Assessment Plan 2012-2013
Office of Institutional Research and Assessment
District Assessment Coordinating Committee
July 18, 2013
This report is an update on the progress of Assessment at Metropolitan Community College for the
Academic year of 2012-2013.
1. General Education and Discipline Level Outcomes –.
During Fall 2012 and Spring 2013, disciplines in Cohort #3 and Cohort #4 met and determined discipline
level outcomes and chose 1 general education outcome attribute to assess. Cohort #3 completed their
assessments of 1 discipline level outcome and 1 general education outcome in the Spring 2013. Cohort
#1 and #3 met to discuss future plans and interpret their data. Cohort #4 will be conducting their
assessment in Fall 2013.
2. Learning EnhancementsA. Learning Communities – All Learning Community courses will have a pre/post survey administered in
class during Spring 2013. Additionally, the research from 2001-2002 was reviewed for the possibility of
replicated. This was placed on hold due to decisions made with zero based budgeting.
B. Human Diversity –Assessments were conducted in Spring 2013. Results will be analyzed and the
group will reconvene in Fall 2013.
3. Service Learning – They decided conduct assessment on student reflection papers using the
outcomes and the rubric during Fall 2013.
4. New Student Orientation – The project continues to be evaluated and assessed. A group met to
combine the GRIT and HOPE scale with the assessments conducted in New Student Orientation classes.
5. Student Satisfaction and Engagement – It was decided to wait another cycle before assessing using
the CCSSE survey. Noel Levitz will be given in Fall 2013.
6. Key Performance Indicators and Benchmarking – Since 2003, MCC participates with the National
Community College Benchmarking Project. This information provides us with benchmarks to compare
MCC’s performance with other community colleges in Missouri and across the country.
Peer group data was gathered from IPEDs and used for budget decision making and planning.
7. Graduate Follow up and Employer Follow Up – This is an on-going assessment required for Perkins
funding, program level accreditation, and program improvement. Graduate follow-up surveys are
mailed to students 3 times a year and collected by the IR office. Supplemental surveys required by some
programs are included with the Graduate Follow-up survey. Employer Follow-up surveys are sent when
employer information is received from the student.
8. Course Evaluation – This is an on-going assessment. When full and part-time faculty are evaluated,
the students in his or her classroom are given the student experience survey. These surveys are
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tabulated by the IR office and shared with the department. Overall student satisfaction can be collected
for the aggregate results. The IR office piloted Scantron Class Climate software with some campuses
and is ready to implement full use in the fall.
9. CTE Assessments – Each CTE Program conducted a Program Outcomes Assessment of one student
learning outcome. Several CTE programs are required to perform a Technical Skills Assessment if one
has been deemed appropriate. Instructors are responsible for submitting the results to Institutional
Research. Upon receipt, the results are submitted to DESE. This information is used in the CTE program
review reports.
10. GRIT Scale – Blue River updated the survey and recruited other campuses to participate in Fall 2012
during the month of October. It was decided not to test in Spring 2013 and combine this with the new
student orientation assessment.
11. MoHealthWins and MoManufacturingWins – This grant will require specific assessment measures
for both the student and for the program. An additional 1000 hour Assessment Coordinator was hired
to work on the assessment requirements of the MoMan grant.
12. Blue River- Mastery Class English 28 - Many students are placed in English 28 because they need a
refresher course. They have been taught the material before, and they just need help remembering and
applying the material. This class allows skills to be presented and learned at the student’s own pace.
Next steps include: piloting English 30 with this module method for the Spring 2012 and working with
BTC where that campus will pilot mastery classes for both English 28 and 30 in the Spring at the BTC.
13. MATH 40 - Developmental Algebra Assessment - Since fall 2005, all Math 40 instructors at all
campuses have been asked to administer a 12-item assessment at the end of the semester. To date
over 4,000 students have taken this assessment. This gives us a baseline to compare alternative
strategies that have been tried in Math 40. Several alternative strategies have been tried to address
these weaknesses including: Publisher Computerized Instruction System, Mastery Testing with
traditional Instruction, Graded Computer Homework, Instructor Designed Computer “Games” to
supplement traditional instruction, and Algebra-English Composition Learning Community.
14. Institutional research and surveys - MCC undertakes a wide variety of internal research studies
addressing many different aspects of institutional functioning. Examples of recent academic issues
addressed or being completed are:
• Prospect Survey – IR was tasked to complete telephone surveys of students who have applied to
MCC but did not attend. The office has developed and tested a survey instrument and hired 4
student workers to complete the interviews.
• The IR office worked on the following surveys this year: Finance, Inceptia Financial Aptitude,
Library, Cass County Student, Cass County Population, Counselor, Peer Leader, HR Survey, Math
Camp, and Peer Mentor.
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