaluation system (range of assessment types) at Western Governor University to determine through past performances the specifics areas where they struggled or would have struggled to meet expectations/competencies (e.g. tests, papers, projects, etc.) through the self-assessment of each identified assessment type - 2S,2I, & I (at least six).
3) Three course success plans specifically for courses they failed to complete during their last term at WGU. Each course success plan must: a) Identify the assessments that were used to measure the competencies for that course, b) Detail specific plans for satisfying every assessment in that course, and c) Identify at least three new learning techniques that will increase learning, growth and success for that course.
4) A learning kit of at least 10 new tools, strategies, techniques that will improve their performance as a WGU student. Each entry into their learning kit will consists of a page write-up that includes: 1) A Title of the learning tool; 2) A descriptive paragraph detailing the tool; 3) An additional paragraph describing how to put it to use; 4) A problem that it will solve and why; and finally, 5) how they will guarantee that it will work.
5) Self-growth paper, A reflection on the last 28 days that visualizes the journey of becoming a self-grower. The structure of this paper will be seven paragraphs. The first paragraph describes where this journey started, while the second paragraph identifies the growth obtained through the course by picking the four areas in which they have experienced the greatest growth. In the paper, each growth area will be allocated a paragraph to provide a clear definition of the growth area, an articulation of the amount of growth experienced, the evidence that this growth occurred and the causes for this growth. The last paragraph will share their understanding of how they can continue to increase self-growth capacity by describing their specifics plans, tools and strategies.
Evaluation of the Success Plan (Including the Self-growth Paper)
1. Defining the Barriers/Issues in the way of success (10%)
It is important that the top ten barriers that are in the way of future success are identified, defined, and described so the students knows what they are confronting. For a complete list they will earn 3 points and effectively prioritized list 2 points. For each identified significant issue or barrier defined and effectively described a half-point is gained.
2. Analyzing the Assessments Instruments (5%)
A complete list must be identified that they have experienced in previous courses registered (especially during the last term) and produce a quality self-assessment of strength, areas for improvements, and insights about each of these assessment types. The analysis must be at least level 2 in their development and articulation - meaning and understanding in the rationale and action plans. (completeness - 2 points); (1 points if only have a majority); (half point for each of the six submitted if reaching level 2).
3. Three Course Success Plans (30%)
For each course, the plan must detail how each hour of learning time will be used to productively reach each learning outcome and demonstrate this learning by successfully meeting the associated course competency. The hours you schedule must have a description of how it will enhance learning to meet a specific competency. The plan must be logical, effective, and operational. For each success plan - Strong: 10 points; Effective: 7 points; and Operational: 4 points.
4. Learning Kit (20%)
Each of the 10 learning strategies or tools must have a significant impact on their success at WGU. For the student to obtain 2 points for each strategy/tool, they will need to provide: 1) an appropriate title, 2) a description that illustrates understanding of the strategy or tool, 3) a clear mechanism for putting it into use, 4) a clear articulation of the value it will produce from use, and 5) how to measure its impact. The student will get only one point if they an entry that is incomplete.
5. Self-growth Paper (35%)
The self-growth paper has 7 paragraphs.
· Paragraph 1 (4 points) sets the context, where they started and what their self-growth goals were.
o 4 points: Context was effectively clarified with connections to where they were and what drove their direction initially in setting their growth goals
o 3 points: Some idea of where they actually started and some direction of where they wanted to go
o 2 points: A paragraph that sets some context
· Paragraph 2 (4 points) identifies 4 growth areas and which aligns to their previous growth goals or there are stated reasons for substituting a different area for a given growth goal.
o 4 points: At least 4 growth areas are clearly articulated, aligned, or a rationale for the substitution
o 3 points: General idea of what we follow but not a clear outline of the growth areas and must be figured out later in context