Assessing Student Learning in Higher Education

Section 1
 Introduction

Section 2
 Background and Rationale for Assessment

Section 3
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Section 4
Assessment Tools and Data

Section 5
Course Assessment
What do you assess?
Guidelines
Assessing Pedagogy
Assessing Curriculum
Assessing Student Metacognition
Assessing Student Learning
Course SLO Matrix
Curriculum Review
Sample Course Assessment Reports

Section 6
Program Assessment

Section 7
Closing the Loop
 

Section 8
Implementing Assessment Training on Campus

Section 9
References & Resources

Definitions

Workbook

Using Materials from this Website

Sample Course Assessment Plans and Reports

In the resource section I have linked a sample assessment plan in two formats: 1) showing a three year timeline to implement the assessments and 2) showing how each SLO will be assessed by the end of the three year timeline. Each year has four assessment activities, two can be implemented the first semester and two the second semester. Although I am getting data on many of my SLOs I will focus my reporting on one or two of the SLOs each year.

The most difficult aspect of assessment is taking the TIME to write down thoughts and conclusions concerning the data, simply because it is a new step, but a valuable one allowing improvement to be made based on data, rather than intuition. Most practitioners suggest reviewing the data and writing thoughts and concerns down immediately.

Assessment Report

The assessment report should be simple and to the point, no more than a single page, and most reports (excluding SLO statements) are only half a page. I have linked the University of Washington Assessment Website which has numerous course assessment reports available and included the assessment report for Microbiology in the resource section.

These reports go to the department chair and are aggregated for a program assessment report and used as resources for department planning.

Discuss, evaluate, and act on the assessment data.

·        Participate in cross disciplinary dialogue about assessment results, outcomes, potential modifications and improvements.

·        Evaluate the changes needed in a course or program following thorough reflection and discussion of the data.

·        Implement modifications to improve student learning, student metacognition, curriculum or pedagogy based on evidence.

·        Create a public report to communicate the strengths and weakness in a course or program based upon student learning outcome data.

Proceed to Section 6 Program Assessment

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Resources and Links

Microbiology 3 year Assessment Plan by Year

Microbiology Assessment Plan by SLOs

Microbiology Background Survey and Misconceptions

Microbiology Background and Misconceptions
Survey Data

Microbiology Assessment Report 2004

University of Washington sample Course Assessment Reports

Download Section 5 Program Assessment as a Workbook
(42 pages)