Assessment of Student
Learning Outcomes
by
Kirby Hayes
August 15th 2007
Why assess student
learning outcomes?

Improve learning
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Deliberate use of evidence of student
learning to inform curricular improvements
Respond to accreditation requirements

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University-level regional accreditation
Discipline-level accreditation e.g. ABET
August 15th 2007
Outline
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North Central Association
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Created the Higher Learning Commission
Changes in process since 1999/2000
Emphasis on assessment of student learning
Purdue Preparation
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3-Step Process
Examples
Timeline
August 15th 2007
North Central Association
Northwest
Western
North Central
Southern
Middle States
New England
North Central region – 19 states, 980 colleges/universities
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North Central Association

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Review occurs every ten years
Purdue continually accredited since
1913
Last review in 1999/2000
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North Central Association
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Timing for 2009/10 review
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Fall 06: HLC notified Purdue to “get ready”
Spring 07: SLOAW Organized
Fall 07: Purdue identifies self-study coordinator
Fall 07/Summer 09: Campus conducts self-study
and prepares report.
Fall 09: Site visit by review team.
Spring 10: Team report and university response
reviewed by HLC panel.
Spring 10: Final decision by HLC. (Monitoring
reports have been common since 2005)
August 15th 2007
Higher Learning
Commission

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NCA created the Higher Learning
Commission (HLC) in 2005
The process/focus of accreditation was
changed in 2005, to an evidence-based
evaluative (vs. descriptive) report
demonstrating compliance with five
basic criteria.
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The Five Criteria
Student Learning
and Effective
Teaching
Preparation
for the Future
Mission &
Integrity
Acquisition,
Discovery,
Application of
Knowledge
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Engagement &
Service
Student Learning and
Effective Teaching

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3a - The organization’s goals for student learning
outcomes are clearly stated for each educational
program and make effective assessment possible.
4b - The organization demonstrates that acquisition
of a breadth of knowledge and skills and the exercise
of intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational
programs.
4c - The organization assesses the usefulness of its
curricula to students who will live and work in a
global, diverse, and technological society.
“Shared responsibility” and high faculty involvement
August 15th 2007
Student Learning and
Effective Teaching



3a - The organization’s goals for student learning
outcomes are clearly stated for each educational
program and make effective assessment possible.
4b - The organization demonstrates that acquisition
of a breadth of knowledge and skills and the exercise
of intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational
programs.
4c - The organization assesses the usefulness of its
curricula to students who will live and work in a
global, diverse, and technological society.
“Shared responsibility” and high faculty involvement
August 15th 2007
Student Learning and
Effective Teaching



3a - The organization’s goals for student learning
outcomes are clearly stated for each educational
program and make effective assessment possible.
4b - The organization demonstrates that acquisition
of a breadth of knowledge and skills and the exercise
of intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational
programs.
4c - The organization assesses the usefulness of its
curricula to students who will live and work in a
global, diverse, and technological society.
“Shared responsibility” and high faculty involvement
August 15th 2007
Student Learning and
Effective Teaching



3a - The organization’s goals for student learning
outcomes are clearly stated for each educational
program and make effective assessment possible.
4b - The organization demonstrates that acquisition
of a breadth of knowledge and skills and the exercise
of intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational
programs.
4c - The organization assesses the usefulness of its
curricula to students who will live and work in a
global, diverse, and technological society.
“Shared responsibility” and high faculty involvement
August 15th 2007
Preparation for 2009/10

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Fall 2007: appoint leadership team and develop plan
for self-study.
Determine theme for self-study.
Develop campus plan for assessment of student
learning activities (SLOAW).
Join HLC Assessment Academy (SLOAW).
Learn from Purdue faculty serving as HLC peer
reviewers.
Learn from recent reviews of Big 10/peer institutions.
Inform and engage campus in review activities.
August 15th 2007
Assessment
“Assessment is the process of gathering and
discussing information from multiple and
diverse sources in order to develop a deep
understanding of what students know,
understand, and can do with their knowledge
as a result of their educational experiences;
the process culminates when assessment
results are used to improve subsequent
learning.” (Huba and Freed, 2000)
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Basic Assessment Model
Student Learning Outcomes
Instructional
Assessment
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Instructional
Activities
Basic Assessment Model
Student Learning Outcomes
Instructional
Assessment
Instructional
Activities
Program student learning outcomes define what a
student will be able to know AND do upon completion
of the program.
August 15th 2007
Basic Assessment Model
Student Learning Outcomes
Instructional
Assessment
Instructional
Activities
Instructional activities provide students with
meaningful opportunities to achieve a stated
learning outcome.
August 15th 2007
Basic Assessment Model
Student Learning Outcomes
Instructional
Assessment
Instructional
Activities
Instructional assessments allow you to monitor student
learning and provides you feedback about the effectiveness
of your instructional activities for supporting students
achievement of a stated learning outcome.
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Purdue's Plan
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Scope of Assessment

For each undergraduate, graduate and postbaccalaureate program (broadly defined as major),
the HLC review team will want to see evidence of:
student learning outcomes and how they are
addressed, assessment of student learning outcomes,
and ongoing efforts to help improve student learning
based on these assessments. To meet the
requirements stated in subsections 3a, 4b, and 4c,
the following steps need to be completed for each
program (undergraduate, graduate, and postbaccalaureate) and answers to the related topic
questions should be provided.
August 15th 2007
3-Step Plan
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Step 1: Identification of and Activities for
Achieving Student Learning Outcomes
Step 2: Assessment of Student Learning
Outcomes
Step 3: Ongoing Efforts to Improve
Student Learning
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3-Step Plan
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Step 1: Identification of and Activities for
Achieving Student Learning Outcomes
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Outcomes: What are the student learning
outcomes and their sources for this program?
Activities: In what activities are students involved
to help achieve these learning outcomes?
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3-Step Plan
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Step 2: Assessment of Student Learning
Outcomes
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Evidence: What assessment evidence is collected
to determine students’ achievement of the learning
outcomes? (show multiple measures and
frequency of measures)
Findings: Based on your assessment evidence, to
what extent have students achieved the learning
outcomes?
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3-Step Plan
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Step 3: Ongoing Efforts to Improve Student
Learning
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Reviews: To help inform improvement of student learning,
what processes do you use to review the assessment
evidence?
Changes: As a result of reviewing the assessment evidence,
what did or will you change (if anything) to help students
achieve an acceptable or higher level of the learning
outcome?
Impacts: If any changes were made, what impacts did they
have on the extent to which students achieved the learning
outcome?
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3-Step Plan
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Shared Responsibility
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How did you ensure broad faculty
involvement in these three steps?
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Template
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See Handout
August 15th 2007
2007/2009 Timeline
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Thru December 2007
 Develop/Implement process (SLOAW)
 Develop web-based template (SLOAW)
Thru May 2008
 All programs populate template with one
outcome (establish review process)
Thru May 2009
 All programs populate template with all
outcomes
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Beyond 2009/10
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Assessment of student learning must
become a routine part of the work we
do. We can begin to accomplish this by
embedding the learning outcomes
initiative into our next strategic plan.
August 15th 2007
Assessment Resources
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University of Central Florida - Assessment
Document
 http://iaaweb.ucf.edu/oeas2/pdf/acad_prog
ram_assessment_handbook_rev022704.p
df
American Psychological Association –
Assessment Strategy
 http://www.apa.org/ed/eval_strategies.html
August 15th 2007
Books and Articles
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Angelo, T. A. & Cross, K. P. (1993).
Classroom assessment techniques. (2nd ed.).
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Huba, M. E. & Freed, J. E. (2000). Learnercentered assessment on college campuses.
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Walvoord, B.E. (2004). Assessment clear and
simple. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
August 15th 2007
Assessment of Student
Learning Outcomes
by
Kirby Hayes
August 15th 2007