Institutional Learning Goals and Outcomes Evidence

ILO assessment evidence provides examples of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors demonstrated by students who have met an ILO.

1.1 Is the student proficient in communicating to or with a specific audience?

Attention: Is able to attract and retain the audience’s attention
Language: Uses ideas and language consistently appropriate for the intended audience
Listening: Listens actively
Persuasion: Understands the rhetorical means of persuasion
Respect: Demonstrates a respect for others; Exhibits a respect for diversity of perspectives and is tolerant of dissent
Responding: Responding appropriately—considers context of and follows rules regarding contexts of the situation
Technology: Understands the repercussions of inadequate or unwise uses of technology: Uses technological tools correctly in presenting a message

1.2 Is the student proficient in demonstrating purpose and organization?

Language: Uses Standard English appropriately throughout or follows formal grammar of another language
Structure: Contains an introduction that captures the reader’s attention, transitions to the topic by giving context or background information, and presents the thesis statement, while having a conclusion that reemphasizes the thesis and main ideas and provides a sense of closure: If written, there are few errors in sentence boundaries, spelling, punctuation, mechanics, or grammar. If spoken, there are no major errors in presentation, both verbally (i.e., grammar, vocalization, pacing, etc.) and non-verbally; speaker exhibits consistent control of self and thorough understanding of both assignment and audience expectations. If interpersonal, speaker stays focused on message, balancing audience/group response, appropriately and sensitively, with communicative task; Shows that the student has thought through the inventing process, providing student’s own thoughts instead of merely repeating ideas and summarizing sources
Thesis: Has a thesis or introduction that is generally clear and logical, is appropriate for the assignment and the audience, and concisely expresses the main idea as well as previewing the supporting ideas; Supports its thesis or main point with an adequate development of ideas
Transitions: Demonstrates the student’s ability to clearly, logically, and accurately organize information and to provide clear and smooth transitions among ideas

1.3 Is the student proficient in synthesizing and supporting ideas?

Citations: Cites and documents evidence correctly according to the standards of the discipline with minimal errors
Ethics: Uses evidence fairly—within context or explains context appropriately
Logical fallacies: Avoids logical fallacies
Negotiation: Negotiates with others, whether those others are viewpoints, people, or texts
Perspective: Demonstrates student’s previous knowledge and addresses that student’s viewpoint is not the only perspective
Sources: Evidence and sources are relevant and credible and documented with minimal errors

2.1 Is the student proficient in gathering and selecting information?

Problem statement: States, describes, and clarifies the issue/problem to be considered critically so that understanding is not seriously impeded by omissions, with evidence of relevant contextual factors
Questions: Frames appropriate questions related to the issue/problem
Ethics: Defines criteria to assess the credibility, validity and accuracy of information, as well as relevance to information need
Sources: Explores general and specialized information sources in order to gain understanding of topic
Evidence: Gathers and organizes relevant information, integrating and acknowledging background knowledge, prior assumptions, observations, external sources, and collected data sets
Method: Matches research method appropriately to task
Technology: Uses appropriate data gathering, compiling, and analyzing tools and lists societal forces that influence perceptions, including cultural and political values and norms, historical and technological effects, and personal position in the world

2.2 Is the student proficient in analyzing or investigating data?

Argument: Develops arguments, identifying premises and conclusions within the argument. Defuses invalid arguments and distinguishes between arguments leading to valid arguments
Ethics: Applies appropriate theoretical and/or moral decision-making strategies
Logic: Draws logical conclusions and inferences and logically discusses and debates benefits, limitations, and aspects of concern regarding various proposed solutions, eradicating most bias and irrelevant information
Synthesis: Relates classroom learning to real world and identifies theoretical concepts in daily activities
Trends: Identifies trends and patterns, making connections between problems and solutions
Wellness: Compares and contrasts theories and perspectives, explaining relationships, similarities and differences

2.3 Is the student proficient in articulating reasons for decisions or solutions?

Conclusion: Adequately shows how conclusion was reached and explains which and why decision-making tools were used. Draws conclusions that are logically tied to and supported by a range of appropriate information (data sets, viewpoints, theories, etc.), and while solution may be incorrect, methodology used shows validity of thought process
Solution: Discusses adequacy of solution and probable impact of decision, recognizing there may not be just one right answer. Recommends and defends potential solutions, even if somewhat obvious, for existing or newly encountered problems

3.1 Is the student proficient in describing a social system, theoretical framework, culture, or lifestyle?

Beliefs: Recognizes variations in beliefs, traditions, and values across and within cultures
Ethics: Demonstrates adequate understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices. Indicates understanding of how diverse groups have been treated and perceived throughout history.
Patterns: Identifies patterns in cultural behavior, including stereotypes.
Social System: Describes a social system or culture in terms of dominant features, beliefs, practices, or traits—as well as some of the underlying, complicating, or subordinate features of that system or culture.
Theory: Accurately identifies the major theory or theories she/he uses, can present the gist of said theory or theories, and attempts to explain/explains the details of the theory or theories used.
Wellness: Recognizes intellectual and emotional dimensions of more than one worldview and sometimes uses more than one worldview in interactions.

3.2 Is the student proficient at appreciating diverse perspectives or differences within social, theoretical, or cultural systems?

Anti-stereotype: Makes a conscious effort to overcome/counteract stereotypes and bias.
Choice: Understands the power to make positive choices may be obstructed by mental, medical, cultural, economic, or identity factors that are not easily controlled.
Diversity: Exhibits tolerance. Demonstrates positive regard for the culture, religion, gender, and sexual orientation of individual students and their families. Explains the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Recognizes and participates in cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal ways and begins to negotiate a shared understanding based on those differences.
Ethics: Articulates that individuals prioritize choices differently leading to diverse outcomes for the whole culture.
Perspective: Engages in perspective taking or exhibit empathy, curiosity, or openness.
Responsibility: Acknowledges the rights, responsibilities, and contributions of others.
Wellness: Alters interactions to accommodate differences, resists automatic judgment, and/or considers possibility of multiple meanings. Communicates with others, showing the ability to do more than one of the following: express, listen, and adapt ideas and messages based on others’ experiences.

4.1 Is the student proficient in articulating an assessment of self in relation to others?

Culture: Explains ways in which one’s own culture influences behaviors, choices, and values.
Diversity: Places own life within the context of the cultural diversity, history, or some other cultural or theoretical framework. Questions experience, while considering specific position in relation to others, when comparing others’ cultures to own.
Ethics: Articulates own basic beliefs, values, morals, biases, and assumptions, or can provide examples of his or her own values and the source of those values. Provides evidence of having assessed values within a social, profession, disciplinary or theoretical context.
Self-awareness: Discusses in detail/analyze both core beliefs and the origins of the core beliefs. Expresses awareness of own background and how it affects one’s world view, values, and assumptions. Expresses tension between previously held beliefs and contradictory beliefs from others. Recognizes that personal experiences and beliefs are starting points for understanding others.
Sustainability: Evaluates their environment and behavior (both positive and negative) and the relationship between the two.
Synthesis: Connects knowledge (facts, theories, etc.) from one's own academic study/field/discipline to civic engagement and to one's own participation in civic life, politics, government, or other social or cultural system. Demonstrates a link between own life and others—through career choice, assumptions about self or the world. Describes what they have learned about themselves as it relates to a growing sense of themselves within a larger community. Recognizes new perspectives about own cultural or social rules or biases—is becoming comfortable with the complexities that new perspectives offer.
Wellness: Acknowledges the individual is a holistic system with wellness extending beyond the physical aspects. Discusses how socio-emotional, socioeconomic, or other systemic factors affect personal decisions or actions Identifies constructive and/or destructive behaviors or relationships.

4.2 Is the student proficient in demonstrating awareness of personal responsibility and positioning within a larger context, culture, community, or system of thought?

Choice: Describes societal and individual impact of choices and actions.
Community: Demonstrates ability and commitment to work actively within community contexts and structures to achieve a civic aim. Describes societal and individual impact of choices and actions.
Diversity: Considers the impact of a dominant culture. Describes how knowledge from different cultural perspectives can or could affect interpretations of prominent problems in politics, society, the arts and/or global relations. Evaluates the global or systemic effect/s of own and others’ specific local actions on the natural and human world. Recognizes intellectual and emotional dimensions of more than one worldview, theoretical framework, social system, or lifestyle—and sometimes uses more than one in interactions.
Ethics: Acts with academic integrity and considers the alignment of personal values and an accepted moral code of behavior within specific situations. Accepts responsibility for own actions and understands that others’ failures to act morally or accept responsibility may be a product of many variables. Analyzes the ethical, social, and environmental consequences of global systems and identifies a range of actions informed by one’s sense of personal and civic responsibility. Demonstrates that own position goes toward or hold with the greater good. Demonstrates understanding of ethical issues and the social responsibility manifest in one's own personal choices, including decisions of when and how to act. Does not blame others for the consequences of one’s own decisions, actions, or inactions. Evaluates his or her own assumptions and implications reflecting the ethical perspectives of different stakeholders, while considering the ramifications of alternative actions. Recognizes that personal values impact ethical choices. Identifies ethical dilemmas, and can describe the conflict between competing values, in civic, social, and academic life. Is able to suggest appropriate approaches to or frameworks for ethical decision making and considers the limitations of those, as well.
Sustainability: Compels others to understand limits to the ability to make positive choices. Discusses how socio-emotional, socioeconomic, or other systemic factors that affect personal decisions or actions lead to systemic issues. Identify ethical dilemmas associated with environmental, social, or cultural issues. Recognizes the influence of culture on contemporary problems.
Wellness: Identifies less controllable factors and outside influences within a culture, social system, theoretical framework, or lifestyle—in addition to personal accountability. Understands and articulates societal and individual impact of individual and community choices and actions.