Student Achievement

Assessment of Student Learning

In the most basic terms, student learning assessment is:

A process of measuring what students

know (cognitive), think (attitudinal) and can do (skills)

to see if it matches what faculty intended for them to know, think and do

in order to document and improve student learning.

The assessment process as practiced at NWACC is different from the tests, quizzes, assignments, etc. already given in classes. Course grades reflect individual student accomplishment of a number of different intended learning outcomes. NWACC's assessment program focuses on the aggregate accomplishments by students of specific intended educational outcomes at the program level and institutional level. The data are not used to evaluate an individual student or instructor. Faculty use assessment results to document and improve student learning with in a program. The accomplishment of these outcomes functions as the quality indicator for an educational program's overall effectiveness.

The figure below illustrates the cyclical process of student learning assessment.

Elements of the Assessment Cycle

Student learning is at the center of the process and effective student learning is the point of the process.

Learning outcomes determine what learning takes place.

Assess- Faculty measure student achievement of the intended learning outcomes using an appropriate instrument of their choosing.

Analyze- Faculty evaluate the results of the measure, identifying strengths and weaknesses in student performance.

Adjust- Based on the analysis, faculty make changes to the outcomes, instruction, or the assessment instruments.

Note that the process is ongoing, cyclical and dynamic. In each cycle, changes can be made to the learning environment (instruction and support services), the outcomes, or the measurements.

The assessment committee plays a key role in the process, reviewing student achievement of institutional level outcomes and giving input on program level assessment plans.  Institutional level and program level outcomes and assessment is linked to the classroom.  The assessment process emerges from and is sustained by faculty.

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Learning Outcomes

If student learning is to be measured, then it is assumed that a certain level of learning is expected. Intended learning outcomes are descriptions of what faculty intend for students to know, think and do when they have completed their course, degree or program. Other terms such as goals, competencies, indicators, or objectives can also be used to describe these intended learning outcomes. For the sake of simplicity and clarity, the term outcome will be used, though the other terms may be more technically correct.

Intended learning outcomes should be.

Linked to the institutional mission and/or higher level outcomes

Results oriented, focusing not on what instructors will do, but what students ought to know, think, and do

Measurable . Measurable means being able to make a general judgment on whether students know, think, or do what faculty intend for them

Reasonable (not too high or too low)

Set first before identifying assessment tools

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Institutional Level Assessment

In 1994, a committee of faculty developed general education goals in an effort to be more explicit about what the college expects from North West Arkansas Community College graduates. Since that time, the assessment committee has proposed some refinements to the outcomes that, after additional input from faculty, have been approved. NWACC faculty believe that an associate degree includes much more than factual knowledge and or vocational training. Higher education traditionally encompasses comprehending multiple perspectives, values, and attitudes which often initiates personal growth and transformation. Students acquire the skills to continue their learning and articulate what they know and believe. They learn to appreciate diversity, work with others to complete complex tasks, and wrestle with difficult issues. The intended learning outcomes (called"institutional outcomes') express the faculty's view of the outcome of higher education at the associate degree level.

The Institutional outcomes can be separated into two groups. The first group of institutional outcomes relate to the purpose of the two types of associate degrees offered by NWACC The Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS) is designed to prepare students to become employed and advance in a variety of occupations. The Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees are designed for students who plan to earn a bachelor's degree at another institution. The differences in the following two outcomes reflect the different emphases of these degrees.

Students ate prepared to enter, continue to work, or to advance within then fields of study.

Students are prepared to succeed in a four-year college program.

The second group of institutional outcomes describes general education expectations. These general education outcomes prepare students to pursue life-long learning. Regardless of the degree, all graduates are expected to achieve these outcomes. These skills are developed across the curriculum. Whether or not there is a specific course that focuses on the outcome (i.e. English Composition teaches writing), all of the general education outcomes are addressed to some degree in most courses.

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Role of the assessment committee

The assessment committee has the responsibility of evaluating the institutional outcomes. They use instruments such as the CAAP exam, UA transfer data, graduate surveys, and data collected from programs to determine if students are accomplishing the learning outcomes. The table below shows the measures used by the assessment committee. They prepare a formal report with their findings and which includes recommendations to improve student learning or the assessment process. They also provide support to the academic divisions on program level assessment.

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Program Level Assessment

An academic program is curriculum (courses) designed to meet an defined educational need.  Academic programs include Associate degrees, certificates, academic skills curriculum, adult education curriculum (GED and ESL), and workforce training. The faculty who teach in these areas, under the leadership of the division deans, department chairs, and program coordinators, drive all aspects of assessment. Faculty craft the outcomes, choose the assessment measures, interpret the results, and formulate the response to the findings. Each academic program has adopted at least one program-level learning outcome and a plan of assessing student achievement of that outcome. AAS programs are encouraged to identify measures related to expertise, employment, and employer satisfaction. Annually, each program coordinator completes an assessment report to be reviewed by the program faculty, advisory board and division dean.

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Connecting Assessment to the Classroom

The assessment plan recognizes that most student learning takes place in the context of a particular class. Institutional level and program level outcomes must be communicated and mastered in this context. In an effort to make the connection between institutional and program level learning expectations and the classroom, faculty have developed a standard course outline for each NWACC course. The standard course outline serves as a guide for instructors as they set up their syllabus. Course outlines list the course description, text, and topics to be covered as well as general objectives. Like the text and topics, general objectives are common to all sections of the course regardless of the instructor. The objectives provide consistency in content and purpose for courses. Most importantly, general course objectives serve as course level expressions of institutional and program level learning outcomes.

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The Role of Faculty in Assessment

NWACC desires that the assessment process come from and be sustained by the faculty. Faculty participate in the assessment process through activities such as:

1. Taking advantage of opportunities for training in assessment
2. Thoughtfully considering and discussing with peers the reasons for and uses of measuring student academic achievement across entire academic programs.
3. Becoming familiar with the institution's overall assessment program
4. Helping develop explicit and measurable objectives (intended outcomes) for department programs These objectives are what faculty agree students will have learned when successfully completing a program (in cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains).
5. Articulating department goals and objectives for learning to students and the public.
6. Choosing assessment measures and performance criteria that are appropriate to the intended outcomes (objectives).
7. Helping administer and grade certain assessment measures.
8. Helping produce summaries of assessment results.
9. In response to assessment results, making recommendations for improvements in teaching, curriculum, professional development, library holdings, student services, equipment, and personnel.
10. Helping prioritize recommendations and develop program plans and budgets.
11. Investigating the use of better instruments.
12. Helping prepare appropriate reports for other faculty, students and administrators.
13. Supporting the division dean in his or her responsibilities for the department's part in the overall assessment plan
14. Periodically serving on the assessment committee.

The success of the assessment of the student learning process rests ultimately with the College President. The responsibility of overseeing the process has been delegated to the exec. V.P. for Learning who is aided by the Instructional Deans , program coordinators, Learning Assessment Coordinator, and Assessment Committee.

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This page was last updated on:  December 21, 2009 @ 8:51 am