This page serves as a guide for departments, units and individuals at the university who need support in defining parts of the assessment process.听听
Objectives are statements of ways in which a unit aims to achieve its mission, how processes should work, and what their optimal result should be. Objectives should be measurable and attainable.听
As a general best practice rule, whenever the unit is responsible for producing specific KPIs, deliverables, or milestones to measure specific Core Initiatives of the Strategic Plan, the unit should define objectives that are aligned directly with those Core Initiatives and use the same KPIs, deliverables, or milestones to measure progress toward their objective.听
Learning outcomes are statements of the knowledge, skills and abilities individual students should possess and can demonstrate upon completion of a learning experience or sequence of learning experiences. They should be measurable, attainable within the learning unit's context (program, course, specific activity) and should contribute to the department's mission.听
You should develop 3-5 learning outcomes for your program. MSCHE provides guidelines in chapter 2 of the handbook on Student Learning Assessment: Options and Resources (2nd Edition, 2007).听 An alternative guide to developing learning outcomes is provided by the . The NILOA has several easy-to-use resources on drafting learning outcomes, and many are intended for neophytes. Their includes a 鈥渉ow to鈥 section for drafting Learning outcomes.听
Describe how a learning outcome is assessed. The emphasis is on producing direct evidence such as student artifacts, research papers, responses to tests.听
Examples of direct evidence (taken from the list of methods for the assessment of student learning recommended on the MSCHE web site):听
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Portfolios of student work evaluated with a rubric:听
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Scores on locally-designed multiple choice and/or essay tests such as final examinations in key courses, qualifying examinations, and comprehensive examinations, accompanied by test 鈥渂lueprints鈥 describing what the tests assess听
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Indirect evidence, such as students' perceptions of their learning and the educational environment, may also be used. Examples of indirect evidence (taken from the list of methods for the assessment of student learning recommended on the MSCHE web site:听
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NOTE: Indirect methods alone do not provide adequate information about student learning outcomes.听
Describe how a learning outcome is assessed within the major. The emphasis is on producing direct evidence such as student artifacts, research papers, responses to tests.听
Examples of Assessment tables:听
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