Williston State College

Overview 

When Williston State College (WSC) moved through its last Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Comprehensive Evaluation, HLC noted student learning assessment processes and use of learning outcomes assessment data to improve student learning as areas of concern. In preparation for their September 2024 HLC Comprehensive Review, WSC focused on addressing the accreditor’s areas of concern by contracting with WIDS to introduce faculty and academic staff to performance-based learning (PBL) practices and learning outcomes assessment strategies. The goal was to use the PBL-based WIDS software to document intended course- and program-level learning outcomes, plan for outcomes assessment, and enable effective outcome analysis. 

Challenges 

WSC realized that it lacked systematic curriculum processes and was operating with outdated information. While faculty had previously created course and program outcome goals documents, they had no central location for storing the curriculum or processes in place to regularly review and revise it. And even though there was a student portfolio assessment process for measuring institutional learning outcomes, there was not a comprehensive college-wide learning outcome assessment process. Further, the portfolio process produced some outcome data, but it did not include mechanisms to analyze and use the data results to improve student learning and college processes. At this point, there was great enthusiasm at WSC about what WIDS could help it accomplish.

Zahi Atallah, Vice President of Academic Affairs, said, “I’ve seen WIDS used as a tool very successfully at other colleges to manage curriculum in many different ways to meet the needs of the institution. WIDS is giving us a solution to develop, document and deploy quality in curriculum that will help improve student learning.”  

Solution 

First, WIDS provided WSC with a strategic plan for using WIDS software features to support the college’s goal to improve its HLC standing by focusing on documenting student learning outcomes and outcomes assessment and analysis. Next, WIDS implemented the software to support WSC’s digital documentation of course and program level learning outcomes, curriculum maps, syllabi, and outcome assessment plans. Then, WIDS trained faculty to use the software and coached them through applying a performance-based learning and assessment-focused approach to designing student learning. WSC faculty found the WIDS software easy to navigate and use.

One WSC nursing instructor said, “The WIDS online tool is so intuitive and easy to use. I like how the parts of the software are connected, so I feel like I enter information once and it can then be pulled into other areas/reporting as needed.”  

Finally, WIDS and WSC developed a 2-year implementation plan. During the first year, WSC will continue developing learning outcomes and performance standards and train faculty to use the WIDS syllabus tool. During the second year, WSC will fully implement use of the new syllabi, assess student outcomes, and make budgetary and curricular decisions based on outcome assessment results.

Results 

After implementing WIDS software and moving through the initial training, WSC has now addressed the following:

1. 30+ faculty have been trained to use WIDS software.
2. All 13 CTE programs have documented and mapped program and course outcomes in WIDS.
3. AA and AS general education programs have been divided into 12 "disciplinary" areas. Each disciplinary group will write program outcomes for their respective areas.
4. WSC will move through the 2-year implementation plan. As is required by HLC, WSC now has sustainable processes in place and the right tools to maintain the processes for regular curruciulum review and outcome assessment.

WSC faculty and administrators are delighted.

An AA instructor says, “The syllabus in WIDS is going to make my life so much easier and increase the equity in learning for our students, no matter where or by whom the course is taught. We have so many adjuncts and Dual Credit High School teachers teaching our courses. The syllabus created in WIDS will make it so much easier for them to prepare to teach their course(s).”

Atallah, too, is deeply appreciative and says, “Thank you for willing to work with us and for making such a difference in what our faculty know and can do.”