Articles about SLOs and Assessment in Higher Education
Listed below are selected results from a search in EBSCO databases (Academic Search Elite, Academic Search Premier, Business Source Elite, ERIC, Library,
Information Science & Technology Abstracts, MasterFILE Premier, Professional Development Collection, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Teacher
Reference Center) and ProQuest Research Library for "student learning outcomes" and (college or university or “community college”) and assessment, limited to
full text and from 2006 to present. Hundreds of articles were retrieved; only the most relevant were selected for this list. Articles listed are not organized by date or
subject. Links to full text are provided where available. Some links will require login before accessing; follow the instructions displayed on the login page. Some
links, as noted, work only from on-campus networked computers. Contact Ruth Moon, Librarian if you would like search assistance in finding additional articles,
setting up a saved search or alert, or printing, saving, emailing selected articles from any of CR’s online subscription databases.
Agents of Change: Examining the Role of Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Coordinators in
California Community Colleges. By: Gilbert, Greg; Buechner, Marybeth. Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges. 2007 54 pp. (ED510562) Formally stating and assessing student learning outcomes (SLOs)
is a new focus for California community colleges required by the 2002 Accreditation Standards. This paper, the
first in a series, explores one aspect of this sea change across the state: the emergence of a new group of faculty
leaders, Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Coordinators. Responsible for guiding the SLO
development and assessment efforts at their colleges, these faculty are charged with designing and implementing
assessment processes for instruction, the library, and student services. In addition, they provide training for
whatever assessment model the college adopts and they must organize and report assessment data for
accreditation. As assessment leaders, they must balance the often differing concerns of faculty and administrators
as well as deal with any college resistance. Student Learning Outcomes Coordinators act as agents of change on
their campuses; not change for the sake of change, but change anchored in campus culture and targeting improved
learning. Unfortunately, many are working without clear job descriptions or have not received training for this
position. Some SLO Coordinators shoulder this burden without any reassigned time on top of a full teaching load.
Until now, there have been few opportunities for SLO Coordinators to network together and exchange ideas; they
have been undertaking their task in isolation. This paper, detailing research conducted by the Academic Senate's
Ad Hoc Accreditation and Student Learning Outcomes Committee, explores the current status of California's SLO
Coordinators and makes several recommendations to address the challenges they face. Appended are: (1) Annual
Report Update on Student Learning Outcomes; (2) Survey Participants; (3) Survey and Non-Narrative Results; (4)
Sample SLO Coordinator Job Descriptions and Expectations; and (5) Training Needs Accumulated from the SLO
Survey and Regional Meetings. (Contains 9 tables.) Full Text from ERIC
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Assessing Critical Thinking: A College's Journey and Lessons Learned. By: Peach, Brian E.; Mukherjee,
Arup; Hornyak, Martin. Journal of Education for Business, Jul2007, Vol. 82 Issue 6, p313-320, 8p, 6 Charts
Abstract: The business college at University of West Florida is currently in the throes of implementing an
assessment initiative to develop student learning outcomes, design assessment devices to measure learning,
analyze the measurement results to identify learning shortfalls, and establish feedback mechanisms to modify the
curriculum to address the shortfalls. The authors reflected on the current state of the process, including initial
findings and corrective actions taken, and compared the lessons learned about assessing critical thinking and
assessment in general with results found in the literature.
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Building an integrated student learning outcomes assessment for general education: Three case studies. By:
Galle, Jo. K.; Galle, Jeffery. New Directions for Teaching & Learning, Spring2010, Vol. 2010 Issue 121, p79-87,
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9p; Abstract Using experiences from three institutions, the authors describe a three-stage process for designing an
integrated general education program that takes into account institutional differences. The three stages are (1)
establishing initial discussions that lead to alignment of key university SLOs with key general education SLOs,
(2) training and workshopping with faculty groups and administrators whose first task usually is to work with the
key general education outcomes and select the appropriate measures for them, and (3) training and workshopping
with faculty groups who teach the junior and senior courses that most majors take (the required courses, or
courses such as senior capstones) to develop and establish course-embedded assessment in the assessment plans
of the degree programs.
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Building effectiveness in teaching through targeted evaluation and response: connecting evaluation to
teaching improvement in higher education. By: Smith, Calvin. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education,
Oct2008, Vol. 33 Issue 5, p517-533, 17p, 4 Diagrams, 2 Charts; Abstract This paper describes the development of
a model for integrating student evaluation of teaching results with academic development opportunities, in new
ways that take into account theoretical and practical developments in both fields. The model is described in terms
of five phases or components: (1) the basic student evaluation system; (2) an interpretive guidance system that
helps lecturers understand and interpret their results; (3) a longitudinal reporting system that initiates
opportunities for staff to engage in personal and professional development in the context of a learning
community; (4) a structured professional development programme that builds a faculty learning community, in
which the members utilise extended cycles of evaluation based on (5) a comprehensive evaluation model designed
to develop and encourage the collection of evaluation data from a variety of sources concerning the quality and
impact of teaching: the teacher; student learning outcomes; student experience; and the teacher's peers
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Capella University: Innovation Driven by an Outcomes-Based Institution. By: Pearce, Kimberly D.;
Offerman, Michael J.. Continuing Higher Education Review, v74 p161-168 Fall 2010. (EJ907260) In 2010,
Capella University became the first online university--and the first for-profit institution--to receive the CHEA
(Council for Higher Education Accreditation) Award for Outstanding Institutional Practice in Student Learning
Outcomes. In 2009, Capella University also received the Platinum-level Learning Impact Award/Best Outcomesbased Learning Solution from the IMS Global Consortium; the WCET Outstanding Work (WOW) Award from
the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications; Best in Class, Interactive Media Awards, from the
Interactive Media Council; and Blackboard Greenhouse Exemplary Course Award. How did Capella University
accomplish this? More importantly, how is Capella systematically demonstrating high academic quality and
successfully assessing learning outcomes for students? This article examines why Capella declared itself an
outcomes-based institution, and explores the comprehensive learning and career outcomes system that Capella
spearheaded over the last decade, along with the facets that go into Capella's outcomes-based approach. It also
will touch on future capabilities of the system. (Contains 2 figures.) Full Text from ERIC
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Celebrating Outcomes and Cultivating Assessments: How the Largest College Found Common Ground.
By: Padrón, Eduardo J.. Liberal Education, Spring2008, Vol. 94 Issue 2, p30-35, 6p, 4 Color Photographs
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Abstract: The article presents the author's perspectives on the Miami Dade College Learning Outcomes of the
Miami Dade College in Florida. According to the author, the Learning Outcomes help define what Miami Dade
stands for, and they demonstrate its commitment to the core values of a liberal education. This distinctive set of
student learning outcomes, accordingly, dovetails with ongoing efforts to identify authentic methods of measuring
what graduating students have learned.
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Closing the Loop: Assessing SLOs for Quantitative and Qualitative Models in Business Courses. By:
Klemic, George G.; Lovero, Eveann. Assessment Update, Jan/Feb2011, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p; Abstract The
article offers information on the assessment of student learning outcomes (SLOs) in the College of Business
(COB) at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, as part of COB's assessment plan and the Academic Quality
Improvement Program (AQIP) of their regional accreditor. It mentions the development of an assessment device
used for the assessment processes. It notes that the assessment project helps the faculty realize to adjust their
teaching and courses to improve student learning.
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Community College Institutional Effectiveness. By: Skolits, Gary J.; Graybeal, Susan. Community College
Review, Apr2007, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p302-323, 22p Abstract: This study addresses a campus institutional
effectiveness (IE) process and its influence on faculty and staff. Although a comprehensive, rational IE process
appeals to campus leaders, this study found that it creates significant faculty and staff challenges. Campus leaders,
faculty, and staff differ in their (a) knowledge and support of IE; (b) participation in IE process activities; and (c)
perceptions of IE strengths, weaknesses, and usefulness. Needed IE data are typically available to campus
stakeholders except for student learning outcomes data across all academic programs. Administrators, faculty, and
staff agree that a lack of time is the major IE impediment. IE expectations may be too challenging for campus
participants, and faculty and staff need more institutional support to analyze and use existing data. Future research
should focus on faculty and staff aspects of community college effectiveness.
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Community College Strategies: Building a Model for Assessment within Student Affairs. By: Haney,
Richard; McClellan, Debralee. Assessment Update, v21 n2 p10-12 Mar-Apr 2009. (EJ838289) Frederick
Community College's assessment of student learning within student affairs has evolved as a result of the
confluence of three transformative initiatives: (1) the institution's decision to shape itself into a learning college;
(2) the revision of accreditation standards, placing increased emphasis on institutional assessment and assessment
of student learning; and (3) a statewide initiative to develop a model for the assessment of student learning within
student affairs units at Maryland community colleges. Each of these initiatives was instituted as a result of
increased attention to outcomes, particularly student learning outcomes, within higher education. A number of
steps were taken to prepare staff for the implementation of a model assessment plan for student learning
outcomes. The Learning Support division conducted an annual retreat that included two sessions: "The Learning
Imperative: Student Development's Role in the Learning College" and "Outcomes Assessment in the Learning
College." Each session provided a foundation for creating a culture of assessment in Learning Support and
developing a model assessment plan. To ensure consistency within the division, the vice president for learning
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support developed a template that identified the desired components of an assessment plan. Using the components
identified in the assessment plan template, the academic advising office developed a plan for assessment.
Specifically, this assessment plan focused on academic advising services provided to traditional-age incoming
students, the largest group matriculating at the institution. Learning Support's assessment efforts were
acknowledged several times in the Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation team's 2006
report to the college. (Contains 1 table.)
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Community College Strategies: Creating a Culture of Action Using Mission-Based Assessment. By:
Cosgrove, John J.; McDoniel, Lawrence J.. Assessment Update, v21 n4 p11-14 Jul-Aug 2009. (EJ855091)
This article describes how St. Louis Community College has created a culture of action using mission-based
assessment. By directly linking assessment processes to mission areas such as transfer education, the college has
created a central, unifying theme for assessment. Because the mission is everyone's business, assessment in turn
becomes everyone's business. The college's mission-based assessment process has become a shared enterprise in
which faculty and staff from across departments and across locations come together and engage in thoughtful
interpretation in order to develop and design assessment activities; analyze data or information; make
recommendations to improve teaching, student learning outcomes, and student support services; and advance
institutional effectiveness.
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Creating a Campus Community for Conversation about Assessing Student Learning. By: Musun, Linda;
Baker, Aaron D.; Fulmer, Jim. Assessment Update, v18 n4 p1-2, 12-13 Jul-Aug 2006. (EJ791130)
While assessment of student learning outcomes has become standard operating procedure on virtually every
campus, the driving forces for pursuing assessment remain primarily external. For that to change, campuses must
evolve toward a culture of assessment based on the shared values and expectations that arise out of a community.
The first step in developing a community that can support a culture of assessment is to create a climate of
conversation rather than confrontation around assessment. The authors have found two vehicles useful in creating
a climate of conversation at the University of Arkansas. One of these is an annual community event, the
Assessment Expo, and the second is a virtual community organized through their Web site Assessment Central.
Both communities include members from several campus populations and input from every level of the
organization. Both provide participants with a showcase for their successes and an avenue for making connections
with their colleagues. The annual Assessment Expo was initiated in fall 2000 with the modest goal of providing
an avenue for assessing student learning in the core or general education courses. It consists of four components:
(1) Core curriculum assessment poster session; (2) Program assessment poster session; (3) Workshop with an
outside consultant; and (4) Celebration. The original purpose of the second vehicle, the Assessment Central Web
Site, was to organize information for a progress report on assessment that was due to the Higher Learning
Commission of the North Central Association in December 2003. Its secondary purpose was to provide an
ongoing mechanism for accessing and sharing information about program assessment among the university's
degree programs. Assessment Central also has four components: (1) Highlights; (2) Resources; (3) Program
assessment; and (4) Core curriculum assessment.
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Developing a Collaborative Assessment Framework. By: Sharpe, Norean Radke; Reiser, Rachel I.; Chase,
Diane Contara. Assessment Update, Jan/Feb2010, Vol. 22 Issue 1, p4-6, 3p; Abstract The article focuses on the
development of a collaborative assessment framework for student learning outcomes. It stresses that frameworks
for the assessment of student learning outcomes has an important relation to the mission of an institution. It notes
that the primary advantage of a collaborative assessment approach is the shared commitment to continuous
student improvement. It further discusses information on various strategies for collaborative assessment.
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Establishing a Culture of Assessment. By: Weiner, Wendy F.. Academe, Jul/Aug2009, Vol. 95 Issue 4, p28-32,
5p; Abstract The article discusses the elements needed to achieve a culture of assessment before U.S. college
representatives can start accreditation. Culture assessment has something to do with determining whether the
predominating attitudes and behaviors that characterize the functioning of an institution support the evaluation of
student learning outcomes. The elements include clear general education goals, common use of assessmentrelated terms, faculty ownership of assessment programs, and ongoing professional development.
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Evidence of Learning: Applying the Collegiate Learning Assessment to Improve Teaching and Learning in
the Liberal Arts College Experience. By: Council of Independent Colleges. Council of Independent Colleges.
2008 36 pp. (ED505332) This report highlights the experiences of the 33 members of CIC's (Council of
Independent Colleges) Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Consortium over the past three years as they used
the CLA to measure student learning outcomes. The CLA instrument assesses how the college experience helps
students develop such "higher order" cognitive skills as critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem-solving, and
effective writing. A list of 5 related resources and 11 sources of research and related articles are provided.
[Financial support for this publication was provided by the Teagle Foundation.]
Full Text from ERIC
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Guiding Principles for SLO Assessment. By: Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. Academic
Senate for California Community Colleges. 2010 48 pp. (ED521068)
The assessment of student learning outcomes (SLOs) is a curricular activity that can be both beneficial and
productive. Faculty who engage in SLO development and assessment can acquire concrete evidence upon which
to base the collegial review of their programs and the improvement and enhancement of student learning both in
individual classes and across a program. If SLO processes are integrated into the culture of the college, the use of
assessment data as a basis for decision making can empower the faculty voice in planning and budgeting
discussions. Despite these potential benefits from SLO activities, many California community colleges have
struggled to develop and implement effective assessment processes. Pressure from the Accrediting Commission
for Community and Junior Colleges and its 2012 deadline for SLO proficiency has further complicated this issue,
causing many colleges and faculty to think of SLO assessment only as a quantitative task to complete for
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accreditation purposes rather than focusing on the quality of their assessment activities. In Spring 2008, Academic
Senate Resolution 2.03 called for providing guidance regarding best practices in SLO assessment that could be
applied at the local college level. This paper is a response to that resolution. The goal of this paper is to suggest
principles that will help faculty to develop efficient and effective SLO assessment practices as appropriate for
their own local colleges. These principles address various aspects of SLO assessment and factors that influence
assessment processes, including institutional support, cooperative relationships with other faculty, researchers,
and administrations, and alignment of outcomes throughout the different levels of the college curriculum. Above
all, the paper promotes and emphasizes the primary role of faculty in all SLO development and assessment
activities and the importance of faculty participation and involvement in the development and implementation of
assessment processes. Appendices include: (1) ACCJC Letter and Rubric; (2) AAHE Principle of Good Practice
for Assessing Student Learning; and (3) Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education.
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Multifaceted Assessment of Inquiry-Based Science Learning. By: Ou Lydia Liu; Hee-Sun Lee; Linn, Marcia
C.. Educational Assessment, Apr-Jun2010, Vol. 15 Issue 2, p69-86, 18p, 5 Charts, 2 Graphs; Abstract To improve
student science achievement in the United States we need inquiry-based instruction that promotes coherent
understanding and assessments that are aligned with the instruction. Instead, current textbooks often offer
fragmented ideas and most assessments only tap recall of details. In this study we implemented 10 inquiry-based
science units that promote knowledge integration and developed assessments that measure student knowledge
integration abilities. To measure student learning outcomes, we designed a science assessment consisting of both
proximal items that are related to the units and distal items that are published from standardized tests (e.g., Trends
in International Mathematics and Science Study). We compared the psychometric properties and instructional
sensitivity of the proximal and distal items. To unveil the context of learning, we examined how student, class,
and teacher characteristics affect student inquiry science learning. Several teacher-level characteristics including
professional development showed a positive impact on science performance.
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Outcomes Assessment Is Here to Stay, Get Faculty Buy In. By: Weinstein, Contact Daniel. Academic Leader,
Jan2006, Vol. 22 Issue 1, p1-2, 2p; Abstract The article reports that the trend towards greater accountability is
often viewed as some thing that is imposed upon higher education institutions. It is something that infringes on an
institution's autonomy and faculty members' academic freedom and adds to their workload. Effective learning
outcomes assessment requires an approach that comes from the administration but that is embraced by the faculty
members. Without this collaboration, progress will be limited. There is a difference between classroom evaluation
and outcomes assessment. Assessing student learning outcomes does not necessarily mean a substantial increase
in faculty members' workload. In many cases, graded assignments and exams can be modified to provide useful
assessment data. Accreditation bodies are becoming increasingly prescriptive in what they require of institutions.
The commissions on colleges are becoming more prescriptive because there are not enough institutions coming
out with quality outcomes assessment.
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SLO Terminology Glossary: A Resource for Local Senates. By: Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges. Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. 2010 20 pp. (ED511371)
This glossary was developed from existing research and feedback from faculty and researchers from the
California community colleges in response to Resolution S08 2.02 that asked the Academic Senate for California
Community College to address the confusion in the field by researching and developing a glossary of common
terms for student learning outcomes and assessment. This glossary does not dictate terminology nor does it seek
to be comprehensive. Due to the increased collaboration between researchers and faculty, dialog about these terms
increases individuals' ability to serve students and increase student success. (Contains 8 endnotes.)
Full Text from ERIC
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Specious Learning Outcomes. By: Ennis, Daniel J.. Academe, Sep/Oct2008, Vol. 94 Issue 5, p64-64, 1p;
Abstract The author reflects on the lack of student learning outcomes in syllabi which is considered assessment
unfriendly. He describes the challenges faced by public universities in the U.S. that are faced with reforming
governors or clumsily enterprising state legislatures. It is noted that the specious learning outcome does exactly
what the student learning outcome was supposed to prevent. By emphasizing what students do, student learning
outcomes were devised to distance the syllabus from abstraction and caprice.; (AN 34689169)
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Streamlining Assessment Processes: Less Really Can Be More. By: Musun, Linda. Assessment Update, v19 n4
p6-8 Jul-Aug 2007. (EJ791853)
Once a campus reaches the point where all academic units are actively involved in assessing student learning
outcomes, it is tempting to sit back and declare victory. However, it has been found that the assessment process
itself must be assessed regularly in order for it to continue to be effective. Each spring, the campus-wide
assessment committee (the Provost's Assessment Advisory Group) at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
(UALR) takes time to do just that. Over the years, they have repeatedly heard two complaints: faculty felt that
they expended too much time and energy on assessment activities (including redundant reports), and a lack of a
common "assessment language." To address these problems, the campus-wide assessment committee worked to
reduce the redundancy in their reporting requirements, to build into the process an opportunity for programs to
reflect on their assessment findings and incorporate them into their curricula in a mindful way, to clarify and
expand their common assessment language in order to ease communication, to simplify the acculturation of new
members, and to improve the consistency of feedback to academic programs about their assessment efforts across
campus. What had started as a simple idea of revising and updating their assessment forms turned into a process
of revisiting their entire way of conceptualizing assessment across campus. They not only addressed the original
complaints but also had an opportunity to talk about how and why they do assessment the way they do. The
members of the Provost's Assessment Advisory Group (PAAG) were crucial in this process. PAAG members
were able to provide frequent feedback from the college-level assessment committees at every step along the way.
The result was a restructuring that is more responsive to the needs of the campus.
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Student Learning Outcomes Assessment and a Method for Demonstrating Institutional Effectiveness. By:
Babaoye, Marcus S.. Assessment Update, Jul/Aug2006, Vol. 18 Issue 4, p14-15, 2p; Abstract The article presents
information on various measures undertaken by Worcester State College (WSC), Worcester, Massachusetts, to
assess the influence of different aspects of the college environment on students' lives and performance through out
their college experiences. WSC has adopted a linear model because they found it simpler to use and more
manageable to annual evaluation. The college uses assessment to improve teaching and learning, institutional
effectiveness and self-reflection.; (AN 21897500)
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Summary of Assessment in Higher Education and the Management of Student-Learning Data. By: Moskal,
Patrick; Ellis, Taylor; Keon, Thomas. Academy of Management Learning & Education, Jun2008, Vol. 7 Issue 2,
p269-278, 10p, 2 Diagrams, 2 Charts; Abstract: We describe important issues related to program assessment and
accreditation in higher education. The approach taken by one business school is provided to illustrate the
assessment process and how it manages the collection of the student-learning data required to assess degree
programs. Included are brief descriptions of the development of appropriate student-learning outcomes and
assessment measures. Finally, the positive and negative issues associated with program assessment based on
student-learning outcomes are described.
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The Challenges of Creating a Benchmarking Process for Administrative and Support Services. By:
Manning, Terri M.. Assessment Update, v19 n5 p7-10 Sep-Oct 2007. (EJ791855)
In the current climate of emphasis on outcomes assessment, colleges and universities are working diligently to
create assessment processes for student learning outcomes, competence in general education, student satisfaction
with services, and electronic tracking media to document evidence of competence in graduates. Benchmarking has
become a common practice in student assessment as colleges and universities seek the ability to compare their
performance with that of other institutions. For several years, Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) in
Charlotte, North Carolina, has worked to develop the Survey of Administrative Unit Effectiveness, which assesses
outcomes in college administrative and support units. At multiple regional and national meetings over the past
few years, staff members in institutional research at CPCC have described this administrative assessment process
and how the college has used results to facilitate change. The college's process has been well received, and
numerous colleges have expressed an interest in participating in a benchmarking process that uses the CPCC tool.
Because CPCC's administration has also supported the national norming of this tool, the college's institutional
research staff have begun to adapt the process so that it can be used by multiple institutions in a national
benchmarking initiative. As they have undertaken this effort, they have encountered many challenges. First,
working to identify outcomes based on unit performance is a new and difficult concept for many in business and
administrative areas. Second, finding common outcomes that apply to all colleges and universities (or a large
subset of them) across administrative units is complex. Third, creating and implementing a benchmarking process
with outcomes from more than thirty administrative and support units can be extremely labor-intensive and timeconsuming. Creating an effective benchmarking system is a complex, difficult task, a fact that accounts for the
reality that there are so few successful processes in place. Yet colleges reap significant benefits in being able to
compare their progress with that of peer institutions for the purpose of continuous improvement. A tool such as
the Survey of Administrative Unit Effectiveness described here offers colleges the opportunity to measure their
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progress, benchmark themselves against peer institutions, and use the results to facilitate institutional change. As
accrediting agencies become more focused on outcomes and accountability, providing a tool for evaluation and
improvement of administrative and support services will become of greater concern to colleges.
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The College President's Critical Role in Modeling Assessment: A Lesson in Leadership by Example. By:
Somera, R. Ray D.. Assessment Update, v19 n1 p9-11 Jan-Feb 2007. (EJ791843)
The college president's role in supporting and promoting student learning outcomes and institutional assessment is
a herculean one. At Guam Community College (GCC), the president has been performing a crucial role in setting
an assessment example for the rest of the college community since he took office on June 16, 2001. Seeking to
model an assessment process for all his constituents, at the end of his first year, he agreed to be a guinea pig in a
campus-wide survey-based evaluation of his performance. This leadership by example proved to be the critical
impetus that propelled the college's comprehensive assessment initiative, and six years thereafter, a culture of
evidence has gained a stronghold at the institution.
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The Degree Qualifications Profile. Defining Degrees: A New Direction for American Higher Education to
Be Tested and Developed in Partnership with Faculty, Students, Leaders and Stakeholders. By: Adelman,
Cliff; Ewell, Peter; Gaston, Paul. Lumina Foundation for Education. 2011 34 pp. (ED515302)
Through this document, Lumina Foundation for Education offers a "Degree Qualifications Profile," a tool that can
help transform U.S. higher education. A Degree Profile--or qualifications framework--illustrates clearly what
students should be expected to know and be able to do once they earn their degrees--at any level. This Degree
Profile thus proposes specific learning outcomes that benchmark the associate, bachelor's and master's degrees-which constitute the great majority of postsecondary degrees awarded by U.S. colleges and universities-regardless of a student's field of specialization. Beyond encouraging thoughtful discussion and evolution of those
reference points, the Degree Profile can serve other purposes either lacking or imperfectly realized in American
higher education today. While it is difficult to anticipate all of the purposes that the Degree Profile can serve,
there are several obvious applications that deserve mention. At the curriculum and classroom level, instructors
and students can refer to the Degree Profile as a common source of understanding and as a point of departure for
agreement on more detailed and specific expectations regarding the development of programs, courses,
assignments and assessments. At the college and university level, the Degree Profile provides reference points
that allow faculty members to articulate and better align institutional student learning outcomes with departmental
objectives. The Degree Profile also should offer students and advisers reference points for degree planning. In
addition, institutions can use the Degree Profile to help align their expectations with those of other institutions and
to give prospective students a clear statement of the outcomes they seek to assure. Regional accreditors should
find that the Degree Profile prompts them to reach the consensus on learning outcomes that is being sought by
many leaders and opinion makers. Specialized accreditors can use the Degree Profile as a platform for relating
disciplinary expectations to institutional ones. A list of sources is included. (Contains 1 footnote.) [For the
executive summary, see ED515341.]
Full Text from ERIC
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The New Guys in Assessment Town. By: Hutchings, Pat. Change, May/Jun2009, Vol. 41 Issue 3, p26-33, 8p, 4
Color Photographs; Abstract The article offers information on the influx of for-profit assessment providers
offering services and tools that promise a more cost effective in the U.S. Prompted in large part by accreditation
pressures, campuses are turning to the new providers for aid with a wide range of assessment-related tasks and
procedures. Some of the providers offer help in developing student learning outcomes and brings the science of
learning to the art of teaching. Some of the providers sell and support software for maintaining, managing and
reporting assessment data, while others offer electronic platforms for portfolio assessment data.; (AN 38594844)
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The State of Learning Outcomes Assessment in the United States. By: Kuh, George D.; Ewell, Peter T..
Higher Education Management and Policy, v22 n1 p1-20 2010. (EJ881548)
Worldwide, economic and other factors are pressing institutions of higher education to assess student learning to
insure that graduates acquire the skills and competencies demanded in the 21st century. This paper summarises
the status of undergraduate student learning outcomes assessment at accredited colleges and universities in the
United States. Three-quarters of institutions have established learning outcomes for all their students, a necessary
first step in the assessment cycle. Most schools are using a combination of institution-level and programme-level
assessments. Quality assurance requirements in the form of regional and specialised accreditation, along with an
institutional commitment to improve, are the primary drivers of assessment. While there is considerable
assessment activity going on, it does not appear that many institutions are using the results effectively to inform
curricular modifications or otherwise to enhance teaching and learning. The paper closes with recommendations
for various groups that can advance the assessment and institutional improvement agenda.
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Transforming Course Evaluations into a Meaningful Measure of Student Outcomes Achievement. By:
McCullough, Christopher A.. Assessment Update, v20 n5 p3-5 Sep-Oct 2008. (EJ810622)
Over the past few years, the author had the good fortune to engage many faculty and administrators in
conversations about student outcomes assessment. The author has discovered that many faculty and
administrators associate course valuations with student outcomes assessment measures. He also found that no
items about student learning outcomes are included. In this article, the author contends that transforming course
valuations to become an indirect tool of student outcomes assessment is much more practical approach than
attempting to evoke cultural change in higher education. The author also describes how the faculty at James
Madison University (JMU) and at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) have initiated the
process of transforming course valuation instruments.
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Assessing Developmental Assessment in Community Colleges. Hughes, Katherine L; Scott-Clayton, Judith.
Community College Review 39. 4 (Oct 2011): 327-351. For many students entering community colleges, the first
stop on campus is to an assessment center. More than half of these students will be placed into developmental
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education as a result of their scores on reading, writing, and mathematics entry assessments, yet there is little
evidence that this improves student outcomes. We examine alternative perspectives on the role of assessment and
how it is best implemented, review the validity of the most common assessments, and discuss emerging directions
in assessment policy and practice. We conclude with implications for policy and research. ProQuest link for oncampus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/910699520/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/1?accountid=38516
Use of Presage-Pedagogy-Process-Product Model to Assess the Effectiveness of Case Study Methodology in
Achieving Learning Outcomes. Sankar, Chetan S; Raju, P K. Journal of STEM Education : Innovations and
Research 12. 7/8 (2011): 45-56. In this paper, we integrate organizational, engineering education, and educational
learning literature to develop a model of student learning so as to research how learning style, behavioral
tendencies, gender, and race have the potential to act as facilitators or barriers to the learning process. We argue
that the gains in higher-order cognitive skills, improvement in self-efficacy, and improvement in team-working
skills are positively related to the absence of barriers to the learning process. The experimental design tests the
model at two universities: Auburn University, a large land-grant institution in Auburn, Alabama, and Hampton
University, an HBCU in Hampton, Virginia. Both groups of students were provided the multimedia case studies
during Spring 2010. The results show that the students prefer a visual mode of learning, that they were generally
self-confident, and that they perceived an improvement in higher-order cognitive skills, team-working skills and
self-efficacy after working on the case studies. At both universities, students overwhelmingly found the case
studies and labs that involved building projects to be most interesting. Students found the multimedia case studies
to be beneficial for improving teamwork skills, networking, problem solving, presentation skills, and
communication skills. They mentioned that using the case studies helped them learn to research and make
effective PowerPoints. Students also mentioned that the case studies helped their critical thinking and decision
making skills. An unexpected outcome of this project was that the clinical supervision became an important
outcome of the evaluation project. It provided a forum for the teaching, evaluation, and senior faculty teams to
mesh together so as to improve the education of freshman engineering students. ProQuest link for on-campus
access only: http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/908804553/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/2?accountid=38516
A Course Assessment Process for Curricular Quality Improvement. Peterson, Steven L, PhD; Wittstrom,
Kristina M, MEd; Smith, Mark J, MA. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 75. 8 (2011): 157. To
describe a systematic assessment process that provides continuous improvement in the curriculum, supports
faculty development, and enhances student learning outcomes. Teams of faculty members, students, and course
instructors conducted course assessments, which consisted of monitoring the delivered instruction for agreement
with planned content and course integration within the curriculum, and providing ongoing feedback for improving
course content, course management, faculty teaching, and student learning experiences. Areas needing
improvement were identified and appropriate changes were made. Improvements were achieved in course policy
standardization, course integration within the curriculum, faculty teaching behaviors, and student experiences.
The curriculum assessment plan provides a structured method of monitoring and delivering continuous quality
improvement. ProQuest link for on-campus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/904035770/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/3?accountid=38516
A Model For Effectively Assessing Student Learning Outcomes. Ohia, Uche. Contemporary Issues in
Education Research 4. 3 (Mar 2011): 25-32. This paper describes a model proven to be effective for assessing and
documenting evidence of student learning outcomes. Specifically, it will share a model, F.A.M.O.U.S. Copyright
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©2008, which is an acronym exemplifying six effective steps for complying with institutional accountability and
eternal assessment requirements proscribed by the various US accreditation agencies. ProQuest link for oncampus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/865045144/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/7?accountid=38516
Design and development of rubrics to improve assessment outcomes. Reddy, Malini. Quality Assurance in
Education19. 1 (2011): 84-104. Purpose - This paper seeks to discuss the characteristics that describe a rubric. It
aims to propose a systematic method for developing curriculum wide rubrics and to discuss their potential utility
for program quality assessment. Design/methodology/approach - Implementation of rubrics is a recent
phenomenon in higher education. Prior research and theoretical issues related to rubric design and development
are discussed. The proposed method for rubric development is illustrated by deriving generic analytic scoring
rubrics for two assessment methods, namely projects and cases in a Master's level business program in India.
Aspects related to the validity of the rubrics developed are investigated and results of reliability study conducted
using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) are reported. Findings - Upon testing, the rubrics were found to be
reliable and valid grading tools. Results of inter-rater and intra-rater reliability analyses illustrated that the rubrics
supported standardization of the manner in which cases and projects could be evaluated in different business
courses. Practical implications - Whereas previous studies on rubric construction have largely concentrated on
task specific rubrics, this study focuses on development of curriculum wide rubrics that can be employed for
assessment of students' learning at both course and program level. Originality/value - To date there has not been
any published work on issues of assessment of student learning through project and case analysis rubrics within
diverse courses in a business program. The method detailed in the study can guide the development of generic
rubrics for alternative assessment methods employed in business programs as well as in other disciplines.
ProQuest link for on-campus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/846768652/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/9?accountid=38516
A Multi-Level Assessment of the Impact of Orientation Programs on Student Learning. Mayhew, Matthew J;
Vanderlinden, Kim; Kim, Eun Kyung. Research in Higher Education51. 4 (Jun 2010): 320-345. The purpose of
this study was to investigate the influence of orientation programs on student academic and social learning.
Moving beyond previous studies, we examined how participation in orientation programming affected student
learning and how the impact of these programs on learning varied by organizational characteristics (i.e.,
institutional control, size of undergraduate enrollment, sponsoring division, and whether the institution has an
office designated for managing orientation programs), student entry characteristics (i.e., gender, race, transfer
status), and student experiences (i.e., perceived quality of orientation program in helping student transition and in
meeting students' expectations, positive experiences with orientation staff, and perceptions of orientation
programs and their efficacy in helping students navigate resources and in providing useful campus-based
information). Hierarchical linear analysis was used to analyze these cross-level effects. Results demonstrated that
having a designated office for orientation programs on campus was important for narrowing the academic
learning gap between new-first year and transfer students. Implications for researchers and practitioners were
discussed. ProQuest link for on-campus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/205934781/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/12?accountid=38516
Towards a model and methodology for assessing student learning outcomes and satisfaction. Duque, Lola C;
Weeks, John R. Quality Assurance in Education 18. 2 (2010): 84-105. Purpose - The purpose of this paper is
threefold: first, to introduce a conceptual model for assessing undergraduate student learning outcomes and
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satisfaction that involves concepts drawn from the services marketing and assessment literatures; second, to
illustrate the utility of the model as implemented in an academic department (geography) within a large American
university, and third, to demonstrate the applicability of the model by replicating the study at different scales: an
entire undergraduate program (business administration) in a large Spanish university and another program
(nursing) involving various universities of a Spanish region. Design/methodology/approach - A multi-method
approach is used which comprises quadrant analysis, ANOVA tests and structural equation modeling techniques.
A questionnaire was designed for data collection. Findings - The main finding is the support found for the
proposed model at different scales. Results of the multi-method approach provide specific guidelines to
departments using this approach to improve student learning outcomes and satisfaction. Practical implications The paper provides a conceptual model and supporting tools that can be used by other academic departments or
higher education institutions to assist in the evaluation of how students perceive their learning outcomes and
satisfaction with their undergraduate program. Originality/value - The value of this multi-method approach is that
it is simple to implement, and at the same time provides a richness of information for diagnosis and decisionmaking. The model was tested with data collected in different undergraduate programs and different countries,
allowing the authors not only to find support for the model, but also to consider cultural differences among
student perceptions. ProQuest link for on-campus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/213738776/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/14?accountid=38516
Closing the Loop: Linking Planning and Assessment. Middaugh, Michael. Planning for Higher Education 37.
3 (Apr-Jun 2009): 5-14. What these writings lack - and what I would argue most professional development
activities related to the teaching of planning also lack - is a feedback loop that informs institutions how effective
those plans are in moving them forward toward the realization of their institutional mission and planning goals.1
As a commissioner with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, one of six regional accrediting
bodies in the United States, and as a consultant on planning and assessment at a wide range of institutions across
the country, I am often struck by the apparent disconnect between the planning and assessment processes at
colleges and universities. Assessing Student Learning Outcomes Without devoting an inordinate amount of space
to the assessment of student learning outcomes, it is important to underscore that the traditional approaches to this
type of assessment - most notably course grades - have proven insufficient in informing either institutional
planning processes or general decisions related to policy. ProQuest link for on-campus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/212625950/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/17?accountid=38516
Assessing Critical Thinking: A College's Journey and Lessons Learned. Peach, Brian E; Mukherjee, Arup;
Hornyak, Martin. Journal of Education for Business 82. 6 (Jul/Aug 2007): 313-320. The business college at
University of West Florida is currently in the throes of implementing an assessment initiative to develop student
learning outcomes, design assessment devices to measure learning, analyze the measurement results to identify
learning shortfalls, and establish feedback mechanisms to modify the curriculum to address the shortfalls. The
authors reflected on the current state of the process, including initial findings and corrective actions taken, and
compared the lessons learned about assessing critical thinking and assessment in general with results found in the
literature. ProQuest link for on-campus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/202823526/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/20?accountid=38516
Community College Institutional Effectiveness: Perspectives of Campus Stakeholders. Skolits, Gary J;
Graybeal, Susan. Community College Review 34. 4 (Apr 2007): 302-323. This study addresses a campus
institutional effectiveness (IE) process and its influence on faculty and staff. Although a comprehensive, rational
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IE process appeals to campus leaders, this study found that it creates significant faculty and staff challenges.
Campus leaders, faculty, and staff differ in their (a) knowledge and support of IE; (b) participation in IE process
activities; and (c) perceptions of IE strengths, weaknesses, and usefulness. Needed IE data are typically available
to campus stakeholders except for student learning outcomes data across all academic programs. Administrators,
faculty, and staff agree that a lack of time is the major IE impediment. IE expectations may be too challenging for
campus participants, and faculty and staff need more institutional support to analyze and use existing data. Future
research should focus on faculty and staff aspects of community college effectiveness. ProQuest link for oncampus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/213204026/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/21?accountid=38516
Can Assessment for Accountability Complement Assessment for Improvement? Banta, Trudy. Peer Review
9. 2 (Spring 2007): 9-12. Graham Gibbs, Oxford University, UK; and Claire Simpson, Open University, UK
These are times of great uncertainty and challenge for those of us who have devoted our energies to encouraging
faculty and student affairs colleagues to assess student learning outcomes for the purposes of improving academic
progress and student services. Equally important, faculty who are just beginning to use assessment aimed at
improvement may ask why they should continue to do so if the quality of their institution is going to be judged on
the basis of standardized test scores achieved by a small sample of students.\n Students select graded written,
spoken, and artistic works from courses throughout their college careers, as well as photographs and videotapes of
speeches, work-related events, and other leadership experiences on and off campus to illustrate their achievement
of the expected outcomes. ProQuest link for on-campus access only:
http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/216592048/1352BBF6430366B3CFF/22?accountid=38516
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