9:20 AM - 10:00 AM

Industrial Design studios are inherently project-based, experiential-learning courses and therefore can be difficult to assess with methods traditionally used to measure student learning outcomes (SLO) in conventional lecture-based courses. In this workshop, we will explain the path that the Industrial Design faculty at Virginia Tech, in collaboration with the Office of Analytics and Institutional Effectiveness, took to design a new process for evaluating the effectiveness of the program's teaching strategies which involves students, faculty, administrators, and outside collaborators in a controlled event. Using our experience, we will ask attendees in groups of five to explore and discuss the student learning outcomes appropriate for ID programs, considering a possibly different future for ID education including various fields and focuses. Also, in a second discussion session, we will task each group to configure the best strategy to assess the selected SLO. We will provide some examples of qualitative and quantitative methods to help each group design methods of assessment.

Information gathered during assessments can help a program identify adjustments or needed changes to the curriculum to improve the expected learning outcomes for students. (Zlatkin- Troitschanskaia et al., 2016). But not all tools for assessment are compatible or effective for different teaching systems or without a clear assessment statement or plan. (Deardorff, 2014) After this session, participants will have gained awareness of student learning outcomes across different industrial design programs and fields of study. Participants will have the opportunity to articulate student learning outcomes that are important to their programs as well. Along with learning outcomes, possible assessment tools and methods that generate meaningful data in regards to designing or refining the program curriculum will be presented, discussed, and summarized for internalization by participants. Participants will have had the opportunity to reflect on their own program, develop a greater knowledge of work from peer institutions, and build network within higher education of folks implementing assessment strategies.