Achieving Student Learning Outcomes
November 2014
Assessment of Student Learning Compared to Course Evaluation
Some faculty at Mines use the terms assessment and course evaluation interchangeably. However, these
two activities serve very different purposes. A summary of differences is below.
Assessment of student learning
Course evaluation
Definition/purpose: “Assessment is the systematic
collection, review, and use of information about
educational programs undertaken for the purpose
of improving student learning and development."
Note that this is different from determining what
students learned.
Definition/purpose: Student evaluations of teaching
are intended to enable students to provide
feedback to faculty regarding their perceptions of
teaching effectiveness.
Source: Palomba, C. & Banta, T. (1999).
Assessment Essentials: Planning, Implementing,
and Improving. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Intended to inform improvements to pedagogy,
curricular structure, advising, specific assignments,
etc.
Intended to inform faculty of student perceptions.
Also used as a proxy for measurements of teaching
effectiveness in the performance review process.
Focuses on learning outcomes, which are defined
by the faculty.
Focuses on the faculty member and the course
delivery.
Conducted at various levels: individual class
sessions, entire courses, and entire degree
programs.
Conducted for an entire course.
Not intended to influence promotion and tenure
decisions.
Required element of promotion and tenure
applications.
Implemented using a variety of strategies (exams,
thesis defenses, lab assignments, alumni surveys,
oral presentations, etc.) A list of undergraduate and
graduate assessment strategies in use by Mines
faculty is online.
Implemented via Blackboard using a standardized
survey.
Assessment data are owned by the faculty and are
not shared outside of the department/program.
Data from course evaluations are used by
promotion and tenure committees; results are
publicly available to any/all interested parties.
Can be formative (throughout the class, course, or
program, to inform current functioning) or
summative (at the end of the class, course or
program, to inform the future.)
Summative in nature, occurs at the end of a
course.
Graduate Student Alumni Survey Results
In September, we administered the first alumni survey of graduate students that is focused on student
and program outcomes. 561 graduates (with graduation dates from 2003 to 2013) responded to the
survey, resulting in a 20.6% response rate. While the survey respondents are not likely to be a
representative sample of graduates, their feedback provides useful insights regarding their educational
experiences at Mines.
Selected results are included in this newsletter. A complete report of results is online. Notable findings
include:

The majority of respondents indicated that Mines prepared them effectively for their current
career, with 61% reporting “very effectively” and 31% reporting “somewhat effectively.”

More than 60% of respondents indicated that their education contributed to their development of
the following skills/abilities “very much”:


o
Retrieve and interpret technical information
o
Think critically about a wide range of cross-disciplinary issues
o
Find new information and use it effectively
o
Convey technical/scientific information, in writing, to a variety of audiences
Less than one third of respondents reported that their education contributed to their development
of the following skills/abilities “very much”:
o
Develop a commitment to enhance the profession through leadership and service
o
Demonstrate ethical awareness
o
Work effectively in an international environment
o
Be dedicated to stewardship of the environment
o
Demonstrate cross-cultural and diversity awareness
84.8% of respondents indicated they would choose to enroll at Mines if they could make their
college choice over. 12.4% of respondents indicated they were unsure and 2.9% indicated they
would not choose Mines again.
1. In what year did you earn a graduate degree from CSM?
2003-04
Number of
graduates
47
Percent of
total
8%
2004-05
30
5%
2005-06
30
5%
2006-07
48
9%
2007-08
52
9%
2008-09
42
7%
2009-10
63
11%
2010-11
54
10%
2011-12
74
13%
2012-13
121
22%
2. What is the highest degree that you earned from CSM?
Number of
graduates
15
Percent of
total
4%
Master of Science (non-thesis)
168
44%
Master of Engineering
48
13%
MIPER
9
2%
Ph.D.
135
35%
Other
6
2%
Master of Science (thesis)
3. How effectively did CSM prepare you for your current career?
Number
of
graduates
264
Percent
of total
61%
Somewhat effectively
136
31%
Not effectively
17
4%
Not applicable
16
4%
Very effectively
4. Which of the following best describes your current position?
Entry level
Number
of
graduates
83
Percent
of total
20%
Mid level
198
48%
Senior level
104
25%
Executive level (except chief executive)
12
3%
Chief executive, principal or business owner
14
3%
5. How often have you participated in the following activities since graduating from Mines?
Frequently
Occasionally
Never
Total
Responses
Had primary responsibility for a major project at
work
58%
30%
13%
100%
Developed or improved a product or process at
work
47%
37%
16%
100%
Been involved in research (e.g., at a university,
research institution, or in industry)
36%
30%
35%
100%
Been involved in a project(s) which has
addressed a societal need
28%
37%
35%
100%
Participated in professional societies and
functions
26%
50%
24%
100%
Worked outside of the U.S.
20%
21%
59%
100%
Assumed a leadership role in a project(s)
which has addressed a societal need
19%
34%
46%
100%
Led or been a participant in a research effort
that has had a significant impact on your field
18%
33%
49%
100%
Published any books, articles, etc. in your field
11%
35%
54%
100%
Delivered (taught) a college/university course
11%
17%
72%
100%
Patented your invention
4%
9%
87%
100%
6. How well did your education at Mines contribute to your development of the following
skills/abilities?
All students
Retrieve and interpret technical information
Very
much
68%
Somewhat
30%
Not at all
2%
Total
Responses
100%
Think critically about a wide range of crossdisciplinary issues
66%
32%
2%
100%
Find new information and use it effectively
66%
30%
4%
100%
Convey technical/scientific information, in writing,
to a variety of audiences
65%
29%
6%
100%
Orally communicate technical/scientific
information to a variety of audiences
60%
35%
5%
100%
Demonstrate written communication skills
58%
37%
6%
100%
Demonstrate oral communication skills
58%
36%
6%
100%
Communicate information graphically
56%
38%
7%
100%
Demonstrate time management skills
56%
36%
9%
100%
Very
much
Somewhat
Not at all
Total
Responses
All students
Demonstrate teamwork and team leadership
skills
47%
42%
11%
100%
Work effectively in a diverse work environment
45%
44%
12%
100%
Adjust to an ever-changing professional
environment
42%
50%
8%
100%
Demonstrate project planning skills
Appreciate diverse approaches to solving
society’s problems
Appreciate diverse approaches to understanding
society’s problems
All students
Develop a commitment to enhance the
profession through leadership and service
42%
46%
13%
100%
38%
48%
14%
100%
33%
49%
18%
100%
Very
much
Somewhat
Not at all
Total
Responses
30%
49%
20%
100%
Demonstrate ethical awareness
30%
46%
24%
100%
Work effectively in an international environment
30%
41%
28%
100%
Be dedicated to stewardship of the environment
27%
51%
22%
100%
Demonstrate cross-cultural and diversity
awareness
27%
46%
28%
100%
Very
much
70%
Somewhat
26%
Not at all
4%
Total
Responses
100%
Demonstrate exemplary disciplinary expertise
46%
43%
11%
100%
Conduct directed research
43%
37%
20%
100%
Apply scholarship in new, creative and
productive ways
30%
49%
21%
100%
Assimilate and assess scholarship
28%
49%
22%
100%
Very
much
76%
Somewhat
22%
Not at all
2%
Total
Responses
100%
Intellectual integrity
76%
21%
3%
100%
Think critically
75%
22%
3%
100%
Demonstrate intellectual curiosity
71%
25%
4%
100%
Demonstrate exemplary disciplinary expertise
70%
27%
3%
100%
Develop a passion for life-long learning
68%
27%
6%
100%
Argue persuasively
43%
53%
4%
100%
Master’s students only
Think critically
Doctoral students only
Conduct independent research
Note: Totals may not sum to 100% due to rounding.