Canvas Outcomes And SLO Assessment

Canvas Outcomes Community of Practice

To provide peer support for the implementation and use of Canvas Outcomes, we have formed a Community of Practice (CoP) made of working groups that meet monthly to learn together. Canvas Outcomes CoP Work Group members “get their hands dirty” and actively learn together various aspects of Canvas Outcomes implementation. The format of the groups is discussion-based with the goal of having participants identify shared interests (projects, tools to explore, etc.) and work together in small groups to learn by doing and share what they learn with others in the group. No one in the groups is an expert, and the meetings are not designed to be run as workshops or to provide “instruction.” Instead, participants collaborate and share information with each other.  

Who Should Participate

Those just getting started with Canvas Outcomes as well as those with more experience are invited to participate. Members can choose one or both groups and attend one or both meetings. Currently, we maintain one list, and everyone receives both monthly meeting invitations and all the materials from both meetings. 

How to Participate

Based on the various components of Canvas Outcomes implementation and the interests expressed by group members so far, we have created two Work Groups. Each Work Group meets once per month, both on Mondays from 11am-12pm (Pacific) as follows:

  1. Making Sense of the Data and Using/Creating Dashboards (2nd Monday of the month)
    Co-led by Dr. Jacqueline Randa, Dr. Yolanda Hardy, and Carlos Alvarez
  2. Canvas Outcomes Set-up and Working with Faculty (4th Monday of the month)
    Co-led by Dr. Bernice Houle and Sarah Chitwood 

Please note that the meetings are not recorded to encourage attendees to share freely without concern (for example, about challenges they are having, etc.). However, if a participant shares a demonstration with the group, that segment of the meeting will be recorded for the benefit of shared learning. To be added to the group(s), submit your information below.

Recordings & Materials

Below are some of these recordings. The first is a presentation by the initial Canvas Outcomes & SLO Assessment group demonstrating the work we accomplished together in our first six months. This presentation sparked further interest in the group, which has grown and evolved into this Community of Practice of over 75 members (as of December 2023) and the two Work Groups!  Check back for more as they occur!

Canvas Outcomes & SLO Assessment subgroup Friday SLO Talk, April 2023

Presentation by a subcommittee of the Friday SLO Talks.

Members from 2-year and 4-year institutions share the collaborative work they’ve done to develop their use of Canvas Outcomes for SLO assessment on their campuses. They demonstrate how to set up Canvas for SLO assessment and build a data dashboard using Power BI. 

Canvas Outcomes & SLO Assessment at LBCC: Building a Culture of Inquiry and Cultivating Growth, May 2023

Presentation by Trisha Wilging, Student Learning Outcomes Coordinator and Associate Professor, Long Beach City College.

Ms. Wilging demonstrates how a separate “assessment shell” for assessment can be created in Canvas rather than completing assessments in individual courses via SLO and rubric mapping. In addition, she demonstrates samples of Tableau dashboards built in partnership with the IR office at her institution.

Embedding Assessment Staff within a School or College, September 2023

Carlos Alvarez, Assessment Analyst in the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Tyler presents with his colleague, Christina Chatman, Sr. Assessment Coordinator for the School of Nursing.  They share their work and experiences with assessment procedures before and after the university decentralized college assessment; implementation of Canvas Outcomes, including insights from the journey; and different approaches to using Canvas by each college/school. Recording Link:

Bulk Upload of Student Learning Outcomes in Canvas, November 2023

Presentation by Dr. Stephen Riley, Director of Academic Assessment, University of Denver

Dr. Riley demonstrates how to use a bulk upload process to import SLOs into Canvas to reduce time and manual processes.

Learning Mastery Gradebook Demonstration, February 2024

Demonstration of the Learning Mastery Gradebook by Dr. Glenn Pillsbury, Instructional Designer and Canvas Administrator at California State University, Stanislaus.

https://youtu.be/IAWnIPdF5F0

Making Sense of the Data & Using and Building Dashboards, March 2024

Presentation by Carlos Alvarez, University of Texas at Tyler.

https://youtu.be/IAWnIPdF5F0

Steering Committee

Michele Dunbar, Ph.D.
CoP Coordinator
Director of Integrated Learning Assessment and Accreditation
California State University, Dominguez Hills

Carlos Alvarez
College of Engineering Assessment Analyst
The University of Texas at Tyler

Sarah Chitwood
Coordinator of Institutional Assessment
Virginia Western Community College
Roanoke, VA

LeeAnn Christensen
Student Learning Outcome Assessment Coordinator
Copper Mountain College
Joshua Tree, CA

Yolanda M. Hardy, PharmD
Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs, and Accreditation
Palm Beach Atlantic University, Florida

Bernice Houle, Ph.D.
Director of Assessment
Office of Assessment and Institutional Research
Tulane University
New Orleans, Louisiana

Jarek Janio, Ph.D.
Faculty Coordinator
Santa Ana College, California

Benny C. Ng, Ph.D. ACUE
Professor of the Year 2023
Associate Professor of Chemistry
College Outcomes Coordinator
Los Angeles Pierce College

Jacqueline Randa, PT, DPT, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
School of Physical Therapy
Touro University, Nevada