Embedding Assessment of Student Learning
Outcomes in Regularly Scheduled Assignments
Dr. Larry H. Kelley
Auburn, Alabama
aukelley@aol.com/aukelley85@yahoo.com
http://kelleyeducation.com
Implementing/Assessing Student Learning Outcomes
• Develop or revise intended student learning outcomes. These
should be results oriented, easily understood and measurable.
• Include intended outcomes in all course syllabi.
• Utilize intended outcomes to develop a formal annual
assessment plan.
• Integrate the annual assessment plan with the strategic planning
and/or program review cycles.
Creating Assessment Plans/Embedding Assessment
• Specify intended student learning outcomes.
• Select assessment measures and techniques and identify target
courses or activities in which assessment will be conducted.
• Specify assessment criteria/performance standards/expected
results (challenging, yet attainable).
 Embed measures or identify embedded measures.
 Evaluate student performance on exams, etc., for course
grades.
 Evaluate student performance on course embedded
measures.
Embedded Assessment Measures and Techniques # 1
• Measure: Questions Embedded in Exams
• Technique: Evaluation of Answers to Common Exam Questions
Across Course Sections
Embedded Assessment Measures and Techniques # 2
• Measure: Essay, Research Paper, Case Study, Oral
Presentation, Lab Report, etc.
• Technique: Use of Rubrics, etc., to Evaluate Student
Performance in Various Knowledge/Skills Areas
Building Performance Assessment Rubrics
• Identify the intended student learning outcome.
• Specify performance areas to be measured.
• Include levels of performance from poorest to best.
• Assign ratings to performance levels.
• Devise a scoring procedure.
 See Assessment Rubrics.
Creating Simple and Effective Data Reports
• Identify intended student learning outcomes.
• Specify performance areas, standards or embedded questions
for each outcome and enter the level of student achievement.
•
Footnotes: note the rating scale used for each intended outcome and specify the
minimum acceptable rating.
 See Data Reports.
Reporting and Evaluating Assessment Findings
• Assessment Criteria/Performance Standards/Expected Results:
• Statement of Actual Results:
• Problems Encountered (if minimum standards were not met):
• Action Taken (such as curricular changes or improvements)/
Recommendations for Further Action:
 Complete this form for each assessment criteria statement.
Assessment Plan Statement - Sample # 1
• Intended Outcome # 1. Students taking coursework in
sophomore sociology will show marked improvement in the
attainment of key sociological concepts and principles.
• Assessment Measures, Techniques, and Target Courses/
Activities. SOC 201 students will complete a pretest and final
examination, in which questions related to key sociological
concepts and principles have been embedded. Faculty will
evaluate students’ answers to the embedded questions across
all sections.
• Assessment Criteria/Expected Results. Less than 30 percent
of students will answer each embedded question correctly on the
pretest, whereas 80 percent or more will answer each embedded
question correctly on the final examination.
 See Data Report 1 and Report of Assessment Findings.
Assessment Plan Statement - Sample # 2
• Intended Outcomes # 2, 3 and 4. Economics majors will
display proficiently in writing, formal speaking and problem
solving skills.
• Assessment Measures, Techniques, and Target Courses/
Activities. ECON 201 students will complete a case project
resulting in a written report and oral presentation. A jury of
faculty will evaluate projects using assessment rubrics developed
by the program assessment committee.
• Assessment Criteria/Expected Results. The average rating of
student achievement in each performance area for written and
oral communication skills will be 3 or higher on a 4-point scale.
The average rating in each performance area for problem solving
skills will be 5 or higher on a 7-point scale.
 Use Rubrics 1, 2 and 3. See Data Report 2.
Assessment Plan Statement - Sample # 3
• Intended Outcomes # 5, 6 and 7. Students pursuing a major in
management will demonstrate an understanding of the basic
concepts of management planning and staff management and
competency in written communication skills.
• Assessment Measures, Techniques, and Target Courses/
Activities. BUS 313 students will write a detailed paper on the
topics of management planning and staff management. Faculty
will evaluate papers using an assessment rubric developed by
the program assessment committee.
• Assessment Criteria/Expected Results. The average rating of
student achievement on each performance standard in each
knowledge/skills area will be 7 or higher on a scale of 1-10.
 Use Rubric 4. See Data Report 3.
Assessment Plan Statement - Sample # 4
• Intended Outcomes. Undergraduate engineering students will
use basic survey techniques, handwriting skills, mathematic
calculations, and teamwork to complete group survey projects to
a high degree of accuracy.
• Assessment Measures, Techniques and Target Courses/
Activities. CE 211 students will complete a series of survey
projects, in which they must demonstrate the abilities/skills noted
in the intended outcome. Faculty will evaluate the projects using
an assessment rubric developed by the program assessment
committee.
• Assessment Criteria/Expected Results. The average rating of
student achievement in each performance area on specified
survey projects will be 4 or higher on a 5-point scale.
Assessment Plan Statement - Sample # 5
• Intended Outcome. Biology majors will demonstrate expertise
in using the standard scientific format to prepare reports of
findings.
• Assessment Measures, Techniques and Target Courses/
Activities. BIOL 201 students will complete weekly lab projects
and prepare reports of findings. Faculty will use an assessment
rubric to evaluate randomly selected reports during the fourth,
eighth and twelfth weeks.
• Assessment Criteria/Expected Results. Students will achieve
an average rating of 4 or higher on a scale of 1-7 in each
performance area on selected reports.
Closing the Loop
• Utilize the reports of assessment findings to develop budget
priorities, update the department’s strategic plan and/or program
review document, and create the annual assessment plan for the
following year.