Observation

Hakel Accepts Award for Bowling Green

Milton D. Hakel, one of APS’s “founding fathers,” was in Washington recently, to accept an award that recognizes achievements in student learning on behalf of Bowling Green State University (OH). The Award for Institutional Progress in Student Learning Outcomes was given by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) at its annual conference in Washington, DC. Out of 31 applicants, Bowling Green was one of just five institutions to receive the award.

Hakel, who is Regents Eminent Scholar and Professor of Psychology at BGSU, was instrumental in implementing the policies and programs that earned Bowling
Green the award. He serves as chair of both the Student Achievement Assessment Committee and the Electronic Portfolio Steering Committee at the university.

“This national recognition helps to reinforce our main message on campus — that learning goes beyond knowing, to being able to do what one knows,” said Hakel. “The faculty understands that ‘one-size-fits-all’ standardized testing would give incomplete and misleading answers to accountability questions. Bowling Green’s work on student learning outcomes provides a superior alternative.”

According to Hakel, Bowling Green assesses student learning outcomes through seven venues: inquiry, creative problem solving, examining values in decision making, writing, presenting, participating, and leading. As part of this, Bowling Green provides technology that allows students to create electronic profiles that can be used as an ordinary resume when job hunting and also can include photos, videos, and other links. These E-portfolios provide evidence of student achievement for both faculty and students and make it easier to track students’ success and learning.

CHEA established the Award for Institutional Progress in Student Learning Outcomes in 2006. Applicants are evaluated based on articulation and evidence of outcomes, success with regard to outcomes, information to the public about outcomes, and using outcomes for improvement. For more information, see http://www.chea.org.


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