It’s time to document learning outcomes for the 2005-06 Academic Year and to develop learning outcomes for the 2006-07 Academic Year. In developing Learning Annual Enhancement Plans (LEAPs), please remember to focus on the things that help you to have a better understanding of student learning. The point of this process is to provide information that will enable faculty, departments, and the institution to enhance learning for our students.
This process cannot succeed without faculty involvement, so all faculty are requested to work with their division chairs and deans to complete this process.
There is information below regarding the specifics of what is to be done.
Reporting LEAPs Results for the 2005-06 Academic Year
Since July 15, 2005, each academic program has had established learning outcomes. The learning outcomes are reported on Learning Enhancement Annual Plans (LEAPs).
It is now time to begin to pull together the documentation that you promised in the “Assessment Method” and “Assessment Criteria” sections of LEAPs. Once the data are collected, each academic program needs to provide a narrative description of the results (section 8 on the LEAPs form), and then provide a description of the changes that have been or will be made as a result of what was learned through this process (section 9 on the LEAPs form).
To finalize your reports, download the files from the web and then enter your information. (To do this, go to: http://www.tvcc.edu/opie/CARDS/AdminOutcomesIndex.aspx and scroll down to the appropriate program. Then click on the link for your Program LEAPs for 2005-06).
These are due to my office by July 15, 2006. Individual program coordinators, division chairs, and deans will need to set appropriate deadlines in order to see that these are in on time. Since faculty involvement is a must, you are urged to complete as much of this as possible prior to May 12th. I make this recommendation because many faculty are not on campus after the conclusion of the spring term.
Developing LEAPs for the 2006-07 Academic Year
It is also time to develop learning outcomes for each academic program for the year that will begin in Fall 2006. LEAPs forms are very similar to last year, with the exception of new general education goals. These were developed and approved by the General Education Sub-Committee of the Curriculum and Instruction Committee in February 2006. For a listing of these goals, please download a 2006-07 LEAPs form at: http://www.tvcc.edu/opie/StudentLearning/LEAPsForm.doc
Faculty involvement in the DEVELOPMENT of LEAPs is a must.
These are due to my office by July 15, 2006. Individual program coordinators, division chairs, and deans will need to set appropriate deadlines in order to see that these are in on time. Since faculty are to be involved, much of this work needs to occur prior to the end of spring 2006.
RELATIONSHIP TO SACS – DO NOT IGNORE
This is a process that the institution should carry out regardless of whether SACS is on the doorstep or not. However, it is highly likely that we will receive a recommendation on Student Learning Outcomes, as this is one of the four most cited recommendations from SACS and in the documentation that we submitted to SACS in March we included only plans to assess student learning outcomes. SACS is very clear that they want actions based upon results. If this is a recommendation from SACS, we must provide completed LEAPs forms to SACS as a follow-up this summer.
ALL PROGRAMS MUST COMPLETE THE REQUIRED 2005-06 AND 2006-07 LEAPs FORMS BY THE DEADLINE! Failure to do so may lead to this being a continuing issue during the on-site visit, which is October 24-26, 2006, and for SACS follow-up visits.
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