3-Year Cycle Steps
Step 9: Plan Year 1
At the end of the 3-Year Cycle, it’s time to start planning the next cycle, integrating what was learned from the previous study. There are three elements to consider when planning:
(1) Review & update Program Learning Outcomes
(2) Review & update the curriculum matrix
(3) Review previous study results and identify changes
Review & Update Program Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are a set of statements that specify the fundamental knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes students will acquire by the time they receive their degree.
All programs are required to have PLOs (click here for an updated list of PLOs). The end of a 3-Year Cycle is a useful time to review whether the current PLOs capture faculty expectations for what student should know by the end of their program.
When reviewing PLOs, there are 3 key things to keep in mind:
PLOs should be relevant & specific.
Above all, PLOs should make sense for each particular academic program. They can refer to distinct areas of knowledge within a field (e.g., algorithms, biochemistry, morphology), or to broader abilities (e.g., analytical thinking, writing, problem-solving), but they must paint a clear picture of the specific skills students will have when they graduate.
PLOs should be meaningful.
PLOs should be meaningful to both faculty and students. This means that PLOs reflect…
- Outcomes important to program faculty
- The mission and unique aspects of a program’s goals
- Skills and values that students want to acquire
- Knowledge/ skills that students need for graduate study or employment
PLOs should be measurable.
Each PLO must be able to be demonstrated by students as part of a course assignment (e.g., senior research project, thesis, etc).
For examples of PLOs and additional tips, see below:
Example PLOs: Content Knowledge
“Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of how biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology are used to elucidate both the function of cells and their organization into tissues.” (BS in MCD Bio)
“Students should be able to recognize and analyze performance works within the general culture and historical period that produced them.” (BA in Theater Arts)
“Students will be able to demonstrate sociological understandings of phenomena, for example, how individual biographies are shaped by social structures, social institutions, cultural practices, and multiple axes of difference and/or inequality.” (BA in Sociology)
Example PLOs: Skills & Abilities
“Students should be able to use critical thinking to evaluate and interpret evidence, and to apply psychological concepts, theories, and research findings to individual, social, and cultural issues.” (BA in Psychology)
“Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate and interact effectively with different audiences, developing their ability to collaborate intellectually and creatively in diverse contexts, and to appreciate ambiguity and nuance, while emphasizing the importance of clarity and precision in communication and reasoning.” (BA in Mathematics)
“Students will be able to apply ethical reasoning to make decisions about engineering methods and solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.” (BS in Biomolecular Engineering)
“Students will be able to formulate research questions that expand their knowledge of art and visual culture. Students will be able to apply research methods to answer these questions by consulting the current literature and developing independent results through archival, library, or field research.” (BA in History of Art & Visual Culture)
Additional tips & tricks for writing effective PLOs
- Frame PLOs in terms of a student’s perspective (i.e., if you were a student entering the program, what skills should you expect to develop by the end?)
- Use direct action verbs (e.g., demonstrate, apply, use) rather than cognitive ones (e.g., understand, grasp)
- Stick to what can actually be observed and measured, either during or at the end of a student’s time at UCSC (rather than what you hope will happen after their time at UCSC).
- Use accessible, student-friendly language
- Avoid general, cookie-cutter PLOs. Each program’s PLOs should feel like their own.
- Ask for feedback! ALEE Center assessment specialists are available to help refine your PLOs.
For additional details on writing effective PLOs, see the PLO Assessment Guidelines Handbook .
Review & Update the Curriculum Matrix
A curriculum matrix is a map that identifies which courses help students develop the skills described in the Program Learning Outcomes. This tool helps identify target courses to include in a PLO assessment study. Within a curriculum matrix, specify which PLO(s) are introduced, practiced, or demonstrated:
Introduced (I) – Students are introduced to the PLO and build a preliminary understanding of the skill by being exposed to examples or engaging in some preparatory activities
Practiced (P) – Students practice the PLO by engaging in learning activities and coursework that exercise the skill
Demonstrated (D) – Students demonstrate the PLO by generating final products that require mastery of the skill
In the end, a curriculum matrix looks like this:
Click here to view a copy of an example curriculum matrix.
Review Previous Study Results & Identify Changes
At the very end of the 3-Year Cycle, the faculty lead and other department leaders meet with the ALEE Center Director and the Associate Vice Provost of Academic Affairs to identify changes to the assessment study that will be made in the next cycle. Types of changes may include:
- Repeating previous studies with the same assessment materials to learn how changes in course design or curriculum affected student learning
- Assessing student learning in different courses
- Targeting different program learning outcomes for assessment
The PLO Assessment Cycle is iterative– results from one cycle inform the next to continuously improve student learning.