Outcomes Assessment Handbook

What is outcomes assessment?

Outcomes assessment is a collaborative process of inquiry regarding student learning outcomes, followed by analysis, reflection, and action. The goal of outcomes assessment is to improve student learning and improve instructional programs. Outcomes assessment is not individual student, faculty, course, or program evaluation. Student learning outcomes are statements of what students know or can do upon successful completion of a course or program.

The assessment cycle

 The assessment cycle is a continuous process, and consists of the following steps:

• Identify question(s) about student learning and gather data
• Analyze and interpret data
• Reflect with colleagues and plan for the future
• Implement planned actions
• Repeat the cycle

What is a student learning outcome (SLO)?

Student learning outcomes (SLOs) provide direction for all instructional activity. They are statements of what students know or can do upon successful completion of a course or program.

SLOs should specify an action that is:

• Observable
• Measurable
• Performed by the students (rather than by the instructor)

SLOs should be:

• Broad in focus and describe the learning that results from the course/program rather than explaining specific details, skills, etc.
• Learning-centered rather than teaching-centered
• Specific, using verbs that describe exactly what the learners will be able to do upon completion of the course/program. Avoid using vague verbs that are difficult to measure, such as know, be aware of, appreciate, learn, understand, comprehend, and become familiar with.
• Anchored by an active verb that specifically describes what the subject of the sentence is doing. 

Program assessment versus course assessment

Student learning outcomes (SLOs) should provide direction for all instructional activity. These outcomes can be assessed at different levels; they are statements of what students know or can do upon successful completion of a course or program.

Program-level assessment is used to determine how well the program as a whole prepares students to achieve the program learning outcomes. It can also be used to identify curricular gaps.

Primarily, OA produces reliable information that allows faculty to have meaningful conversations about how students are learning in the classes, then make informed decisions about how to better produce such learning in the future. By documenting student learning, OA projects also provide a picture of how learning can be impacted by areas outside of instruction: staffing, facilities, scheduling, advising, etc. In this way, administrators and staff are able to see how their support of instruction impacts student learning and can make informed decisions about how best to continue that support.

What is the role of outcomes assessment in curriculum?

Program design

Program outcomes identify the broader learning goals for students upon completion of a course of study. In addition, they govern the distribution areas of those programs by providing a framework of learning within which required courses should fit. The courses required for a program should explicitly relate to the student learning stated in the program outcomes. For this reason, OA is central in determining the designation of courses with regard to program requirements and related distribution areas.

Course design

By articulating the goals for student learning in the form of course outcomes, OA provides faculty an opportunity to begin with the end in mind. More commonly known as "backward design" (link?), course outcomes allow faculty to structure students' experience in ways that lead them to mastery of stated learning goals. Rather than just being "about" the course topic, outcomes lead faculty to consider specifically what students will know or be able to do upon successfully completing the class.

Your Assessment Team

Office of Planning and Effectiveness

The Office of Planning and Effectiveness is home to Clark's Institutional Research (IR) services as well as the Director of Assessment.

Institutional Researchers are available to support your assessment projects by helping with the practicalities of research, such as:

• Developing your assessment question(s)
• Developing or selecting a valid, reliable assessment instrument
• Managing your assessment data, including confidentiality issues
• Performing data analysis, including statistical tests
• Linking assessment data to other data, such as student demographics, placement test scores, transcript data, etc.

Institutional researchers can be contacted at air.clark.edu.  

The Director of Assessment can be contacted at sjacobs@clark.edu

Instructional Deans and Leadership

The Outcomes Assessment team works closely with the instructional deans. In collaboration with the OA Committee and Liaisons, the deans play a role in creating direction and processes in OA. Faculty should go to the deans as a resource when needed. In addition, faculty are encouraged to share project results as part of "closing the loop" so that deans can use OA data to inform decision-making.

Outcomes Assessment Committee

The primary responsibility of the Outcomes Assessment Committee (OAC) is to oversee and coordinate the development of program-level assessment plans for all transfer and CTE degree and certificate programs. In addition, duties of the OAC include:

• Reviewing program outcomes
• Allocate funding to OA projects
• Reviewing additions to distribution areas