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
Section
6
Program Assessment
Section
7
Closing the Loop
Recording Data
Using Data
Budgeting, Planning, and Improving
Issues
Principles of Good Assessment
Section
8
Implementing Assessment Training on
Campus
Section
9
References & Resources
Definitions
Workbook
Using Materials from
this Website
Closing the Loop
The purpose of assessment is primarily improvement. In order for improvement to occur, the assessment loop must be closed. Without closing the loop this simply becomes another externally mandated requirement, serving only for accountability. The good news is that closing the loop does produce rather immediate results, particularly in courses. As you begin to work with assessment practices you will find that it is also a valuable tool to promote learning, not only in the classroom, but amongst faculty and staff.
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Develop,
modify, or review a curriculum, course, program, or service.
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Develop or modify Student Learning Outcomes SLOs
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Design &
Measure Student Learning as a result of the Curriculum, Course, or
Program
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Collect,
discuss, and analyze data.
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Determine
refinements based on outcomes data.
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Closing the Assessment
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Dr. Barbara Beno at ACCJC-WASC shared this diagram to provide a picture of the iterative processes involved in assessment and the holistic impact on institutional effectiveness.
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Institutional
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Educational Objectives |
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Learning
Outcomes |
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Measurable Performance Criteria |
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Assess/Evaluate |
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Feedback for
Continuous
Improvement |
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Educational
Practices/Strategies |
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Assessment: |
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Evaluation : Interpretation of
Evidence |
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Constituents |
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Institutional Effectiveness Cycle: Assessment for
Quality Assurance By Gloria Rogers
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Course Assessment |
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Program |
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Institutional |
It is better to close the loop on a single SLO than to partially assess all SLO. For this reason you should focusing on one or two SLOs. For some faculty that may mean one or two SLOs per course, and one or two program SLOs and if the faculty member is involved in institutional assessment, another one or two SLOs.
The key for faculty is recording the data immediately.
Proceed to
Recording Data
Janet Fulks
Assessing Student Learning in Community Colleges (2004), Bakersfield
College
jfulks@bakersfieldcollege.edu
07/11/2006